Injured in a fall at work? See if you can claim compensation and how much

By Ian Morris | Updated June 22nd, 2023

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You are entitled to claim compensation if you have been injured by a slip, trip or fall at work as a result of employer negligence in providing a safe working environment. Here we look at what’s involved in making such a claim.

Can I make a claim if I fall at work and injure myself?
Employer responsibilities to prevent slips, trips and falls at work
Claims for slipping on a wet floor
Claims for tripping over
Claims for falls from height
Common work injury claims after a fall
Is it worth claiming compensation?
How much compensation can I claim for a fall?
What should I do after being injured at work?
What evidence do I need to win a claim?
How do I make a claim?
Comments – your questions answered

Can I make a claim if I fall at work and injure myself?

Simply being injured in a fall at work doesn’t mean you are eligible to claim compensation, the key to making a successful fall at work claim is being able to hold your employer responsible for your injuries, usually as a result of breaking health and safety rules.

You can make a personal injury claim if you fall at work because of your employer’s negligence rather than it being your own fault. This applies whether you are a full time, part time or temporary member of staff.

Employers have a legal responsibility to 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 compensation to anyone injured as a result.

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

Employer responsibilities to prevent slips, trips and falls at work

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 duties.

To reduce the risk of injury, employers must ensure:

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.
That they follow working from height regulations

Claims for slipping on a wet floor

Slips at work are usually caused by wet floors and stairs. Employees can also slip if they are not provided with the correct footwear, or if a floor surface is not fit for purpose, such as no non-slip covering in potentially wet environments. Commonly we see slips caused by these workplace hazards:

Spillages of liquid or food
Recently cleaned floors
Rain, ice or snow
Leaking machinery, roofs and pipes

Employers should be prepared to do all that they can to minimise the chance of staff slipping and sustaining an injury. They must ensure that any wet floors are cleaned up and dry as soon as possible. If there is a spillage, water or other slipping risk present a wet floor sign should be erected to warn of the hazard. These should always be displayed when floors are being cleaned.

If your employer failed to display a hazard sign warning of a wet floor, you are likely to have a strong claim for slip and fall compensation if you’re injured as a result. Such an error confirms employer negligence and as such, it’s a valid claim. However, even if a hazard sign was erected, you could still be able to claim if it can be demonstrated that the sign was inadequately displayed – hidden or obscured from view, or located in the wrong place.

Claims for tripping over

Tripping accidents at work usually involve uneven floors and potholes in work areas and car parks. They can also arise as a result of a messy workplace, if wires or cables are not stored properly or if items are left in walkways or beside desks etc. We’ve dealt with claims arising from:

Rubbish and packaging on the floor
Broken steps and railings
Uneven floor surfaces
Loose wires and discarded items

Again, tripping hazards should be identified by your employer and action taken to warn staff and remove the risk in a reasonable time.

Claims for falls from height

Claims for falling from height at work often arise from ladder accidents, missing barriers, broken steps, guardrails or unmarked holes in the floor. We also see accidents involving falls from scaffolding, vehicle steps and tail lifts, forklift trucks and other plant machinery. Some claimants are injured because of insufficient training on equipment they’re tasked to use or because they were provided with the wrong equipment for the job.

Any activity performed above floor level carries the risk of a fall. This would include using foot or kick stools within shops or factories, through to the use of ladders, scaffolding and even rope climbing. Obviously some jobs are more dangerous in this respect than others, but the same basic health and safety laws apply to all.

Usually, falls from height involve a fall from one level to a lower level, they don’t include a slip or a trip on the same level or falling down a staircase.

According to the Health and Safety Executive: Work at height means work in any place where, if precautions were not taken, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. You are working at height if you:

Work above ground/floor level
Could fall from an edge, through an opening or fragile surface
Could fall from ground level into an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground

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.

Common work injury claims after a fall

Slips, trips and falls at work, accounted for 29% of all non-fatal work injuries in a 2019/20 survey by the HSE. While they may seem innocuous, the injuries suffered can have big implications for the injured persons’ future.

