Newark-based construction firm Caledonian Modular Limited has been forced to pay £320,000 in compensation to a painter and decorator they had sub-contracted.

The 48 year-old from East Yorkshire was using a step ladder to reach a ceiling, when a flurry of sparks came towards him through a hole in a nearby wall.

Instinctively, he twisted his body away from the sparks and fell backwards off the ladder.

After he made a claim, Caledonian Modular responded by stating that the sub-contractor’s description of the incident was ‘fundamentally dishonest’.

However, an independent medical examination showed that the man had suffered serious tendon and ligament tears, preventing him from working above shoulder height again.

This evidence was accepted in court, with the building firm held responsible for the accident on the basis that they had failed to protect the sub-contractor.

With a lack of suitable safety measures in place, Caledonian Modular were left with no choice but to pay the hefty compensation bill earlier this month.

If you have suffered an injury from an accident at work that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to make a No Win No Fee compensation claim. Contact us today for independent, expert legal advice from our specialist lawyers.