Insurance Claim #131313
I am writing in response to your request for additional
information. In block number 3 of the accident reporting form, I
put a quote - poor planning - unquote as the cause of my
accident. You said in your letter that I should explain more
fully, and I trust that the following details will be sufficient:
I am a bricklayer by trade. On the day of the accident, I
was working alone on the roof of a new six story building. When
I completed my work, I discovered that I had about 500 pounds of
brick left over. Rather than carry the bricks down by hand, I
decided to lower them in a barrel by using a pulley which
fortunately was attached to the side of the building, at the
sixth floor.
Securing the rope at ground level, I went up to the roof,
swung the barrel out, and loaded the brick into it. Then I went
back to the ground and untied they rope, holding it tightly to
insure a slow decent of the 500 pounds of bricks. You will note
in block number eleven of the accident reporting form that I
weigh 135 pounds.
Due to my surprise to being jerked off the ground so
suddenly, I lost my presence of mind and forgot to let go of the
rope. Needless to say, I proceeded at a rather rapid rate up the
side of the building. In the vicinity of the third floor, I met
the barrel coming down. This explains the fractured skull and
broken collarbone. Slowed only slightly, I continued my rapid
ascent, not stopping until the fingers of my right hand were
two-knuckles deep into the pulley. Fortunately, by this time I
had regained my presence of mind and was able to hold tightly to
the rope in spite of my pain. At approximately the same time,
however, the barrel of bricks hit the ground -- and the bottom
fell out of the barrel. Devoid of the weight of the bricks, the
barrel now weighed approximately fifty pounds.
I refer you again to my weight in block number eleven. As
you might imagine, I began a rapid descent down the side of the
building.
In the vicinity of the third floor, I met the barrel coming
up. This accounts for the two fractured ankles and the
lacerations of my legs and lower body. The encounter with the
barrel slowed me enough to lessen the injuries when I fell onto
the pile of bricks and, fortunately, only three vertebrae were
cracked.
I am sorry to report, however, that as I lay there on the
pile of bricks - in pain, unable to stand, and watching the empty
barrel six stories above me - I again lost my presence of mind
--- I LET GO OF THE ROPE.....