No Manual Handling Training

The client, a male Lithuanian national aged 35, was employed in a warehouse to load and unload sheets of glass. He had worked in the loading area since 2007. On Friday the 14th of March, he was working by himself loading glass into a van when he hurt his back.

He continued working and went on holidays to Lithuania on the 15th of March. His back pain got worse on the plane and he went to the doctor whilst on holidays. He officially reported the accident when he came back to Ireland a week later. It turned out that the client had not received proper training in manual handling. The lifting equipment which the employer had to move goods was permanently broken.

The employers denied responsibility. They attempted to say that his back had been bad before the accident. The case settled two weeks before the court date. At that stage, the client had returned to and was living in Lithuania. The client gave instructions by telephone to settle the case for €50,000. He was extremely happy with the settlement.

The above story is true. However, the names of the people involved and the locations have been changed to protect their privacy.