Carpenter Takes Battle For Justice To High Court As He Looks To Rebuild Life Following 10 Metre Fall
24/03/2011
A carpenter who saw a promising career in the construction industry ruined after his employer failed to protect him from a fall from height, has taken his battle for justice to the High Court.
Noel Doyle, 28, from South Greenford, was thrown ten metres to the ground when a temporary platform that he was working on at a construction site in Vauxhall, London, was lifted to one side, leaving him with multiple injuries which, two years on, he is still struggling to recover from.
At the time, Mr Doyle was an NVQ-qualified shuttering carpenter and had aspirations for a long and promising career within the industry.
Sadly, disaster struck when a platform that Mr Doyle was working on was pulled from under him by a crane, following after a communication breakdown between the driver and banksman, sending him hurtling to the ground.
Noel was then rushed to hospital with multiple serious injuries, including significant internal haemorrhaging, a fractured pelvis, multiple rib fractures, abdominal injuries to the liver and right kidney, a burst fracture of the vertebrae and a complex fracture of the right elbow.
While a number of the fractures were fixed using both external and internal screw fixation, the pelvic fracture could only be treated in hospital by way of six weeks of bed rest.
Mr Doyle’s then employer, John Reddington Limited, admitted that they could have done more to prevent his fall from height. Leading industrial accident solicitors at Irwin Mitchell are now helping Mr Doyle bring his case in the High Court in an effort to ensure he can secure the vital funds he needs to live life to the full, despite his ongoing problems.
Sarah Griggs, an associate solicitor at Irwin Mitchell’s London office who is representing Noel in his industrial injury claim, says: “It has taken us 18 months to get the employer to admit liability over this serious incident, but we have chosen to issue court proceedings as the firm seemingly refuses to recognise the life-changing impact his incident has had on Noel.
“He was seven years into his career in the construction sector when he was injured and can never return to the trade again. It is vital he receives the support he needs to be able to look forward to a brighter future.”
Speaking about the incident, Noel added: “I had been involved in manual labour for a few years and really enjoyed being in a well-paid, skilled role that was key to the construction trade – it was an area that I thought I would be working in for a long time, particularly as I had excellent contacts in the trade.
“The platform was supported by four chains to the tower crane, but it was my job to ensure it was fully secure by inserting a pin into a girder,” Noel outlines. “Unfortunately I don’t remember too much about what happened next.
“The medical team working on me did a great job, but lying in bed for over a month was an incredibly frustrating culture shock after regularly being so active,” Noel recalls.
“I’ve had further surgery to remove metalwork from my elbow, but I still have limited function in my right hand and have been told outright that I can never return to work in the construction industry.”
Noel is now in the process of rebuilding his life, although his plans to study a part-time degree in History through a University of London distance learning course have been put on hold as doctors continue to investigate the loss of grip that he has suffered in his right hand since surgery to remove metalwork from his elbow.
Noel adds: “All I want to do is put this behind me and it’s very disappointing that my employer only decided to admit liability in August last year. I just want to move on in my life and do my best to get back into some kind of work.”
Serious injury specialist Sarah Griggs says: “The devastating injuries sustained by Noel in the fall have completely changed the course of his life, which means it is vital he gets the care and support he needs to get back on his feet and essentially start over again.
“While John Reddington Limited has been willing to admit liability, we are working hard to ensure that Noel is can access the funds that will help him on his journey.
“We also hope that lessons can be learnt from his terrible story and that it leads to improvements in safety standards that will ensure no one else suffers in the same manner in the future.”
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