Defendants involving third party?

fro9etb8j5qsl2

I had an accident last year from which I am still suffering pain and discomfort. Basically, a piece of construction equipment was not secured properly and fell on top of me on a public road. As the work was commissioned by the council, my solicitor first sent them notification. On inspection by their engineer, they decided that the construction company carrying out the work were liable.

My solicitor submitted the case to the PIB but the construction company (who are one of the leading firms in the country) made no reply within the allowed timeframe. Last month, the case was lodged with the court. My solicitor advised that they would probably not respond for another few months. However, this week, he recieved a letter from a firm of solicitors acting on behalf of the defendants stating that they were involving a third party in the case. They also gave a list of questions for me to answer, even though the original submission to the PIB contains all of the information they are looking for

What does this 'third party' mean? My solicitor reckons that the construction company are basically accepting that the accident occurred but are maintaining that someone else (maybe whoever provided the equipment that caused the accident) are liable. If this is the case, how will things proceed?

Farcear

A Plaintiff sues a Defendant.

If a Defendant believes someone else was responsible, Defendant sues Third Party.

Both "cases" are heard together to save time and effort for everyone.

barbs84

the questions they give you to answer are standard, all defendants will submit questions for the plantiff, also by them involving another party your case will still proceed ahead involving them and the third party both parties will be the defendants, it will just be a case of the piab or the court will state how much comp you are owed and they will decide which company pays what percent of the comp owed eg 50:50 or 70:30 etc

ResearchWill

The questions I assume are notice for particulars standard. It's funny though whe you see them, from an office that just ran the last ones off again, please state the exact locus of the accident by reference to a map if necessary? It's a contract dispute. Please state the number of Gp visits? It's a contract dispute. Please supply the registration number of the plaintiffs car. It's a contract dispute. Cracks me up every time I see it.