Can you claim for an election-related personal injury?
PEOPLE who suffer a personal injury as a consequence of European election posters can claim, a leading solicitor has said.
There have been instances of personal injury inquiries following incidences such as election billboard posters falling down, or distracting drivers.
But Martin Hart, of Hart & Co Solicitors in Belfast, said: “Somebody confronted with this sort of scenario should adopt a scatter-gun approach, in other words sue everyone and anyone concerned with the erection of the poster. This would include the actual candidate, their party and the person or company who put it up.”
However, the personal injury sufferer and the person responsible for the poster can be the same. Northern Ireland councillor Robert Smith was putting up one for his party’s candidate Diane Dodds when it came down and left him with facial stitches.
Eileen Ewing, of Thompson Crooks Solicitors, said any personal injury claim should “consider whether the poster had been sufficiently secured to prevent it from being blown down in bad weather”.
Mr Hart added: “The case of action would be personal injury, loss and damage. Let’s say worst case scenario, somebody is hit on the head by a poster and they crack their skull – they’d obviously sue for this or whatever injury they’ve suffered.There may also be loss of earnings to be considered if they’ve had to take off work for any length of time.”