Slip Trip And Fall At Work Claims | No Win No Fee

By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 9th November 2023. If you’ve hurt yourself at work after falling, you may want to know more about your legal rights. If so, this comprehensive guide offers vital information on slip, trip and fall claims. 

Every employer in the UK is expected to provide its workforce with a safe working environment. When this doesn’t happen and you get injured in an accident, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim.

If you’d like to take advantage of our free case check to see if you could begin a slip and fall claim today, or if you’d simply like advice on claiming compensation after a fall at work, call 0800 073 8801.

slip trip and fall at work claims

A guide to slip, trip and fall at work claims

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If You Slip And Fall At Work Can You Claim Against Your Employer?

If you slip and fall at work, and this causes you to suffer an injury, you might wonder if you could make a slip and trip claim. 

Your employer has a duty of care towards you under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). This means that they must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you safe while you are working.

However, a breach in duty of care alone is not enough to make an accident at work claim. In order to form the basis of a valid claim, you must be able to prove that:

  • You were owed a duty of care
  • This duty was breached
  • As a result, you suffered harm

If your employer has breached their duty of care towards you, and you have suffered an injury at work as a result, you could be eligible to claim compensation. Please contact an advisor who could answer your questions about slip, trip and fall claims. They could also check if you would be eligible to claim compensation.

How Long Do I Have To Make A Slip, Trip Or Fall Claim?

It’s important to be aware of the time limits involved when making a slip, trip or fall claim. Potential slip and trip claims must typically be started within three years of the injury occurring. For example, if you slipped at work, then you must begin your claim within three years of your accident.

So for instance, if the accident happened on 1st November 2023, you’d have until 1st November 2026 to issue court proceedings.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If the claimant is under the age of eighteen, then the time limit does not begin until their 18th birthday and ends on their 21st birthday. Someone else could claim on their behalf while the time limit is frozen as their litigation friend.

If a person doesn’t have the mental capacity to make a claim for themselves, the time limit is suspended. Should they regain the capacity to make a claim, the time limit will begin on the date of your recovery. But, if you do not, then the time limit remains frozen, and a litigation friend can make a claim on your behalf.

To find out more about making a trip and fall compensation claim if you hurt yourself at work and how these time limits could affect you, contact our team of advisors today.

What Are The Causes Of Slips Trips And Falls At Work?

When it comes to falls, trips and slips at work, several potential hazards cause these kinds of accidents most commonly. These are hazards such as:

  • Food, liquid, oil, and other substances spilt on the floor, causing a slip hazard.
  • Damaged indoor floor coverings such as a warped floorboard, cracked tile or frayed carpet can cause a trip hazard.
  • Damaged walkways and pathways, such as broken paving slabs or curbstones, potholes, and uneven pavements.
  • Inadequate lighting or a faulty handrail in a stairwell or building entrance can cause a fall hazard.
  • Broken handrails on stairways
  • Ice or snow that has not been treated with salt or cleaned up by your employer. Bear in mind that this ice must affect work areas, such as a car park or builders’ yard.

These hazards can lead to you being injured due to a slip, trip or fall. In each case, the employer could be held responsible for not mitigating the hazard that caused the accident.

To find out more about the causes behind slip, trip and fall compensation claims, please get in touch.

The Latest Slip Trip Or Fall Statistics

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the organisation responsible for enforcing legislation in workplaces, the most common cause of an accident at work is a slip trip or fall.

Around 30% of all workplace injuries are caused by people falling over. These slips, trips and falls can happen in various ways, such as falling from a height (which we cover below) and slipping on spillages.

The HSE believes that most incidents are avoidable and can be prevented by conducting the likes of risk assessments, regular and effective cleaning systems, and taking prompt action when a hazard is identified.

If you’d like to learn more about how to claim compensation for a slip trip or fall, get in touch with us for free.

Falls From A Height At Work

Although slipping and tripping accidents at work are the most common of all workplace accidents, falls from a height are the most common kind of accident in the workplace that results in death. 25% of all fatalities caused by workplace accidents are the result of a fall from height. But while the victim is deceased, their families could still file slip trip and fall at work claims.

People who have to work at height in their job, for example, painters and decorators, scaffold installers, construction crews, tree surgeons, etc. must all be provided with a) adequate training to perform their duties safely and b) effective safety equipment to keep them safe.

Similarly, if equipment is not checked to ensure it’s safe, then that could also create the risk of harm. For example, if the wooden boards used by scaffolders are not checked for cracks or breaks, someone could fall through them.

When an employer fails to provide these things, it could be deemed responsible if a fall from height results in an injury to a member of the workforce.

To find out more about claiming for a fall from height at work, speak to our claims team today.

What Should I Do After A Slip, Trip And Fall At Work?

In this section, we answer questions such as, I slipped and fell at work; what should I do? And what happens when you slip on a wet floor? We have produced this list of steps you can follow that will ensure that you cover all the bases, report your accident correctly, and ensure a record of your injuries is kept. These steps include:

  • Ensure you receive medical treatment from the company-designated first responder.
  • Take photographs of the scene of the accident and also the cause of this is visible.
  • Fill in the company accident book at work. You can do this at a later date after you receive medical treatment.
  • Visit the hospital to have your injuries treated, even if you believe them to be only trivial.
  • If there were any witnesses to the accident, make sure you know who they are and how to contact them if they need to provide witness testimony.
  • Begin to document any financial or other losses you suffer due to the accident or injury. Keep all bills, receipts, invoices, etc., for all expenses that relate to either dealing with your injuries or dealing with the claim itself.

