A 49-year-old woman from County Durham has received substantial damages from her former employer after she injured her shoulder whilst lifting heavy boxes at work.
Thorn Lighting in Spennymoor, County Durham were in the process of moving offices when the 49 year old employee was asked by her bosses to lift heavy boxes which contained technical manuals. The 49 year old succeeded in her claim after she sustained painful and ongoing injuries.
The employee said the injury has had quite a substantial impact on her life. She said she could no longer complete everyday tasks such as gardening or ironing because she was in too much pain. She went on to say that her doctors said the only cure is an operation, but she could not afford the time off work.
Janice Hook from Thompsons Solicitors was pleased that Thorn Lighting chose to settle out of court, but pointed to the dangers of employees being asked to lift heavy objects in the workplace without being shown how to handle them properly.
“Companies should undertake appropriate risk assessments and not place employees in danger by asking them to undertake jobs for which they are not trained,” she said.