Construction worker left brain damaged is awarded payout
A construction worker who has been left needing round the clock care after a fall inside a cooling tower, has won his claim for
compensation.
Stephen Deakes, now 48 and a father of three from Stainforth, suffered serious chest and head injuries and a fractured pelvis after plummeting 18 feet after decking he was standing on collapsed while he was installing plastic packing at Didcot Power Station in Oxfordshire.
Mr Deakes has been left brain damaged with several physical disabilities following the work accident.
Sitting at Sheffield Crown Court, Judge Reddihough ruled his employers Thermal Energy Construction Ltd must pay Mr Deakes enough compensation to cover his life long care and any future specialist equipment he may need.
The size of the payout has not been revealed, but John Davis from law firm Irwin Mitchell, the solicitor representing Mr Deakes said the settlement was an accurate reflection of the care needs, but added that the fall was avoidable if the proper checks had been carried out.
Updated on 6/26/2008