No amount of money can ever fully compensate for the loss of a loved one in an avoidable accident, but it can at least soften the financial blow. In one case, the bereaved widow and children of a builder who died whilst working on a high-rise building won £450,000 in damages.
The man, aged in his 50s, was engaged in fitting glazing panels to the building’s 17th floor when a heavy pane of glass fell on him, causing fatal injuries. After lawyers launched proceedings on his family’s behalf, the property development company for which he was working at the time admitted liability for the accident.
Following negotiations, the company agreed to a lump-sum settlement of the claim. Of the damages total, £25,000 was paid to the man’s 17-year-old daughter and £7,865 to his adult daughter from a previous relationship. The remainder was remitted to his widow. The High Court approved the settlement, which reflected the widow’s and children’s loss of financial dependency upon the deceased.
