Ladder Accident Claims – Compensation For A Fall From Height At Work

By Ian Morris | Updated June 22nd, 2023

74 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Some of the most common accident at work claims involve falls from ladders. When any employer requires a member of staff to work at height using a ladder, it is vitally important they provide the correct equipment and adequate training to ensure that the risks of injury are minimised. Here we look at when you can claim injury compensation after falling from a ladder at work.

Employer responsibilities to ensure ladder safety
Can you make a claim after falling from a ladder at work?
Common causes of ladder accidents at work
Common injury claims resulting from ladder accidents
How much can you claim for falling off a ladder?
Start a ladder accident claim
Comments – your questions answered

Employer responsibilities to ensure ladder safety

Employers and contractors are responsible for their worker’s safety and injury claims will succeed if it can be proven they have been negligent and failed to comply with their statutory duty of care. Employers must ensure a safe and secure working environment for staff and prevent foreseeable injuries. If your employer has failed to follow health and safety guidance to protect staff they can be held liable to pay work accident compensation to anyone injured as a result.

To reduce the risk of injury at work, employers must ensure:

That they follow working at height regulations.
That staff are given a safety induction relating to the workplace, made aware of accident risks and how to minimise them.
That staff are made aware as to how to deal with accidents and seek first aid.
That health and safety signage is properly and prominently displayed.
That all staff are provided with the correct PPE.
That staff are adequately qualified on any tools or machinery they use.
That faulty equipment is fixed asap and machinery regularly serviced.
That cleaners display hazard warning signs when making floors wet.
That any slip or trip hazards are identified and repaired or made safe.

Working at height regulations

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 were specifically created to protect those working at height, whether half a mile above the ground or simply standing on a chair. Regardless of the kind of workplace, If employers are tasking staff members to work at height, they must by law ensure:

That staff are adequately trained in how to access anything at a height above arms reach.
That staff understand what equipment they should use to safely access the height needed.
To provide the right equipment to access anything at height.
That equipment used to work at height is regularly maintained and repaired.
That such equipment found to be faulty or dangerous is removed from use.

Can you make a claim after falling from a ladder at work?

Simply falling off a ladder doesn’t mean you are eligible to claim compensation, the key to making a successful claim after an injury at work is being able to hold your employer responsible, usually as a result of breaking health and safety rules. This applies whether you are a full time, part time or temporary member of staff.

If your employer failed to provide you with any training in safe ladder use, or you can demonstrate that the accident was the result of employer negligence or that of another party, you probably have a solid claim for ladder accident compensation.

Even if you have been trained or failed to follow guidance, there may be some element of liability that can be attributed to your employer. If you’re not sure that you’re eligible to claim, please contact our expert team and we’ll be able to let you know.

The comments at the bottom of this article will further help you to understand the wide range of scenarios involved.

Personal injury claims needs to be made within three years of the accident. It is also important that the details of your accident have been recorded with your employer in an accident book and that you have sought medical attention for the injuries you have sustained.

If you haven’t recorded the accident yet, don’t worry, we can help.

Common causes of ladder accidents at work

Placing a ladder in a dangerous position without adequate support. Employers must ensure that any staff members working at height have been given the correct training to fully understand how to minimise the risk of a ladder tipping or slipping, and how to identify a safe location for a ladder to be erected.

Using a ladder that is too short. Many employers do not provide a ladder of an adequate length, and this leads to a worker having to overreach beyond a safe distance and risk the ladder tipping over. Employers have a duty to ensure that all staff using ladders at work are made aware of the ‘3 points of contact’ ladder rule. This reminds workers that they must always have 2 hands and 1 foot or 1 hand and 2 feet on the ladder at any one time.

Common injury claims resulting from ladder accidents

Common injury claims following a fall from a ladder include head injuries, slipped discs, fractures to the ankles, legs, arms and wrists, or to the coccyx area of the lower back. They can also cause people to suffer nasty soft tissue injuries with damage to the knees, hips and shoulders.

