The dangers of a hidden infrastructure pit: Tim’s story

When Tim wasn’t driving trucks across Australia for a living, he enjoyed the downtime with his dogs in regional Queensland. Tim found solace in all that the country had to offer and loved the rural-town lifestyle.

Tim was planning to sell his dirt bike and took it for a test ride when disaster struck just meters from his home.

Tim rode his bike between the road and the cane fields near his home in Tully, Queensland, as he had done many times before. Unbeknownst to Tim, an unmarked infrastructure pit carrying utility cables with a broken lid was hidden in the grass right in his path.

Tim’s front wheel plunged into the hole. On impact, Tim was thrown from the bike, which caused it to cartwheel over him. Tim found his bearings, and he saw his bike in a wreck. Looking down at his leg, he saw a bone protruding from his shin.

Tim knew he was in trouble. But he didn’t expect that his life would be changed forever.

Medical journey and ongoing pain

Tim was taken to a local hospital and then airlifted to Cairns Hospital. He was told there was a good chance he would lose his leg.

The pain alone was excruciating, but the thought of losing his leg was terrifying. Tim lived an active lifestyle and worked as a truck driver. He enjoyed his work, but it would be difficult for him to continue in his line of work without two working legs—an uncomfortable thought for Tim, who was only in his late 40s.

Tim had compound fractures in both his tibia and fibula, so the only hope of saving his leg was to undergo surgery, including muscle and skin grafts.

The surgeries were a success, but the challenges didn’t stop there. Tim suffered an infection which complicated the healing process, and he was required to spend months in an external frame to aid with his recovery.

A return to work

Given his condition and intensive recovery, Tim couldn’t work for years. He began chewing through his savings eventually ending up on Centrelink –he began to accept his new reality. He could no longer jump in and out of trucks, let alone operate a manual transmission.

To his credit, he found an employer who could accommodate his injury, even if it was only seasonal work. Tim’s return to work was a significant achievement and a step towards regaining some of his independence and old life. Tim knew that it was better to get back into the workforce as best he could instead of relying on benefits. Ultimately, this helped his claim, as it showed he was genuinely trying to get on with his life.

To this day, Tim experiences pain in his leg – especially when he stands on his feet for extended periods of time – but it’s a long way from the excruciating agony he once endured. 

Seeking compensation

Tim contacted us and connected with our local personal injuries team in Cairns. We believed in his case and filed a claim. When injuries occur due to someone else’s negligence, liability arises for any resulting injury or loss.

The defendant denied liability for Tim’s accident and proposed a settlement well below an acceptable amount for the damages they caused.

We worked on Tim’s case for five years. It was an emotional journey for Tim, but we got a great outcome for him. Our work on his matter completely changed Tim’s life – the successful outcome of his claim allowed him to set himself up for the rest of his life.

“I’ve never had much experience with lawyers. But I recommend Maurice Blackburn to anyone with an injury that wasn’t their fault. They relieved a lot of stress and made it easy for me to deal with my injury,” - Tim Rigney

Getting help with a public place injury claim

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Our team is highly skilled and experienced in achieving the best outcomes for our clients. Use our free claim check tool to find out if you're eligible for a public place claim; send us a message or call us on 1800 111 222.