A man who fell from a ladder at work could receive up to £1 million in compensation after his employers admitted that they were mostly to blame.

Kantilal Mistry was working for Team Q Maintenance in 2005, fixing an air conditioning unit, the Harrow Times reports.

However, the ladder was only propped against a door and Mr Mistry fell, suffering head injuries when he landed on the ground.

He is now unable to perform many simple activities and is unable to manage his own affairs.

This week, his former employers admitted 80 per cent liability for the incident and it will now be decided how much compensation Mr Mistry will receive, although his lawyers believe it could be in the region of £1 million.

His wife Damini, 41, said: "The accident has caused a great deal of injury to my husband, followed by a great deal of trauma to us all. I have to live with this for the rest of my life and so does he."

All employers are obliged by law to ensure the safety of their employees under a duty of care.

They must provide a safe workplace, safe systems of work, safe equipment and safe fellow employees.

If any safety regulations are breached and an injury occurs, the victim may be eligible for compensation. The Health and Safety Executive will prosecute where appropriate employers that break the law.