A train driver has been awarded £41,000 in damages at an employment tribunal under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).
Martyn Hazelhurst claimed Virgin Trains failed to make adjustments while he was recovering from an injury suffered in a rail crash. He won the compensation for loss of earnings and injury to feelings.
Under the terms of the DDA, Hazelhurst claimed the company should have done more to help him to return to light duties after a knee operation.
The Act says employers must make “reasonable adjustments” to deal with disabled employees.
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The train drivers’ union Aslef, which supported the case, said Hazelhurst would not have been in his present situation if it had not been for the accident, which involved a lorry on a level crossing.
Virgin Cross Country said it did not believe there were any suitable non-driving vacancies which could have been offered to the driver.
