Warehouse Worker Slips On Cardboard
Michelle was moving stock in a warehouse when she slipped on a piece of discarded cardboard, causing her to fall heavily on her right knee. Her accident left her to suffer months of pain and discomfort, for which she was awarded financial compensation.
Michelle was employed as a store assistant and goods-in clerk at a warehouse in Bristol where she would supervise deliveries, check in goods, assist with putting stock away and complete paperwork.
On the afternoon of 18 September 2007, the fit and healthy 23 year old was asked to take boxes of shavers, weighing 10 to 15 kilograms each from a pallet of stock to their storage location. She placed her hands either side of the first box, picking it up with ease before walking down the aisle of the warehouse.
Suddenly, however, Michelle slipped on a large piece of cardboard that had been left by another employee on the ground. Her right knee hit the floor with the full force of her body, which then twisted as she fell over the box. She struggled to get to her feet and felt an immediate and severe pain shooting through her right knee.
There was no one around to help her, so Michelle limped back along the warehouse to find her manager. As she did so, she realised there were various pieces of cardboard on the ground which had not been removed. Cleaning was not a regular aspect of the working routine, leaving staff at risk of slips, trips and falls.
Following her accident Michelle's knee became increasingly painful. By the end of the day she could not carry any heavy objects or bear weight on her right leg. By the end of the week she was in so much discomfort she was unable to carry out her work duties, forcing her to take time off.
However, as Michelle was not entitled to sick pay she could not afford to rest for too long. Instead she returned to work, attempting to alleviate her symptoms by taking the maximum dose of over the counter painkillers, elevating her leg every night and regularly applying ice. Nevertheless, this did little to improve her condition and she continued to suffer for another two months.
After consulting her GP, Michelle was referred to a physiotherapist who diagnosed compression of the patella-femoral joint. But even with treatment Michelle remained in a significant amount of pain, particularly if she walked long distances or stood for too long. She continues to suffer from these injuries, which she believed to be the fault of her employer.
Michelle contacted Glynns to enquire about making a work accident claim. We agreed that her employer was to blame for her accident, as there was a failure to ensure the traffic route was kept free of any article likely to cause a member of staff to slip. We helped Michelle make a claim and she received £4,800 compensation.
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