Can I claim injury compensation for slipping on ice or snow?

By Ian Morris | Updated December 13th, 2022

148 questions have been answered on this subject, why not ask your own?

In winter we get many calls from clients who have slipped on ice at work or while shopping and sustained nasty injuries – usually fractures to wrists and arms, or hip and pelvis injuries. But does that mean they have a claim? This depends on the duty of care of the people or authority responsible for the area in which they fell.

It is often possible to claim personal injury compensation after a fall that wasn’t your fault and we have previously covered whether or not you may have a valid slip and trip accident claim for this. However, there is a big difference between suffering an injury as a result of negligent health and safety practices and being injured after falling due to ice or snow.

Adverse weather conditions are out of our control and present less of a foreseeable risk, hence it is harder to prove someone else is at fault for an accident. That being said, in certain circumstances there is a duty of care when it comes to ice and snow. and in some cases you may be eligible to claim.

Claims for a slipping on ice at work

Employers are duty bound to provide a safe working environment and follow health and safety practices to prevent accidents at work. While icy weather can’t be prevented, employers do have responsibility to reduce the risk to workers from slipping on ice. If it can be proven they should have done more to stop such accidents happening, and you injure yourself as a result, we can help you to make a fall at work claim.

So what is your employer’s duty of care to prevent slips on ice at work? In the same way risk assessments are required to prevent other accidents, they should also be carried out for areas that are likely to become slippery during snowy or icy weather. This means assessing and preparing for such weather conditions, making changes to reduce risk and ensuring staff are aware of any dangers.

In some instances this may mean providing safety equipment to employees who have to work in icy conditions, but on the whole your workplace should reduce the risk of slips and falls on ice by:

Identifying and assessing the most used routes by staff
Clearing snow, gritting or salting ice in these areas within a reasonable timeframe
Warning staff where there is a danger of slipping on ice
Providing alternative, safer routes if possible
Allowing staff extra time to travel to and from work in extremely cold weather

If your employer hasn’t taken any action to avoid accidents in an icy workplace, and neglected their legal duty of care, they can be held responsible for any injuries. If you’ve been injured after a slip and fall on ice at work and you think your employer has failed to adequately protect your safety or train you to work in icy conditions, a quick call to us will help you to see if you can claim personal injury compensation.

Claims for a slipping on ice in public

As with places of work, if you slip on ice in a public place you might be able to claim if it can be shown there was a likely risk of injury that could and should have been avoided.

For example, car parks and entrances to schools and hospitals should be cleared of snow and icy patches salted or gritted – or signage situated to warn of the hazards. Steps and platforms at bus and train stations are also subject to higher duties of care.

Where there’s a risk of injury due to slipping on ice at the entrance to a shop, or supermarket, for example, the management has a responsibility to clear the ice in a reasonable time, erect a hazard sign to warn customers of a possible danger and ensure that the area is treated to prevent ice developing. If the business can be shown to have failed to take these steps, they could be held liable for injuries sustained should a customer slip and fall.

If you fall in any of these places because you slipped on ice ensure that your accident is recorded in the accident book, seek medical attention and then call us! It is likely that we will be able to take such a claim forward for you.

Another scenario in which you could pursue a claim, albeit a more difficult task, is if you were injured in a road traffic accident on a major road and it could be proven that a local authority had failed to treat the highway in question when they should have done.

When you’re unlikely to win a slip on ice claim

The same rules do not necessarily apply to all locations. For example, if you were to slip on ice in the car park of a supermarket, it is unlikely that you could hold them liable for your injuries. Whilst they would have a responsibility to ensure that the entrance area, trolley storage area and shop floor were free from hazards, it is doubtful that a court would agree they should have ensured the car park was also free from ice and fully gritted or salted.

The same applies to accidents on pavements. Local authorities have a responsibility to grit the roads and they do so in order of importance, with major routes like motorways and A-roads being prioritised over lesser roads. Pavements are generally left untreated as it isn’t really feasible to expect the local authority to have the manpower or equipment to treat all roads and pavements in winter weather.

Typically, should someone slip and fall on an icy footpath, it is highly unlikely that they would be able to prove sufficient liability against the local authority highways department responsible for the path. So in a nutshell, if you are walking on icy paths, take care – you are unlikely to be able to claim compensation for any injuries sustained.

Find out if you can claim

In any event, if you are unsure whether or not you can claim personal injury compensation as a result of slipping on ice, the best thing to do is ask us. We’ll let you know whether or not we think you have a viable claim and if so, help you to win a settlement for your injuries, expenses and lost earnings.

You can call us on 01225 430285 or , and one of our expert team will be in touch. We’ll only need a few minutes of your time to let you know if you can make a claim. With over 20 years’ experience, you can use our knowledge and expertise to get your claim off to the best start. There is no charge for assessing your case, so you have nothing to lose and much to gain if you can make a successful claim.

148 questions have been answered on this subject, why not ask your own?

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Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus slip on ice claim examples...

Hi. My brother has recently suffered a slip on ice, resulting in him breaking a number of ribs.

The slip occurred on a local authority maintained pavement. However, the ice on that particular stretch of pavement was due to a neighbour washing their motorbike early in the morning, with the water used then freezing and creating a sheet of black ice. The weather forecast was for sub-zero temperatures – would that create potential negligence on behalf of the neighbour washing their motorbike that day?

Both the fall, and the earlier washing of the motorbike, were witnessed by neighbours.

Establishing negligence on the part of the neighbour could prove difficult, but witness evidence confirming that it were they who created the ice hazard and failed to adequately minimise the risk of injury by gritting or salting the area or failing to erect any hazard warning signage or barrier would certainly help with that.

The further potential ‘problem’ with a claim against an individual rather than a business is whether the individual has the appropriate insurance cover that would be able to meet the costs of settling the claim should the matter be a success in the claimants favour. This puts the Solicitor at a real risk of not being able to recover their legal fees even if they were to win the claim, which would make a Solicitor reluctant to pursue such a matter on a No Win No Fee basis.

Hi, I slipped on ice outside a bus stop on a major road and bus route, the local councils winter policy stated this road should have been gritted but it wasn’t, I ended up breaking 3 bones in my ankle had to have surgery, alot of pain and won’t even be able to think to walk again properly for along time, will I be eligible for a claim?

We can certainly look in to this matter for you. Local authority highways departments do have a duty of care to grit their highways and they do have to follow a hierarchy system of ensuring that the major routes (motorways, A roads), bus routes and other relevant/important areas are gritted. However, it is not always the case that they are expected to also treat pavements and footpaths.

Our Solicitors would be happy to further consider your enquiry.

