Slip, Trip And Fall Workplace Accident Claims Guide

By Danielle Graves. Last updated 21st June 2023. Welcome to our guide on making slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims. A slip, trip or fall at work could not only be a troublesome experience but could also lead to severe health implications. There are a number of different causations which could give rise to workplace accidents, many of which we will discuss in more detail throughout this guide.

If you suffered an injury from a workplace accident involving a slip, trip or fall due to employer negligence you could make a personal injury claim. Our panel of expert solicitors have represented many victims of employer negligence and they could help you claim compensation for an accident at work.

Call us today to discuss your unique circumstances with a friendly adviser on 0333 000 0729. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to all our potential claimants.

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A Guide To Fall, Trip Or Slip At Work Accident Claims

Slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims

Slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims

It may seem daunting to pursue a compensation claim for third-party negligence. But with up to thirty years’ experience in conducting personal injury claims, our panel of legal representatives will help guide you through the process and handle your case with care.

Unfortunately, these types of accidents are a regular occurrence across the UK, particularly in working environments. Our slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims guide will look at some common causes that could create a hazardous working environment. Statistically speaking, slip, trip and falls at work accounted for 29% of non-fatal workplace injuries in 2019. While one victim may simply suffer an ankle sprain, others may be left with more detrimental repercussions, such as fractures or even paralysis.

We understand you may have a range of questions concerning slip and fall claims, such as “What happens if I slip and fall at work?”, “Can I claim for a fall at work?” or “How much money do you get for a slip and fall accident?”. While we will use this guide to provide you with as much information regarding such questions, we understand that you may still have some questions about how the claims process works. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact our advisory team to discuss your concerns. Our lines are open 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.

What Is A Fall, Trip Or Slip At Work Accident?

A slip, trip or fall is a type of accident which may result from a contaminated surface. While the solutions to such events are often simple and cost-effective, employers may forget to implement vital measures to minimise slip and trip risks.

It is important for employers and site-operators to deal with slip and trip hazards appropriately. There are a number of preventative measures which can help minimise the risk of these accidents, including:

  • Routine inspections/housekeeping.
  • Placing the appropriate safety signs to warn the public of a slip hazard.
  • Secure loose carpeting, trailing cables and other such trip hazards.
  • Perform regular risk assessments.
  • Maintenance

What Duty Of Care Do Employers Have?

Your employer has a duty of care to uphold health and safety at work as much as reasonably possible. They should take all necessary steps where reasonably possible to prioritise the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone on site. If they fail to uphold their duty of care and you’re injured as a result, you could be entitled to make slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims.

To ensure all employers are abiding by these regulations, there is strict health and safety legislation in place as well as common employment law. The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is a primary article of legislation that refers to the general duties of an employer. Under this legislation, employers must uphold their duty of care towards a number of parties, including employees, members of the public, themselves and even certain self-employed staff.

Over the years, an extension from the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 has been developed which reinforces these ideas, known as The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.

Causes Of Fall, Trip Or Slip At Work Accidents And Injuries

As previously stated, by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) one of the major causes of workplace injuries are slip, trip and fall accidents. It is possible for these accidents to occur in almost any environment, for a number of different reasons. As there are so many different causes that can give rise to workplace accidents, it would be seemingly impossible to list every single one. However, below are some common examples;

Slips

If a surface has too much or too little friction, it could increase the probability of a slip at work accident occurring. You may be wondering “What will happen if you slip on a wet floor?”, caused by hazards like:

If a wet floor hazard in the workplace is not appropriately addressed, it could result in injuries attributed to the negligence of the employer. Whatever your situation, slip trip and fall workplace accident claims could be made if you were injured through no fault of your own and a third-party were to blame. To see whether you’re entitled to compensation, please call Legal Helpline today for a free consultation.

Trips

In terms of trip accidents, the likelihood of an accident occurring may increase if a surface is uneven. Part of employers’ duty of care is to detect such hazards via regular maintenance checks and address them accordingly to prevent accidents from happening. For example, some workplace hazards an employer will look out for include:

  • Poor lighting
  • Potholes
  • Uneven surfaces (steps, carpets and the like)
  • Obstructions
  • Lack of regular housekeeping

Falls

Any of the above hazards could cause an accident if left unattended. Falls from a height accounted for 8% of all non-fatal workplace injuries in 2019. You can find more information about the causes and preventions of slips, trips and falls by clicking here. In the meantime, please continue reading to learn more about making slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims.

Slips, Trips, And Falls At Work – What Evidence Do I Need To Claim?

If you decide to make a personal injury claim for the injuries you suffered in a fall at work, you will need to gather sufficient evidence to support your case.

