WARNING: CONTAINS DISTRESSING IMAGES Anna Rachfal’s ponytail got pulled into a machine at work and ripped off her right ear and scalp in seconds. She’s been left with life-changing injuries
A young mum who had her scalp and ear were ripped off in a horrific accident at work has finally been awarded a seven-figure payout.
Anna Rachfal was left with life-changing injuries after her ponytail became caught in a rotating drill she was operating. Despite screaming out, it took just seconds for the force of the drill to tear her scalp and right ear from her head – the last sound that Anna remembers hearing before passing out.
P&D Engineering Ltd in Coventry was later fined £62,000 after a Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the drill should have been fitted with a guard, something the company had already identified in its own risk assessment, but chose to ignore.
Anna has so far undergone 14 bouts of surgery and says some injuries can never be healed. She was so upset by the company’s fine – which she called “humiliating – she decided to pursue her own civil action through specialist personal injury solicitors Osbornes Law. The 29-year-old mum said she still regularly has flashbacks and has been diagnosed with PTSD as well as anxiety and depression.
Speaking to the Mirror she said: “I almost lost my life, so I am grateful to still be here, but the accident changed everything. I look in the mirror and I don’t recognise myself anymore. I have hearing loss, dizziness, pain from my scars, nerve pain so bad that sometimes I can’t move. I have lost all sensation on my head.
“I will never get my hair back and can’t have a transplant as there is no tissue there so I can only wear wigs. The HSE fine felt like an insult. My employer got to carry on as normal, whilst I feel like my life will never be the same again.”
Despite admitting failing to keep its employees safe following the incident in September 2019, it was only recently that P&D Engineering Ltd’s insurers agreed to settle the case, shortly before a High Court trial to determine the exact amount of compensation she should receive was due to start.
Anna, who lives in Coventry with husband Rad and their two children Robert, two, and Eliza, three months, says pressure from the defendant’s insurers to prove her injuries were genuine, took its toll.
“Being constantly monitored, judged, questioned. I felt like I had to constantly prove I was the injured party,” she said. “On one occasion, I had taken my son out in the car to try and get him to nap when I realised we were being followed, all to try and gather evidence against me. It was terrifying, especially when the surveillance team decided to chase my car through the streets around my home, and I had a panic attack.
“It’s not a normal life. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, and I wouldn’t have got through it without the support of my loved ones, my lawyers and all the doctors and nurses who have looked after me over the years. My wonderful partner, who became my husband in 2022, has supported me at every stage of this battle. We also managed to create the family we always dreamed of, and they inspire me every day.”
Anna now hopes to use her experience to help others who have suffered life-changing injuries. “No amount of money will make up for what happened, but I hope my story will encourage others to stand up for themselves and fight for their safety, and employers to take proper care of their staff.
“I would also like to help others recover from traumatic accidents and return to as normal a life as possible. I want to show that, despite all the difficulties, life can still be beautiful, and that scars can be worn with pride as proof of struggle, courage and strength.”
Ben Posford, head of the catastrophic injury team at Osbornes Law, says: “This is a shocking case which, had the drill been fitted with the correct guard, could have been easily avoided. The fact that the company knew the risk but chose to ignore it is inexcusable. This should come as a warning to other employers to ensure they have the correct health and safety procedure in place.
“Most importantly, I am delighted that we have been able to achieve justice for Anna, who has shown such courage, and secure the appropriate settlement to ensure she can access the care and support she needs for the rest of her life.”