Manual Handling Injury Claims & Compensation

If you have sustained an injury after having to lift, carry or manually handle (pushing, pulling or supporting) something in the workplace then you could be entitled to claim compensation. Parts of the body commonly injured through heavy lifting include the back and neck, and in some cases people can also be left with a hernia or sprain.

Where a manual handling operation could be avoided by using mechanical means the employer has a duty to arrange or provide for it to be done that way. Where the manual handling task is unavoidable employers are under a duty to reduce the risk of injury to the lowest level reasonably practicable. Most manual handling injuries are avoidable and we have considerable experience of successfully pursuing claims for clients who had sustained injury in the following circumstances:

• Being required to manually handle excessive weight
• Failure of the employer to provide adequate training or refresher training
• Insufficient risk assessments
• Failure of employer to provide suitable equipment
• Failure of the employer to provide a safe system of work or to provide for assistance from sufficient numbers of staff

Industries at risk

People working in a wide range of sectors can be at risk of injury from lifting and carrying but these are the industries from which we see the most manual handling injuries.

• Logistics, LGV delivery drivers and warehouse personnel
• Construction
• Retail workers
• Healthcare workers
• Manufacturing

Something to remember

Both carrying injuries and lifting injuries can actually be the result of strain which has built up over time, and this means that they might not occur while in the workplace – but can still be attributed to a work routine.

If there is clear evidence of excessive strain in the workplace, it may be possible to establish that the proximate cause of injury was the excessive strain encountered in the workplace. The Health & Safety Executive provide guidance as to appropriate weights and forces and lifting techniques and the Manual Handling Operations Regulations approved code of practice provides a useful chart which summarises guidance on recommended maximum weights to carry, lift and push or pull if a lifting, carrying or manually handling injury is to be avoided.

Carrs Solicitors have more than 25 years of experience in dealing with workplace manual handling injury claims. These cases can be minefield for the unwary often with long term or non discrete injuries that must be identified upon careful consideration of the facts and of the clients medical background.These cases have to be prepared and presented in a completely different way to discrete injury cases. Our hard won experience as specialist work accident law firm comes into the fore in back in manual handling cases.

We act on a No win-No fee basis so there are no up front payments and nothing to pay if the case fails we only seek a contribution towards the costs of the case from any damages successfully recovered with our clients keeping the majority of the damages so they are never out of pocket and have nothing to lose.