If you have any photographs of the untreated areas around the bus stop, that would be really helpful to your claim.

Hi, my mother slipped in a supermarket car park on Christmas day. The store wasn’t open but surely the supermarket still has duty of care and should have ensured the car park was gritted?

In this case, it is unlikely that the courts would find that the Supermarket had been negligent. If their business is closed, they have no duty to ensure that the car park for their store is cleared of ice or snow.

A few days ago my mother slipped while crossing the road on ice caused by a South West Water leak that had been reported to them weeks previously. There was a lot of surface water in the gutter by the pavement which she avoided. She suffered a fractured pelvis and is currently in hospital. It was witnessed by a local bus driver and some neighbours who complained to the Water Authority and by that evening they were outside repairing the leak, having erected warning ‘Ice’ signs and gritting the area. Would we be able to claim negligence as they were aware the leak had been reported to them ?

This is certainly a matter that has potential and warrants pursuit. When ice is involved as a cause for an accident, it is normally the case that there is no liability or negligence against which to pursue a claim. Ice is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon and the highways authorities do not have a duty of care to grit/salt all pavements and pathways, just major roads, bus routes and similarly important areas.

However, in this case it would seem that the relevant authorities were on notice of an issue that they failed to deal with in an adequate time and this has therefore meant that your Mother was not given adequate warning or protection from the risks that the build up of ice would have caused. We can argue that the water authority knew that there was a leak, knew that the weather was extremely cold and that ice would form creating a hazard for pedestrians and that they had ample time to at the very least apply grit, erect warnings or cordon the area off.

We would be very happy to have this matter considered in more detail. As you can imagine, the prospects of succeeding with this claim will be enhanced greatly if evidence can be provided to confirm that the leak had previously been reported, such as witness statements from the neighbours and any photographs of the subsequent erection of warning signs and gritting of the area.

For further help on a No Win No Fee basis, please call us on 01225430285 or email us at justice@direct2compensation.co.uk with some further details and contact information and we’ll be very happy to help you.

I live in a privately rent flat. The only access is via metal steps that are lethal in winter when there is ice or snow. The steps do have a hand rail. My tenancy agreement does not stipulate who is responsible for clearing or gritting the steps. Today my landlord called my employer to ask him to call me to advise me not to go to work. I just wonder whether he did this because he has a duty of care and was worried that I would slip or fall on the steps and then claim for compensation.

This is an issue you should raise with the owner of the property in writing. It is important that both tenants and landlords understand what procedures are in place and who should undertake what activities.

I was riding my bike and as I crossed the back of the co-op, there was a thick layer of black ice where it looked like the staff from co-op had chucked water either from cleaning or where they had tipped out the water from the buckets the flowers are kept in. There was no grit and salt put down and this thick layer of ice basically threw me off my bike, injuring my back. Where it happened there are cctv cameras.

Who is responsible for this?

Although ice is a naturally occurring weather phenomenon, it can be possible to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation as a result of a slip on untreated dangerous surfaces. Individuals cannot make a claim against a local authority if they slip on a footpath that has some ice on it in cold weather as there is not a duty of care for the pavements to be gritted. However, in the circumstance that you have described, it would appear that the store and their staff may have acted negligently in allowing a build up of water to then freeze. As it can be argued that they would have (or should have known) that the temperatures would lead to ice, for them to discard mop bucket or flower display water in an area that people may cross, without erecting any hazard signs or placing any grit on the surface, it may well be possible to establish that they have been negligent and to therefore succeed with a claim.

It is imperative that you ensure that there is an accident report made to the Co-Op in question and you should request (in writing) that they retain their CCTV footage of the incident. With this in mind, you should contact their head office to report the incident and inform them as to how the area became wet and therefore icy.

When you have done this and sought medical attention for your back pain, please call us on 01225430285 and we’ll see if you can then make a No Win No Fee claim for personal injury compensation.

Good morning. I had a slip at work on snow around the building in 2021. Causing me injuries to my left arm fractured ribs and a back injury. I used a solicitor I seen on the internet. They value my claim at 6000 but I still have issues with my lower back. The company I am using is a trainee solicitor that I’m finding absolutely useless! I was just wondering if I could change my solicitor for a good 1 who actually looks after the customer interests.could you please advise me on what is best for me please?

Switching Solicitors during a No Win No Fee claim for personal injury compensation is not as easy as it should be, or as easy as you would think. The main reason for this is that any new Solicitor will have to give an undertaking to the previous Solicitor to cover the costs of the work that the initial Solicitor has done, should the new Solicitor go on to succeed with the claim. This requirement essentially makes it impossible for the new Solicitor to run the case in a cost effective manner – meaning that they would essentially work for almost nothing. Whilst it is possible to switch cases in certain circumstances, it really is the last resort and usually only possible when a claim is in it’s early stages or of an extremely high value.

In your case, the best course of action would be to make a formal complaint to your Solicitor about the person handling the claim and demand that a more senior, experienced specialist take over the handling of the matter.

I slipped on black ice resulting in a broken femur 07/01/2022. I was going for a walk at 07:45 leaving the park homes complex where I live walking on the road as there is no footpath, there seemed to be no problems then to late I stood on the ice, the street lighting is very very poor and I didn’t see it comming do I have a claim.

When there is a slip on ice on a public footpath that is adopted by a local authority and subject to statutory highways regulations, there is unlikely to be grounds to make a claim. The local authorities are not obliged to grit (or remove) any icy path surfaces as they have a duty of care to ensure that major road networks, bus routes and other important areas are treated.

In your case, is the Park Homes area where you fell managed by a private company? If so, there could be grounds to pursue a claim against them for negligence. However, if the area is managed by the local authority, there is little prospect to pursue a claim despite the obviously serious injury that you have sustained.

Last week I slipped on the icy carpark at work. I banged my head back and cut my hands open. I told them what happened but I decided to carry on with my work. After breakfast I was sick and felt a bit dizzy. The first aid woman advised to go to A&E which I did and spent all day there. I had a small concussion and had to take 48 hours to rest. I’ve now looked at my bank balance and my employer hasn’t paid me. I feel this is unfair as I only did as the company asked. Please advise. Thanks.

With regards to the payment issue, unless you are entitled to sick pay, your employer is not obliged to pay you – even though you were off work through no fault of your own and for injuries caused in an accident at your workplace. However, one would hope that you could make an appeal to your employer to accept that it would only be right and fair for them to cover your salary for the two days of enforced absence.

