This is a guide explaining when you may be eligible to claim personal injury compensation after a trip and fall at work. We will provide information that could be useful when considering claiming for this kind of accident at work, such as the eligibility criteria, evidence you can gather and time limits you may have to consider. We will also discuss how compensation payouts are calculated and what you could be awarded after making a successful claim.
Additionally, we will explain how you could benefit from using a solicitor from our panel who offers their services under a No Win No Fee agreement. By choosing to work with a solicitor under this kind of agreement, you typically don’t have to pay for their services upfront or while the claim is ongoing.
To learn more, keep reading. Alternatively, you can contact our team of advisers about how to make a work injury claim. They can answer any questions you may have. Contact them by:
- Calling 020 8050 2736
- Using the chatbox below
- Completing our ‘contact us’ form
I Had A Trip And Fall At Work, Can I Claim?
Choose A Section
- When Are You Eligible To Claim For A Trip And Fall At Work?
- How Could A Trip And Fall Be Caused By Negligence?
- Potential Evidence That Could Be Used To Claim For A Trip And Fall At Work
- How Much Compensation Could You Receive For A Trip And Fall At Work?
- Our Panel Of Solicitors Could Help You Make A No Win No Fee Work Injury Claim
- Learn More About Claiming For Falls At The Workplace
When Are You Eligible To Claim For A Trip And Fall At Work?
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 outlines that all employers owe a duty of care to their employees. In short, this means they must ensure, as far as it is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees at work.
You might be eligible to claim for a trip and fall at work if your employer did not uphold their duty of care and you sustained harm as a result. This is known as negligence.
If you can prove that negligence has occurred, you could seek compensation for the injuries you sustained in a workplace accident. However, it is also worth mentioning that you must begin your claim within a certain time limit.
The work injury claim time limit is established in the Limitation Act 1980, and, essentially, you must begin a claim within:
- 3 years from the date of the accident
- 3 years from the date you became aware of a breach of duty causing your injuries.
Speak to our advisers for more information on the eligibility criteria for beginning a claim. They can help you understand whether you could seek accident at work compensation.
How Could A Trip And Fall Be Caused By Negligence?
A trip and fall at work could occur for various reasons. For example:
- Your employer could provide you with a faulty ladder that has not undergone safety checks. This ladder could break while you’re on it, resulting in a fall from height that causes you to sustain a head injury or neck injury.
- Your employer may ignore the fact that several employees have stretched extension cables across the middle of an office floor. This would constitute negligence if an individual trips over these cables and sustains a knee injury. Similarly, your employer may be aware of obstructions on a construction site but failed to address them, eventually leading to a trip and fall accident.
- A co-worker leaves boxes on a staircase. This represents a trip hazard that might cause someone to fall over and sustain a hand injury or shoulder injury.
Speak to our advisers about the circumstances surrounding your fall at work. They can tell you more about how to make a work injury claim following the negligence of an employer.
Potential Evidence That Could Be Used To Claim For A Trip And Fall At Work
Certain evidence could support your claim for compensation following a trip and fall at work. This includes:
- CCTV footage showing the accident
- Photographs of the area or equipment used during the accident
- A copy of your medical records showing the extent of your injuries
- Contact details for anyone who witnessed the event
It is also important to report the accident to your employer, so that the incident can be recorded in the accident book at work. You can request a copy of this report to support your claim.
How Much Compensation Could You Receive For A Trip And Fall At Work?
How much you can claim for a fall at work can depend upon several factors, including how much pain your injury caused, the severity, future prognosis and whether or not it led to financial losses.
Typically, though, your settlement could comprise:
- General damages: This is the head of claim that compensates for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries.
- Special damages: This head of claim compensates for the financial losses caused by your injuries.
When assessing general damages a solicitor can consult the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document contains guideline award brackets for different injuries. The table below includes figures from the JCG.
Please remember these figures are intended only as guidelines. Your personal circumstances may affect how much you can claim.
| Injury | Compensation Brackets - Guidelines | Further Information |
|---|---|---|
| Very Severe Brain Damage | £282,010 to £403,990 | Level of award determined by degree of insight, life expectancy, sensory impairment, ability to communicate and other factors. |
| Less Severe Brain Damage | £15,320 to £43,060 | Injured person makes a good recovery and is capable of returning to work. May be some persistant problems such as mood disinhibition. |
| Severe Neck Injuries (ii) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Injuries that give rise to disabilities of considerable severity. Usually this award involves serious fractures or damage to cervical discs. |
| Moderate Neck Injuries (ii) | £13,740 to £24,990 | Soft tissue injuries, wrenching injuries or severe disc lesions. |
| Severe Back Injuries (ii) | £74,160 to £88,430 | Cases that involve special features such as loss of sensation or impaired mobility. |
| Moderate Back Injuries (i) | £27,760 to £38,780 | May involve residual disabilities of a less severe nature. |
| Arm Injuries | £39,170 to £59,860 | Serious fractures in one or both forearms that lead to a residual and permanent disability. |
| Severe Shoulder Injuries | £19,200 to £48,030 | Often associated with neck injuries and involves a damaged brachial plexus. |
| Wrist Injuries | £12,590 to £24,500 | Less severe injuries that result in permanent disability such as persistent pain and stiffness. |
| Chest Injuries | Up to £3,950 | Rib fractures or soft tissue damage that cause serious pain and disability for only a few weeks. |
Could You Receive Special Damages Compensation In An Accident At Work Claim?
Your compensation could include a second head of claim, known as special damages. This aspect of a payout is intended to help the claimant recoup financial losses caused by the injuries, such as:
- Lost earnings, past and future
- Medical costs
- Travel expenses
Keeping a record of these losses in the form of payslips and receipts can help when claiming them back.
Speak to our advisers to discuss the settlement you could receive after making a successful claim for an accident at work. They can offer more detailed insight about the compensation you could receive, based upon the information you give them.
Our Panel Of Solicitors Could Help You Make A No Win No Fee Work Injury Claim
The solicitors on our panel may be able to offer you a type of No Win No Fee agreement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Though you aren’t required to have legal representation to claim compensation, this kind of agreement means you can access the services of a solicitor without having to pay upfront charges or ongoing fees. Crucially, you typically don’t have to pay the solicitor for their services if your claim fails.
Instead, the No Win No Fee solicitor would take a success fee from your compensation if your claim succeeds. However, this fee is subject to a legal cap, so you always receive the majority of your compensation award.
See If You Could Claim Compensation For A Trip At Work – Contact Us For Free Today
Contact our advisers for a free consultation about your potential claim after a trip and fall at work. They can offer guidance about the best way to proceed, and they may be able to put you in touch with one of the accident at work solicitors on our panel, provided your claim has a chance of success. You can call at any time, as our team operates 24/7. For more information about making a work injury claim, contact us by:
- Calling 020 8050 2736
- Using the chatbox below
- Completing our ‘contact us’ form
Learn More About Claiming For Falls At The Workplace
Related accident at work guides:
- Could I Make A Compensation Claim For A Sprained Ankle At Work?
- Slips, Trips and Falls Compensation Claims
- What Do I Need To Do After I Had An Accident At Work?
Related information for third parties:
- First Aid – NHS resource regarding first aid
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – UK Government information about SSP
- Reportable Incidents – Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive about which accidents and injuries employers must report
We hope this article has provided useful information about claiming compensation for a trip and fall at work. If you still have questions, contact our advisers using the provided details above.
Writer Morgan Find
Editor Meg McDonald