A Cornish building firm has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a member of the public fell into an unguarded excavation.
On 6 October 2011, the 31-year-old male was visiting a friend in Port Isaac, Cornwall, when he plunged 15 feet into an open excavation. The edge of the excavation ran along a path directly in front of the property he was visiting.
The man sustained spinal injuries, a fractured skull and a burst ear drum as a result of the accident.
The HSE told Bodmin Magistrates’ Court that the building firm had failed to install a protective edge to stop people falling. HML Builders Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 31 (2) of Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. The firm was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £3,793 in costs.
James Davies, a solicitor at Thompsons Solicitors’ Serious Injuries Team said: “Failing to put an edge protection around the excavation left a trap that this unfortunate man walked into. The building company put the lives of their own workers as well as members of the public at risk. The prosecution should serve as a lesson to other firms that carry out similar work.”
Looking for legal advice following serious injury? Chat to one of our specialists today.
Thompsons Solicitors will move swiftly to support you or your loved one to build a case for compensation after catastrophic injury. Our priority is to establish the facts and apply for interim payments as quickly as possible to secure vital funds for treatment and rehabilitation. The aim is to get you, or your loved one, on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Our committed serious injury specialists secure millions of pounds in damages for seriously injured people each year and are supported by Client Support Coordinators and groups such as the Spinal Injuries Association, Headway and the Limbless Association, to signpost clients to sources of further aid.
If you, or someone you care about, has been catastrophically injured in the last three years contact us today for a free, no obligation consultation with a serious injury expert to discuss your serious injury compensation claim.
For further information, visit our How to Make A Compensation Claim page.