Health and Safety Law 2024 (October 2024)

The case of Mr Callow, a member of the PCS public and commercial services union, indicates the geographical reach of the HSWA. In November 2018 he was awarded compensation in an out-of-court settlement for an injury sustained while working abroad. He fractured his wrist while working at the British Embassy in Washington DC. In the PCS-backed case, Thompsons solicitors successfully argued on his behalf that the harm he suffered was more closely connected to England than the US state. This meant he could pursue a compensation claim for his injury under English law and secure a higher level of compensation. The Ministry of Defence and Foreign and Commonwealth Office had argued English law was not applicable.

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