Get To Know Vicky Crandon

Our client repeatedly reported a defective handrail in her newly built home, but despite these reports, no repairs were carried out. When the handrail detached from the wall, she fell down the stairs, sustaining several injuries, including the loss of a toenail.

Although liability for the accident was initially accepted, the insurer later disputed the extent of her injuries, alleging that the toenail injury was pre-existing and accusing our client of exaggerating her claim.

Following a contested trial, the judge accepted our client’s evidence in full, found the defendant liable and awarded the compensation she deserved.

This case demonstrates our commitment to standing by clients when insurers unfairly challenge genuine claims.

Our client was instructed to clean the top of a commercial oven during the working day, before it had sufficient time to cool. While carrying out this task, escaping steam caused serious burn injuries.

The employer denied liability, claiming staff were instructed to clean the ovens only in the morning when they had cooled overnight.

At trial, inconsistencies in the employer’s evidence demonstrated that these procedures were not being followed in practice.

The court found the employer liable, highlighting the importance of enforcing workplace health and safety policies rather than simply having them in place.

Our client had recently been promoted and required regular access to a workplace safe. The safe was faulty, and she had been instructed to slam the door repeatedly in order to close it.

During one attempt, her finger became trapped, causing injury. The employer argued that the accident resulted from a lack of care on our client’s part.

However, at trial, the court found that the safe had not been properly maintained and that employees should never have been expected to use defective equipment in this way.

Our client was awarded compensation, including an uplift after achieving a better result than a previous settlement offer.

Our client worked on a mental health ward and was seriously injured when struck across the back with a chair by a patient.

The Trust denied liability, arguing that appropriate risk assessments had been completed and that the client had received all necessary training.

We argued that, given the nature of the environment, tables and chairs should have been fixed to the floor to reduce the foreseeable risk of them being used as weapons. Following litigation, the defendant agreed to settle the claim before trial.

This case highlights the importance of employers taking proactive steps to minimise foreseeable risks, particularly in high-risk working environments.