Sued because builder fell off ladder?

pat9367

My father hired in a contractor to do a small job on a shed roof on his farm. The contractor had recently taken on a new employee (or quite possibly sub-contracted, not sure what "employment status" actually is/was) and this guy went up the ladder, fell off and injured his leg. I don't know how badly.

Now he's suing his employer and has named my father as co-respondent, or co-defendant or whatever the term is.

My father is an 80-year-old widower farmer who now lives alone and refuses to talk much about this. He more or less dismisses it. I'm not sure what the Contractor's position is but reading between the lines I don't think he wants to settle and is willing to go to court.

My gut feeling is "yer man" thinks he can frighten them into an out of court settlement. But what's the legal position? I would assume the Contractor is insured, but my father is not. He lives in the house he was born in and has never insured anything except his car.

Does the guy need to prove negligence to have a reasonable case? If so I can't see how my father could possibly be at fault. Not his employee, not (directly) his contracted party, not his ladder. But his shed, on his land.

This is going to sound like a terrible pun....but does yer man have a leg to stand on? Against my father at any rate?

Grateful for any advice.

Tom Young

Sorry - See forum charter. Advice is not allowed here. You must see a solicitor.