Garage And Motor Repair Injury Claims
Leading Personal Injury Lawyers in London
Many injuries are caused by slips and trip in a motor garage. However, serious injuries do occur. The personal injury lawyers at Osbornes Law specialise in serious injury claims. We will negotiate on your behalf and succeed in winning the best possible compensation package for you.
“Well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims, including fatalities and severe spinal injuries. Specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims.”
“Osbornes Law have captured the magic of keeping the customer service levels of a smaller firm whilst having all the expertise and power of the biggest firms.”
The motor repair industry employs 170,000 people, mostly in small to medium-sized businesses, and many on a self-employed basis. Job security is not great and neither are safety records. There have been over 8000 injuries and 24 deaths in the industry in the last 5 years (HSE figures).
Cause of injuries
Most accidents arise from trips, slips and falls or from manual handling. There are many cases of workers being crushed by vehicles that are being repaired and these accidents, in particular, can cause very serious injury to mechanics and other motor repair workers.
Trips and slips are an everyday hazard in a garage environment and generally cause more minor injuries. Common sense dictates that if a car is leaking oil then the spillage on the ground below it should be cleaned up, and cordoned off in the meantime, but some garage proprietors lack the attention to safety necessary to minimise these predictable accidents.
More serious can injuries occur when the right tools are not available or not kept in good condition. Work processes that involve manual handling have to be assessed, and mechanised where possible, otherwise the risk of injury should be reduced to a minimum.
Recent case study
Osbornes acted for Mr A, an experienced mechanic who loved his job and was good at it. Part of the job involved tyre fitting and he was frequently required to transport a van load of lorry tyres from the yard to a machine inside the workshop. Rolling them along the ground was no problem but then he had to lift them onto a machine, and some of them were the whole wheel and not just the tyre. This job took several hours and he found it extremely hard work. There was no system in place at all and so he did this job as best he could. One day in the course of this work he was lifting a lorry wheel when his shoulder gave out. He attended hospital and was diagnosed with ligament tear and cartilage damage. He could not lift his arm above the shoulder and was unable to return to work. Despite physiotherapy there was no improvement and so he underwent surgery. That operation increased his range of movement slightly but he was still unfit to resume his old duties and had to give up his job as a mechanic. The case was fought on liability, the employers arguing that Mr A caused his own accident and/or that the shoulder injury was not accident related. An out of court settlement was reached after court proceedings and Mr A received about £30,000 to compensate him for his injury and for the fact that he could no longer work as a mechanic.
Osbornes Partner Stuart Kightley recovered over £130,000 for a garage mechanic who suffered a knee injury at work. A colleague negligently left a van in gear on a ramp in the workshop. It rolled down, crushing Mr D against the front of the vehicle he was working on. He suffered a serious fracture to the tibeal plateau below the knee. The fracture was treated conservatively but it malunited and he needed surgery to cut and reset the bone. He was unable to work for three years and after that was no longer fit for heavy manual work. Court proceedings were issued and the defendants obtained their own expert evidence. They even obtained surveillance evidence, which is relatively common in higher value cases in order to verify the extent of the disability claimed. The problems for Mr D were that he was in his 50s and had worked as a mechanic all his working life, and because he suffered from learning disabilities was not able to find suitable alternative work. Furthermore, he was self-employed and the record of his earnings was patchy. These are common problems in work accident cases and the job of the lawyer is to obtain the evidence necessary to show the real loss and ensure the claimant recovers as much of that loss as possible. The case settled at a round table meeting with solicitors and barristers shortly before trial.
"A small but high-powered team, dealing with cases of significant value and complexity."
"An excellent firm which achieves fantastic outcomes for clients."
"Osbornes Law have captured the magic of keeping the customer service levels of a smaller firm whilst having all the expertise and power of the biggest firms."
"A superb boutique catastrophic injury firm."
"Really good at dealing with people who have suffered a serious injury."
"Affable and charming with very good client-handling skills."
"superb firm with consummate professionals and a human touch."
Osbornes now has a team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers; particularly strong on high-value quantum cases, workplace accidents and claims involving foreign workers injured in the UK.
The team provides fantastic strength-in-depth for personal injury claims. It is also particularly well placed to service clients from Eastern Europe with specialist native language speakers. From the smallest case to a multimillion-pound spinal injury case, Osbornes has the right staff to manage every claim.
Ben Posford remains pre-eminent in his field with expert understanding of litigating cases of the upmost severity. His experience builds on Stuart Kightley’s running of the firm with recent partner additions of Rob Aylott making a fantastic addition.
A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.
Beneath Ben Posford’s calm and reassuring presence, which clients love, lies a formidable tactical and legal brain. His experience tells and he gets it right at every stage of the process from arranging the best possible rehabilitation, to ensuring, so far as possible, a polite relationship with those acting for the defendant in order to ensure best and early resolution of the claim.
"Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team."
"They have an expanding profile in personal injury and clinical negligence and offer a superb, broad service in accidents abroad, enabled by their recruitment of bilingual legal executives who can guide non-English speakers through complex litigation."
"Solid personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims arising from fatalities and severe head and spinal injuries."
"Offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims."
"Offers specialist expertise in cauda equina syndrome cases."
"An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."
"Stuart Kightley is an incredibly empathetic solicitor who is very knowledgeable about traumatic brain injury."
"They are an outstanding firm to work with. They are consistently impressive in their work."
"Osbornes has a growing influence and impressive work load and is gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work."
"Osbornes often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome and cycling accidents."
"The hard-working, thorough and committed Robert Aylott, who brings significant heavyweight personal injury experience."
"Key team members include the energetic and personable Stuart Kightley who is head of the personal injury department."
"Catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford is an excellent practical litigator who offers exceptional service."
Thank you for the hard work and patience and for being so patient with my constant questions.
"I have found Osbornes to be thorough, clear and understanding from the initial call. They do exactly what they say they will and with passion! I would recommend them to anyone".
Very good efficient service. Would not hesitate to use again.
I will use Osbornes for any future needs.
I don't think I could have asked for anything more. One of the best dealings I've had with the legal profession.
Sam was excellent and very professional in dealing with our claim.
Head of the personal injury department, Stuart Kightley is a first-rate practitioner, wholly focused on getting his client the best outcome in a pragmatic, sensible and consensual manner.
As a real specialist in spinal cord injuries, Ben Posford is always looking at new angles on how to maximise his cases.
Ben Posford is one of the best catastrophic injury lawyers around.
They provide exceptional service, great knowledge and understanding of the law, excellent client care and tactical nous
Stuart Kightley is praised for his expertise in catastrophic and fatal claims. Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team.
My claim was dealt with efficiently and professionally. Communication was excellent, and timely. Shrewd and sound advice was provided at every stage of the claim from beginning through to completion. On the basis of my personal experience I would strongly recommend Osbornes.
I just wish to thank you for your hard work and successful outcome. I am pleased with the result and would recommend you and your firm to anyone in the future.
Ben Posford … is ‘tactically astute’ and ‘one of the best personal injury solicitors around’.
Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.
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