Taking steps like this will ensure you have done everything possible to ensure you have the best chance of winning your claim. If you have questions about any of these steps, please talk to our claims team to get some answers.

Compensation Payouts In Slip, Trip And Fall At Work Claims

If you have slipped at work, you could be awarded general and special damages following a successful personal injury claim.

General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you have endured due to your injury. A legal professional may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) when valuing this head of your fall at work claim. The JCG provides guideline compensation brackets for various injuries. In the table below, we have listed some of the amounts in the 16th edition of the JCG.

It is important to note that a payout in a compensation claim after a workplace accident will vary. This is because the factors of your claim could affect how much you receive.

Please only use this table as a guide. It does not reflect figures of a final settlement.

Type of Injury?How Severe?CompensationInformation
Injured backSevere (a) (i)£91,090 to £160,980Serious musculoskeletal disorders, damage to the spine or spinal cord and the nerves of the spine. Severe sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries. And all injuries that will leave th3e victim with some form of disability.
Injured backModerate (b) (ii)£12,510 to £27,760From lacerations, cuts, burns and other flesh wounds, through minor soft tissue injuries and hairline or simple fractures, or any other injury that will heal fully within 6 months.
Injured legSevere (b) (i)£96,250 to £135,920Injuries such as a severed hamstring, and other severe musculoskeletal injuries such as serious sprains and strains. Also, complex or compound fractures, and any other injury that falls short of amputation.
Injured legModerate (b) (iv)£27,760 to £39,200All injuries that will heal within 6 months, with no permanent disability. Cuts, bruises, burns, simple fractures and minor soft tissue injuries, etc.
Injured armSevere (a)£96,160 to £130,930Injuries such as a brachial plexus injury, and other severe musculoskeletal injuries such as serious sprains and strains. Also, complex or compound fractures, and any other injury that falls short of amputation.
Injured armLess Severe (c)£19,200 to £39,170All injuries that will heal within 6 months, with no permanent disability. Cuts, bruises, burns, simple fractures and minor soft tissue injuries, etc.
Injured neckSevere (a) (ii)£65,740 to £130,930
Serious musculoskeletal disorders, damage to the spine or spinal cord and the nerves of the spine. Severe sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries. And all injuries that will leave th3e victim with some form of disability.
Injured neckModerate (b) (i)£24,990 to £38,490
From lacerations, cuts, burns and other flesh wounds, through minor soft tissue injuries and hairline or simple fractures, or any other injury that will heal fully within 6 months.
Injured shoulderSerious (b)£12,770 to £19,200A dislocated shoulder with damage to the lower part of the brachial plexus causing neck and shoulder pain.
Injured shoulderModerate (c)£7,890 to £12,770A frozen shoulder with limited movement and discomfort. Symptoms will persist for around two years.

Please note that there isn’t an average payout for slip, trip and fall compensation claims. However, we can offer you a more precise estimate as part of our free case check.

What Else Can I Claim For After A Fall At Work?

Slip trip and fall claims, if successful, could also lead to awards for special damages.

This is a head of claim that compensates you for pecuniary (financial) losses and costs caused by your injuries. Special damages relevant to a slip and trip claim could include:

  • Lost earnings – this can include past losses and future losses. For example, if you slip and fall and suffer a serious head injury, you may have to take significant time off work, meaning you lose out on pay.
  • Medical costs, such as the cost of prescriptions or further treatment 
  • The cost of childcare
  • Nursing and professional care costs – if you’re unable to cook or clean, for example, you may need help and support. If a family member helps you, the time they spend helping can be compensated for. 
  • The cost of home adjustments or mobility aids – for example, if your injuries have left you in a position where you can’t use stairs, you may need to fit a ramp in order to get in and out of your home.

To claim for such costs, you would need to provide evidence that they were reasonably incurred as a result of your injuries. To learn more about the special damages that could be awarded after a fall at work, please contact an advisor. 

 

No Win No Fee Claims For A Slip, Trip Or Fall At Work

Are you considering making a claim but worry about the cost of a solicitor? This is where our No Win No Fee slips, trips and falls claims service could benefit you. We could help you make your claim with no legal fees required upfront.

You would not even need to pay legal fees throughout the course of your claim. Instead, you will sign a conditional fee agreement that agrees to pay a successfully to your solicitor in the event of a successful claim once it ends.

This success fee would be a percentage of your compensation and will be taken when it comes through. If your claim was not successful for some reason, you would not be required to pay the aforementioned success fee.

You would not need to cover your lawyer’s costs in pursuing your claim either.

To talk to us about No Win No Fee agreements and claims involving slips, trips and falls, please do not hesitate to call us.

Start A Claim For A Slip, Trip Or Fall At Work

If you’d like to check if you can make a compensation claim, you can take advantage of our free case check.

All you need to do is contact our claims team on 0800 073 8801.

They will evaluate your claim for you, let you know if it is valid, and then give you some free legal advice on slips trips and falls and what you could do next.

Learn More About Slip, Trip And Fall Claims

If you’d like to learn more about slip, trip and fall compensation claims, these external links could be of some use:

These additional guides could also be of use:

Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on slip trip and fall at work claims. For more advice on making a compensation claim, please get in touch.