Mum has a fall caused by negligent builders
Discussion
Scene : Yesterday was a nice day so My mum was out walking, enjoying what felt like the first day of spring. She took her usual walk for a couple of miles on normal residential streets. However, she managed to trip and fall and it was not due to clumsiness.
Injuries: A cut her lip, knocked a tooth and grazed her knees and ribs. More blood than one would expect.
Cause: Negligent builders who had placed a rope from one side of the pavement to the other with bricks on each end. God knows why it was there.
My Issues: Upon seeing the commotion of my mum falling over, the guy simply helped her up, removed the rope and continued to work leaving my mum bleeding and pretty dazed. My mum isn’t an old lady by any means but she is still in her fifties and probably not able to handle pain too well. She started to feel dizzy and had to sit on the grass verge. To add to this, she asked to borrow a phone to call my dad but these guys were Polish and couldn’t speak English. They were totally disinterested. Luckily a lady next door helped my mum home.
This morning, she is unable to go to work and is quite upset about the whole thing.
I am pretty pissed off. If it was a fall due to her own clumsiness, then fair enough. But it was caused by these idiots who clearly do not give a s
t, makes my blood boil. Where is their conscience?
I don’t want revenge, compensation for her, boycotting of Holidays to Poland or anything like that in fact I am not sure what I want to occur, I am just pretty pissed off as these guys have shown an utter disregard for a fellow human being.
What would you do, if anything?
Injuries: A cut her lip, knocked a tooth and grazed her knees and ribs. More blood than one would expect.
Cause: Negligent builders who had placed a rope from one side of the pavement to the other with bricks on each end. God knows why it was there.
My Issues: Upon seeing the commotion of my mum falling over, the guy simply helped her up, removed the rope and continued to work leaving my mum bleeding and pretty dazed. My mum isn’t an old lady by any means but she is still in her fifties and probably not able to handle pain too well. She started to feel dizzy and had to sit on the grass verge. To add to this, she asked to borrow a phone to call my dad but these guys were Polish and couldn’t speak English. They were totally disinterested. Luckily a lady next door helped my mum home.
This morning, she is unable to go to work and is quite upset about the whole thing.
I am pretty pissed off. If it was a fall due to her own clumsiness, then fair enough. But it was caused by these idiots who clearly do not give a s
t, makes my blood boil. Where is their conscience?I don’t want revenge, compensation for her, boycotting of Holidays to Poland or anything like that in fact I am not sure what I want to occur, I am just pretty pissed off as these guys have shown an utter disregard for a fellow human being.
What would you do, if anything?
was a building line to ensure what they where building was straight.
also should have had the pavement bollarded off if they where working on a public right of way (you also need a license).
Still, shes fine, so surely that all that matters? unless of course you fancy a no win no fee lawsuite, where you'd perhaps put struggling builder through the hoop?
a stern word with the foreman would suffice.
also should have had the pavement bollarded off if they where working on a public right of way (you also need a license).
Still, shes fine, so surely that all that matters? unless of course you fancy a no win no fee lawsuite, where you'd perhaps put struggling builder through the hoop?
a stern word with the foreman would suffice.
Edited by _Batty_ on Tuesday 2nd March 11:23
My first port of call would be to contact the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) detailing location, exactly what happened and the fact a rope was stretched across part of a public thoroughfare. They will be very interested in investigating this.
Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
58warren said:
My first port of call would be to contact the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) detailing location, exactly what happened and the fact a rope was stretched across part of a public thoroughfare. They will be very interested in investigating this.
Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
you have no idea how anal the HSE is.Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
they'll be hounding those builders for ages due to a slight afterthought!
have a chat with them.
LOL @ Claimsdirect.
Yeah, perhaps I will ensure he 'never works in the village' again
Seriously though, I think acknowledgement what has happened would be a start. Maybe this sounds like a mountain in a mole hill but when my family gets hurt, you do tend to get annoyed about it.
Yeah, perhaps I will ensure he 'never works in the village' again
Seriously though, I think acknowledgement what has happened would be a start. Maybe this sounds like a mountain in a mole hill but when my family gets hurt, you do tend to get annoyed about it.
Edited by Rags on Tuesday 2nd March 11:30
Cause: Woman trips over a rope.
Blame: Anyone but the woman for noticing the rope.
Resultant: An {b]accident[/b] with some cuts a bruises and my mums pride.
Action: I would like some money.
Why not just say in the first post how do you go about suing a builder for leaving a rope across where my mum was walking?
Blame: Anyone but the woman for noticing the rope.
Resultant: An {b]accident[/b] with some cuts a bruises and my mums pride.
Action: I would like some money.
Why not just say in the first post how do you go about suing a builder for leaving a rope across where my mum was walking?
I would do nothing. Ok it is unfortunate and I am sure your mother is in a lot of discomfort and indeed if she is feeling dizzy perhaps just go down to the hospital for a check.
I understand that you must be angry but what will ringing HSE, Claiming compensation actually do. The workers may well not be on the companies books and just working for cash in hand, who knows. It was a fault on there part but claiming/kicking up a fuss just isn't worth the hassle.
