WORKMAN’S FALL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29536, 10 June 1961, Page 9

WORKMAN’S FALL

Damages Of £9OlO (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. June 9. A workman who fell through a factory roof while working for his employers was awarded total damages of £9OlO by a jury in the Supreme Court today. Judgment was entered by the Chief Justice, Sir Harold Barrowclough. The plaintiff, Ernest M. Mason, aged 35. a workman (Mr L. G. Rose, with him Mr J. H. J. Crawford), claimed £14.000 general and special damages of £646. The defendant was Building Maintenance, Ltd. (Mr R. G. Collins). The statement of claim said that in July, 1959. the plaintiff was replacing broken sheets of asbestos on the roof of a Lower Hutt factory. He fell through the roof and suffered severe head injuries. It was alleged the accident occurred through negligence on the part of Hie defendant company in failing to provide walking boards or roof ladders and failing to inspect the condition of the roof and to ascertain whether the sarking or wire netting was fixed between the roofing sheets. The plaintiff's head injuries had brought concussion, meningitis, permanent deafness in both ears, loss of the sense of taste and smell, disturbance of vision, headache, severe shock to the nervous system and general nervous upset. As a result of the accident Mason’s personality had changed. He would be permanently partially disabled, the statement said. The defendant company, in the statement of defence, said it admitted liability for the accident without admitting the individual allegations of negligence. It denied the amount of damages claimed as appropriate.