Music Teacher Secures Compensation for Fall From Stage

A music teacher who suffered a serious leg injury when she fell off a stage at the University of London, while teaching the oboe to students from the National Youth Orchestra, has secured £65,000 in compensation.

The stage where the 64-year-old teacher was holding the class was poorly lit with no markings delineating the edges. She underwent surgery at a London hospital to repair fractures to her tibia and fibula before being transferred to a hospital nearer to her home in Birmingham. Her injuries were slow to heal, however, and extremely painful. It transpired that she had developed an infection and needed a skin graft, and for the next year she had a metal frame fitted to her leg. She then spent a further two months in a plaster cast.

It was 18 months before the teacher was able to resume her career. Her injury has left her with scarring and her leg and ankle remain stiff, so she is no longer able to cycle far or take long walks.

The settlement took into account the woman’s pain and suffering, the effects of her injury and the financial loss she endured as a result of the accident.

Says Paul Keown, Healys Personal Injury Partner, “Those responsible for venues of this kind have a legal duty to assess health and safety risks and take reasonable steps to remove or minimise those risks. If you have been injured in the course of your work through no fault of your own, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact our Personal Injury Department on 020 7822 4168 for advice on making a claim.”