Common injury claims include 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.

Is it worth claiming compensation?

If you’re injured after a slip, trip or fall at work, claiming accident at work compensation can help ease some of the problems you’ll experience in a number of ways:

Claiming injury compensation is a legal right, and if successful it fairly compensates you for injuries that were not your fault.
A successful claim can help to pay for private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery.
Claiming can recoup your expenses and make up for lost income now and in the future if you are prevented from working again.

As well as the pain and discomfort of an injury, it’s the stress of losing income that often forces workers to claim compensation. All employees are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they do not get full sickness pay, but this is often not enough to live on.

It’s worth noting that it’s absolutely possible to maintain a good relationship with your employer while making a claim, and you can’t be sacked for doing so. Furthermore, your employer’s liability insurance deals with the claim and pays the compensation, rather than the business itself, so you can be assured you’re not placing colleague’s jobs at risk.

Finally, as all claims are made on a No Win No Fee basis, you will never be charged if your claim does not succeed.

How much compensation can I claim for a fall?

A successful personal injury claim will ultimately see a claimant recover a settlement for their injuries, ongoing treatment and also for their special damages, which covers lost earnings.

How much you can claim for a fall at work is calculated from the severity of the injury, your financial losses and the impact on your quality of life. This would include:

The pain and distress caused to you by the injuries sustained
Psychological effects from the accident and/or injury
Associated costs and losses
Lost earnings if you have been away from work as a result of the accident
Medical treatments, rehabilitation therapies and post accident care
Restrictions on your ability to fulfil your usual activities and social life
Miscellaneous expenses (bus fares, painkillers etc)

Compensation amounts for injuries after a fall

There are guidelines issued by the courts for solicitors, but it’s impossible to say exactly how much you can expect as all cases vary. Some example values are listed in the table below for common fall injury claims, these are excluding special damages:

Type of injury	Compensation amount
Neck injury	£2,000 - £140,000
Minor brain or head injury	£2,070 - £11,980
Finger injury	£4,000 - £85,000
Wrist injury	£3,310 - £44,690
Hip or pelvis injury	£3,710 - £24,950
Fractured forearm	£6,190 - £18,020
Permanent back injury	£11,730 - £26,050
Serious shoulder injury	£11,980 - £18,020
Ankle injury	£12,900 - £46,980

What should I do after being injured at work?

After being injured at work it is important to understand your rights so that you can confidently manage your recovery and working future. Your employer has a duty of care to you if you’re injured, and there’s a lot you can do to help yourself after a work accident.

When a slip, trip or fall leads to injury you should record the details within your employer’s accident book. If they don’t have an accident book, or won’t let you have access to it, there are things you can do.

If you are receiving ongoing treatment for your injuries your employer MUST release you to attend appointments..

If your usual work involves aspects of hard physical labour such as heavy lifting, carrying, climbing or standing for long periods, your employer is duty bound to accommodate you (where possible) in returning to work on lighter duties whilst you complete your recovery.

What evidence do I need to win a claim?

A successful claim for a fall at work will need evidence to back up what happened and prove the accident was not your fault.

First and foremost, the incident should be recorded with the company in its accident book.

Witness statements are also admissible as evidence, so try to collect the names and contact details of anyone who saw your accident and is willing to back up your claim.

If you can take photos of what caused your accident it can be really useful in forcing your employer to admit liability. Try to show the size of any tripping hazards by using something like a coin for scale.

Medical evidence will be used to evaluate how much your injury claim is worth, so it’s important to seek professional medical treatment for your injuries at the earliest opportunity. Also, ensure that your GP is made aware of any ongoing problems with an injury to ensure a fair compensation amount. If your injuries don’t settle and you notice discomfort a few weeks or months later, or if you’re not sleeping or feeling depressed because of your injuries, make sure it’s on your medical records.

