How Do I Claim If I Slipped On Stairs At Work?

Last Updates 23rd June 2025. If you have been injured when you slipped on the stairs at work, you may be wondering whether you could make a personal injury claim. Within this guide, we will explain the eligibility criteria that must be met to be able to make an accident at work claim. We will also provide some examples of how your employer could be liable for an accident on the stairs in the workplace.

Additionally, this guide will share examples of the evidence that could be used to support a personal injury claim. We will also explain the heads of claim that could be awarded following a successful case. Finally, this guide will end by sharing some of the benefits of making a claim with our experienced No Win No Fee solicitors.

You can also contact one of our friendly advisors to discuss your specific case and receive free advice. They can be reached via the following methods 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

A construction worker in blue overalls holding his head having slipped on the stairs at work

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  1. How Do I Claim If I Slipped On Stairs At Work?
  2. Time Limit To Claim After You Slipped On The Stairs At Work
  3. What Could Cause Slips On Stairs At Work?
  4. What Evidence Can I Use That Shows, My Employer, At Fault For Me Slipping On Stairs At Work
  5. Examples Of Payouts If You Slipped On Stairs At Work
  6. Can No Win No Fee Solicitors Help With Workplace Accident Claims?
  7. Find Out More About Claiming If You Fell Down Stairs

How Do I Claim If I Slipped On Stairs At Work?

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, all employers owe their employees a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent injury while at work. Examples of the steps your employer could implement to maintain their duty of care include:

  • Performing regular risk assessments and maintenance checks.
  • Provide sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) if the need for it has been identified.
  • Ensuring all members of staff have received sufficient training to complete their work-related duties.
  • Keep spaces clean and clear of debris
  • Ensure that the workplace is regularly maintained and any defective items are repaired or replaced.

If you have been involved in a workplace accident, for example, if you slipped on the stairs at work, to be able to make a personal injury claim, you must prove the following:

  1. A duty of care was owed to you by your employer.
  2. This duty was breached.
  3. Due to this breach, you suffered an injury.

Contact our advisors to see whether you could be eligible to pursue compensation. Our team are available 24 hours a day via the contact details provided above.

Time Limit To Claim After You Slipped On The Stairs At Work

The time limit to claim after you slipped on the stairs at work is typically 3 years from the date of the accident, as set out in the Limitation Act 1980. Certain exceptions to this rule however, can be made if circumstances permit; these exceptions are:

  • Children cannot make a claim for themselves until they turn 18. The 3 years are therefore counted from this date, giving an injured minor until they turn 21 to start a claim.
  • If an injured person does not have the mental capacity to make their own claim, then the 3 time limit is halted indefinitely.

If the person who slipped and fell down the stairs at work cannot claim for themselves, then a litigation friend may be appointed. Litigation friends are granted decision making powers over the claim, with the requirement that they direct the proceedings in line with the injured person’s wishes. This means any legal action gets underway a lot sooner than would otherwise be possible.

You can find out more about making a claim after a slip and fall incident, and check if any exceptions are relevant to your particular circumstances by speaking to our advisors today.

What Could Cause Slips On Stairs At Work?

There are various ways that slips, trips and falls could occur in the workplace. However, you must remember in order to have a valid claim, the accident must have happened because your employer breached their duty of care which resulted in an injury. Not all falls down the stairs at work will mean an employee is eligible to seek compensation in a personal injury claim.

Some examples of how you could be involved in an accident on the stairs at work include:

  • Defective or loose handrails that your employer was aware of but failed to fix – e.g. you go to reach for the handrail, and it comes off the wall, meaning you lose your balance and footing, causing you to fall and suffer a brain injury.
  • Spillages that were not cleaned up or clearly signposted with a wet floor sign can cause you to slip and break your ankle.
  • Broken or defective lighting on stairs that your employer has failed to fix could cause you to be unable to see where you are stepping, and you could fall.

These are only a few examples of how an accident could occur on the stairs. Contact our advisors to discuss your workplace accident and see whether you may have a valid personal injury claim if you slipped on the stairs at work.

