Back injury caused by pushing wheelchair

A support worker who slipped a disc while pushing a client in a wheelchair, and subsequently had his employment terminated, has secured damages of £15,500 from his former employer. His role as a support worker involved pushing a patient up and down a steep road on a regular basis. He made a number of complaints that this was hurting his back but they were ignored. He never received any training on wheelchair handling during his employment. He was off work for over eight months. Although he had a pre-existing back problem, a consultant neurosurgeon confirmed that his accident brought forward his symptoms by over two years.