By Lewis Hendrix. Last Updated 27th July 2023. A roll cage is an everyday piece of equipment commonly used in most supermarkets, warehouses, shops and storage companies to distribute products around quickly and easily. As roll cages used frequently on a daily basis, a roll cage accident could happen at any given moment, if it is damaged or the person using it is not trained accordingly. Plus, accidents could be caused by supermarket cages if the floor it is being rolled over is defective and damaged, it has not been stocked correctly or because of faulty equipment. Throughout this guide, we’ll show you how to claim for a roll cage accident or trolley cage injury. We also explain how our solicitors could assist with such accident at work claims.
Roll cage accident claims guide
A poorly maintained roll cage could cause a great impact on a person’s health and well being, which is why it’s important to understand why preventative measures are vital to workplace safety. In this guide, we will discuss what causes a roll cage crash, what injuries can result from a workplace accident and how maintenance of roll cages can prevent accidents causing injuries occurring. We will also look at how a workplace injury could be valid grounds to pursue a personal injury claim.
When you are ready to begin your claim, or you feel that your questions are still left unanswered after reading this guide, call our expert advisors on 0800 073 8801. They possess the knowledge and expertise to provide you with legal advice about your accident claim. Our panel of personal injury solicitors have up to thirty years’ experience in conducting no win no fee claims for victims of third-party negligence.
Select A Section
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- A Guide To Claiming For A Roll Cage Accident
- What Is A Trolley Cage Or Roll Cage Accident?
- Types Of Accidents Involving Roll Cages
- Accidents At Work Involving Roll Cages
- Roll Cage Accident Personal Injury Claim Amounts
- Special Damages In Cases Involving Supermarket Cages
- No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident With A Roll Cage
- Essential References
A Guide To Claiming For A Roll Cage Accident
A roll cage crash could be the result of a number of different causations, such as careless, improper loading or poor maintenance. As with all workplace machinery and equipment, there are particular regulations in place to ensure that roll cage safety is kept up to reasonable standards at all times. If the upkeep of these standards is ignored, the operator of a defective roll cage could have reduced control over the cage’s movement, which as a result could lead to a serious accident. This is not only a danger to the operator themselves but also those in the vicinity at the time of the accident. You can find more information about the safe operation of roll cages in this guide by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Furthermore, according to the HSE the typical height of a roll cage can range anywhere from 1.55m to 1.83m and weight 500kg or more when fully loaded. Therefore, the purpose of roll cage laws is to ensure that a duty of care is upheld for both staff and members of the public. Without such regulations, a fully loaded trolley could be the cause of a serious roll cage accident. Even something as simple as having a basic understanding of how to stack a roll cage could prevent a traumatic accident. We will discuss these rules in greater length later into this guide and provide a clearer picture of what would be considered negligence in a roll cage accident.
What Is A Trolley Cage Or Roll Cage Accident?
You may have seen supermarket cages, or a trolley cage in a warehouse or industrial setting. Roll cages are generally used in a variety of different settings. They help to move loads around a site, whether this is to transport stock to shelves, or around a warehouse, for example.
A roll or trolley cage accident can happen for a number of reasons. The type of accident that somebody could suffer injuries on could vary. There may be incidents whereupon a roll cage operator loses control of the cage and its contents. This could be due to the cage being stacked incorrectly or lack of care by the operator. Faulty equipment may play a part in a trolley cage accident. Lack of training could also contribute to or cause an accident with a supermarket cage. So too could an uneven floor or another type of trip hazard in the workplace.
Could I Claim?
To be able to make a claim, you would have to demonstrate that somebody had breached their duty of care towards you and caused you harm. This could be your employer in some cases. If they have failed to ensure you were protected from suffering harm due to your work tasks or work environment, you could be eligible for compensation.
In the sections below, we describe in detail what could lead to injuries sustained in an accident at work involving supermarket cages or another type of roll cage. We also describe how we could help you claim compensation.
