£12,000 damages for ‘mechanical back’

A council employee has secured over £12,000 in damages following an accident at work which has left him with a ‘mechanical back’. He was injured when he sat in a colleague’s chair and leant against the backrest. The spine of the backrest snapped causing him to suddenly fall backwards. The broken spine of the chair impacted with his spine. He was off work for over three months, unable to walk, and now has recurring back pain.