Damien Bundock, 29, was crushed by machinery that weighed three tonnes when he was working on a demolition project in June 2017 for construction firm S Walsh & Sons at a site in Essex.
He was airlifted to hospital but, despite extensive efforts, doctors had no choice but to amputate his lower right leg.
Thompsons Solicitors successfully argued that, as Bundock had been a keen runner, swimmer, and motocross rider prior to the injury, he would need multiple adapted limbs to allow him to get back to doing what he loved most.
Not only did they secure substantial interim payments – allowing him to cover the cost of his initial prosthetic limbs – but they also obtained a multimillion-pound compensation package to pay for four other prosthetic limbs, including an advanced powered microprocessor prosthesis (Empower) and a running blade.
The settlement ensures Bundock can not only pay for other adaptations, but that he will not be left in financial difficulties if he struggles to find work in the future.
Bundock said: “I was over the moon to receive enough money for five prosthetics. I was told by my legal team that even three is a big success, and so I didn’t expect that I’d ever be able to pick up all the sports that I loved doing again. But they pushed me to go for it and gave me the confidence to see my claim through to the end.
“I have a lot of travel plans in the pipeline, none of which would have been possible without the support I have received and the use of my prostheses.”
Nicola Saunders, from Thompsons Solicitors’ London office, said: “Historically, the view for those with amputation injuries is to restore some semblance of normality with two or three prostheses, but, at Thompsons, we have never thought that is enough.
“Compensation is intended to put an injured person back in a position they would have been in had the accident not happened, and given Damien was an active young man before the accident, we were determined that with the right rehab, equipment and team around him, he should have the chance to get back to the hobbies he loved, including motocross, the running track or being able to swim and snorkel.
“With his prostheses, especially the Empower – which mimics the inactive or absent calf muscles to provide power and stability to users – he will be able to return to living a life that any healthy person in their 20s would expect.”
While Bundock is currently not in employment, he is hoping that, with his new prostheses, he will be able to return to full time work.”
