A reminder of what is at stake

[Yorkshireman]

17 June 2009 Home|News| Lewes walker hit by tree branch sues Environment Agency

 

 

HortWeek.com

17 June 2009

An East Sussex woman who was hit by a falling branch while out walking is suing the Environment Agency for £300,000.

 

Doreen Prior was knocked unconscious while out walking through popular Barcombe Mills, a walking site in East Sussex, after she was hit by a falling branch.

 

She has accused the Environment Agency, which owns the land, of breaching its duty to protect the public by failing to identify and remove the dying ash bough.

 

An Environment Agency representative told HW that no court date had yet been set for the High Court case. "This case is currently being looked at by our solicitors," the representative added.

[Stephen Blair]

blame blame blame, its a woodland. 300k.wtf:thumbdown:

[David oakman]

I was talking about this only today. I have a small wood with two footpaths through it and they have never been cleared in the 8 years i have worked here, so today with the help of a lad we strimmed them and i cut up all the fallen trees and dead trees. After we had finished i said would people have sued the estate if they had tripped over one of the fallen trees do you think or bramble hit them in the eye. Maybe it is better to keep them clear than find out, but the trouble is i have got 33 miles of public footpaths.

[Dean Lofthouse]

If this case isn't thrown out it will be a great shame

[David Humphries]

This occured over two years ago, I'd be quite suprised if the EA had or kept any inspection records of trees on their woodland paths.

 

This case will be very interesting.

Especially post Dunham Massey verdict.

 

 

 

 

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[Dean Lofthouse]

It would be interesting to know what the weather conditions were on the day because the last place I'd be on a windy day is walking through woodland

[Mesterh]

Not sure what I think on this. Too much depends on the details to make any judgement imo.

 

I would be well pissed if while walking through a public woodland on a footpath and got knocked out by falling deadwood. Whether I would try suing for 300k is another matter though

[Mozza]

Absolute joke!!!!!!!!

 

People will be cutting there arse on bog roll and be suing soon

[Dean Lofthouse]

There's one solution to it, "no public access"

 

There is inherant risk when walking through any woodland, where does the blame stop...

 

I cut myself on barbed wire...

I tripped over a peice of stone sticking up on the footpath.

A raise root

A mad cow chased me

 

At your own risk notices posted all over the country will follow and no access will be allowed where willing landowners volunteer access.

 

I would imaging the public have all over access to the New Forest, and other similar large forests, imagine the undertaking to ensure ALL trees have been made safe or regularly inspected.

 

Nature takes care of forests and large woodland, wind does the deadwooding.

[Mesterh]

Would you not ask any questions then if it was your son or daughter that get knocked out by falling deadwood?