The widow of a worker who was crushed to death in a tragic workplace accident has won £335,000 in compensation.

Dean Thomas worked for a company that manufactured perforated paper, which is used to make teabags. He was working in the enclosure of a paper slitter-rewinder machine when the accident happened. A workmate pressed the wrong button and Mr Thomas was crushed by a hydraulic lowering device. He died of asphyxiation and compression injuries.

The company admitted liability for the accident but claimed that Mr Thomas had contributed to his death by his own negligence. Potentially this could have decreased the amount of the compensation awarded to his widow.

In court, however, the judge rejected this allegation and found that the accident had occurred as a result of poor communication and a tragic mistake on the part of Mr Thomas’s colleague. Mr Thomas had no way of knowing his workmate was about to start the machine. Consequently he had not contributed to his own death.

If you have been involved in an accident at work because appropriate health and safety measures have been neglected, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact us now to discuss your claim.