Any thoughts on this scenario? An self-employed electrical contractor was working on a machine in a customers warehouse. Through his own fault, the machine started and he subsequently lost half a finger. Does the contractor have any basis to claim for his injury from the owner of the machine? Or as a qualified professional should he have known better and will just have to suffer the consquences? Thanks.

Dave, That's what I was thinking as well. Cheers.

The contractor being at fault doesn't preclude the client from being at fault as well, in which case there could still be a claim. Did the client have any responsibilities for isolation, supervision, or provision of information that they failed in?

Oh, forgot, if he was not competent to undertake the works then the client will be at fault for not selecting a competent contractor!...

I would generally agree with the other posts. Anyone can make a claim, although whether this is successful or not will depend on the individual circumstances of the case and/or whether ‘somebody’ either accepts liability or is found liable. As has already been said there could be contributory negligence, which is in effect t and indication that there was also some degree or element of ‘fault’ on the part of the claimant. However, I don’t believe that it follows that the fact that the contractor has ELI or not is material to whether you can make a claim or not. Surely the purpose of ELI is to pay out on behalf of the policyholder in the event of a successful claim i.e. if liability is accepted or ‘found’. It seems to me that the usual rules apply; was there a duty owed? Was the duty breached? Did the breach result in injury or loss? etc etc. ELI itself is not a fast track passport to making a successful claim, in the absence of establishing liability; it is as the name suggests an insurance against an event, in this case – liability.