Construction accident led to life-changing injuries

Steven Gilmore, a former scaffolder, went to work expecting it to be like any other day. However, after picking up a piece of scaffolding that made contact with a live power line, he was electrocuted, causing devastating injuries. The shock resulted in Steve falling from the scaffolding and caused large surface burns and a broken leg. After having 16 operations, with potentially more to come, Steve is no longer able to perform his usual day to day activities and has lost the majority of functionality in both hands.

After recommendations and thorough research, Steve contacted Slater and Gordon’s Serious Injury Associate, Jamie Day, to explore his options and see how he could help him get the compensation and access to rehabilitation that he deserves. Our serious injury team understand the suffering and shock that can occur at this time. It’s our aim to make the claims process as easy as possible, helping reduce the burden of dealing with any of the additional issues faced, and ensuring the best possible outcome.

Once Jamie had discussed the details of Steve’s injury with him, he then began to gather evidence including any witnesses to the accident and the opinion of medical experts. As the case remains ongoing, Jamie has sought interim payments for Steve, receiving £60,000 in the last year, ensuring he can live as comfortably as possible as the case progresses.

Interim payments are payments which can be paid to you before a final compensation settlement is agreed. These payments are designed to help people who have been seriously injured as a result of personal injury, or of medical negligence, and who may need financial assistance to pay for medical care, lost earnings and any other related costs, whilst the case is ongoing.

Jamie also ensured the early instruction of a specialist rehabilitation case manager, to assist Steve with his rehabilitation and ensure he has all the support he needs to assist his recovery. This has included private medical treatment, aids, equipment and adaptations to his home. Steve and his family have also been provided with psychological support to help cope with the devastating consequences of this accident.

Construction sites remain one of the more dangerous places to work, which is why safety conversations are needed. In Steve’s case, he believes construction bosses need to do more to ensure the safety of their workers.

‘Construction bosses need to be more vigilant and be more aware of the dangers on site,’ Steve says. ‘They need to not cut corners, as small as those may be, because it's not worth putting someone in the same predicament as me.’

We want to share our support to the construction industry, just as we’re continuing to support Steve as we progress his claim, which is why we’ve launched the Safety Pledge which encourages those within the construction industry to take a personal pledge towards everyone’s safety on site. The Safety Pledge provides a safety toolkit with a range of downloadable materials that offer helpful advice, legal assistance, and more to ensure everyone remains safe on construction sites.

Our research revealed only 30% of injured construction workers make a personal injury claim, with 53% thinking their injury wasn’t bad enough and 17% saying they couldn’t afford a solicitor. We conduct most of our serious injury cases on a ‘No Win, No Fee’ agreement, meaning there is no financial risk to you if your case is unsuccessful.

If you work in construction and need support or advice regarding injuries experienced on site, download our safety toolkit here. If you’d like to speak to an accident at work lawyer who specialises in construction claims, call us today for a free, confidential consultation on 0330 107 4991 or, alternatively, contact Jamie Day directly here.