The story
Shoosmiths’ serious injury team was instructed by our client who had four of his front teeth knocked out in an accident at work. His employers denied liability throughout, claiming that the incident was his own fault. They refused to engage and failed to serve any witness evidence or medical evidence to support their version of events. We settled weeks before trial for an amount which reflected the dental treatment our client will need for the rest of his life.
The details
Shoosmiths serious injury team was instructed by our client who was injured in an accident at work when he was struck in the face by a pipe. As a result, he lost four of his front teeth and sustained damage to other front teeth.
He had been given only limited ‘on the job’ training by his employer and had not been properly advised how to carry out the task he had been undertaking at the time of the accident.
Throughout the claim, the defendant employer maintained that our client was at fault and that he had been given sufficient training for his role.
How we helped
Specialist personal injury lawyer Kate Price-Marson represented our client. She and her team obtained medical evidence to detail the extent of our client’s injuries and to assess the future dental treatment he would need for the rest of his life because of the loss and damage to his teeth.
Understandably, our client was very self-conscious of his teeth and had only received limited NHS dental treatment. We argued for him to be given permanent implants rather than temporary dentures as he found the dentures uncomfortable and embarrassing.
The defendant refused to make any concessions on liability and maintained that they were not responsible for our client’s accident.
Kate therefore issued court proceedings. Despite their position on liability, the defendant failed to engage with the litigation process and did not serve any medical or witness evidence to support their version of events.
We continued to maintain that our client was not given sufficient or proper training resulting in the injuries he suffered at work, and we served witness evidence to support our client’s version of events.
It was only a few weeks before trial that the defendant conceded that they were willing to settle the claim at an amount to reflect our client’s future dental implants, the associated future dental treatment costs, and the pain and suffering he had experienced.
Kate Price-Marson said at the conclusion of the claim: ‘I was very pleased that we were able not only successfully resolve the claim on behalf of our client, but also that we were able to support him throughout this process when his employer continued to dispute that they were in any way responsible for the accident. I am delighted that our client now has the resources to fund his future treatment without worrying about how to pay his dental bills.’
Speaking of Kate at the conclusion of the claim, the client said she’s ‘a star in my eyes.’
Disclaimer
This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is recommended that specific professional advice is sought before acting on any of the information given. © Shoosmiths LLP 2024
