Chris P's story

I am grateful for the services of Unite Legal Services.  Thank you for the wonderful and professional job your team has done for me.

Unite Legal Services has secured compensation for warehouse operative, Chris P*, after he was injured during the course of his employment.

The member was loading cages containing heavy produce onto a lorry. While he was doing this, he heard a loud bang and felt a jolt and when he looked up, he saw a number of cages rolling towards him. The member had no time to get out of the way and the cages crushed him against the side of the container wall.

Unbeknown to him, a lorry driver had hooked his cab onto the lorry causing the container attachment to lift up and tilt. The driver had done so in contravention of the policy in place that, when the light at the front of the trailer was red, the driver should not attach the lorry cab to the trailer.

The member’s employer had subcontracted its drivers and as such, argued that the subcontractor was to blame. Unite Legal Services argued that the employer was vicariously liable and could not hide from its obligations to ensure that any subcontractor is competent and responsible.

The employer eventually admitted liability. After a period of negotiations, Unite Legal Services secured the member nearly double the amount that the employer had initially offered by way of compensation.

The member commented:

“Thank you for the wonderful and professional job your team has done for me.”

*Names may have been changed to protect the identity of our member.