A man who underwent a gastric band procedure is now suing the NHS for medical negligence compensation as he can no longer eat.

Tim Daily weighed 24 stone when he underwent the procedure at Charing Cross Hospital. He weighed so much he was classed as morbidly obese and suffered from diabetes due to his weight. The procedure places a band around the stomach reducing its size, and meaning that the person can physically eat less food.

After the operation in 2008, Mr Daily lost 12 stone in three months. However, he is no longer able to eat solid food, having to be fed by a tube directly into his stomach. He suffers from pain and at one point was taken to hospital with malnutrition.

He is now seeking compensation, claiming he was not warned about the risks of the procedure. He states that he was only told of the positive aspects of surgery. He has also reportedly stated that he would rather be his old weight than put up with the quality of life he now has.

When Susan Misiewicz underwent what should have been a routine operation in July last year, she could not imagine the series of events which were to follow.

After being scheduled for a hysterectomy operation at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre NHS hospital, the Primary Care Trust gave her the option of undergoing the operation free of charge at the city’s private Woodthorpe hospital. This was offered as part of a scheme to cut NHS waiting lists.

After undergoing the 45 min procedure she was rushed back into theatre after suffering from serious internal bleeding. It is then that an 18 inch swab – something that resembles a tea towel – used to stem bleeding was accidentally left inside her.

It was some four months before the swab was discovered, after she underwent a scan to find the source of continued stomach pains. It was removed in another surgical procedure, and unfortunately, a small part of her bowel had to be removed as the swab had wrapped itself around it.

Ms Misiewicz is now seeking medical negligence compensation for the trauma and pain she has been put through.

A company and two contractors have been fined a total of £30,000 after a worker was killed when hit on the head by a digger bucket.

John Cain was working as part of a team who were demolishing the Albert Park Inn in Salford, Greater Manchester. During the demolition process, Mr Cain was hit on the head by a digger bucket. Unfortunately, the injuries he suffered were that severe that he tragically passed away on the day of the accident.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the incident – which took place in November 2004 – and last week sentences were passed by the court on those responsible.

Barry Godliman and Robert Watson were the principal contractors on the site, and both pleaded guilty to failing to protect the safety of workers. They were fined £7,500 each.

Windmill Demolition Ltd had been brought in to perform specialist demolition work and pleaded guilty to the same offence. They were fined £15,000.

A spokesperson for the HSE reiterated the need to co-ordinate health and safety procedures on sites where multiple companies are working. They also stated that they hoped lessons would be learnt from this tragic construction site accident.

A man who was blinded in an accident at work is seeking injury compensation from his former employers.

The Richmond and Twickenham Times is reporting that Mahendra Dhoju was working at a Londis shop when the accident happened. He and a colleague were pushing a stock cage up a ramp into the stock room as they were unloading a delivery of new stock. The cage got stuck, and while trying to push it loose, he slipped and fell, while the cage hit him on the head.

The injuries Mr Dhoju suffered had serious repercussions. He lost the sight of his left eye and has also lost his sense of smell.

A Mr Kishor Chandegra, who is co owner of the Londis store and responsible for health and safety, has been fined £17,000 for the work accident after an investigation by Richmond council. He pleaded guilty to breaking health and safety regulations and admitted more should have been done to notice the problem with cages getting stuck. He also expressed his deep remorse at the incident.

If Mr Dhoju is successful in his compensation claim, he will be eligible to receive tens of thousands of pounds in compensation, as the injuries will affect him for the rest of his life.

A man who suffered from lead poisoning after being exposed at work is suing his former solicitor for hindering him from claiming compensation.

Frederick Bloomfield became ill while he was working for Frys Metals in South London. The company make solder and flux using a combination of metals and chemicals. While he was working at the factory during the mid 1990s his blood levels were monitored, and unacceptable levels of lead were discovered. He was provided with a respirator to prevent anymore exposure, but the filters for this were not provided and he was continuously exposed to dangerous levels of metals and chemicals.

The Bury Free Press is reporting that he suffered from fatigue, peripheral neuropathy and abdominal complaints and continued to do so years after he lost his job in August 1995. Medical examinations in the early years of this decade confirmed that Mr Bloomfield had suffered as a result of exposure to lead and other chemicals.

In 2004 he approached Websters Solicitors to handle a claim for compensation against the company. However his claim was thrown out in 2008 as it had run over the legal time period available to make a claim. Mr Bloomfield is now claiming that Websters delayed the claim for two years ruining his chance of compensation, and are therefore liable for the damages themselves. He also claims that Websters should have asked the court for an extension to his time period to claim when his case was thrown out, and that they had failed to keep him informed on the progress of his case.

