Paramedic Wins Compensation for Fall

A paramedic who was badly injured when a man he was assisting fell onto him has secured compensation from his employer.

Andrew Worrall, from York, was taking home a man who had been involved in a road accident in icy conditions. The man was being helped out of Mr Worrall's vehicle when he slipped and fell onto Mr Worrall, who then fell into the door of the vehicle.

Mr Worrall suffered a back injury and a prolapsed disk, and was absent from work for six weeks. He then returned, but was only able to perform lighter duties.

Mr Worrall sought compensation for his injuries from Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS). The judge agreed that YAS's health and safety obligations to its staff extended to their work in the wider community, and that those obligations had not been met. Though paramedics were often instructed to put snow chains on their vehicles in such weather, they had not been issued with shoe grips or appropriate footwear for the conditions, leaving them at risk of injury.