£70,000 in compensation for loss of finger

A farmhand who suffered a partial amputation of his little finger and the partial loss of function in his thumb as a result of a farming accident has received a settlement of £70,000 in compensation. He was asked to assist in moving some “H” shaped steel girders. Rather than using the usual and safe method of lifting the girders out of the ground, his supervisor wanted to lift them straight on to the tines of a forklift truck, which predictably made the girder very unstable. It slipped and trapped the claimant’s right hand. He sustained a crush injury to his right hand and underwent an amputation to the top part of his little finger. The injury also resulted in partial loss of function in his thumb. He is now permanently restricted in everyday activities such as opening jars, writing, using cutlery and picking up objects.