Keep a record of any lost wages and expenses you incur as a result of your injuries as you may be able to claim those costs back.

If all this seems a bit complicated, or you haven’t done any of the above, don’t worry – if you contact us we can talk you through it and help you to complete the necessary steps.

How do I make a 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.

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.

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

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus fall at work claim examples...

I work in a kitchen and slipped because a fairly new staff member hadn’t cleaned up beans properly leaving the juice on the floor. I hit my head on a bin and sustained soft tissue and muscle injury’s down my right side of my back and shoulder and injury to my neck and hip as I hit the floor. I am waiting physio. I currently can’t work as I can’t barely stand let alone anything else. And I am in constant agony. Is my employer at fault here?

Given the accident scenario you describe, our initial view is positive with regards to your right to pursue a claim. Of course, there can be no guarantee of success with a claim, but given your description of the incident in which you were injured at work and the injuries you have sustained, we feel that you should have a good chance.

Im a HGV driver, and after finishing a 10 hour night shift, i attempted to climb onto the rear catwalk of the truck to disconnect airlines from the trailer (standard practice). There is a fold down metal step that is used to climb up to the catwalk ( approx 3-4 feet from ground).
It was very dark, and i was obviously tired but as I stepped up onto the catwalk but my foot slipped off the fold down step resulting in me falling to the ground and breaking my foot and being off work for 4 weeks without pay.
I do not know exactly why my foot slipped off the step, the catwalks are often covered in grease from the trailer couplings, but as it was so dark i could not see if there was grease on the step or not.
I remember a company rep came to my home to take details to put in the accident book – and i felt he was really trying to influence how my statement was worded (i assume to imply i was at fault for slipping). I never had any training or familiarisation on the type of vehicle – although i had been driving that type for a year so employer could probably argue that i knew how to use it through experience? Also I cant remember when i started working for them if i signed something to say that i wouldn’t claim in case of accident? – hard to find out as i don’t have copy of my contract (zero hours) and employer wont give me copy – i have since left the company so they are not interested in even talking to me anymore – your advice would be greatly appreciated.

If the step you slipped on was covered in oil or grease and therefore slippery, you would undoubtedly have a valid claim. Of course, if you simply slipped or are unable to say why you slipped it will be far harder for you to succeed with a claim. Any claimant must demonstrate negligence or a breach of health and safety to succeed with a claim against an employer and there is one area that you may be able to place such a liability – the failure of the employer to provide any training or induction in to the use of the vehicle.

I was contracted to clean at a lorry place. I was cleaning the offices and had to come down a lot of stairs which were out side. I was taking rubbish to the bins when my ankle gave way and I fell 3 steps from bottom. I rang my boss but he didn’t come out so I had to ring my Husband to come and fetch me to take me to Hospital. I found out that I had badly sprained my ankle. I was only in the job 2 weeks. I do have a disablity of which i told my employer. The week after my boss came out to my house to fill in a accident report and then he told me that I wasn’t allowed on the site anymore.

If your employer has terminated your employment in a manner that you think could be contrary to employment law, you should immediately contact your Union or speak with an employment law Solicitor.

Regarding your injury at work, if you fell simply because your ankle gave way, you would not be able to pursue a claim for compensation. However, if you fell because of employer negligence or a fault with the stairs in question or some kind of tripping hazard on the stairs, you could pursue a claim.

I had a fall through a factory roof last week at work. I was erecting scaffolding so that a company could work up there safely with an edge protection handrail. Unfortunately, I fell approximately 6 meters through a skylight, through the suspended ceiling and through a table landing on my back with force. I spent a couple of days in Hospital and had MRI scans due to my injuries. The result of the scans showed that I now have a disc protruding and hitting my spinal column for which I am now awaiting the advice of a spinal surgeon.

Who is liable for this as there was no safety netting under the roof? I hadn’t had a site induction nor have I signed any RAMS for this job. Any advice would be appreciated.

