A Portuguese man who lost his sight following a workplace accident in 2016 at the ArcelorMittal steel plant in the Ghent port has been awarded €330,000 in compensation, a Ghent court has ruled.
The accident occurred on 16 March 2016. The man, employed by a subcontractor at ArcelorMittal, was blinded when a jet of hydraulic oil hit his eyes during maintenance work.
In 2018, the subcontractor and ArcelorMittal were fined €30,000 and €18,000 respectively, half of which was suspended.
An expert was appointed to assess the man’s compensation, and on Wednesday the court announced the final amount. He has been awarded €330,000 plus interest.
The parties retain the right to appeal the judgement.
