A wind farm technician is pursuing a £500,000 damages claim against his employer after suffering a "traumatic brain injury" in a 25-metre fall into the North Sea.
Ben Thompson, 31, fell in August 2023 while crossing a gangway between a ship and a column at the Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm, east of England.
Mr Thompson has launched High Court action against GE Energy UK, alleging the company was negligent and breached its contractual and duty of care obligations.
GE Energy UK is contesting the claim, denying any negligence or breaches.
According to court documents seen by journalists, Mr Thompson’s barrister, Matthew Chapman KC, stated the technician crossed the gangway after a green light indicated it was safe.
Mr Chapman added that Mr Thompson was “told not to clip on by his colleague” and, as he walked, “began to feel the gangway move”.
Mr Chapman said: “His top half was still, but his lower half was moving.
“The gangway was suddenly and unexpectedly retracting and, while the claimant tried to move back, he lost balance as a result of the movement and fell approximately 25 metres into the sea.”
Mr Thompson believes he momentarily lost consciousness when he hit the water and was there for just over five minutes before a rescue boat pulled him out.
He also maintains that he did not see any red light or hear an emergency alarm, or someone shouting that would have warned him of the danger.
Mr Chapman said his resulting brain injury causes him “ongoing cognitive problems”, while he has suffered further injuries to his face, neck, back, legs and wrists and also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.
The technician said these injuries cause him continuing pain and damage his opportunities for employment.
Lawyers for GE Energy UK said in court documents that the emergency system on the gangway was activated and there was a red light signal and an alarm, but “contrary to his training”, Mr Thompson took another 19 steps forward.
They said they have seen CCTV footage which captured the incident but it is currently held by the Norwegian company that owns the ship from which Mr Thompson crossed.
They also said that safe access was controlled by a gangway operator and an able seafarer, both employed by Ostensjo/Edda Wind, the Norwegian company.
Communication between these two was “inadequate” and the able seafarer “failed to respond to the alarm in a timely manner by shouting” to Mr Thompson, they added.
Ostensjo/Edda Wind therefore breached its duty, the lawyers said, but GE Energy UK did not.
The lawyers also said Mr Thompson “failed to take any or any adequate care for his own safety”.
They continued: “The accident occurred because the claimant failed to follow his training.
“Had the claimant adhered to his training, when the lights turned to red and the alarm sounded he would have stopped immediately, held on to the side of the gangway with both hands and awaited further instructions.
“In those circumstances the claimant would not have fallen from the gangway and would not have sustained injury loss or damage.”
Ostensjo/Edda Wind has been contacted for comment.
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