Herdsman, Ian, explains how his life changed when he was injured by a cow

Ian Gardner was working as an assistant dairy herdsman and was moving the heard of cattle from a secondary location to the main farm when he was attacked by a young cow. Usually when this is done, herders use a set of gates and fences to create a safety barrier between themselves and the cows, who are often not used to human contact. Unfortunately, on the day of the incident, the fences were not used. On top of this, the farmer’s son used force to try and get one of the cows into a trailer, startling her. She then kicked out and caught Ian’s thigh with her back hind leg.

The injury damaged his nerve, and he was left unable to walk without feeling considerable pain. He took time off work to recover and once it was clear he wouldn’t be able to return to his post for a while, the farmer who had hired him ended his contract, leaving him with just statutory sick pay. He was still reliant on crutches two and a half years later.

“It took a lot to get used to the fact I can’t look after myself as much anymore and I can’t physically do the stuff that I used to enjoy doing,” he said.

When Slater and Gordon got involved, things began to change. We got him an occupational therapist who helped him move to a ground floor flat so he could leave his home more easily, and we worked to get him a counsellor so he could move on with his life. Now with the settlement he received and his ongoing rehabilitation, Ian's future is much brighter.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident at work, contact our experts today for legal advice.