A Lancashire joiner has received a seven-figure compensation payout after a workplace saw accident left him without two fingers and ended his career. Chris Pawson, 38, from Thornton-Cleveleys, had been a self-employed joiner for over a decade, carrying out refurbishments for well-known high street restaurant chains.
The accident happened when his right hand was pulled into a spinning blade after a workmate failed to correctly set up a saw. His middle finger was completely severed, his ring finger partially amputated, and his thumb and index finger sustained severe damage to nerves, muscles and tendons.
Accident and immediate aftermath
Chris, who had been employed at Blackpool-based BGS Projects Ltd for six months, was instructed to operate the electric saw straight away when an urgent job arrived in February 2022. He recalled: "One of the office lads came over and said 'look, we've got a rush job that's going out today and you need to jump on it now. So I had a brew and jumped on the saw."
The previous operator of the heavy-duty circular saw had failed to correctly set up the equipment. When a piece of timber became caught, it dragged his right hand into the rotating blade. "There was no pain at the start when it happened. I was in complete shock at that moment," he explained.
Chris was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital before being transferred to Preston Hospital for specialist plastic surgery. His partially severed ring finger was reduced in length, while his nerve and tendon damaged index finger and thumb underwent repair. His severed middle finger was never retrieved from the workplace.
Legal battle and settlement
Following two months' pay as a self-employed sub-contractor, his former firm ceased making contact. Facing mortgage arrears and the threat of financial collapse, Chris sought help from specialist catastrophic injury lawyers at Express Solicitors. His legal team secured an interim payment, enabling him to maintain his home and fund essential private operations on his finger.
His former company's legal representatives then attempted to pressure him into accepting a settlement offer of £150,000. Following a four-year legal battle, he secured an undisclosed seven-figure settlement through Express Solicitors.
Chris said: "My life has changed in every way imaginable. It shouldn't have happened and I am paying the price forever for that rushed job that my boss had me do."
New career and prosthetics
Chris now teaches at Blackpool and the Fylde College, the institution where he originally qualified as a joiner. He said: "I love my new role as a resource assistant in the electrical department. And I am able to pass on my knowledge to students and keep within the trade. I am now helping mentor over 150 students."
His legal team sourced three state-of-the-art prosthetics from the United States, each designed for a specific aspect of daily life. He uses an MCP Driver for everyday tasks, a Grip Lock for lifting heavy items, and cosmetic silicone fingers for social occasions. He also relies on specially adapted equipment at home, including a spork and a modified vehicle with Bluetooth touch controls.
Partner Nicola Simmons said: "Chris suffered a catastrophic injury at work losing his fingers. One rushed job using faulty equipment cost him a career he loved and should never have happened. Now we have helped secure him and his families future with a new job and financial security for life."
BGS Projects Ltd has been approached for comment.
