Slip and Trip Accidents in the UK
Slip and trip accidents are incidents that occur where people have slipped or fallen over due to an obstruction or hazard caused by careless or lack of maintenance by responsible bodies or authorities. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE); in 2018/19 roughly 214,000 injuries were reported linked to slip and trip accidents. 37% of all injuries reported in the workplace were caused by slips and trips and 28% of all fatalities at work were caused by or linked to falls and trips. However, such incidents are not just limited to work environments.
Where do slips and trip accident usually happen?
Slips, trips and falls can happen anywhere yet not all of these are pure chance can be avoided if there is no contributing hazard. Slips and trips accidents occur in council owned properties, car parks and shopping centres and these can be prevented by carrying out proper maintenance. Councils and owners of public places owe a duty of care to visitors in ensuring chances of accidents are minimised but accidents can still happen due to lack of safety and maintenance. If you have suffered a slip and trip injury on a council or public property you might be entitled to compensation.
What causes slip and trip accidents?
Slips and trip injuries are usually caused by wet floors due to spills or liquid from mopping where warnings have been left, raised carpets and matts, leaks from malfunctioning equipment, overflowing toilets or liquids and slippery substances dropped on the floor in cafés, restaurants or night clubs. Accidents from falls can also happen outside on council owned properties and some examples include tripping on a raised, uneven, cracked or damaged paving stones, overgrowth of plants, moss, ice that has not been sorted or bad lighting in car parks.
What should I do if I have suffered a slip and trip injury?
If you have suffered a slip and trip injury at your work or public place and you wish to make an injury claim from slips and trips, information gathering and reporting are very important. You should:
Report: Although immediately after the incident your main concern is to tend to your injuries, you should report the cause or fault to the concerned authority. All shopping centres and public places have staff and management, who should be informed of this. They are required by law to keep a record of all incidents and causes. This will help ensure your injury is recorded and tended to should first aid be required and the proper medical personnel called.
Evidence (Photos, Witnesses): Whether it is a spill on the floor, leaking equipment, a cracked or raised paving stone, photos can and will assist in you providing evidence supporting your claim. If there are witnesses near who saw your accident, their account can also help your Lawyers with your claim.
Medical evidence: Some injuries are minor and go away whilst others can be more severe and lasting. If you have suffered a fall or slip and trip accident it is advisable to inform your doctor about it. Some symptoms and injuries may not be immediately evident. Some might have a delayed effect which could lead to other symptoms in the future. It helps to take photos of injuries, splits and bruises and also to keep a record of how these injuries affect your everyday life and work.
How do I make a claim for a fall injury?
To make a claim it is important to first establish who is responsible for your injury. Is the property responsibility of a council, a business or an individual? In cases of shopping centres, restaurants and public places it is easy to determine who is responsible for cleaning and maintenance. Outside, you may need to ask the local authority and it is usually not difficult to establish ownership.
Once you have determined who is responsible for maintaining the area, it is important to report the incident to them. Then it is important to gather any evidence such as pictures and witnesses. You should then inform your doctor of the incident and seek any medical assistance should you require it.
Once you have full knowledge of your injuries you should seek advice of a legally trained professional such as ourselves. Not everyone is legally minded and sometimes people suffer without knowing their rights.
I want to make a claim but I am worried about costs?
It does not hurt to speak to a solicitor who would be able to assist with your queries, worries and concerns and bring forward a claim should you choose to do so. We offer a free, independent advice to our clients on their initial queries in the merits of their claims. We also work on a No Win No Fee conditional fee agreement basis which means you do not have to pay anything out of your own pocket in bringing forward a claim. If your claim has merit we will take it on for you, and get paid only if we are successful in your claim, and this will come from the other side as a part of the settlement. We don’t just get you monetary compensation, we also assist with rehabilitation such as getting you physiotherapy on a private basis so you can get on with what is important as soon as possible.
