Piotr's Story: Fighting for Compensation After a Site Accident

Construction worker, Limerick

Piotr had been working on building sites across Limerick for over a decade. He was experienced, careful, and took his work seriously. One afternoon in 2021, while working on a commercial construction project, he suffered a serious fall from scaffolding. What made this accident particularly troubling wasn't just the injuries themselves—it was discovering afterwards that his employer had not provided the legally required safety equipment. There were no harnesses available, no proper helmets, and no adequate fall protection systems on site.

The aftermath was painful. Piotr spent weeks in hospital with a broken leg, fractured ribs, and injuries to his shoulder. He couldn't work for months. The medical bills mounted, and his family worried about how they'd manage. When he finally recovered enough to return, the memory of that moment—and the anger about how preventable it had been—stayed with him. He learned that Irish employment law is very clear: employers have a duty to protect their workers' safety. What happened to him was a breach of that duty.

Piotr decided to pursue a claim for compensation. Working with a solicitor, he gathered evidence of the missing safety equipment, medical records, and witness statements from colleagues who had also noticed the dangerous conditions on site. The case went to court. The evidence was straightforward: his employer had failed in their legal obligation to provide adequate protection. The court agreed, and Piotr won his case. The compensation he received helped cover his medical costs, lost wages, and provided recognition that what happened to him was wrong—and preventable.