Types Of Accidents Involving Roll Cages
There are several different types of roll cage accidents which, if caused by negligence, could be eligible for a personal injury claim. These could take place in any setting, including warehouses, supermarkets and factories. The following are just a handful of injuries which could be caused by roll cage accidents;
- Crushed injuries: if the roll cage is overloaded or stacked incorrectly it could topple over causing cruising injuries to the body.
- Trapped limbs: A person’s hand, foot, or any other limb can become trapped and crushed. As a result, a person could suffer a strain, fracture or possible deep lacerations.
- Strains: A defective roll cage could strain an individual as they try to control the movement of the trolley, which can lead to back and arm strains if not trained correctly how to move and operate the cage.
It should be noted that a valid personal injury claim for a roll cage accident is not limited to those listed above. If you have been injured by a roll cage then you may be able to claim compensation for your damages if it can be proven that there had been a breach in the duty of care that is owed to you as an employee or member of the public.
Accidents At Work Involving Roll Cages
Beginning a claim for a roll cage accident can be just as easy as any other accident claim. In order to conduct a strong compensation claim, you must first prove that your injury at work was the result of third-party negligence (i.e. defective equipment). In addition to this, there are specific pieces of evidence and information which will need to be gathered in order to support your case. This includes:
- Documentation for loss of earnings
- Further medical information (I.e. hospital notes, GP assessments, etc.)
- Contact details of your employer
- Witness contact details
- Photographic evidence of the incident (where possible)
- A report of the incident in an accident log book
The claim will also need to be conducted within the relevant personal injury claims time limit. If you have been injured at work by a roll cage accident, call us today. A personal injury lawyer from our expert team will be able to assist you in gathering this evidence and advise you on what further steps to take in order to pursue a claim.
Time Limit For Roll Cage Injury Claims
The time limit to make a personal injury claim following an accident involving roll cages in a warehouse is typically three years from the date you were injured. The limitation period is set out in the Limitation Act 1980. However, there are certain exceptions to this limitation period.
When a child is injured in a supermarket cage accident, the three-year time limit is suspended until their 18th birthday. From this date, they will have three years to start a claim. Prior to this date, a litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf.
If someone lacks the mental capacity to make their own claim, the time limit is suspended indefinitely. During this time, a litigation friend could act on their behalf. However, if they were to regain this mental capacity and a claim wasn’t already made for them, the three-year time limit will be reinstated from the date of recovery.
You can contact one of our friendly advisors today if you have any questions regarding the personal injury claims time limit.
Roll Cage Accident Personal Injury Claim Amounts
There are various types of injuries that can result from a roll cage accident, some of which are explained in the table below. Please note that these figures are based on JC Guidelines and are generic they do not take into account how the injuries occurred. These figures only reflect the pain and suffering plus loss of amenity. They do not take into account any financial losses. they are accounted for in the next section.