In most cases, people are left with mobility and independence impairments, whether temporary or permanent. In cases of severe injuries, such as an open fracture, we have also helped people who have suffered psychological trauma.

How much can you claim for falling off a ladder?

Compensation settlement amounts will vary depending on the injury. The final settlement value will be reached after medical evidence is reviewed and a medical report completed for your solicitor. Clearly, the more pain and discomfort suffered, the higher the value of your compensation. It’s typically affected by:

The type and extent of an injury sustained
Whether or not you have made a full recovery from the injuries
Amount of lost income and costs incurred
Care required by family and friends – such as transport, help around the house or with shopping etc.
Any pension loss
The cost of paying someone to carry out tasks which you could do before your accident but cannot do now, such as decorating or gardening
Treatment and rehabilitation costs such as physiotherapy or massage
The cost of any surgery after your accident (you are not forced to have this on the NHS and are entitled to claim for the cost of surgery privately, particularly if this speeds up your recovery)

Whilst some injuries after a fall from a ladder can be immediately obvious – such as a broken leg or arm – some possibly more serious ones may not. Some of the symptoms or damage caused may not be known for months or years. As such, it is important that medical attention be sought early to provide the vital evidence needed to support any claim for compensation.

Start a ladder accident 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.

Typically, our clients are worried about how making a claim will affect their relationship with their employer and how the claims process works. We are here to offer the support and advice which will help you to understand your rights and give you the confidence to able to pursue your claim.

You can start your claim online or , and one of our expert team will be in touch. Alternatively, call us on 01225 430285. We’ll only need a few minutes of your time to let you know if you can make a claim.

74 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus ladder injury claim examples...

I fell from a ladder after it slipped. A workmate was supposed to be footing the ladder but walked away. The ladder was too short for the task and I was on the second to last step. I came down from around 3 meters and landed on my right side. I had bruising to my hip and ankle and suffered a broken shoulder which seems to have left me with nerve damage. I am waiting to see a specialist. If I was to make a claim would it be against my workmate or my employer? I don’t want to get him in trouble!

I told my boss that I fell because I was over reaching because my workmate said a few days after the accident that that is what happened but my hospital records state that the ladder slipped. I was confused and in a lot of pain when I went to a&e but I genuinely thought that the ladder slipped.

If you were to claim, it would be against your employer and their employer liability insurance cover. Whilst your colleague shouldn’t have walked away, you would not be claiming against them.

Is this something that you could help me with?

We can certainly assist in the process of further evaluating whether or not you can proceed with a claim for compensation after your accident at work.

The first point of action is for you to speak with our team so that we can take some initial basic information from you so that we can then present your claim enquiry to our specialist Solicitors so that they can review the details and contact you directly to discuss this matter with you and advise you further regarding pursuing a No Win No Fee claim for compensation.

I fell from a ladder at work & fractured my shoulder, got 3 stitches in my eye. The following week I was told by multiple coworkers the ladder wasn’t safe & should have been removed from line. The ladder was replaced after my accident, it was unstable & didn’t lock down like it was intended! My company has paid my medical bills, therapy, & mileage for appointments! I have a scar on my right eye & still healing from shoulder fracture! I am now working with a restitution until Dr releases me. My question is can I sue the company for the fall because of unsafe equipment? Would it be worth suing money wise? What kind of lawyer would be best to represent my case if I have one?

Under UK law, any employer who tasks a staff member with using a ladder that is unsafe or without having provide training for use of ladders and working at height can be claimed against should an employee have an injury due to the employers negligence.

Given the severity of your injury, you should instruct a specialist personal injury lawyer to represent you and recover compensation for your injuries and associated costs.

So I was using a telescopic ladder, I have adequate training and take all necessary steps to ensure safety. The ladder snapped in half when I was 8 ft up attempting to gain access to attic crawl space. I was at work and didn’t suffer serious injuries but back and leg pain.