The lack of induction and full attention to health and safety requirements could indicate that your employer is liable in this matter. Given that you were working at height, the risk of injury was clearly foreseeable and one would expect the highest possible attention to health and safety.

I would suggest that we speak further with you regarding your fall from height at work as my initial view is that you should pursue a claim for compensation in this matter.

I fell in work 5 days ago, and broke my foot. I am currently in a fracture shoe returning to The fracture clinic tomorrow. The chef had placed a 10 pk of 1pts of milk on the floor outside of a chiller door while inside taking stock which i went flying over. I am not entitled to any company sick pay as I have only been there for 6 months. I don’t want to get this person in trouble by claiming though! Are the company responsible? Do you think I would be entitled to anything as I have no other income?

It is not acceptable to block a walk-way with items that could create a tripping hazard so in this case, you may have a valid claim against the employers insurance for the injuries and loss of income you have sustained. You do not need to worry about claiming and impacting on the person who placed the milk in the way as they will not be in trouble. You can read more about not needing to worry about how a claim will affect an employer or employees in this article.

I recommend that you use our ‘start a claim’ option on our website to make further contact so that we can present the details of your claim to our specialist Solicitors.

My partner slipped on oil in the factory he worked out and now he has a herniated disk and extremely movement restricting Sciatica. His employer did a risk assessment and accepted fault for the injury. They have sent him on physio therapy and so far has had most of the year off work as he has a very physically demanding job which he is now unable to do.
He is considering sueing his employer but we are scared incase they sack him. With a back injury, he may struggle to find other employment. What should we do?

Your partner can claim compensation for this accident and his employer can’t sack him for doing so. Your partner would entitled to a settlement for the pain and discomfort caused to them by the injury sustained and also to recover costs for private rehabilitation therapies or even surgery if needed and they would be able to recover any loss of income.

Regarding your partners employment, your partner should not fear making a claim against the employer. Any claim would be made against the employers ’employer liability insurance’ cover and as such would not impact directly on the business or their colleagues. Further, and more importantly, your partner has a legal right to pursue a claim for compensation if he believes that someone else’s negligence lead to him sustaining a notable injury and left him out of pocket – as in this case.

I work as an apprentice truck mechanic, and we had the floor painted; but they didn’t put enough grit substance into the flooring to provide grip. We emailed health and safety about this but didn’t get a response, and today I slipped and fell flat on my back. My back is in pain and the doctor has said I need to take two weeks off to rest. It’s also caused my PTSD to spike due to this event. I don’t know if I’m able to make a claim or if the amount of the claim would be worth the stress of the claim. Any advice?

As the employer was put on notice by you and colleagues of a possible hazard (slippery floor) and failed to rectify the problem, you would have a valid claim against the employer with reasonable prospects of succeeding.

You should ensure that your physical and emotional symptoms – particularly with regards to a flare up of PTSD are noted by your GP to ensure that they could form part of any claim.

Our claims process is designed to be stress free and as such, you would not need to be concerned about that causing you further worry.

I work in a bar, the old non stick bar floor had recently been torn up and the floor had now been painted with a shiny and slippery when wet surface. For the last 2 weeks I had been saying the floor is unsafe to work on as it’s very dangerous when wet and working on a bar there is bound to be some form of spillages. On Monday morning, I was putting some glasses in a shelf and in the middle of the floor, due to a leak from a bottle bin, there was some liquid. I ultimately slipped on this and as a 6ft male hit my head on the bar surface very badly and had to go to A&E with suspected concussion and a bleeding wound just above my eye socket that is more than likely going to scar, according to the hospital. I suffered from a lack of memory as I do not remember the incident taking place and have only got my information of the incident through looking at the cctv of the fall. A video that is now saved onto my phone. With a bleeding head, my duty manager said I should be okay to go without visiting A&E explaining I should go back to work, it was with my own advice that I decided to go to hospital. Would I be able to claim against the business for the ultra slippy floor and poor first aid treatment?

