Paralysed Gardener Loses £1M Compensation Bid in Surrey Ladder Fall Case

Barry Relph, a gardener who became paraplegic after falling from a stepladder while trimming a conifer tree at the Surrey home of multimillionaire couple John and Joanna Meager, lost his legal bid for over £1 million in compensation. The accident occurred in January 2021 when a branch struck Relph's stepladder, causing it to wobble and leading to his fall, although Relph has no memory of the incident. Relph argued that the Meagers should have hired a trained tree surgeon, estimating that a few hundred pounds spent on specialist services could have prevented his catastrophic injury. However, Judge Andrew Kinnier KC ruled that Relph and his colleague were experienced freelancers who devised their own work methods and were not employees of the Meagers, dismissing the compensation claim. The court found no negligence on the part of the Meagers, who could not be held liable for the accident given the circumstances and Relph's autonomous work approach. The case highlights the legal complexities around liability and responsibility when hiring independent contractors for hazardous tasks.