By Stephen Chambers. Last updated 13th May 2022. In this guide, we’ll talk about how you may be able to successfully sue for a slip, trip or fall injury that was caused by another party’s negligence. We’ll cover topics such as who could be considered negligent when you experience a slip, trip or fall in different areas. We’ll also provide our top tips on what actions you can take to give your claim the best chance of success.
Attempting to establish grounds for negligence can be challenging. However, the process can be made easier if you choose to hire a solicitor who can support your potential case. Therefore, we would always recommend hiring a personal injury lawyer if you want to explore the possibility of starting a personal injury claim. Ideally, you’ll want to hire a lawyer who has previous experience in handling claims related to slip, trips or falls.
Sue for a slip trip or fall
You can contact us to find out how our panel of personal injury solicitors could help you. Please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our advisors today. They can give you an initial consultation about your situation – free of charge – and offer specialist advice and support. What’s more, if our advisors see that your case has solid grounds they may offer to connect you to a No Win No Fee lawyer to handle your case.
So, whether you’re looking for advice and support or legal assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today:
- Fill in one of our contact forms to have us call you back
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- Call us on 0800 408 7827
Select a Section
- How To Sue For Slip, Trip Or Fall – A Guide To Claiming Compensation
- Why Would You Sue For Slip, Trip Or Fall?
- Who Owes A Duty Of Care For Slips, Trips Or Falls?
- Can You Hold Someone Liable For Slips, Trips Or Falls?
- Slip, Trip And Fall Injury Stats
- What Should I Do If Suffer From A Slip, Trip Or Fall?
- What Is The Average Payout For A Slip And Fall In The UK?
- No Win No Fee Claims
- How To Find The Best Personal Injury Solicitors
- Our Advisors Can Help Today
- Additional References
How To Sue For A Slip, Trip Or Fall – A Guide To Claiming Compensation
In this guide, we’ll cover different examples of when you could be hurt by a slip, trip or fall due to negligence from another party that owed you a duty of care. We’ll clarify how a group or individual could be held liable for their negligence. To achieve this, we’ll begin by addressing some common queries shared by people in your situation, such as:
- Why would you sue for a slip, trip or fall?
- Who owes you a duty of care for slips, trips or falls?
- What is a public liability claim?
- What is the meaning of public liability insurance?
- Why is public liability insurance important?
- Is public liability insurance a legal requirement?
- What is the average payout for slip trip or fall injuries?
In addition, we’ll also explain how you can give your claim the best chance of success. Areas we’ll cover include:
- What should I do after falling victim to a slip, trip or fall?
- How could using a No Win No Fee agreement help me?
- Where can I find the best personal injury lawyer to handle my claim?
Limitation Periods on Personal Injury Claims
Did you know that you must start your personal injury claim before it becomes statute-barred? Under the Limitation Act 1980, this period is 3 years as standard, effective from the date of the incident in question or the date your injuries were connected to negligence. However, please note that if you’re under 18 or your mental capacity means that your claim must be made by someone else on behalf of yourself, other time limits will apply.
When you decide you want to pursue a personal injury claim, we recommend you start legal proceedings as soon as you can. Otherwise, you could become ineligible to claim any compensation you’re entitled to. With this in mind, why not speak to one of our advisors today to get an immediate response as to whether you’re still within your time limit.
Why Would You Sue For A Slip, Trip Or Fall?
If you suffered a slip, trip or fall that you believe a third party was responsible for, you could have grounds to make a personal injury claim against them. Whether you blame a shop owner, your employer or even your local council, what matters is proving that their failings caused your injury. If you can achieve this, then you could be eligible for compensation.
These ‘failings’ are commonly referred to as negligence, which can be challenging to hold a third party responsible for. However, grounds for negligence can typically be established if the circumstances of your injury meet the following criteria:
- The third party owed you a duty of care
- This duty of care was breached by the third party
- You suffered an injury as a result of this breach by the third party
Please refer to the next few sections for some more specific examples and statistics. Also, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our advisors today for a free specialist consultation about the incident in question.
Slips
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), slips and trips account for 35% of all major injuries in the hospitality industry, more than that of any other industry. Major injuries are defined by their ability to cause serious harm, such as broken bones.
1,300 Injuries per year are caused by slips, trips and falls in this sector and around 80% of the injuries were caused specifically by slips and 20% are caused by trips. Most of the reported slips happened as a result of wet flooring and are related to cleaning or spillage.