In terms of your rights and options to make a claim for compensation, as you slipped on ice, it is not necessarily a straightforward matter. However, you can (and our Solicitors have successfully in the past) pursued claims for people who have slipped on ice at their workplace. We need therefore to consider whether the employer should have known or had ample time to know that the car park and access routes to the workplace would be hazardous and whether they should have applied grit or salt. Do you know if the employer usually applies grit or if they have a policy in place for inclement weather?

Hi,

I came out of work at 20:10 last night, I work in a care home, I walked around 20 meters down towards the exit when I slipped on ice/snow (not sure as it was dark) and managed to stop myself from falling on the floor but I have hurt my ankle in doing so. My dad was waiting in the car just outside the gates and when I went and told him I slipped and my ankle was hurting he immediately said that I had a right to make a claim as they have no outdoor lighting and not one area outside the building had been gritted, is this right? They do have lights outside but they was turned off months ago for some reason. I messaged my manager and informed her and asked how I go about filling in the accident book, I also asked her to inform other staff. That’s when she did and the staff (care staff) took it upon themselves to find salt and put salt down outside to prevent any more incidents.

As you can imagine, pursuing a claim for injury after slipping on ice or snow is not a straightforward matter as defendants can mount a defence of the cause of the injury being a weather phenomenon or ‘act of god’. However, as the lights in the area are switched off and the snow/ice had not been gritted or treated in anyway, there are questions to ask and our Solicitors can consider your situation in greater detail. In this case, we can argue that the lights should have been on as that would have enabled you to identify the riskier areas and try to avoid them and that if grit or salt had been applied to the area – something that the employer appears to have had time to do, you may not have fallen. Clearly, the employer had salt/grit as after your accident, staff have applied the same to the area in question.

You do need to make sure that the details of your accident are recorded in writing at work. Make sure that the lighting issue and lack of salt are noted – along with the fact that salt was applied to the area as a result of your fall.

While at work I have slipped on icy floor. I have hit my head to the floor and had small concussion. There was no signs of icy surface on the door and there was 2 accidents on the same ground before. Would i be able to claim?

It sounds like you may have a valid claim given the lack of signs and previous incidents. Of course, we need to find out more information before we can be certain, but from what you have said, this is a claim that should be investigated.

8 weeks ago I fell on ice in our local high street, council had failed to clear. I broke 2 bones in my wrist was in plaster for 6 weeks now in a splint in a lot of pain, and wrist deformed. What are the chances of succeeding with a claim against my local council?

When it comes to succeeding with a claim after a slip on ice or snow, one must demonstrate that the landowner has been negligent and not upheld their responsibility to make an area safe for pedestrians and in the scenario you describe, you may well struggle to prove negligence.

Snow and Ice are naturally occurring weather phenomenons and in such conditions, pedestrians and road users are expected to take some responsibility for their own safety. Local authorities are charged with the gritting over major roads, but not pavements or footpaths and must ensure that the motorways, major A roads and bus routes are cleared before they turn attention to anything else and it is unlikely that they would be expected to treat a High Street pavement or clear snow from the same.

I was recently delivering pallets for company when I got stuck in snow so I tried digging myself out of snow when I fell over and dislocated my shoulder would I be entitled to put a claim in?

It is hard to see how your employer could be held liable for the injuries you sustained in this incident.

I am a grocery home delivery driver and fell on black ice on a customers property just outside the front door on the owner’s path. I have badly torn 3 rotator cuff tendons. As the customer knew of the timed delivery slot but did not leave any lights on nor ensured their property was safe while a severe ice weather warning was in place, can i claim against the customer?

Sadly, the prospects of succeeding with such a claim are too slim to enable such a matter to proceed on a No Win No Fee basis. You may however have grounds to pursue a claim against your employer if they do not provide adequate guidance to both staff and customers regarding the risks in such weather circumstances. Do you know if the employer makes any requests to customers awaiting delivery regarding ice or leaving lighting on?

I clean the staircases in a car park for the council and slipped over on the snow an ice on the 11th Feb and hurt my left arm the following day the car park was gritted ive been off work now for a week.

Who is responsible for applying grit to the area? If that is not part of your job, you may well be able to make a claim for your injuries. We would be happy to investigate this for you.

I have slipped on ice in the road directly outside my house which has not been gritted at all since it snowed 8 days ago. The road has been in terrible shape since it first snowed and no attempts have been made to make it safe as it is not a major road but it hasn’t snowed in 4-5 days now. Would I have a claim?

Is the road in question a residential road? Unless it is a bus route or a major road, it is unlikely that the local council would be expected to apply grit or salt to the road.

Hi, I have slipped on some ice that was there as a result of a rain drain pipe coming out onto the pavement and the water from it freezing. There was no ice anywhere else on the pavement but there was some snow around . Can I claim compensation and how should I do it?

Was the guttering draining directly on to the pavement and not in to a drain? Was this on a private residential property or a commercial property?
Please obtain some photographs of the ice showing the guttering draining on to the pavement. It would also be prudent to report your injuries to the property owners.

If the premises is a private property, there is a potential to pursue a claim against the homeowners via their insurers. However, this is not necessarily straightforward. If the premises is a business premises, report the incident to the business.

Please email the photographs of the ice and guttering to us at justice@direct2compensation.co.uk along with your contact number and we will call you to advise.

I fell and injured my leg while assisting a work colleague in the works carpark due to him being stuck in snow because the works hadn’t cleared the car park over 24 hrs after it had snowed.
Can I persue a claim for injuries sustained?

Does your employer usually operate a snow removal policy in snowy weather?

If a premises does salt their car park in icy/snowy conditions and you still slip over and injure yourself is there still not a claim as they have been aware and tried to make an effort to make the premises safe?

The fact that gritting has been done, or not been done does not mean that a claim can or cannot succeed. Much will depend on the weather conditions and what policy the landowner has in place to deal with such matters.

Hi,
Early this morning, I came out of my council property & the outside Steps were full of ice/snow but no grit had been applied.

I slipped down the steps, bumpting my back on the ground at the bottom of the concrete stairs. My back is grazed and my side is swollen and very sore. I am now in serious pain. What should I do?

I have muscular dystrophy in my shoulders, back, pelvis and spine.

Apart from seeking urgent medical attention to get your injuries assessed and noted on your medical records, you should report the incident to your Housing Office (in writing). If there is usually a gritting procedure but it was not undertaken on this occasion, please make note of that.

Once you have reported the incident,we’ll investigate your claim and have our specialist Solicitors advise you.

