An Australian Bunnings worker has just been handed a monster payout after being seriously injured while lifting a bucket of fertiliser.
Sarah Jane, who was 31 at the time, was working as a merchandiser for fertiliser brand Neutrog at a Sydney Bunnings store back in 2018 when she injured her back.
She said she knelt down to lift and drag forward a bucket weighing roughly 11kgs to the front of a pallet and in doing so, hurt her back, leaving her in agony for the past six years.
The case was heard at the New South Wales Supreme Court this week, resulting in Bunnings forking out a huge AUS$1.25million.
Bunnings agreed to pay AUS$750,000 in a settlement plus legal costs, which are estimated to be about AUS$500,000. Neutrog, which the woman was employed through, has also been ordered to contribute to the costs.
According to news.com.au, Bunnings failed to train Jane in using a pallet jack, which could have prevented the injury.
"Bunnings owed a duty to merchandisers attending the Bunnings stores to ensure that the merchandisers were advised of the specialised work procedure including the pallet jack procedure," the court documents said.
"Bunnings devised, controlled and regulated the prevailing system of work for its own employees, but did not apply the same rigour or adopt the same precautions for the merchandisers, who were nonetheless subject to Bunnings control and oversight."
Jane, who is a mother, said the injury has changed her life.
"It's a win but it doesn't really feel like a win. Not just everything that they've put me through, but just the injury itself, and how much it’s changed my life and how much I've missed out on with my kids when they were young," Jane said, according to news.com.au.
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