Incidents that could cause slips include:
- A wet floor with no hazard sign
- Ungritted steps in icy weather conditions
- Spilled drinks on a floor
Trips
According to the HSE, most reported trips (75%) in workplaces are caused by obstructions to walkways. Examples of obstructions could include:
- Uneven flooring
- Loose wires
- Boxes of stock
Falls
According to a 2020/21 report from HSE, falls from a height are the most common cause of fatal injuries in the workplace in the covered time period. They accounted for 25% of all worker deaths in 2020/21. For non-fatal injuries in the workplace, falls from a height accounted for 8% of reported work accidents in the 2019/20 period. Potential causes of falls in the workplace and other environments can include:
- Ladders
- Vehicles/machinery
- Stairs
Who Owes A Duty Of Care For Slips, Trips Or Falls?
Various organisations including employers, shop owners and local councils owe you a duty of care when you are in an area in which they own and/or operate. As part of their duty, these third parties should implement safety measures to protect your wellbeing as much as reasonably possible. Here are some examples:
Your employer
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your employer owes you a duty of care while you’re at work. As part of their duty, employers should take reasonable steps to protect their staff and visitors from foreseeable threats which could cause a slip, trip or fall.
Those responsible for operating public places
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, those in control of public places, such as local councils and shop owners, owe you a duty of care while you’re using their facilities. Examples of public places that owe visitors a duty of care include:
- Leisure centres
- Libraries
- Playgrounds
- Parks
- Shops and shopping centres
- Car parks
As part of their duty of care, those that operate places such as the examples above should minimise the risk of slips, trips and falls as much as reasonably possible.
Can You Hold Someone Liable For Slips, Trips Or Falls?
If a third party fails to uphold a duty of care they owed you, then they may be subject to various types of liability. In other words, if their negligence can be proven to be responsible for your accident, then you could be able to make a claim for compensation against them. Some different types of liability include:
- Occupiers’ liability – this applies to business owners, local councils and other parties responsible for operating shops, restaurants and other such public places.
- Employers’ liability – this applies to employers, responsible for their employees’ wellbeing in the workplace.
Looking for advice on whether a third party can be held responsible for a slip, trip or fall you’ve experienced? Please get in touch with us today to see what our panel of personal injury solicitors could do for you.
Slip, Trip And Fall Injury Stats
According to statistics for 2019/20 provided by the HSE, slips, falls and trips on the same level are the most common causes of non-fatal injury in the workplace. Such incidents accounted for 29% of the recorded non-fatal injuries at work. 8% of the non-fatal work injuries recorded were caused by falls from a height.
Hazards that lead to slip, trips and falls can arise from a combination of poor design, insufficient maintenance and inadequate housekeeping.
Regardless of whether your accident happened at work, in the shops or within a public place, you could have grounds to make a personal injury claim if negligence from another party was responsible.
For our advice on what you could do if you find yourself in this situation, please see the next section of this article. Alternatively, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our advisors today for a free specialist consultation on how to sue for a slip, trip or fall accident.
What Should I Do If I Suffer From A Slip, Trip Or Fall?
If you’re hurt by a slip, trip or fall at work, in a shop or anywhere that you are owed a duty of care and you believe that this accident was totally avoidable by following these few steps you can gather evidence you may need if you decide to pursue a personal injury claim.
- Seek immediate medical attention for any injuries that you incurred and see that the accident is logged in your medical records for future reference
- Make any record of the scene that you can safely do, whether that’s photographing it or videoing it
- Collect any details of witnesses that could support your claim, so your solicitor can contact them to give statements if necessary
Depending on where your accident happened, there are some additional steps that may need to be considered. For example, if you’re injured at work, you’ll want to ensure that the incident is in your employer’s accident handbook.
When you have collected all the evidence on your accident and injuries that is available, it’s up to you to decide whether to start proceedings for a personal injury claim. If you go ahead with this, you may also choose to hire a solicitor who can review and support your potential claim.
If you’d be interested in seeing how our panel of personal injury solicitors could help you on a No Win No Fee basis, please don’t hesitate to speak to one of our advisors today. Continue reading for some more information about valuing payouts for personal injury claims, including how to calculate how much you could be entitled to.
What Is The Average Payout For A Slip And Fall In The UK?
In this section, we’ll explore how much compensation you could potentially receive if you successfully sue for a slip, trip or fall injury.
Personal injury claimants could be awarded compensation for up to two different types of damage. They are known as general damages and special damages. For any physical or psychological suffering that your slip, trip or fall accident caused you, general damages could be claimed. Compensation for special damages may be provided in addition to cover for financial losses directly linked to your accident and injuries. Usually, it’s only possible to claim for special damages if you’re eligible to claim for general damages.
