Can You Claim For Slips, Trips And Falls In The Workplace?

This is a guide to whether you can claim for slips, trips and falls in the workplace. It will explore the relevant criteria that need to be met in order to seek personal injury compensation, including the time limits in place for starting a claim.

Additionally, it will discuss the legislation in place that outlines the duty of care owed by employers and examples of how this could be breached leading to slip and fall accidents.

There are several steps you can take to seek compensation following a workplace accident, including gathering sufficient evidence to support your case and seeking help from a legal professional. Our guide will provide further guidance on these steps as well as looking at the evidence you can collect to support your case.

A solicitor can offer several services that may benefit you throughout the claims process and could offer to represent your claim on a No Win No Fee basis. We will explore this type of arrangement in more detail later on in our guide.

If you have any other questions, please get in touch with our advisors. They can offer free legal advice regarding your potential claim. 

slips trips and falls in the workplace

Can You Claim For Slips, Trips And Falls In The Workplace?

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When Are You Able To Claim For Slips Trips And Falls In The Workplace?

In order to make a personal injury claim for an accident at work, you need to demonstrate that negligence on behalf of your employer has occurred. This means:

  • An employer owed you a duty of care at the time and place that the accident occurred
  • They breached their duty of care
  • As a result, you sustained a physical injury, such as a broken hip, or an emotional injury.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 outlines the duty of care that employers owe their employees. They must take all steps considered both reasonable and practicable to ensure safety of their employees.

Some of the steps they could take include conducting assessments of the potential risks in the workplace or of performing certain duties and putting measures in place that address these risks.

A failure to do so could lead to slips, trips and falls in the workplace, related to an issue such as ice or a tripping hazard.

Is There A Time Limit To Claim For A Workplace Accident?

You may be wondering ‘how long do I have to claim after an accident at work?’. There is a three year time limit to begin a claim as per the Limitation Act 1980. This can typically start from the date of the injury.

There are exceptions that could apply to the personal injury claims time limit. You can find out more about these by calling the number above. An advisor can also discuss when you could be eligible to seek compensation.

How Could Slips Trips And Falls Occur In The Workplace?

There are several ways a slip, trip or fall accident could occur at work. For example:

  • An employee may have slipped on a wet floor that wasn’t adequately signposted or cleaned up within a reasonable amount of time.
  • An employee may have sustained a broken leg after a fall from a height due to a faulty ladder.
  • The stairs may have been cluttered with boxes causing a trip hazard. As a result, you trip and sustain a hand injury.

It’s important to note that you won’t necessarily be able to make an accident at work claim if you fall at work. You need to prove that negligence has occurred in order to do so.

Get in touch for more information on the number above.

Potential Evidence That Could Help You Claim For An Accident At Work

Evidence can help prove that negligence occurred. You can take the following steps to gather sufficient evidence in support of your claim:

  • Request CCTV footage of the accident.
  • Keep track of how the injury has affected you through a diary.
  • Request copies of your medical records such as scans and prescriptions.
  • Take photographs of your injury and the accident site.
  • Obtain contact details of potential witnesses. Any potential witness may be interviewed at a later date.

You could also seek representation from a legal professional. A solicitor could help you gather sufficient evidence as well as build and present your case in full. 

For more information on how you can file a compensation claim for a workplace injury, get in touch using the number at the top of the page.

Claiming Compensation For Slips Trips And Falls In The Workplace – What Could You Receive?

After making a successful personal injury claim for slips, trips and falls in the workplace, you could receive the following:

  • General damages: This seeks to compensate for the pain and suffering you have experienced as a result of your injuries.
  • Special damages: This seeks to compensate for the financial losses incurred due to your injuries.

The Judicial College Guidelines provide a list of injuries with corresponding compensation brackets. Legal professionals can use these to help them value your injuries. The guideline amounts have been included in the table below but are not reflective of what you will receive.

InjuryGuideline AmountNotes
Very Severe Head Injury (a)£282,010 to £403,990The person requires full-time care.
Moderate Head Injury (c) (i)£150,110 to £219,070Cases involve an intellectual deficit of a moderate to severe nature with a change in personality and effect on senses.
Elbow Injury (a)£39,170 to £54,830An elbow injury that is severely disabling.
Wrist Injury (a)£47,620 to £59,860Wrist function is completely lost.
Hand Injury (f)Up to £36,740Fingers are severely fractured.
Severe Knee Injury (a) (iii)£26,190 to £43,460Injuries that result in a less severe disability such as ongoing pain and discomfort with limited movement.
Moderate Ankle Injury (c)£13,740 to £26,590Injuries that lead to less serious disabilities, including fractures and tears to the ligaments.
Less Serious Leg Injury (c) (i)£17,960 to £27,760An incomplete recovery from fractures or soft tissue injuries of a serious nature.
Less Serious Leg Injury (c) (iii)Up to £11,840
Fractures to the tibia or fibula that are simple.

Special Damages In Slip Trip And Fall Claims

As mentioned, you can claim back financial losses that have been incurred due to your injuries under special damages. Examples of the costs you could claim back include:

  • Loss of income
  • Medical costs
  • The cost of adaptations to your home or vehicle
  • Domestic care costs

It’s important to keep a record of these financial losses such as receipts or payslips. 

For more information on the compensation you could receive after making a successful claim, get in touch with an advisor today. They can provide a free estimate of how much your claim could be worth.

Contact Us To See If You Can Make A No Win No Fee Claim

The No Win No Fee solicitors from our panel can offer their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement. This typically means no payment is required upfront, while your claim proceeds or if your claim fails for the work they provide. 

In successful cases, your solicitor will require you to pay a fee. This is taken from your compensation but it is capped by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013. As such, it can help ensure you keep the majority of your compensation.

In addition to representing your claim on this basis, a solicitor from our panel can:

  • Help you gather evidence
  • Value your claim
  • Advise on the time it takes for a claim to settle
  • Ensure you put forward a full and complete case

Find out whether you could work with a solicitor by calling our team of advisors. They can provide further guidance on the services that can be offered to you. Also, they can assess the validity of your claim and discuss the steps you can take to seek compensation in more detail.

To get in touch, you can:

Learn More About Making A Claim For An Accident At Work

If you want more information about making a claim for an accident at work, you can read more of our guides:

You can also find relevant external links below:

Thank you for reading this guide on slips, trips and falls in the workplace and when you could seek compensation for the injuries sustained. If you have any other questions, get in touch on the number above.

Writer Matthew Winter

Editor Meg McDonald