Personal Injury
Security guard harassed after being assaulted at work
Our solicitors recently helped a former security guard recover compensation from his employer after being assaulted at work.
28 February 2023
For over ten years, Abdul was a hard-working security guard at a supermarket. So dedicated was Abdul that he’d regularly pick up extra shifts at his employer’s request, and sometimes even worked a consecutive seven days a week to earn enough to support his children.
Outside of work, Abdul lived an active lifestyle; regularly going to the gym, and playing games with his children.
Never did Abdul imagine he’d become a victim of a racially motivated crime while on his break at work.
Abdul was struck from behind, with no time to grasp what was happening to him, and left unable to react. The assault left him with a broken hip and a shattered femur, which required serious medical attention. He went through several operations, and needed rehabilitation to help him adapt to life with his injuries.
After the traumatic attack, Abdul was unable to return to work, but had hoped his employer would offer some support during this deeply upsetting and stressful period of his life. Instead, Abdul didn’t even receive a welfare check from his employer, his employer was more concerned that Abdul would consider them responsible for his injuries, and harassed him into signing documents that would absolve them of liability.
Abdul sadly lost his home due to loss of wages, and his new financial and physical challenges affected his relationship.
Court
Abdul went through criminal court to bring his attacker to justice, where he received a custodial sentence. Throughout this process, he was helped by a victim support officer, from South Yorkshire Police, Pamela Russell, they remain friends to this day.
While Abdul was pleased to see his attacker was reprimanded, his employer’s blatant neglect for his welfare left him questioning whether his employee rights had been implicated.
Abdul, along with Pamela, presented the issue to Abdul’s trade union, USDAW, who put Abdul in contact with Slater and Gordon’s Natasha Orr.
How did Slater and Gordon help?
Natasha Orr a senior litigator at Slater and Gordon, took on Abdul’s case.
Natasha was struck to hear of the cruel attack on Abdul, and the neglect from his employer post-attack, and was eager to help him.
Stress at work cases are generally quite complex due to various affecting factors, but Adbul’s was particularly unique due to having been assaulted. Due to the complexity of his case, many firms rejected it.
Natasha fiercely went out of her way to support Abdul and helped him take back control of his life and finances.
Natasha Orr said about Abdul’s case: “What I was sure about is how unfairly Abdul felt his employer treated him, and it was important to me to try and do everything that I could do to help him find some legal recourse.”
After working on Abdul’s case, Natasha was able to secure a significant financial settlement, to get Abdul the compensation he deserved. This compensation helps Abdul fund his everyday expenses, while still unable to work as he continues to face difficulties from his injuries.
There are misconceptions that seeking financial compensation from a negligent employer is about personal vendetta. Usually, when a client seeks financial compensation with us, it’s about trying to get back in a position that even slightly resembles life before suffering devastating harassment and abuse.
Every employee has a right to be safe at work, and in Abdul’s case, not only was this right implicated, but the employer’s response post-attack only caused him further stress during a devastating time.
To find out more about Abdul’s story, you can check out our YouTube channel.
How can Slater and Gordon help you?
Sadly, we understand Abdul’s case isn’t in isolation, and many people suffer from employers that create a stressful work environment.
If you believe, like Abdul, your employer has failed in their duty of care, and you’ve suffered as a result then you may have a stress at work claim.
We understand you may be cautious to take legal action against your employer, although you, and every employee, have the right to be safe at work.
While some issues can be handled directly by talking with your employer, you may find in some cases their response doesn’t make up for the stress at work they’ve caused or allowed to happen. In this instance, please know you have our stress at work solicitors on hand to help guide you through getting the compensation you deserve.
Our experts work with clients, who have suffered stress due to workplace incidents, and have experience in investigating and securing compensation in complex cases, such as Abdul’s.
We understand the financial pursuit of a claim may make you hesitant, so we operate on a No Win, No Fee basis for the majority of our occupational stress cases. Therefore, there is no financial risk to you, for enquiring about a potential claim.
We also work with various unions, providing them for over 90 years with expert legal advice. If you need to access your legal benefits through your trade union, visit your dedicated union website for more information.
If you’re considering making a stress at work claim, know that when you’re ready, you can call us at 0330 041 5869 or get in touch with us online. To speak to Natasha Orr directly, please contact: natasha.orr@slatergordon.co.uk