What Evidence Can I Use That Shows, My Employer, At Fault For Me Slipping On Stairs At Work

Evidence is important for your personal injury claim, as it could help with proving that your employer was liable for your injuries and the extent of them. If you have slipped on the stairs at work, some examples of the evidence you could gather to help support your case include:

  • CCTV footage, or any other video footage, of the accident happening. 
  • Photographs of your injury and any visible hazards that contributed to your accident. 
  • Accident report logs. 
  • A diary of your symptoms following the accident. 
  • Medical evidence of your injuries, such as a copy of your medical records.
  • The contact information from any witnesses to the accident. 

If you contact our advisors to discuss your case today, they may put you in contact with one of our solicitors. They could then help you through the claiming process and with gathering evidence.

Examples Of Payouts If You Slipped On Stairs At Work

If you make a successful personal injury claim after being injured when you slipped on the stairs at work, you could be awarded two heads of claim.

The first head, general damages, is awarded in all successful personal injury claims. This compensates you for the physical and psychological suffering. Various factors could affect how much you receive under this head of claim, such as:

  • The severity of your injury.
  • The treatment you needed.
  • How long your recovery period is.

When a legal professional, such as a lawyer, is valuing your claim for general damages, they may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) alongside medical evidence to help them. The JCG publications contained guideline award brackets for a broad range of injury types. The latest JCG figures have been used in the table here.

Compensation Table

We should also emphasise that the first entry is not a JCG figure and that this information has been included for guidance purposes only.

InjurySeverityNotesCompensation Guidelines
Multiple Very Serious Injuries with Significant Financial LossesVery SeriousCases where very serious harm has been caused and resulted in substantial financial damage such as a loss of income, medical expenses and care costs.Up to £1,000,000 and above
Brain damageVery severeSome ability to follow basic commands, but the person will require full-time nursing care.£344,150 to £493,000
Moderate (iii)A small risk of epilepsy with memory and concerntration affected.£52,550 to £110,720
BackSevere (iii)Disc fractures or lesions leading to chronic conditions that remain despite treatment, like impaired sexual function.£47,320 to £85,100
Moderate (ii)Disturbed muscles and ligaments that cause backache. Or a soft tissue injury that exacerbates or accelerates a pre-existing condition.£15,260 to £33,880
Other Arm InjuriesInjuries resulting in permanent and substantial disablement Serious forearm fractures to one or both arms.£47,810 to £73,050
Less severe Significant disabilities where substantial recovery is expected. £23,430 to £47,810
NeckSevere (iii)Severe soft-tissue damage, fractures or dislocations that leads to permanent chronic conditions.£55,500 to £68,330
Severe Leg InjuriesSevere (iv) ModerateOne leg suffers with a complicated or multiple fractures.£33,880 to £47,840
Less Serious (ii) Simple Fracture of a Femur.Simple femur fractures that cause no articular damage.£11,120 to £17,180

Learn More About Special Damages

Special damages is the second head of claim that could be awarded in successful claims. Special damages compensate you for the financial impacts your injuries have caused you, including:

  • Your loss of earnings if you needed time off work to recover.
  • Travel expenses to and from medical appointments. 
  • Prescription costs. 

However, you will need to present evidence of these financial losses. Keeping any relevant receipts, invoices, and payslips could help with supporting your case.

To receive a free valuation of your workplace injury claim, you can contact our advisory team.

Can No Win No Fee Solicitors Help With Workplace Accident Claims?

If you have slipped on the stairs at work and you have valid grounds to make a personal injury claim, one of our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you. By offering you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). you will not have to pay them any upfront or ongoing fees for their work. You also do not have to pay for their services if your claim is unsuccessful.

If they succeed with your case, your solicitor will be owed a success fee. The success fee is a percentage of your compensation. There is a legal cap to the maximum percentage a solicitor can take as a success fee. This helps to ensure that you get the majority of the payout. 

Speak To A Solicitor

Speak to one of our advisors today to see if you could be eligible to work with one of our solicitors for your personal injury claim if you slipped on the stairs at work. They can be reached by:

Find Out More About Claiming If You Fell Down Stairs

You have reached the end of our guide. For additional guides regarding accident at work claims, you can check out the following:

Or, if you are looking for additional resources:

If you have any further questions about making a personal injury claim after you slipped on the stairs at work, you can contact our advisors.