Hi i slipped & fell on black ice in tesco car park. The car park had not been gritted/salted. I spoke to two tesco colleagues & went about my shopping. Later that day after a sleep i woke in agony, unable to move my arm. My husband took me to A&E. Thankfully nothing broken. Needed Pain meds & meds for swelling constantly. I have bruises all over my right side. On wednesday my sister took me to tesco to complete an accident form. They promised to call me to see how i was. Im 6 days in, in pain, unable to bathe myself, cannot go to work, unable to drive. Still taking medicines as i was.

At this stage, as you slipped on ice, it is unclear as to whether the supermarket in question have been negligent (in terms of personal injury law). However, given that the location of your fall was within the premises of a business that had opened to ‘invite’ you and other customers in to their store, there are questions to ask of them regarding their gritting policy in icy weather.

I’m a Hgv driver and I stopped at a petrol/services station for a coffee during my nightshift. As I was walking on the path I fell heavy on to my back on black ice on the footpath. At the time I just winded myself and went and reported it to the worker and was given free coffee tokens. As the hours went by I started to feel pain in my back and neck and phoned 111 when I got in from nightshift and was told to just take ibuprofen and pain killers and phone the gp if it’s worse. Iv not bothered phoning the gp as I think Iv just had a minor back and neck sprain and don’t want to burden them but I’m just wondering if I would be eligible for a claim or would I have needed to have a more major injury ? The area I fell was covered by cctv.

We can’t be certain on any claim relating to injuries sustained when slipping on ice or snow. However, given the fact that your injury has happened at a privately owned business (service station), the prospects of being able to proceed are increased. In this case, we would like to speak with you to take a little more information. We would then be able to have our specialist Solicitors consider the specifics of your situation and advise with a view to potentially pursuing a claim for compensation.

I drive a private hire vehicle and went to the operators yard to get some maintenance done on the vehicle I drive for them. Their yard was covered in thick ice and as I got out of the vehicle, I slipped and fell. As a result, I fractured the radial head in my elbow and the recovery time is likely to be 4-6 weeks during which I am unable to drive so have lost all my earnings as well. Can I make a claim?

As you have slipped on ice on a business premises and not a random area of public footpath, there is certainly a valid reason for us to investigate your situation and potential to make a claim in more detail.

We would like to speak with you to get a little more information so that we can have our specialist Solicitors assess the specific details of your accident with a view to pursuing a claim for the injury and loss of income if it is deemed appropriate to do so.

I have recently returned to work after a peroid of time off, upon entering my work yard i noticed there was still snow and ice on the sides of the roads leading into the boat yard where i work. i slowed right down and upon turning i hit a large piece of ice causing me to drop my motorcycle ontop of myself and damaging it quite alot along with brusing to my hip, groin, shoulder and knee..

my question is, since this is a private road/boat yard are the owners ( Being MDL marina) responsible for not gritting the roads or from what i could see even attempting to do so? my motorcycle has sustained a good £500+ worth of damage and thats only what i can see, my helmet is now needing replaced as that hit the floor significantly which is also another £450 aswell as damages to my motorcycle gear.

I would of thought being a private yard that they were responsible for atleast making the area safe for all buisnesses/staff whom work in the marina and the public that usually walk through from the bridle paths etc.

Do you know whether the company that owns the area has previously gritted/salted the area in icy/snowy weather?

Yes they normally would grit the area or have done when its been icy in the last 6 or so years that ive worked there, as the roads, paths etc are always used. especially by them when using machinery to move the boats around up and down the roads.

They know there was either an issue with lack of gritting or becasue someone has told them about my accident ( i know a good 80% of the people who work in the yard so no doubt someone has said something ) because later that day they had put loads and loads of salt/grit down.

Given the updated information, we do feel that this matter should be considered further by our specialist Solicitors.

I was riding my bike in the morning and a stretch of pavement was covered in ice causing my bike to swerve and I ended up falling on my side. I hurt both my legs, my knee and shoulder, I did not seek medical attention as it was bruised and did not seem broken. It happened across the street from university next to a bus stop. Usually this road is gritted but in this specific morning it was not. Would that be a valid claim?

Unfortunately, we do not believe that you would succeed with a claim given the circumstances of your accident.

Slipped on council road on ice leaving work with cycle. 3 fractures in leg and knee, had operation, got knee rebuild, bone graft, metal pins, metal plate, and am left with disability. Would I be able to claim or not?

It is unlikely (but not impossible) that you would be able to claim compensation in this circumstance. Much will depend on the exact location and whether the road in question is one the local authority would be expected to have gritted. Highways agencies have a duty to ensure that major route (Motorways, A-roads and bus routes etc) are gritted, but not the more minor roads, footpaths and industrial areas.

I slipped coming out of the doorway at work on ice it had not been treated if I am off work will they have to pay me no signs up or anything I attended hospital and badly sprained my wrist and hand where it is now black and blue and in a lot of pain.

Do you know if the employer usually grits or treats the surface in icy weather? As there were no signs up, it would be prudent to seek advice from one of our specialist Solicitors.

Please provide further details via the ‘start your claim‘ form so that we can get you the advice you need regarding your potential loss of wages and a potential claim for compensation.

Hi Ian. My mother fell on Christmas Eve breaking her elbow. She fell getting off the tram going to work. The tram driver got off and said no wonder she’s fell here someone’s put salt down. So someone had put salt down on top of snow but it should go down before the snow. Has she got a claim? Thanks in advanced.

Where did she fall? Was it on the public street? If so, how do we identify who placed the salt on the surface?

It was on the actual tram stop, so it’s not a street. Usually I’m sure it’s the council that put salt down or may have been the metro maintenance team as they have cleaners who clean around the tram stops leaves, snow etc

Given the nature of the accident site and location, it would be worth getting an opinion from our specialist Solicitors.

I came off cycle on a cycle path this a primary route which should have been gritted, but wasn’t.

On Twitter it said that all primary roads and paths had been gritted in which we have an email confirming this, but now they are saying that even gritting the cycle paths is no good because of the wheel base. However you have to ride up a small hill so you are unable to see the path ahead.

Since this I have noticed the cycle route is getting gritted? This resulted in me fractured wrist and off work for 5 weeks.

We would be happy to look in this for you and see if we can recover compensation for your injuries, lost income, damaged property and other losses. If the area is usually treated in freezing weather and was missed on this occasion, you have a valid right to make a claim for compensation.

Please email us a copy of the email you have and the twitter post to justice@direct2compensation.co.uk along with a brief description of the incident, the date it happened (and location) along with your contact number and we’ll be happy to help you.

I fell on icy path on the bus stop getting of the bus which is just outside my work place(Hospital) and damaged my wrist.
Do you have a viable claim?