The employer has been negligent – by the sounds of it – with regards to their new floor surface. Given that you have put them on notice of your concerns regarding the dangerous and hazardous nature of the floor surface and their inaction to that report of a risk, you have a very strong claim for compensation against the employer.

I would recommend that you contact us further as we would be very happy to take forward your claim against your employer for the injuries and any subsequent loss of income or cost you have incurred as a result of your fall.

I started work at a fast food restaurant and had an induction. I had to shadow other employees and was told to wear gloves to handle goods, so I went to collect them. However, whilst on my way, I slipped on the floor breaking my glasses, injuring my mouth and teeth with bruising to my upper eye, knee and elbow.

My Manager helped me up as I was stunned, then wrote it in the accident book. I went to A&E and I really felt sick. I also had to go to a Dentist. I am very worried that my teeth are damaged.

After the accident, my Manager said that the floor was not wet and he blamed my footwear for my fall. I was wearing ‘pumps’ with a rubber sole with good grip! The floor was very slippery and I was not told about the surfaces or given specific instructions regarding what footwear was required. In my view, I did not receive adequate health and safety training and there were no signs to warn about the slippery floor. Am I entitled to claim compensation?

Given the lack of training you mention, no specific instructions regarding appropriate footwear and no hazard warning sign on display it would be wise to further proceed with a claim for compensation.

Of course, the employer may be able to mount a robust defence to this claim, but we think we can seek to pursue this matter further for you.

Hi. The reception area of the building I work in is having a refurb. New tiles have been laid on the floor but the large fixed mat at the entrance is pending replacement. The new tiles are slightly thicker than the old meaning they are slightly higher than the mat (the tiles & mat where previously flush). There is nothing to highlight this.
Walking into reception 3 days ago I tripped on the lisp and landed on the tiles with my knees & elbows taking the main impact.
Accident logged at the time. For the past 3 days I have been off work (paid) bruised, stiff & sore (knees, elbows, upper arms & shoulders).
I have not seeked medical help & feel I’m now on the mend.
Am I entitled to compo for pain & suffering?

Given the lack of signage to warn about the temporary tripping hazard created by the refurbishment of your working area, I think you have grounds to pursue a claim against the employer for your injuries. However, it does appear (thankfully) as if you have escaped serious injury in this incident. Given the lack of medical treatment and no loss of income, if you are recovered and will not require medical attention you may not have the severity of injury needed to enable you to pursue a claim.

I was recently involved in a slip at work while pushing a non running vehicle for a large auction company. I slipped in the yard I worked in and damaged the muscles around my knee to the point it wasn’t weight bearing for a few days. I attended hospital for an X-ray and had a day off work due to this. My fall was in a section of the yard where there is a transition from loose stones to tarmac on a slight gradient. I was given no manual handling training or an induction to the company and was employed as a car cleaner so I believe being asked to do this initially was wrong. Do I have grounds for a personal injury claim as I am still getting pain 8 weeks after the initial incident?

The scenario you describe would indicate employer negligence in this incident and as such, my initial view is that you do have a valid claim against your employer for the injury sustained.

Hi I’m working in retail. I fell on the stairs 4 weeks ago and my company took me to Hospital and paid for everything as I had broken two hands. I’m still on sick leave and got paid my usual salary, so my question is do I claim for compensation? I’m confused cause others says they must pay for my injury.

Your employer has acted honourably so far by paying costs and ensuring that your salary is paid. However, UK law would afford you the opportunity to make a claim for compensation against your employer for the injuries that you have sustained.

If you would like to discuss this further, please call us on 01225430285.

Good morning, i had a slip at work resulting in me having a knee replacement operations. I have been off work for 6 months, now i’m in the recovery stage i’m now able to take steps. Work wants me back to work asp even though my sick note runs out 18th August, based on the clinical case workers advice.