If the ladder belonged to an employer, they would have a responsibility to ensure that the item was safe for use and that it was appropriately maintained and inspected and you could possibly make a claim for the back and leg pain you have sustained as a result of this incident.

If the ladder is yours and is relatively new, you could possibly make a claim against the manufacturer on the grounds of a manufacturing defect. However, such a claim would be very hard to get off the ground and it could be that a supporting engineers report would be needed to confirm that there was a fault with the ladder.

Ladder indeed did belong to company and this isn’t the first accident on this type of ladder. My first but not within the company. But in my training it states that it is my responsibility to inspect ladder before each use. I deemed it to be safe but it clearly wasn’t.

This is a difficult one to take further as it appears that the employer has provided clear guidance and training regarding ladder use and safety. If they have instructed you to inspect the ladder before use and you have done that and reported no problems, the employer is unlikely to be held liable.

Do you know if any other complaints have been made about these ladders?

Recently I was working down my employers house cleaning out a loft for her I had to use a ladder to gain access to said loft just above head height. As I was exiting the loft I lowered myself down onto the ladder at which point it rocked at fell away from me resulting in me falling to the floor and landing on my elbow and breaking the radius in my arm (at the elbow joint) nobody had been holding the ladder. My employer asked me to go and sit down and have a drink and then continued her conversation with the builder on site coming back 2 check on me twice in 20 minutes to ask if I was ok to which I replied I heard a crack in my elbow. After a further 10 minutes I was driven to the a&e on the insistence of another employee, can I claim for injury and negligence against my employer?

Yes, you can make a claim. If your employer is requiring you to work at height and use ladders, they have a responsibility for ensuring that you are working safely and that you have been given the adequate training to work safely.

If you would like to make a claim, please call us on 01225430285.

Hi I fell off another builders set of ladders that I was sub contracting to about 18 months ago. These ladders after checking them weren’t the best ladders. The fall resulted in me breaking my arm in several places and needing surgery to put metal plates and screws in my arm. I also wasn’t insured at the time so lost out on 3 months pay due to time off. My arm is getting worse and worse every week now and with been a self employed plasterer with 3 kids it is quite worrying. Basically I was just wanting to know if you think I had some sort of claim as the way things are going I think I may need to find another profession as plastering is just making my arm worse as it is in constant pain. Thanks very much.

Simply falling from ladders due to slipping or misplaced footing would not see a claim succeed. However, if ladders are defective, broken or if the worker has not been given specific training for safe ladder use a claim may well succeed.

However, in this case the issue could be proving what happened and having evidence to support a claim. What has been put in writing regarding your accident and have the ladders been retained?

I was working on a ladder on a roof, the ladder slid out from under me and I fell on to the roof and then on to the ground, breaking my foot which lead to me having surgery and pins put in.

When I reported the fall my employer told me not to say I was on the roof because I wasn’t suppose to be on it with out being tied off but when I was trained for the job they never showed me how to tie off. The people that trained me told me to get on the roof to do the job which isn’t the correct way to do it.

You have been badly advised by your employer with regards to making an inaccurate report of the accident. If there is no written evidence to support the fact that you were injured having fallen from height, you could struggle to succeed with a claim for compensation.

The lack of training in safe working at height is negligence and would usually be something you could then attach employer negligence to.

I fell off a ladder while decorating for a wedding. My employer and I were the only people working at the time. She has been told by other employees to hold the ladder while someone is up the ladder. During the time of the fall she was standing beside the ladder looking at me draping. Not realising she wasn’t holding the ladder, I reached to drape the pole when the ladder folded underneath me. I broke 3 ribs and had a lung contusion. 3 days later, 2 litres of blood filled my lungs putting back in the hospital for a period of 7 days. My employer didn’t come to see me until I was ready to be released for a period of 10 minutes when visiting hours were near over and I haven’t heard from her since.

