compensation claim

[goatersnipple]

Anyone have any idea of a value to a back injury claim.
To cut a long story short I'm a joiner and I was employed by the local council ad a multi trades man.
I was put onto a contract to replace 36 kitchen in a sheltered block with an apprentice.
I had no induction to the company when I first started.
No ppe.
And no health and safety training or manual handling training.
When the contract started there had been no risk assessment carried out.
As a result I had to lift the worktops on my own as two people couldn't fir into the kitchen at the same time while lifting the worktops even though it is classed as a two man lift.
This resulted in me hurting my back and been taken off the tools and given a surveyors job.
I was advised to sue the council which I'm in the process of doing now.
When my solicitor asked for the risk assessment they sent him a made up one.
That was in the wrong company section name.
Not signed.
Oh and dated 4 months after the job started.
When the solicitor questioned this they re sent it but had altered it from the first one.
Anyone have any experience in this type of thing as I have no idea how much I'm likely to be paid out.
The solicitor has said he will not accept any offer as we have more than enough evidence and he's quite happy for it to go to court if necessary

 

[Uncle Wally One Ball]

No wonder council tax is going up all the time

 

[AkanjisAfro]

Back injuries start from about 1.5k but depends on lots of factors

 

[KenTheLandlord]

Did you inform the council that you "had to lift the worktops on my own as two people couldn't fir into the kitchen at the same time while lifting the worktops even though it is classed as a two man lift"?

 

[goatersnipple]

Did you inform the council that you "had to lift the worktops on my own as two people couldn't fir into the kitchen at the same time while lifting the worktops even though it is classed as a two man lift"?

Yes the supervisor put it in writing it was too expensive to take take the wall out between the kitchen and the front room that would have allowed us to lift the worktops as two people.
And said we had to carry on like that.
If I didn't like it I could look for another job basically

 

[andyhinch]

Did you inform the council that you "had to lift the worktops on my own as two people couldn't fir into the kitchen at the same time while lifting the worktops even though it is classed as a two man lift"?

Also where was it stated it was a two man lift and was there any form of "toolbox talk"

 

[KenTheLandlord]

That's good it's in writing.
The council employed you 100%, no subbing or anything like that?
How long have you been off sick?

 

[goatersnipple]

That's good it's in writing.
The council employed you 100%, no subbing or anything like that?
How long have you been off sick?

I have had to stop been a joiner.
Luckily I got a job as an assistant manager at howdens.
As I was to to occur health by the council and they said I wasn't allowed to lift any ever again.
I have 4 damaged disks at the bottom of my spine.
But it does mean as the solicitor pointed out I can't do any weekend work which I was registered with hmrc for my tax etc

 

[Patientman63]

Did you inform the council that you "had to lift the worktops on my own as two people couldn't fir into the kitchen at the same time while lifting the worktops even though it is classed as a two man lift"?

The risk assessment should be done prior to the work starting. Assuming the OP is stating the facts, the council sould have spotted that issue if a proper risk assessment had been carried out. Manual handling is a key issue in many work processes, and the resulting misery when it's goes wrong is life ruining.

Again assuming the OP is stating the facts, even the naffest injury lawyer would sort some compensation out, the amount depending on the severity of the injury.

 

[KenTheLandlord]

You are probably looking at £5-10,000 as you have been forced to stop the work you can do but not work altogether. You have damaged disks and any costs for treatment required can be passed on to them. There are loads of other bits too but as a rough guide it will probably fall into that region.