Summary:
The Carbone Lawyers Personal Injuries team has secured a significant settlement for a carpenter in his late 30s, who sustained devastating, career-ending injuries after falling from an insecure scaffold at a construction site. We successfully pursued the claim against multiple defendants, including the scaffolding company, ultimately securing a significant resolution critical to his long-term financial security and ongoing care..
Key Points:
- Permanent Career Loss: A highly experienced, “lead hand” carpenter in his prime working years (late 30s) was permanently removed from the workforce due to the injuries, forming the basis for a substantial claim for loss of future earnings.
- Multi-Defendant Liability: The claim successfully held three separate entities accountable for collective failures in ensuring a safe and complete work platform.
- Psychological and Quality of Life Damages: A significant component of the settlement recognised the deep psychological suffering and loss of amenity, particularly the client’s inability to engage in an active life and fully participate in the lives of his young children.
Case Details:
Although relatively young, our client was a highly qualified and respected ‘lead’ carpenter. The injury occurred while he was carrying out routine carpentry work, which required him to climb some scaffolding that had been installed. However, the structure was not correctly or securely built, and it gave way. Our client fell from a height of several meters.
He was rushed to the hospital, where he remained for several days, undergoing multiple surgeries to address significant trauma to his neck, lower back, hip, and legs. Since that day, he has not been able to return to work in any capacity.
Beyond the physical wounds, which leave him with a permanent limp and ongoing pain, the psychological impact was devastating. A naturally active man who loved the outdoors, fishing, and camping, he found himself stripped of his ability to perform simple tasks like mowing the lawn or, most painfully, to play fully with his young children. His mental anguish over missing critical bonding time became a key component of the psychological claim.
The defendants, including the site contractor and the scaffolding company, attempted to mount a defence by asserting that, as an “experienced carpenter,” the client should have known better and recognised the structure was unsafe. This attempt to shift liability failed, as the evidence clearly demonstrated a fundamental failure to provide a safe and compliant working environment.
Outcome:
With the matter due to go to court in a matter of weeks, the parties finally reached an agreement. The injured carpenter received a substantial seven-figure settlement that was within the appropriate range for the catastrophic, life-long nature of his injuries. This resolution provided critical financial security for him and his family, covering his considerable loss of future earnings, the extent of his pain and suffering, and the cost of necessary future medical treatments and care for the rest of his life.
Disclaimer: The details provided in this file are a representation of the facts of the case, and the settlement figure is categorised broadly to protect client privacy.