You should follow the advice of your medical professional rather than the desires of your employer. Of course, if the employer is able to offer you work in a way that is manageable to you without impacting on your injury and you are able to get to and from work then there is no harm in returning earlier.

Given the severity of your injury and the impact that it had upon you (having to have knee replacement surgery is a serious consequence), you should look in to making a claim for knee injury compensation if you have not already done so.

I was injured at work about 5 months ago. I had a fall and hurt my back quite bad, I work for a small business ( 4 people ) and they have not been helpful at all in my recovery process if anything they have made it harder. I got approved to go on light duties 4 weeks ago but I was told they didn’t have any for me. I have now been approved to go back onto full duties on reduced hours for the first 4 weeks to get my work fitness back up but my employer doesn’t want me back. They also filled my position at work about 4 weeks ago I was a full time trainee. Just wondering where I stand?

Your employer cannot replace you without going through the required statutory process, so if you feel that the employer has treated you unfairly in that regard, you should seek immediate advice from an employment law specialist.

Regarding light duties, an employer is not obliged to provide light duties if they do not exist. However, if there are light duties available and the employer can provide the same then they should do so.

I was at work, we were all very jolly because of the Christmas spirit! We were all being silly and playing around when the HR manager of the company said to me ‘I dare you to get on to the desk and say it’. Being part of the team, I got up onto the chair to climb on to the desk, but the chair wheels made the chair move and caused me to lose balance half way up the table and I fell onto my shoulder, wrist and on to my back. I was in extreme pain. I went to the hospital and they told me my wrist was chipped. For about 3 weeks I still came in to work after the hospital with my broken wrist.

The first thing my work did was to give me a form telling me to sign that I won’t claim for my injuries cause it was my own fault. After a while I had to stop working as I could not really use my wrist properly.

Now, I can’t use my hand properly or as I wish to use it and I still have so much pain. Even my shoulder is still very painful. This was in 2016. Tell me if I have a leg to stand on? My employer said to me I would waste my time if I should ever claim as it was my own fault.

Your enquiry is an unusual one and it is hard to say for certain whether or not you have a valid claim for accident at work compensation. However, given the fact that a member of senior management was involved and actively encouraged you to get on to the desk, there is certainly a question to be answered by the employer in this case.

We would recommend that you contact us so that we can further investigate your claim to see if we can take this further.

Hello Ian,
I work in a corporate restaurant chain. While in the kitchen I slipped and fell because they had fryer oil all over the floor. They gave no warning about this and actually at the time asked me to bring something over to where the oil was, and I slipped and fell on my back very hard. I had my non-slip shoes on as confirmed by my manager on duty. An accident report was filed. I have yet to go to seek medical attention because I thought at the time I just knocked my wind out, but a week later my back has issues. It is still difficult for me to take a deep breath or sneeze or cough.. I want to know if I have a legitimate case here??

My initial view is that you do have a valid claim against your employer here. The oil on the floor is clearly a dangerous slipping hazard and should have been marked with a hazard sign or been cordoned off.

The lack of medical treatment is not relevant as it is reasonable to self-medicate for a few days/weeks in the hope that the symptoms would ease. However, given your ongoing problems, you should now make an appointment with your GP to discuss the injuries to ensure that they are listed on your medical records. Make sure that your GP is made aware that you suffered the injuries by slipping on oil at work.

Hi,
I tripped at work causing a fractured wrist. It has all been reported and HSE came out to analyse what I tripped over. They have advised my boss to screed over the grate on which I tripped.
My recovery off work is my own holiday time as I work at a Secondary College.
My boss is a bit snarky with me about me falling. I’m wondering now whether to make a claim. I haven’t lost any wages just holiday time with a cast on my arm.

Given the HSE’s recommendation to your employer to screed the grate that caused you to trip indicates that you do have a valid claim for tripping accident compensation against your employer. Whilst there is no guarantee of success, there has clearly been a tripping hazard identified and because we work on a fully No Win No Fee basis, you can pursue the claim without risking anything personally.

