A former IT manager for a Cheshire travel company has received more than £ 500,000 in damages after banging his head on a door frame while working.
Stephen Long, who lives in Norwich but commutes to Cheshire for work every week, sued ex-employer Elegant Resorts Ltd after sustaining a “traumatic brain injury” in March 2015 in the company’s Old Palace offices in Chester.
Mr Long, 48, said he went to help a colleague lift a large and uncomfortable object and accidentally hit his head against a “dome-shaped” door frame in the basement.
After going back to work for the next few days, he felt unusually sleepy, suffered memory loss, and said he had “a strange tingling sensation all over”.
He was later hospitalized. A month later, Mr. Long tried to return to work, but it only lasted a few hours.
That day he was told he was about to be fired from his £ 51,000 a year job.
Mr. Long then appealed the dismissal, which was due to take effect May 14th this year for discrimination on the basis of disability.
The job application was enclosed by the defendant, who paid Mr Long £ 5,575 as “no liability”.
In a seven-day trial in the High Court in February and March this year, the 48-year-old was found to be “still unable to work as he was before his accident” and recently worked as a part-time gardener at a National Trust property in Norfolk, where he was making just £ 8,676 a year – a fraction of his previous salary.
The travel company stated in its defense statement that it was “skeptical of the accuracy and honesty of (Mr Long) ‘s report on the accident and its aftermath”.
Elegant Resorts admitted liability for injuries caused by the accident but said it was just a bump on the head that people suffer from regularly and that has not resulted in any long-term consequences.
They also said Mr. Long was dishonest in his report to both experts and the court about his symptoms.
But the judge, his honorary judge Pearce, disagreed and stated that Mr. Long had probably not exaggerated his symptoms.
The judge announced his decision and said he was satisfied that Mr. Long had sustained significant injuries and that he was not guilty of any fundamental dishonesty.
Mr Long has received total damages of £ 509,957, including £ 136,213 for past loss of earnings and £ 298,379 for future loss of earnings.
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