UK Health and Safety at Work requirements are very strict when it comes to working at height and the use of ladders should only be done in instances where staff have been appropriately trained and know how to use ladders safely and where the limitation of ladder use should be identified.

In the circumstances you describe, you would appear to have a valid claim under UK law and we advise you to make further enquiries with us via the website ‘start a claim’ function so that we can assist you.

Unfortunately I fell off a ladder at work due to wet conditions and mud on the rungs. The site was very muddy due to machines running up and down over walk ways. I have been in touch with a firm and they made enquiries but said they’re unwilling to take the claim on as reports from the sub contractor I was working with from his son stated I was leaning to far back on ladder.
This was definitely not the case I’m a 52 year old man with years of experience on ladders I broke several ribs had a Haemothorax and spent 6 days in Harrogate hospital and was off work for more than 6 months due to injury.

The circumstances you describe would indicate that there is a claim worthy of investigation and clearly, the defendants have so far produced a witness statement that appears to apportion blame on you for the incident. The fact that the witness was the Sub-Contractors Son would indicate that the witness isn’t truly independent so that is of interest.

Did you sign paperwork with the previous firm? If you instructed them on a No Win No Fee basis we could take a look at their file of papers.

Fell off ladder at work and broke my ankle, am i entitled to any compensation?

It is likely that you would succeed with a claim against your employer – as long as you were not responsible for your own fall as a result of your own negligence. If you fell from the ladder because of a lack of training in safe working at height, due to a faulty ladder or any other form of employer negligence, you can make a claim for compensation against your employer for the injuries you have sustained and any associated losses you have incurred.

Call us on 01225430285 – our expert staff will be able to explain your rights and we’ll help you pursue a claim for compensation.

My partner 3 years back was employed and fell off a ladder which left him with 2 broken arms and a broken Wrist, he has had 4 operations and a long time out of work. He returned back to work a short while back not doing anything strenuous just scanning as he can’t lift. He put in for a claim which recently he had won the case and the settlement has been paid, but his solicitor has said they needed to see evidence of any savings which he hasn’t got so sent off bank statements which shows obviously his weekly wage. His solicitor has sent back a very abrupt letter asking my partner to contact him immediately concerning him returning back to work. My partner called his solicitor which has told him he’s very annoyed that he’s returned back to work, he didn’t realise he wasn’t allowed to not work and couldn’t not work for the rest of his life and had really life changing injuries and the fact that the defendant had admitted liability. What could possibly happen now? Could they try and take the money back even though they had settled? Many thanks.

If the claim is settled, it is settled and there is nothing that could be done to recover any settlement from your partner – unless it was found that he had been fradulent – which is not the case here.

There is no reason that I can see that your partner should not return to some form of work. Given that the work he is doing is not physical it cannot be argued that any loss of income claim should be repaid as it is likely that the work he is doing now is lower paid and clearly not the same as prior to his accident.

My husband fell from a ladder last week. The ladder folded inwards on itself whilst he was up it. As a result he has a broken bone in his foot , he has a walker boot and on crutches for 5 weeks. Employer does not pay sick pay only ssp. They have ‘offered’ him to return to work doing sit down work. However he is advised to elevate his foot as much as possible and obviously unable to drive to and from workplace. He is also in considerable pain. Could you offer any advice please?

It is good that his employer has offered light duties to your Husband but unfortunate that he cannot take advantage of that due to his injuries. Unfortunately, his employer is not obliged to pay his usual salary whilst he recovers and as you are probably aware, SSP is not sufficient income to survive.

To this end, your Husband should consider making a claim for compensation against the employer for the accident. If he succeeds with such a claim, he could recover all lost income and receive compensation for his injuries.

We would be very happy to pursue this claim for your Husband so I would suggest that he call us on 01225430285 to discuss this matter further and find out more about his rights.

