Garage And Motor Repair Injury Claims

Introduction

The motor repair industry employs 200,000 people, mostly in small to medium-sized businesses, and many mechanics work on a self-employed basis. Job security is not great and neither are safety records. The rate of deaths in the motor repair industry is 4 times greater than across all other industries

Common garage and motor repair injuries

Working under, on and around vehicles combines crushing weights, hot surfaces, sharp tools, chemicals and high-pressure equipment. The injuries we see fall into a handful of clear patterns.

Crush injuries from vehicles and lifts. Cars falling off jacks, failed two-post lifts or vehicles slipping off axle stands cause some of the most serious mechanic injuries we deal with, including fatal chest crush, spinal damage and amputations. Lifting equipment must be inspected at least every six months under LOLER, and skipped inspections are usually fatal to the employer’s defence.

Burns from engines, exhausts and batteries. Hot exhausts, manifolds, coolant and steam cause contact burns to hands, arms and faces. Battery acid splashes and short-circuit explosions cause chemical burns and eye injury. Refrigerant leaks during air-con servicing can cause cold burns and frostbite to skin.

Eye and face injuries. Grinding swarf, brake dust, paint solvents, brake-cleaner overspray and the spring-loaded clips in suspension and brake assemblies cause eye injuries that often need surgery. Safety glasses and face shields are required wherever these tasks are routine.

Hand-arm vibration and noise injury. Impact wrenches, air ratchets, grinders and sanders are used for hours every shift in most garages and cause hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) and tinnitus. Both are reportable under RIDDOR and preventable through tool selection, exposure limits and proper PPE.

Slips and trips. Oil, coolant, brake fluid and washer fluid puddle on garage floors and cause back injuries, fractures and head trauma. The hazards are predictable and cheap to fix, so claims tend to succeed where housekeeping has been allowed to slip.

Manual handling. Lifting tyres, batteries, brake discs, gearboxes and exhausts causes back and shoulder injuries. Employers must assess manual handling and provide trolleys, hoists or two-person lifts where the weight warrants it.

Chemical exposure. Brake cleaners, solvents, degreasers, paint and old asbestos brake-shoe dust on classic cars cause occupational asthma, dermatitis and long-term respiratory disease. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations require risk assessments, ventilation and proper RPE.

Motor Repair Injury case studies

£30,000 payout for mechanic’s injury claim

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 he injured his shoulder. He attended hospital and was diagnosed with a 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, with 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.

£130,000 compensation for a garage mechanic

Osbornes 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 tibial plateau below the knee. The fracture was treated conservatively but 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 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.

Why choose Osbornes Law For Mechanic Injury Claims?

At Osbornes we have built up over the years a wealth of experience in dealing with accident claims that occurred in garages and motor repair shops.

By choosing Osbornes Law for your claim, you will benefit from:

• Support in every aspect of your claim – our service goes beyond just handling the legal aspects of your claim. We work with a network of healthcare professionals, charities and support groups to ensure that you are connected to the best possible services while we fight for your right to compensation.
• Expertise – our accident solicitors have extensive experience in handling claims involving all types of injuries. We understand the complexities involved and know how to build strong, evidence-based cases that maximise your chances of success.
• Personalised service – Our team is always available to answer any questions you may have and provide support every step of the way.
• No-win no-fee – injury claims can usually be funded through a no-win no-fee agreement. This means that you will not have to pay any upfront fees or legal costs unless we win your case.