Rushden rail worker launches High Court claim and fears he may have suffered brain injury after electric shock at work

A rail worker from Rushden has launched a High Court legal battle for compensation of more than £200,000 after suffering an electric shock at work near Paddington Station.

Allister Hunt says he was working from the basket of a mobile elevated working platform, repairing a unit called a dropper connecting two overhead lines, when it was moved towards a live power line.

He fears he may also have suffered a brain injury as a result of the accident on Christmas Day 2019.

Now Mr Hunt is claiming damages from Amey Rail, of Furnival Street, London.

The accident happened on overhead line works in the Old Oak Common area of the railway mainline going into Paddington Station, and he was working for Amey Rail, the chief contractor for the work, according to a writ issued in London’s High Court.

Mr Hunt accuses Amey of negligence, saying the company failed to ensure that work near an overhead power line was carried out safely, caused him to work near a live electrical conductor when it was not reasonable and when suitable precautions had not been taken.

Amey negligently failed to give him any warning that the dropper was on a live power line, failed to ensure that isolation units were physically marked, and failed to ensure that the worker on the ground controlling the basket was aware of and complied with isolation limits, the writ says.

The company negligently directed him to repair a dropper on a live power line, failed to ensure there was adequate task briefing for all workers, he claims.

Mr Hunt says he will rely on medical reports from a consultant plastic surgeon, a consultant psychiatrist, and a consultant neurologist, and will bring forward more medical evidence, including evidence of his potential brain injury caused by the incident.

The writ says that as a result of what happened he is handicapped on the open labour market as a result of his injuries.