London and Birmingham based solicitors specialising in Personal Injury & Accidents at Work, Education, Disability and Crime

Mr Houlton was working for a small building contractor. A fellow employee was given the job of setting up some planks on trestles so that Mr Houlton could carry out work on an extension they were building. Because the land fell away, the fellow employee put the trestles where he could, leaving one plank overhanging the last trestle by about four feet.

 

Mr Houlton, concentrating on his job, placed one foot on the unsupported end of the plank and it overbalanced with the result that he fell, suffering a cracked bone in the foot and a cut to his arm.

 

We put Mr Houlton's case to the other side on the basis that his employers were responsible for the negligent actions of their careless employee, and further alleged that in any event the employers were operating an unsafe system with inadequate equipment for the task in hand.

 

Mr Houlton was successful in his claim and received £5,000 in damages, his legal costs paid on top.