Skip Fall Man to Get Over £1 Million

A man who fell into a skip and suffered serious brain damage has won a substantial amount in compensation.

The accident happened at the premises where Idris Smith, 57, worked as a factory worker and truck driver. The fall caused an extensive skull fracture and left him with a severe brain injury.

After the accident, Mr Smith was found to have a personality disorder: his character had changed markedly since the accident happened. He had become verbally aggressive, suffered mood swings and had low levels of tolerance. Although he has made a remarkable recovery from his injuries, Mr Smith still has little insight into his condition and requires considerable support in his daily life.

When the claim was brought against the company’s insurers, they admitted liability for the accident but disputed the level of support required by Mr Smith for which compensation was claimed. They argued that as the factory had closed down in 2006, Mr Smith would in any case have found it difficult to find alternate employment and this should be taken into account when calculating his future loss of earnings. The insurers also disputed the amounts claimed for a support worker and someone to manage Mr Smith’s affairs, as well as the necessity for Mr Smith and his wife to move to a house more suited to his needs.

In court, however, the judge found in favour of Mr Smith regarding most aspects of his compensation claim. The exact amount will be decided at a future hearing but is likely to exceed £1 million.

If you have been involved in an accident at work because appropriate health and safety measures have been neglected, you could be entitled to compensation. Contact us to discuss your claim.