Some potential claimants may be intrigued to find out what the average payout for a slip and fall in the UK is. However, compensation payments can vary a lot and they depend a lot on what exact harm is caused and the severity of injuries.
To assist with assessing general damages, claimants will usually undergo a medical evaluation by an independent specialist. Here, everything from injuries to the overall quality of life will be assessed and summarised in a medical report. If you choose to work with a personal injury solicitor, they should be able to arrange this appointment for you and use the resulting report to strengthen your case.
Calculating General Damages With A Personal Injury Claim Calculator
For general damages payouts, the Judicial College guidelines are commonly used as guidance by solicitors. In the table below are examples of compensation brackets that feature in these guidelines.
Feel free to get in touch with us today for a free consultation with one of our advisors. They can help give a more accurate estimate of your potential compensation based on the details of your claim.
| Injury | Notes | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric damage (severe) | Little expectation of improvement | £54,830 to £115,730 |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (severe) | Unable to cope as before the accident | £59,860 to £100,670 |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (moderate) | Expected to largely recover with no disabling future illness. | £8,180 to £23,150 |
| Leg (very serious) | Injuries that lead to permanent problems with mobility | £54,830 to £87,890 |
| Shoulder (severe) | Results in significant disability | £19,200 to £48,030 |
| Shoulder (serious) | Some symptoms will persist long-term even after surgery | £12,770 to £19,200 |
| Shoulder (moderate) | Limited movement and discomfort which will last about two years | £7,890 to £12,770 |
Special Damages
In addition to general damages, special damages could possibly be claimed for any financial loss that the injury has resulted in. This way, you could be restored to the financial position that you were in prior to the incident.
It is usually only possible to claim for special damages if you’re eligible to claim for general damages. Examples of costs that could be recovered include:
- Medical expenses (e.g. prescriptions)
- Travel funds (e.g. to medical appointments)
- Loss of earnings (including future loss)
- Care costs (e.g. professional carer)
No Win No Fee Claims
Personal injury solicitors that work under No Win No Fee agreements usually offer benefits such as;
- No upfront costs or hidden fees
- No legal fees to pay your solicitor if your case doesn’t succeed
If we are successful in securing your compensation, then a small percentage is taken from it to cover the solicitor’s fee. This will never cause you to lose much of your payout due to the fact that it’s capped by law.
How To Find The Best Personal Injury Solicitors
There’s no need to localise your search, as technology allows you to connect with lawyers from wherever you’re based. You now have the choice of the whole country as solicitors will often work for you remotely. This can save you a lot of time and money from attending appointments at the solicitor’s office. You are still free to visit your solicitor if you choose to but you could use the phone, email and video calling to communicate.
If you call our advisors today they will assess your case looking at any evidence that you have managed to gather. Once this initial consultation, which is free of charge is complete, if they see that your case has a chance of succeeding they can offer to connect you to our panel of personal injury solicitors. Any cases that are taken on will be under a No Win No Fee agreement.
Our Advisors Can Help Today
If you’re wondering how our panel of personal injury solicitors could help you, please contact one of our advisors today. They can give you an initial consultation about your situation – free of charge – and offer specialist advice and support.
So, whether you’re looking for advice and support or legal assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us today. You can reach us through the following ways:
- Fill in one of our contact forms to have us call you back
- Contact us through our live chat feature located at the bottom of your screen
- Call us on 0800 408 7827
Additional References
Thank you for reading our guide on how to sue for a slip, trip or fall accident. Once again, please speak to one of our advisors about your case today and see how we could help you.
In the meantime, feel free to take a look through some of the additional resources provided below:
How do I complain about my local council?
This government page can help if you wish to submit a complaint to your local council. With the help of your postcode, you can check what contact details to use.
How can I get compensation for injuries caused by roads or pavements operated by my local council?
This government page can be used to check who to contact and how if your injuries are caused by a road or pavement.
We also have guides on making personal injury claims for different types of accidents. For instance, you can check out our guide on claiming for a road traffic accident and we also have a separate guide on suing for a cycling accident. This article covers everything you need to know about claiming for an injury you got while in a nightclub.
Also, we have guides on suing for specific injuries, including a broken cheekbone, concussion, a broken rib and a broken hip.
We hope this guide on claiming slip, trip or fall compensation has proven useful. If you still have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact How To Sue online or on the phone to speak to one of our advisors.