My husband fell from the ladder at work. He was on top of the roof painting and the ladder slipped from under him. he had another employee holding the ladder but the roof was steep and the ladder and my husband fell, the other guy managed to dodge the fall. my husband was taken to the hospital by his employer and X-rays of the right foot were done and showed a broken heel bone. a CT scan confirmed that it is broken in multiple places. there is bruising on the hip, scrapes on elbows and shoulder pain now. we have an apt with orthopaedic to see what treatment plan the broken heel with require (cast/surgery). the employer filed a case with workers comp and they have been in touch and are coming by friday for a statement by my husband. we have a 21 month old and I am unemployed because I recently graduated and am looking for a job, my husband was our only source of income. his employer told us workers comp will pay 80% of his income tax free but that wont cover all of our expenses that his normal income would. I don’t know what to do or what I am entitled to. my husband has been in bed and is on pain meds until we can be seen by orthopaedic.

In the UK, such circumstances as described should lead to a successful claim. The damage caused to your Husband’s heel is clearly serious and a long term recovery, most likely with some permanent implication from the injury lay ahead of him.

In such a claim in the UK, the acting Solicitor would recover a large sum of compensation to cover the injuries sustained but also seek to recover ALL lost income and costs incurred because of the injury.

I fell off a ladder at work while performing my duties. However I found out after I fell the ladder was not a company approved ladder and the manager had brought it in from home. I have had a headache and unable to turn my head fully without pain and getting sick. I asked for an mri after the first two weeks of a headache but was told they would do therapy first. It took them 2 months to get me in to a physical therapist. And I haven’t gotten better. It also took nearly 2 months for them to compensate me. Now I can’t get caught up on my bills because of the late fees. Do I have a case against my employer and the workman’s comp insurance?

Under UK law, your rights would leave you able to pursue a claim against your employer here on the grounds of employer negligence. For the manager of the workplace to simply use a ladder from home that has not been correctly risk assessed and unlikely to be fit for purpose is a clear breach of statutory duty and would indicate that you would have a strong prospect of succeeding with a claim. It would also further increase your prospects of succeeding if the employer has failed to ensure that you have been adequately trained to work at height.

I fell off my ladder decorating at a restaurant. I was hired to do a decorating job, i fell 4 ft off the ladder broke my shin bone and broke my elbow. Lose my job, no money, what to do, need help, do i have a case?

Whether or not you are able to make a claim for compensation after falling from your ladder at work will depend on what caused you to fall from the ladder and what level of training/health and safety guidance you were given by your employer.

We would need to know more about your accident before we can properly advise you, so please do respond to me with further details.

I recently fell from a ladder at work and fractured my elbow I had filled out accident report that had been posted to me with all that I could recall at the time but then after a few days i remembered that the ladder slipped before I fell and handed in another accident report my work are now wanting me to retract my second report which reports the ladder slipping which I refused, can I still make a claim?

Injuries sustained after falling from height can often be very serious and form a large part of our accident at work claim portfolio.

On the basis of your comment, I believe you have a viable claim and should pursue the same forthwith. I would continue to refuse to withdraw the ‘2nd’ statement and in doing so, I would put my reasons in writing to them (retaining a copy for your records). You have mitigating circumstances that support the fact that you didn’t accurately describe the accident initially – you had just sustained a fracture to the elbow and were likely to be in a state of shock and pain – let alone a little fuzzy on pain relief.

We would gladly pursue this matter for you via one of our specialist solicitors and I invite you to call us to us on 01225430285 so that we can discuss the situation.

Fell at work due to faulty ladders, sprained my wrist and mild head injuries, still getting head pains after 6 weeks an strong medicine. Had a ct scan an head, it’s come out fine and still getting wrist pains.

Dear Akbar

I am sorry to hear about this incident and your injuries. If those ladders are faulty as you say, then you have a strong chance of winning a claim as your employer has clearly been negligent towards your safety whilst at work.

I will email you directly also and look forward to hearing from you so that we can help you get your claim started.