Two construction companies have been ordered to pay a total of more than ?450,000 after admitting negligence, breach of contract and breach of statutory duty.

Acting Deemster Andrew Moran made the order almost six years after a man fell sixty feet down an air vent on a building site.

Graham Bell reports (audio file attached:)

The man was moving a piece of decking which he thought was rubbish on the site in November 2000.

But it was covering the opening of a shaft, and he fell into the building’s basement, suffering what were described as devastating injuries.

Dandara and Heritage Homes admitted liability but also said the man was partly to blame for the accident.

The semi-skilled contractor, who was forty-eight at the time, was said by the companies not to have made sufficient efforts to find work since his accident.

But the Acting Deemster rejected this, saying his prospects were damaged by his age, lack of experience and lack of background skills.


For pain, suffering, loss of amenity, loss of past and future earnings, medical costs and interest, Acting Deemster Moran awarded him just over half a million pounds.

But because of the worker’s contributory negligence, the sum was reduced by 10 per cent to just over ?450,000.