Millions awarded for teacher slips

Figures have revealed that a teacher who slipped on a grape was awarded £200,000 in compensation last year. The claim is among a number of cases which saw teachers awarded large compensation payments after having accidents and sustaining injuries at school. Another case saw a teacher awarded £100,000 after slipping on spilt food and falling over in the school canteen, with other claims made over assaults and unfair dismissal. The teacher who slipped on a grape was eventually unable to work after the accident, which aggravated an existing hernia problem. The National Union of Teachers (NUT), which represented the teacher, said the payout covered loss of earnings and pension. “Evidence showed that the school were aware of littering problems around the school but had not taken action to prevent or minimise it,” the union said. Another NUT member was also awarded compensation for slipping on a grape, this time in a corridor, according to figures reported in the Times Educational Supplement. She won £20,000 after fracturing her hip. Figures from the NASUWT teaching union showed that its members were handed £10.5 million for compensation cases completed in 2010. NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said: “What this figure illustrates is the cost to the public purse of employers’ poor or discriminatory employment practices and failure to pay due regard to health and safety in the workplace.” Malcolm Underhill, Partner in IBB’s Personal Injury Team, comments:

“The levels of damages awarded reflects a failure by employers to ensure a safe working environment for their staff. No compensation is awarded unless the victims of illness or disease are able to prove breach of statutory duty or negligence and thus the figures point to a failure by managers to meet statutory obligations. The risk is that the number of accidents and consequent injuries, as well as absences from work, are likely to increase if public funding to schools is cut”.

IBB Solicitors has built a reputation for quality of service in pursuing compensation in cases involving accident, illness or death. If you would like advice on personal injury issues, you can contact a member of IBB’s Personal Injury team: call us on 08456 381381 or email pi@ibblaw.co.uk.