Claims after slipping on ice are not always straight forward and in many cases, despite often painful injuries, it is not possible to make a claim. However, in your case the fact that the incident happened outside of a hospital, it may mean that you can make a claim as one may reasonably expect a bus stop in such a location to be a priority for gritting due to the potentially vulnerable people who may use such a stop to access vital Hospital services.

I’m a milk delivery driver and whilst delivering milk to a customers home through the night I slipped on ice and have now done something to my knee. I am currently off sick from work till the swelling comes down. Can I make a claim? Can I claim loss of earnings?

Where was the ice and snow that you slipped on? If it was on a public highway or footpath, the reality is that you probably can’t make a claim as there is simply no liability to attach.

If however, the slip happened within your work yard, a claim may proceed.

Thanks for your reply. I deliver dairy produce to customer home addresses through the night and this happened whilst out delivering.

Unfortunately, I don’t think you’ll be able to make a claim. Ice is a naturally occurring phenomenon and presents risks that cannot be mitigated.

I had a nasty slip on ice at doctors surgery. Their contractor there at the time warned and reported it but they failed to display signage or warn people. I didn’t seek medical advice at the time but broke my hip and have now had replacement. I’ve lost money at work as I’m only paid by the hour.

The description of the accident indicates that you have a right to make a claim. The comment you refer to from the contractor in which they appear to have provided a warning that was ignored and no signage was erected could be helpful. Whilst this is anecdotal, it does indicate that the Surgery should have been aware of the risks and taken appropriate action.

I slipped on my way into work last week, the main entrance had not been gritted which resulted in me slipping on ice. I am currently off work after having back and knee pain following this. I have been given diazepam for back spasms and I am currently taking regular otc pain killers.

Do you know if the employer owns the land where you slipped? If so, do they usually grit/salt the surface in icy conditions? Alternatively, if the area is owned by a 3rd party, do they usually apply grit/salt when it is cold?

If there is usually a policy of treating the surfaces, but this was not done on the day in question, you are likely to have a valid claim for compensation. If however, the surfaces are never gritted or treated, it is less clear as to whether a claim could succeed.

It is certainly worth letting us look in to this matter for you in more detail. Our No Win No Fee service guarantees that you won’t pay any costs should we not be able to help or if we fail to succeed with a claim, so you can take this further without worrying about costs etc.

I’ve been slipping today on the parking of my work place together with an other guy at the same time because of ice. I’m injured on my arm and knee, both cause a lot pain. Can I claim my employer for it because I know that a security guard mentioned to my employer that the surface is dangerously slippery and they anyway didn’t do anything to care about peoples safety.

Does your employer usually apply grit/salt to the car park surface? If they usually do, but failed to do so on this day, you could make a claim against them for the injuries you have sustained.

I slipped last week while walking along an icy pavement mid morning and broke my hip.
I’m a local in that area and I happen to know who owns the road. It’s a private road owned by a freehold limited company who employ a managing agent to maintain it. The road leads through a private housing estate to a commercial business which I was going to visit.

I contacted the managing agent to complain because there was no warning sign and no gritting had been done. They said that the freehold owner has a policy of no gritting and has instructed them not to carry out any gritting.

Can I make a compensation claim for my injuries, and if so who do I claim against? Is it the management company or the freeholder or the commercial business at the end of the road?

You can make a claim, but the prospects of succeeding – or finding a Solicitor willing to pursue such a claim on a No Win No Fee basis is very slim.

There is no legal duty of care for a landowner to apply grit/salt in freezing weather – or erect warning signs as the risks posed are a naturally occurring phenomenon.

My partner slipped on ice on his way to work on the retail park that his workplace is located on. He was about 30 seconds away from his workplace. He told his manager when getting to work that he just slipped and is in a lot of pain. She didn’t record it in the accident book and made him work. He’s now in a brace and getting a sick note from doctor as his manager wants him back to work (he sent her an image of the brace).

There should be CCTV of the incident in the retail park and A and E notes. I would like to know if it would be the landlords responsibility who owns the retail park, to ensure the pavements are gritted.

It was icy yesterday and today there was snow in the morning, so surely they should have gritted or else thats negligence. Also not happy with the way his manager is dealing with it. The retail park also gets locked overnight so no one can get in or out.

If the site is usually gritted – or if there is a policy of gritting the site – but it was not done on the day in question, a claim can be made.

I was staying in a hotel, and the path outside the front door became frozen overnight, I slipped on the ice, even though the receptionist told me to be careful. I came back in and said I had just fallen on the ice and that salt should be put down. The hotel went out and immediately put salt down. There were no witnesses and i didn’t take any photographs, could this be a problem?

If this happened recently, you should make sure that the hotel reception makes a written record of the incident within their accident book (if they didn’t record it at the time). You should make mention to the hotel (in writing) of the issue and the fact that they didn’t put any salt/grit down until AFTER your fall.

In terms of the lack of witnesses or photographs, that is not an issue. In terms of liability, it would seem that it is valid to pursue a claim in this matter as the hotel had salt/grit and the receptionist appeared to know that the path was slippery, so their failure to use the salt/grit before you fell can be seen as negligent. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can speak with you to ensure that your injuries are sufficiently serious enough to warrant a claim.

I had a fell at my work place in the car park when I slipped in icy weather. This was in December 2017. My colleague took me to A&E and an X-ray showed that I had fractured my left elbow. I had an operation on 14 December 2017.

Now I am still suffering from the injury. I wish to claim compensation for my injury if this is still possible.

You are still within 3 years of the date of the accident so you may still be able to make a claim.

I was just recently put on leave of absence when through seeing my Doctor, I was put on light duties due to an injury I sustained when loading a box on to a delivery truck and I slipped on ice and injured my knee. For 3 weeks, I was on light duties and I don’t understand why all of a sudden this happened? I don’t know if I’m going to get paid due to being out on leave, rather than ordered by a Doctor?

UK law does not require employers to pay full salaries to those staff unable to work through injury or ill health – even if the injury or health issue that is preventing them from working is a work related issue. Indeed, whether or not you receive pay is down to your employer and the contractual agreement that you have with them.

The only way to recover lost wages is by pursuing a claim for personal injury compensation and succeeding with it. If you were to succeed with a claim for the knee injury, you would be able to recover compensation for the injury sustained (for the pain, discomfort and impact on your life) and also to recover any lost income or incurred costs caused by the injury.

I slipped outside a supermarket, on the zebra crossing leading to their store. It was icy and had not been gritted, would this be worthy of a claim?

If the crossing was part of a public (council owned) highway, it is unlikely that you would succeed with a claim for compensation. However, if the crossing was owned by the supermarket (within their property), it may be possible to make a claim for compensation.