Work for a secondary college, you need have no worries about any implications to your work should you pursue a claim for compensation and even though you have not lost income, losing your annual leave and having your freedom and independence impaired with a cast on your arm is certainly worthy of making a claim for compensation.

Thanks for your reply,

I read your description on tripping accidents and apparently the dip in the grate is only about 1cm deep. According to your stats it must be below 1 inch, so I don’t think I would have a valid claim.
It does currently have cones around the area though and the trip I had is recorded on our CCTV.
Regards

Hi, I work as a security officer, while on night building patrol of one the building offices I fell over some clutter left in the way. Later, my colleagues told me that it was a bowl of glass. When I fell, I hit my head and passed out. On coming round, I can remember a member of staff of the company I was patrolling for standing over me. The accident date was 07/03/2018.

I broke my right ankle, had a concussion, found that my speech became slow, I have a constant headache and now my back is constantly in pain.

I received my 20 days sick pay and afterwards they stopped paying my usual salary and all I got paid was £292 for SSP. I have been off work since March. I have also been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia which means that I will take longer to heal and the injuries are causing significant pain. To top it all off, I have received an email from my employer informing me that I will be placed on a bank duty team in the security team which simply means that when work is available, I will be called upon. Previously, I was full time regular employed working 4 days on, 4 days off weekly. Please advise!

These items were a hazard and should not have been in situ. We assume that they were not fenced off and that there were no warning signs and as such, it is likely that you have a valid claim.

I work as a carer and was coming out of a call and slipped on some mud and twisted my leg which is now painful. The place we have to walk has a slope and is dark. It also has a rusty old rail at the side of the door which is unsafe if you leant on it there is a 8 ft drop. Theres no sign warning you either. Ive put it in the accident book. I am now experiencing pain in my lower back but havnt attended hospital. Whats your thoughts please?

We think that the scenario you describe and the details of your accident and injuries should be brought to the attention of one of our specialist Solicitors as you could well have a claim for compensation.

Employers have a strict obligation to adequately risk assess the workplace and make any hazards as safe as possible. In this case, there is an argument that your employer has been negligent and this could mean that you could successfully claim compensation. Of course, we can’t guarantee anything at this stage but we would like to speak with you further.

Good evening, I have recently had a accident at work where i fell on some stairs that where not properly maintained causing the material on each step to lift i tripped and fell over this material and hurt my back. I have had to take 3 weeks on sick but i recently learnt that the faulty stairs was reported last year by our health and saftey advisor in a meeting but no repairs were done. I have now been informed the stairs have been fixed one day after the accident at no point in time were we told the stairs were unsafe to use. My employer will not tell whether i’m entitled to full sick pay or ssp, they have been trying to get me to fill out health and safety report as soon as 2 days after accident whilst i was on strong medication, is this the correct approach – am i entitled to a claim?

You most certainly can and should claim accident at work compensation in this case. You have a right to seek compensation via a No Win No Fee arrangement for your injuries and also to recover your lost income or costs caused by this accident.

The scenario you describe is a prime example of employer negligence and how it has lead your otherwise avoidable injury. The hazardous stairs had been reported to your employer and as such they were on notice of a hazard or risk to health and had an obligation to repair the fault and make them safe. That the employer failed to carry out any remedial work or erect any warnings to reduce the risk of injury despite ample time to do so is where they have been negligent.

You may not know that it is important to report an accident in the workplace, so make sure you record that you tripped on the loose stair material and give information of your injuries in the employers accident book. Noting the lack of employer action on a previously reported hazard demonstrates the negligence of the employer and strengthen your prospects of winning your claim. You should also ensure that a full record of your injuries and symptoms are on record with your GP.

Hi thanks for your reply i never got chance to fill out the book, my work manager filled it out whilst i was in pain straight after the accident. I don’t think they put what i told them, they made me sign it but i was in too much pain read it. I don’t think this should have happened, i never had a choice.