A MEAT factory worker has been awarded €415.000 by the High Court after he sued his employer over a back injury.
Mohammed Ali Saleh, who was recruited from Egypt to work in Ireland, suffered a disc injury. He now walks with two crutches, is unable to work and has a miserable existence, a judge said.
He had sued Moyvalley Meats Ireland Ltd, of Broadford, Co Kildare, which denied his claim
He claimed the injury occurred when he was working in an area which required a twisting manoeuvre to take out the insides of a dead animal and place it on a hook.
Mr Saleh claimed he got a pain in his back and a later diagnosis of disc prolapse and sciatica was made. He claimed there was a failure to have a system that did not require him to engage in a twisting manoeuvre as he did his job. Mr Saleh also claimed that there was an alleged failure to
instruct or to train him properly.
He presented as a person who has been radically compromised by what occurred.
He suffered an acute incident which resulted in two operations which did not relieve his suffering, and he is left with chronic pain and is unlikely to Improve physically, the judge added.
The award of .€415,000 included general damages and loss of earnings to date and into the future.
Text by Tim Healy.