I was riding to work and there was a pipe leak right across the pavement onto the road that looked like water.
Until I flipped off my bike smashed my head and now suffering with concussion & neck and back pain! It was iced over and would be a danger to anybody walking / riding along.

To succeed with a cycling accident claim in this scenario, it will only be possible if it can be demonstrated that the water leak had been previously reported and complained about. If the leak had only been present for a short period of time, negligence will not attach and no claim will proceed.

I fell over twice in the road near the local school due to ice.
The water that turned to ice is from a leak which has alot of work done to it in the past and still leaks.
If this problem had been sorted then no accident would have occured. Can i put a claim in for cuts and bumps and bruises??

In most cases, it is extremely hard to succeed with a claim for compensation for injuries sustained when slipping on ice. However, in your case there is a possibility that the ongoing leak/lack of adequate repair could lead to a successful claim.

You mention having cuts, bumps and bruises and wishing to claim as a result of those injuries. Have you had medical treatment? Also, are you able to obtain any witness statements from other local people who can confirm that the leak you mention has been reported previously and that inadequate repairs have been made?

I have been for medical treatment today and have fracture clinic tomorrow.
I know of people and the local school who have complained about the water and the leak has been ongoing for 3+ years and still nothjng has been done.

Given the ongoing nature of the leak and the fact that it has been reported repeatedly, there is a prospect of succeeding with a claim. If you can secure a couple of people (ideally from the school) who would be willing to provide statements confirming that they had reported the leak and that it was a constant issue, it would provide some good evidence to support your claim.

Yesterday I fell off of my cycle on ice. I have a broken pelvis and am awaiting surgery in hospital. A group of soldiers stopped to help & one of them fell on the ice. A local man came out of his house and said the ice was caused by flooding which was caused by a blocked culvert that has been reported to the council weeks ago.

If witness evidence to confirm that the culvert was blocked and had been reported weeks previously can be obtained, there is a prospect of succeeding with a claim against the local authority or utility company responsible. If you can obtain such evidence, please let us know and we will look in to pursuing this matter further for you.

If you can’t obtain the witness information, contact us anyway. Your injuries are serious and we would like to see if we can help you make a claim for compensation.

I have broken my hip falling on black ice on an untreated walkway within my scheme owned by the GHA. I was 5-10 metres from my buildings entrance.

Whether or not the owners of the housing scheme are responsible for gritting the pathways in the area is unclear, probably unlikely. Do you know if they have a gritting policy in place?

Does putting down rock salt over ice count as taking responsibility for ice within a builders yard? Or does some for of signage need to be erected?
We have been warned that if someone falls as a result of us putting rock salt down that we then become liable.

It is always wise to provide clear sign posted warnings if you are aware of a risk of injury or a hazard to health. Placing rock salt down is a wise move but it should be accompanied by adequate clear signage.

I’m a taxi driver in Glasgow and I slipped and fell and broke my wrist in two on an untreated road on black ice in Glasgow when I tried to warn my elderly passenger, who was just coming out of her house, about how bad the ice was. I was then off work for two months and after 3wks of being in a plaster cast the hospital said that I needed an operation and they had to break my arm again and reset it and I’ve now got a metal plate and pins holding my wrist together and I lost thousands of pounds loss of earnings as December is our busiest month. I nearly lost my flat as I hadn’t the money to pay my rent and bills after the first month, all my money was going out and none was coming in. I had to get a loan of my brother to help me cover my bills or I would’ve been left homeless too, can you help me to get the compensation I think I deserve and being left with a horrific scar and a metal plate please?

Despite your obvious loss financially and the terrible pain you will have endured, I am afraid your case is not something that our Solicitors would be able to help with. Claims after a slip on black ice on pavements are notoriously troublesome and it is extremely difficult to establish liability against the local authority as it is a public liability claim. Previously the courts have ruled that local authority councils can’t be expected to grit all their pavements and roads when the weather is cold and icy.

I am provided with accomodation rent free at my place of work. I fell on the ice outside the door on my way into work and broke my wrist badly. It had to be operated upon and I have been unable to work for the last two months as I am a chef. Can you please advise if I can claim compensation from my employers who own the property?

Yes, you would have a right to claim compensation. Whether or not you could succeed with a claim would depend on what defence your employers insurers raise to any claim you make.

Hello I was working for a courier company last year during the bad snow, I was told I still had to make my deliveries regardless of the weather – this was during the rare occasion the police advised no one to drive. Anyway, in between deliveries I got stuck in snow and a farmer had to help tow me out, after removing the rope I slipped on the snow and fell fracturing my wrist, this led to me being off work for 9 weeks on statuary sick pay and lead to financial difficulties. I don’t know if I am eligible for a claim or not but it does seem unfair.

You describe a situation in which your employer has acted foolishly and potentially lead to you sustaining injury. However, whether or not you would have a valid claim for compensation against them is a moot point.

My honest answer at this stage is that I do not know whether or not you would be able to hold the employer liable in this accident and for your subsequent losses. However, we could put this enquiry before our specialist Solicitors in order that they could consider whether or not your employers actions constitute a breach of health and safety regulations.

my apartment complex did not place De-icer on our common paths that were to and from our cars, they started to after my injury was reported to them, I slipped on black ice, hitting my head, injuring my neck, my husband witnessed, I have medical expenses and time loss for work, do I have any recourse?

There is a possible opportunity to make a claim. However, UK law is unspecific with regards to claiming compensation in cases of slipping on ice or snow.

I fell at work on ice and I am considering leaving now as my work is to strenuous and our hours have been cut. Two weeks ago I made a claim. Does this still stand if I left the company?

The law regarding personal injury compensation claims after an accident at work entitles any person to make a claim against their employer if they believe that their injuries were caused through negligence – whether by the employer or a colleague. It does not matter if you are still working for the employer or if you have left as that will have no bearing on the outcome of your claim.

What will be important is having the right evidence to support your Solicitor in being able to attach liability to your claim and allowing you to succeed. As such it is vital that you make sure that your accident has been properly recorded with the previous employer. Ideally, an accident book entry was filled in at the time of the accident. If not, it would be a very good idea to make a written report to your former employer and send the same via email or recorded delivery.

In February 2018 i slipped in a supermarket carpark on ice and broke my ankle. when a member of staff came out to check if I was okay after laying in the snow for quite some time and fetched me a wheelchair. The first words that came out of her mouth was it’s not our carpark. Is there a chance to claim compensation?

Claiming compensation after slipping on ice or snow is possible, but it is not always easy or straight forward. Of course, ice and snow are weather events that are beyond any persons control and ice and snow present an inherent risk of slipping. Whether or not you can make a claim for compensation will depend on whether or not the owners of the car park have a duty of care to grit the surface and reduce the risk of slipping.

