Man suing for £200k after being crushed by heavy pallet
A man who suffered dreadful spinal injuries when he was crushed by a heavy pallet falling off a lorry is suing for more than £200,000 in compensation.
Andrew Stuart Potts, 53, was working as a freight checker for United Pallet Network (UPN), in Lichfield, when a 'pallet containing glass fell off a curtain-sided lorry’ on top of him in September last year, a High Court writ claims.
Mr Potts, of Ringleas, Cotgrave, Nottingham, who was working a nightshift when the accident happened, suffered ‘multiple spinal fractures’ as well as other broken bones and damaged teeth.
He has been unable to return to work and now needs a mobility scooter to get himself about, the writ states.
Mr Potts is now suing the owners of the lorry, Lescost Transport Ltd, who are based in Washington, Tyne and Wear, for damages ‘in excess of £200,000.’
His lawyers say in the writ that he had just attempted to stabilise the pallets using a forklift, when he ‘heard a load crack and a whoosh.’
The pallet fell on him, ‘knocking him to the ground and landing on him.’
According to the writ, Mr Potts ‘has been unable to return to work as a result of his injuries and has required very considerable care from his wife Dawn and other family members.
“He has had to sleep downstairs as a result of difficulties climbing stairs.”
The writ says he now uses ‘a mobility scooter to travel more than a few yards and is entirely dependent on his wife for cooking, cleaning, washing and other household activities.’
“He has been badly affected psychologically by this incident and has ongoing psychological problems including anxiety and depression,” the writ states.
Defence to the action from bosses at Lescost Transport Ltd’s defence to the action was not available from the court and the contents of the writ have yet to be tested in court.