He is now seeking £300,000 in damages from his former solicitors.

A company has been fined after a worker fell from a dock.

Night watchman Charles Greenhill was working for RM Supplies Ltd when the accident occurred in May 2007. He was helping a vessel to berth at the dock. The quay was in a poor condition and did not have any lighting. Despite this the berthing was taking place at night.

During the procedure Mr Greenhill fell into the water of the dock, trapped between the vessel and the quay. He had to be rescued by lifeboat.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the accident at work, and the company was prosecuted. It was fined £14,000 after pleading guilty to breaking Docks Regulations. The company director was personally fined £2,750 for failing to carry out a risk assessment.

A spokesperson for the HSE stated that it was only the quick intervention of the vessel’s crew which prevented a fatality in the incident. He also pointed out that a full risk assessment would have identified that the quay was not fit to be used for docking.

Teenager Natasha Caley Winbourne was just six years old when a devastating accident changed her life forever. She was playing on an uneven grass bank at her local primary school – St Peter’s in Ardingly, East Sussex – as her foot stuck in a hole on the ground and she tripped over. She smashed her head against the concrete playground adjacent to the bank and suffered serious a head injury.

She has now entered a writ to the High Court in London, seeking damages of up to £100,000 for the injuries she sustained in the accident back in the summer of 1999. Her team claim that the council are responsible, as there were four large holes in the grass bank at the time and as a result, children should not have been allowed to play on the unsafe surface.

The accident has left her with a history of headaches, mood swings and a personality disorder. Her treatment involved regular attendance at Great Ormond Street Hospital and attendance at specialist mental health groups.

The council is denying liability for the accident, and is intending to fight the allegation of liability with the due court process. The outcome of the personal injury claim will be decided later.

A man has suffered an industrial injury after a small electrical explosion at work.

George Forbes was working for Graeme W Cheyne Ltd at the time of the accident in November 2008. He was working refurbishing flats and was attempting to move a redundant power supply. When Mr Forbes attempted to carry out the procedure, he was unaware that it was still live and connected to a cable with 415 volts running through it. As the cable was twisted it short circuited and caused a small electrical explosion.

Mr Forbes was caught in the blast of the explosion and suffered burn injuries on his face and on his hand. His boiler suit was also set on fire. A spokesperson for the HSE stated afterwards that Mr Forbes was extremely lucky not to suffer electrocution and potentially extremely dangerous injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Graeme W Cheyne Ltd for breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act in regards to safe working on an electrical system. They were fined £9,000 and ordered to pay Mr Forbes £4,000. The prosecution resulted from the failure to check that all redundant electrical services were completely dead.

Mr Forbes returned to work after a few weeks.

A woman who suffered injuries after scaffolding collapsed on top of her has won her personal injury compensation claim.

The Wiltshire Times newspaper is reporting that Sharlene McKenna was visiting the Corsley Show in Warminster, Wiltshire when the accident occurred in August last year. She was stood beside a scaffolding tower with her 14 month old daughter in her arms and her family and dog beside her. The tower collapsed without warning and tumbled down on top of them. Mrs McKenna took most of the impact on her back and suffered injury. Luckily the only other to suffer injury was the family dog Toby, who suffered a head injury.

Mrs McKenna suffered bruising and had to take time off work to recover. She admits to being terrified by the accident.

The Health and Safety Executive investigated the accident and the company who were using the scaffolding – Action Entertainments – were given training on scaffolding safety.

Mrs McKenna sought compensation from Action Entertainments, who were using the scaffolding as part of their work supplying stunt men to the show. They agreed to pay her £4,700 in damages.

A sawmill company has been fined after two serious accidents at work occurred within three months of each other.

The first of these accidents involved a Mr John Wilson who fell though a large gap in an elevated walkway. The gap had been opened up by staff so that they could work on a conveyor belt underneath, but had not been replaced when the work had been completed. Mr Wilson suffered an injury to his arm and an injury to his shoulder which has permanently left him without movement in the joint.

The second accident happened just short of three months later. It involved a Mr Robert Cumming, who was working on a hoist machine. While he was working on it, another staff member switched the machine on, and his head was trapped and crushed between metal parts of the machine. He suffered head and neck injuries which required surgery.

The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted the company – Adam Wilson and Sons – for breaking health and safety regulations. The HSE proved that there were no systems in place to safely maintain the conveyor belt or hoist machine. There was also inadequate staff training and supervision which could have prevented accidents occurring.

The company pleaded guilty and were fined £8,000 and £20,000 respectively for the accidents.