When it comes to applying grit or salt to public highways and paths, the local authorities work on a restricted budget so would not be expected to apply such products to all areas. The courts would expect the highways authorities to treat roads in order of importance, starting with motorways, major A Roads and busy highways. They would then be expected to work on local roads and bus routes. With regards to the car park, if it is a local authority car park it is probably unlikely that they would have a duty of care to apply grit as a priority.

Do you know who is responsible for the car park in question?

I am a support worker that works in various areas for the local council. It was very icy that day, and the service users house had a long steep drive, I therefore held onto the rail until I got to the very bottom where the drive meets the pavement. Suddenly I slipped and was in agony. The lady living opposite saw me fall and phoned for an ambulance.
After laying on the floor for 2 1/4 hours covered in blankets, the ambulance finally came and took me to hospital.
After an x-ray it was found my ankle was broken in 3 places and after 2 operations my ankle is now held together with plates and screws.
Estimated time that I will spend off work is 4 – 6 months, can I claim ?

The situation you describe is an unusual one in that you were injured whilst at work, but not on employer premises or in an area that the employer has any direct control over. As such, my honest answer at this stage is that I am not sure as to whether or not you can make a claim for compensation. Given the severity of your injuries, I think it is worthwhile presenting a claim enquiry to our specialist Solicitors so that they can consider this for you and offer detailed advice to you. We deal with quite a few support worker claims.

Given that the weather was cold and icy, it would be foreseeable that the area could be icy and slippery. Neither the local authority or your employer would have a duty of care to grit residential areas, so it would not be possible to claim compensation on that basis. However, there could be a possible claim against the employer if it can be shown that they have not adequately assessed the risk to health by sending you to this property in the weather conditions as they were. Perhaps the employer should have issued you with a warning or required certain footwear etc and it is with that in mind, that I believe it would be worthwhile submitting a claim for you.

Last week I slipped and fell at my workplace on an untreated car park. The surface was snow covered with underlying ice forming the hazard.
My employers are UK government tenants, renting office/car park facilities via a landlord who engage 3rd party managing agents.
These agents who are contracted to grit.

Despite assurances gritting would take place overnight before it snowed and freeze it did not in fact occur. Records also prove that no gritting actually took place as promised and initially claimed, so I believe there is negligence via a contractual failure.

My injuries are limited to aggravation of an old fracture (metal plated wrist) and some minor discomfort. My view is the false claim of services rendered and not actually delivered equates to a liability. Can you concur my thinking please?

On face value, their contractual obligation has been failed and it can be therefore argued that they are liable for the fall you had and any associated injuries or losses that you have incurred as a result.

Given the scenario you describe, we would be happy to present a claim on your behalf to our specialist Solicitors. We work on a fully no win no fee basis and you can start your claim by visiting our website and using the ‘start a claim’ page to make further contact with us.

Three days ago I slipped on an icy patch in the car park of a fitness club where I am a member. It was witnessed by a member of staff who was putting down sand on another part of the car park. I fell backwards and hit my bottom, back and head. I haven’t broken anything but am in some pain and very bruised. Are there grounds to claim against their insurance?

There is certainly potential to pursue a claim for compensation. The fact that an employee from the gym was working to reduce the risk of slipping by placing sand on the ice indicates that the business knew that there was a risk to health and a possibility of injury.

If you would like to begin your claim, please use the ‘start a claim’ option on our website and we’ll contact you.

My workplace had washed the vans the night before which caused the water to became ice the following day. Due to this I unfortunately had a fall where we normally load our vans for our deliveries. I hit the back of my head and now have pain in my back. There are no cameras in the area and my employer has offered i can come back in tomorrow with the help of a colleague to help with the lifting and doing mainly driving.

If your employer has created a hazard – such as making a floor wet and then icy, one would expect that the minimum they should do is erect hazard warning signs and in this case, grit the iced area. If they have failed to do that, you may have a valid claim for compensation.

Please use the ‘start a claim’ page of our website to take this further.

Who’s responsible in the event of an accident due to the result of a burst water-main?

A friend of mine slipped this morning after water from a burst water main had iced over and has now gone to hospital.

I took photos of the site shortly after just as workers from the local water supplier had started repair.

The leak was on a public pavement outside a commercial property.

The water board have responsibility for the management and maintenance of the water infrastructure and could be responsible in this matter. However, the realistic prospects of succeeding with a claim in this instance could be very low – especially if the pipe had only been leaking for a short while. Whilst there is not doubt that the leaking pipe created water, which then iced up and became hazardous, the courts are likely to find that the waterboard could not prevent this hazard due to the weather issues.

I recently slipped on an patch of ice in a pub car park. I fell badly and hurt my leg but fortunately did not break any bones. I was in severe pain for a week. I am now slowly recovering and my leg is getting better with but still have some pain. I am hoping that there is no permanent damage. I have a witness to my accident. Could I claim? Thank you.

We would be happy to present a claim enquiry for the scenario you describe to our specialist Solicitors.

I crashed my car whilst on way to work on November 2nd. I have done some investigating the council said according to their records they gritted 1st November yet I came off they road as the road is full of pot holes and I swear hit ice has by the pictures on news and google maps can see the bend is not sharp but as I turned the wheels nothing happened! Is it going be hard beat the council as I suffered severe injuries. Still off work.

Sadly proving liability against the local authority in this matter will be extremely difficult and with regards to a No Win No Fee claim, it is very unlikely that a claim for the situation you describe would be pursued. If the road was icy, it would not necessarily follow that you could then hold the local authority liable if you then lost control of your vehicle and crashed due to the ice.

I fell on the ice a week ago at my daughters school just inside the gates, there was no grit or signs and i injured my left knee. Went to a&e last Thursday just gone and told it was fractured although the Dr said he can’t be sure so to treat it as fractured, been told to rest as much as possible not use it etc but feel if I was to make a claim I want get very far as no confirmed injury, what shall I do now?

After seeing medical attention, the first thing you should do after an accident is to make sure that the details of the accident are reported to the relevant authority. In this case, you should advise the school office and ask that they record the details of the accident. Importantly, you should make mention of the lack of any grit and warning signs.

We would be happy to help you further and look in to the prospects of your claim on a No Win No Fee basis if you would like to do so.

I recently slipped in my works car park. It was like an ice rink, it had not been gritted. I had high heels on at the time. I had to go to hospital and my elbow is broken as well as the bone in my forearm. Can I claim compensation?

