A Derby man turned to Unite Legal Services for support after he suffered a crush injury at work.
Unite Legal Services secured compensation for 66-year-old Brian Marshall, who needed to have his left little finger amputated after his hand was trapped in a casting spindle machine at work.
“The service I received from Unite Legal Services was first-rate, from start to finish,” said Brian. “They explained the legal process to me clearly and without any jargon, which made me feel a lot more confident with my claim.”
The member had three months off work after the accident and continues to suffer from grip problems and numbness in his hand.
Brian continued: “My injury still affects me to this day. Although I’m retired, I like to do a lot of DIY around the house, but the lack of grip and the niggling pain in my left hand makes it a lot more difficult. Other daily activities, like shopping and driving, have also been affected. Everything is just much more tasking.
“I hope other companies will learn from what has happened to me and provide safeguards, so that the health of their employees isn’t put at risk.”
Kevin Hepworth, East Midlands regional legal officer at Unite the Union, said: “If there was a safety guard around the machine it could have meant that Brian’s glove wouldn’t have been caught and his finger wouldn’t have been crushed. It is the responsibility of the employer to limit dangers like this in the first place.
“Brian has been able to get on with his life, thanks to the support of our legal team, but the physical effects of this avoidable injury will unfortunately remain with him forever.”
