A construction company has paid damages to a former worker after he suffered injuries in a serious accident.

Bill Arthur, 63, was driving a vehicle in 2004 when it hit a pothole and threw him from his seat.

He suffered a dislocated elbow, wrist and shoulder, the Shields Gazette reports. As a result, he needed three operations and still suffers with pain four years later.

"Not only was I in a lot of pain and discomfort over a long period, but even now I can’t do everyday things and have to get a lot of help from my family and friends," Mr Arthur commented.

Clancy Docwra, a utilities and civil engineering firm, has now agreed to pay an undisclosed sum of compensation to Mr Arthur after it was ruled that the vehicle’s seatbelt was not working property and that the building site was unsafe.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, construction and agriculture have the highest rates of fatal injuries. In construction, there were 72 fatal incidents during 2007-08.