A Middlesbrough woman left scarred and with ten stitches to her thumb after a bottle of wine shattered in her hand has been paid compensation by ASDA.

Christine Millard, aged 42, bought the bottle of wine from her local ASDA store in Middlesbrough. When she tried to pull the cork out of the bottle, the bottle neck shattered in her hand causing a severe laceration to her thumb. As a result, she had to have emergency medical treatment including ten stitches to her thumb at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough.

Christine Millard works as a domestic assistant for Middlesbrough Teaching and Learning Centre and is a member of leading trade union UNISON. She brought her claim for compensation with the support of her union’s personal injury specialists Thompsons Solicitors. As a result, ASDA has paid her £6,000 damages.

Injury caused Permanent Scarring

Mrs Millard explains: “I’ve been left with significant scarring to my hand, as well as a loss of sensation and dexterity which I’ve been told is likely to be permanent. I’m so relieved that my union membership covered accidents in the home.”

Barry Maloney, Branch Secretary of Unison said: “This was an excellent result for our member Christine Millard. It demonstrates the benefits of being in a trade union and being able to access local legal services.”

Representing Christine Millard, Diane Davison from Thompsons Solicitors in Middlesbrough said: “The Consumer Protection Act 1987 is there to protect members of the public like Christine Millard. Clearly the bottle of wine on sale at ASDA did not meet reasonable safety standards leading to this nasty accident which has left Mrs Millard with a permanently scarred hand.”