If you mum is ok and isn't seriously injured then what's the point? Just move on IMO.
I understand that you must be angry but what will ringing HSE, Claiming compensation actually do. The workers may well not be on the companies books and just working for cash in hand, who knows. It was a fault on there part but claiming/kicking up a fuss just isn't worth the hassle.
If you mum is ok and isn't seriously injured then what's the point? Just move on IMO.
Rags said:
LOL @ Claimsdirect.
Yeah, perhaps I will ensure he 'never works in the village' again.
Seriously though, I think acknowledgement what has happened would be a start. Maybe this sounds like a mountain in a mole hill but when my family gets hurt, you do tend to get annoyed about it.
course you do!Yeah, perhaps I will ensure he 'never works in the village' again.
Seriously though, I think acknowledgement what has happened would be a start. Maybe this sounds like a mountain in a mole hill but when my family gets hurt, you do tend to get annoyed about it.
i'd be the same.
thing is some labourers need they're hand held 24/7, so the foreman/manager may have no idea what went on!
_Batty_ said:
58warren said:
My first port of call would be to contact the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) detailing location, exactly what happened and the fact a rope was stretched across part of a public thoroughfare. They will be very interested in investigating this.
Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
you have no idea how anal the HSE is.Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
they'll be hounding those builders for ages due to a slight afterthought!
have a chat with them.
LOL I am not sure if the collective PH need to get to specsavers themselves but I stated in my first post, she is not looking for compensation or anything like that.
My old dear is very courteous generally and has this belief that everyone should treat her as she treats everyone else and is annoyed that the builders did not see it fit to even apologise!
Its also her pride!
Mothers eh!
The funny thing is, I used to do this kind of thing all the time as a kid. Some of the trips I have had including ones on the sports field make her issue seem tiny.
Cheers guys for the responses!
My old dear is very courteous generally and has this belief that everyone should treat her as she treats everyone else and is annoyed that the builders did not see it fit to even apologise!
Its also her pride!
Mothers eh!
The funny thing is, I used to do this kind of thing all the time as a kid. Some of the trips I have had including ones on the sports field make her issue seem tiny.
Cheers guys for the responses!
58warren said:
_Batty_ said:
58warren said:
My first port of call would be to contact the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) detailing location, exactly what happened and the fact a rope was stretched across part of a public thoroughfare. They will be very interested in investigating this.
Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
you have no idea how anal the HSE is.Your mum should also get checked out at hospital if she has been feeling dizzy (concussion)???
they'll be hounding those builders for ages due to a slight afterthought!
have a chat with them.
She just got from the dentist and she has a chipped tooth, albeit very minor.
Bear in mind this was probably a string line rather than a rope, which is not always very visible - particularly if you are not expecting it to be there.
The fact is it was a pavement and the builders had no right to obstruct it without a licence and without cordoning off the area and providing an alternative route around the obstruction - it's common sense for starters.
Suppose it was a visually impaired person who had been walking along?
The fact is it was a pavement and the builders had no right to obstruct it without a licence and without cordoning off the area and providing an alternative route around the obstruction - it's common sense for starters.
Suppose it was a visually impaired person who had been walking along?
My mum went to see a new housing development with a view to buying it. The builders tried to tart the place up and just laid some grass over a bloody big hole that they had failed to fill. While walking around, well you can guess the rest.
Rather than go to claims direct or whoever, approached the builders who admitted liability and were braced for a right rogering. However, agreed a near 20% discount of the new house and threw in a full dressing by the show-home people. Everyone won....
Not quite the same thing, but as mentioned, worth speaking to HSE or local council. Builders have to comply with an awful lot of legislation these days and anything that infringes on the public highway in anyway needs to be carefully managed. If they haven't then they need to have it explained to them.
Rather than go to claims direct or whoever, approached the builders who admitted liability and were braced for a right rogering. However, agreed a near 20% discount of the new house and threw in a full dressing by the show-home people. Everyone won....
Not quite the same thing, but as mentioned, worth speaking to HSE or local council. Builders have to comply with an awful lot of legislation these days and anything that infringes on the public highway in anyway needs to be carefully managed. If they haven't then they need to have it explained to them.
58warren said:
Bear in mind this was probably a string line rather than a rope, which is not always very visible - particularly if you are not expecting it to be there.
The fact is it was a pavement and the builders had no right to obstruct it without a licence and without cordoning off the area and providing an alternative route around the obstruction - it's common sense for starters.
Suppose it was a visually impaired person who had been walking along?
WHatever. Jesus.The fact is it was a pavement and the builders had no right to obstruct it without a licence and without cordoning off the area and providing an alternative route around the obstruction - it's common sense for starters.
Suppose it was a visually impaired person who had been walking along?
Perhaps this small builder should emply a team of extra people in Hi vis jackets to carry any pedestrian who should happen to set foot on the road to thier required destination in safety.
THe majority of us logical people still think that a person has a right to assume other people have eyes and commonsense.
OP, I strongly suspect that the builders seeming indifference to her plight were merely the fact that, as you pointed out, they didn't speak ENglish. I cant imagine that they were really that disinterested. Might be wrong of course and if so you'd be right for wanting to get your own back
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