As you can appreciate, claiming compensation for injuries sustained when slipping on ice can be difficult. As anyone will appreciate, when it is cold and ice develops, surfaces can become slippery and it is not always possible to avoid the risk of slipping in such conditions. It is also not always practical to expect an employer or any other organisation to remove the risk of slipping on ice.

However, with regards to an employers car park there could be a possible claim to be made after you slipped on ice. We would be happy to investigate this for you if you would like to get in touch further.

I had a fall on ice on friday 18th January, this was because of a leak from a united utilities tap that was reported back in July, has not been rectified spilling water onto the footpath and road.

Given the fact that the cause of the hazard and your subsequent fall is an item requiring maintenance that was reported over 6 months ago, you may well have a valid claim for compensation.

We would like to speak to you further regarding your fall and need to know more about the injuries you have sustained. It would help your claim massively if you can provide evidence or supporting information regarding the reporting of the leaking tap to United Utilities last summer and if you were to also report the accident to them.

Hi there
I had a slip in work on ice in our yard 11 Jan 2018.
To cut a long story short I had an operation on my knee to repair the damage, which was unsuccessful. I had a bit if arthritis but the only option left according to the surgeon is a complete knee replacement. My firm paid me full pay for 3 months but what i am wondering is because I will have to have 8 to 9 months off for the operation, are the firm obligated to pay me full pay as it was originally started from a works accident?

UK law does not require the employer to pay you in full for such a lengthy period and most employers would not pay full salary for such a length of time.

I slipped in a hospital car park where l work when l was going into work. I was walking in a path that’s designed for staff to walk on. Slipped fractured my ankle and dislocated heel. I had surgery and a still off sick. The Company responsible for gritting the place are refusing to take responsibility even though as soon as I fell, they went and gritted the path.

Have you got a specialist Solicitor representing your claim? If not, you should perhaps consider speaking with an expert specialist firm, such as ourselves. With regards to your fall, is there any evidence to prove that the path had not been gritted (such as an accident book entry in which that comment is made) or any evidence to confirm that the company that has the responsibility for gritting the paths did so immediately AFTER your accident? (such as supportive witness statements or a copy of a request for them to do so following a fall?).

I was involved in a accident 6 months ago and I am just about healing from it now. I was walking home one night and slipped on a train track crossing it was a very icy night and knocked myself unconscious on the line and a train ran over the top of me I sustained a lot of injuries and I am lucky to be alive. I would like to know if I would be able to claim?

It is difficult to advise as to whether or not the cause of your slipping accident would lead to a successful claim, but given the severity of your injuries and the long term implication of this incident, it would be sensible to further investigate making a claim for you.

As an Nhs employee we are expected to make every effort to get to our regular place of work or nearest base during adverse weather conditions. I am a community worker and not part of an emergency service. Under a red weather warning on the 1st March I slipped on the stairs when leaving my home during a fresh snow blizzard sustaining a bi malleolar ankle fracture which required surgery. I do receive my regular pay for 6 months however do I have any rights as an employee regarding injury or if I should refuse to walk to work under such conditions in the future?

It is unlikely that you would be able to hold your employer liable for the conditions of the stairs at your home address and although you may be required to make every effort to get to work despite weather conditions, that is different from the employer obliging you to make it to work no matter what the hazards.

As such, whilst your injury sounds awful and painful, we don’t think that you would succeed with a claim.

Hi, I fell on ice on my way to work on the company’s property, I was off work with a full spinal whiplash for about a month. The company said as they gritted the area the night before that they are refusing liability, and that it was basically my own fault.

As the employer has gritted the area the night before, they may have a defence against any claim you were to pursue, but that should not stop you from speaking with us and our expert Solicitors because there could still be a claim. As we work on a fully no win no fee basis, contacting us so that we can have a more in-depth discussion with you to find out more about the area where you fell, what gritting policy the employer has and what the weather conditions were like is a no brainer. If we can’t take this further, it would not cost you a penny and we may well be able to identify a way of pursuing your claim.

Hi i am a support worker that works in the community. Recently i slipped on snow outside a service users house and as a result have suffered a fractured leg and will be off work at least 8 weeks.
Am i entitled to claim for anything?

As you may imagine, it is not always possible to claim compensation for an injury and lost income and this often applies in cases where someone is injured as a result of slipping on snow or ice.

However, we think it is worthwhile for us to investigate a possible claim for you a little further and for you to speak to our specialist Solicitors regarding your situation and the nature of your accident. It could be possible to succeed with a claim for compensation if it can be shown that your employer didn’t provide adequate warnings to community workers such as yourself or correctly risk-assess your workload given the snowy conditions.

Going to my work as a carer, slipped on the snow and sustained injury to my foot ankle, back for X-ray on Monday, got big boot on my foot in severe pain. Can I claim against council or my work, for going out in bad conditions underfoot?

It is unlikely that you would be able to hold the local authority liable for your injuries as they would not necessarily have a duty of care to remove snow or ice from public footpaths or to apply grit or salt to them either.

However, there could be a possibility of pursuing a claim against your employer on the basis of a lack of risk assessment or adequate warning to you regarding the risks and providing knowledge to you as to how to minimise the risk of injury after a slip on snow. We will not know more until we have spoken with you.

I slipped on some stairs outside the building where I live, there was ice and the stairs did not have a handrail despite being a newly built estate, the stairs are the only direct access for pedestrians to the building (which is on raised grounds) other than going a very long way round the back of the estate. My landlord insists it’s the council’s fault for not maintaining the footpath although he did mention to me in an email that the company providing the property management to our building also manages the external areas as well. I’ve had surgery and can’t work until I recover and I feel very upset that everyone seems to blame the other.

Claims for compensation after injuries sustained when slipping on ice are never easy to pursue, but given your explanation of the incident and description of the site and the way it is managed, would provide sufficient merit for us to investigate the prospects of a claim for you.

I fell on a massive patch of black ice outside my local shop. I skidded tried to balance myself but the patch was too big and i ended up flying backward and landing on my back. The problem is no one saw it happen and i went straight into the shop and told them to sort it out to which they poured boiling water on it. I have been led up all day in agony as i also suffer with fibromyalgia and have problems with my L5 and my S7 in my back and the fall has cause me major pain in my back neck shoulder and legs. My partner went back to where i fell a little while later to get a picture as i was in too much pain to think about it but it had gone. Would this cause a problem if i was to put in a claim. I am also attending a doctors appointment tomorrow to be checked over.

Carole

Thank you for letting us know about your accident. I hope that you are recovering well.

I would suggest that we should put your claim to our solicitors as I believe that you may well have a viable prospect of succeeding with this.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Ian

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