| Injury | Severity | Amount | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand Injury | Serious | £29,000 to £61,910 | The individual’s hand will be reduced to 50% capacity. In addition to this, cases of amputation whereby several fingers are left in gross diminution of grip and dexterity. |
| Severe | Up to £36,740 | An injury of this type will lead to partial amputation of fingers and result in deformities, impairment of grip, reduced mechanical function and disturbed sensation. | |
| Less Serious | £14,450 to £29,000 | This bracket includes severe crush injuries. These will result in significant impairment function without future surgery or despite operative treatment undergone. | |
| Moderate | £5,720 to £13,280 | The top of this bracket will look to injuries whereby surgery has failed and thus permanent disability remains. Whereas the bottom of this bracket will look to injuries of permanent but non-intrusive symptoms. | |
| Foot Injury | Amputation Of One Foot | £83,960 to £109,650 | The injury is treated with amputation, either at the ankle or to a ‘below-knee’ due to loss of the ankle joint. |
| Very Severe | £83,960 to £109,650 | In order to qualify for this bracket, the injury must produce permanent or severe pain, alongside permanent disability. For example, a traumatic amputation of the forefoot where full amputation is needed would be included in this bracket. | |
| Severe | £41,970 to £70,030 | A fracture to both heels/feet with substantial restriction on mobility and permanent pain will be considered for this bracket. In addition to this, an injury that lead to severe degloving, ulceration or other disability preventing the wearing of ordinary shoes will also be included into this severity. | |
| Serious | £24,990 to £39,200 | The injuries in this bracket will be of less severity than those mentioned above. However, serious injuries will result in continuing pain from traumatic arthritis (or risk of future arthritis) and prolonged treatment. | |
| Neck Injury | Severe | In the region of £148,330 | A neck injury associated with incomplete paraplegia or that results in permanent spastic quadriparesis. The victim will wear a collar for 24 hours a day for a period of years but will still have little or no movement in the neck region. |
| Back Injury | Severe | £91,090 to £160,980 | A combination of very serious consequences will result from cases of severe damage to both spinal cord and nerve roots. The individual’s bladder, bowel and sexual function will also be impaired because of this. |
Special Damages In Cases Involving Supermarket Cages
Successful accident at work claims could also lead to claimants being awarded special damages. This is in addition to the compensation you could receive for the pain and suffering of your injuries under general damages, as illustrated in the previous section.
Special damages are designed to compensate successful claimants for the financial impact of their injuries. These could include, but are not limited to the below:
- Loss of income – If you are claiming for injuries caused by defective supermarket cages, or other roll cages, you might have injuries that have stopped you from working. If you’ve needed time off work to recover, and lost income as a result, you could claim the costs back under special damages. If you’re unable to return to work at all, accident at work claims could compensate you for future loss of earnings too.
- Medical expenses – You might have incurred medical expenses because of your injuries. If so, then these could be compensated for in special damages payouts.
- Travel expenses – If you’ve incurred travel costs getting to medically necessary appointments, these could be claimable too. So too could costs involved in travelling to your lawyer’s office.
- Care costs – If you have been so badly injured by defective roll cages that you need care at home the cost could be compensated under special damages as part of the accident at work claim settlement you receive.
You would need to provide evidence of costs and losses you’ve sustained because of your injuries to include them within your claim. Bank statements, bills and payslips could prove useful.
To find out more about what could be included in your claim, please call our team.
No Win No Fee Claims For An Accident With A Roll Cage
When you begin your claim for a roll cage accident, a personal injury solicitor from our expert team will offer for you to do so under a No Win No Fee agreement. Also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), this is a form of financial agreement which a large number of injury claims are conducted under. A typical claim under this type of agreement requires no up-front fees or start-up costs to begin your claim.
In addition to this, you will only be held accountable for your solicitor’s fees on the grounds that your legal representative secures a settlement amount on your behalf. This is known as a ‘success fee’ and it will be deducted from the final amount. You should note that this is legally capped at 25%, however you will discuss the details of this fee prior to beginning your claim.
If your solicitor is unsuccessful, you will not be held accountable for their fees. Therefore, the financial risk of conducting a compensation claim for your injuries is significantly reduced.
We offer free, no obligation consultations to all our clients and we would be more than happy to evaluate the circumstances of your claim.
You can reach our expert team by:
- Telephone: Our number is 0800 073 8801
- Email: You can contact our team on office@accidentlclaims.co.uk
- Call Back Form: Click here to fill out a form and we’ll call you back.
Essential References
Manual Handling Claims
Our detailed guide to how compensation can be claimed for a manual handling injury.
Factory Accident Claims
If you have been involved in a factory accident, you could benefit from this guide.
Back Injury Claims
Are you suffering a back injury after a roll cage crash? If so, read our guide to back injury claims.
NHS Guide To Back Pain
Advice and recommendations by the NHS of how to spot and treat back pain.
Workers’ Health And Safety
This guide by the HSE provides information on what rights and responsibilities a worker has for their health and safety at work.
Thanks for reading about how we can help you to claim for a roll cage accident.