Some examples of evidence that could help support a claim for an accident at work include:

  • The contact details of anyone who saw how your injuries occurred so they can give a statement later in the proceedings.
  • A copy of the accident log book with the details of the incident that caused your workplace injury.
  • Video footage of the accident, such as from CCTV.
  • Photographs from the accident scene.
  • A copy of your medical records with details about the nature of your injury and any treatment you required.

If you have any questions about collecting evidence of falls at work, please get in touch with our advisors. They may also be able to connect you with a solicitor on our panel who could assist you with gathering evidence.

I Was Injured Due To A Slip And Fall At Work – How Long Do I Have To Claim?

If you were injured due to a slip and fall at work, you usually have three years from the date of injury to bring forward a claim. This time limit is set out in the Limitation Act 1980.

However, there are certain exceptions to this limitation period. For example:

  • If a claimant does not have the mental ability to make their own claim, the time limit is permanently suspended. During this time, a court-appointed litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf. If they were to regain this mental capacity, they will have three years to start a claim from the date of recovery if one has not already been made.
  • If the claimant is under 18 years old, the time limit is paused until their 18th birthday. From this date, they will have three years to start a claim. Prior to this, a litigation friend could claim on their behalf.

Speak to our advisors for free advice on how long you have to claim after a slip, trip and fall in the workplace.

Slips, Falls And Trips In The Workplace – Example Compensation Payouts

It’s understandable that you may be curious about what the average pay-out for a slip and fall in the UK is. Payouts for slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims will depend on a range of factors in two categories: General Damages and Special Damages.

The table below demonstrates some example compensation brackets for General Damages, illustrating various injuries. These amounts are taken from Judicial College Guidelines, an independent organisation that trains British judges.

When legal professionals are calculating the value of claims for slips, falls and trips in the workplace, they may check these guideline brackets to help calculate the value of injuries. Though the figures aren’t a guarantee of what may be offered when claiming for slips, trips and falls at work, they are based on the outcomes of past court cases. So they could still provide some insight when wanting to learn more about pay-outs for slips at work or similar incidents.

InjurySeverityAmountInformation
Leg InjuryLoss Of Both Legs£240,790 to £282,010Where both legs are lost above the knee or at least one has been lost above the knee and the other leg has been lost below the knee.
Leg InjuryBelow-Knee Amputation Of Both Legs£201,490 to £270,100The level of amputation is an important factor in this bracket. Where both legs are amputated below the knee or any phantom pains are of such a high severity, a settlement amount of this level will be awarded.
Leg InjuryBelow-Knee Amputation of One Leg£97,980 to £132,990A below-knee amputation that is straight forward and has no complications will justify for this bracket. The top of this bracket will look towards incidents whereby a traumatic amputation is necessary following a devastating accident.
Back InjurySevere (i)£91,090 to £160,980The most serious cases will involve damage to areas such as the spinal cord as well as the nerve roots. As a result, these injuries will lead to several consequences that you may not necessarily find in many other back injury cases.
Back InjuryModerate (i)£27,760 to £38,780For example, a crush fracture to the lumbar vertebra or compression injury which gives substantial rise to osteoarthritis is one of many cases which may qualify for this compensation level.
Back InjuryMinor (i)£7,890 to £12,510A full recovery from a minor back injury is likely to occur to at least a nuisance level within a time frame that spans between two and five years, without surgical intervention.
Neck InjurySevere (i)In the region of £148,330A severe neck injury associated with issues such as spastic quadriparesis of a permanent nature or paraplegia that is incomplete. Although the victim wears a collar for 24 hours a day over several years, they will still have little or no movement in the neck.
Neck InjuryModerate (i)£24,990 to £38,490Fractures or dislocations which cause a person to experience immediate severe symptoms and thus require spinal fusion will qualify for this level of compensation. In addition to this, chronic cases of soft tissue injuries to the neck and back combined will also qualify for this bracket.
Neck InjuryMinor (i)£4,350 to £7,890A full recovery from a minor neck injury will typically take place within a period of one to two years. This bracket will also include injuries of short-term acceleration and/or exacerbation.

While an online personal injury claims calculator could provide you with a general estimation of your potential pay-out of compensation, you could receive an estimation by speaking with an adviser from our team.

Special Damages Claimable For At Work Accidents

Unlike General Damages, as demonstrated above, Special Damages can compensate for out-of-pocket expenses that could impact your financial situation following injury. These include quantifiable factors, such as medical expenses, travel costs, loss of earnings and future loss of earnings too. Please note that receipts or proof of payments must be maintained in order for you to recover any of these injury-related costs.

Why Make Your Claim With Us?

All of the advice you receive from our panel of expert personal injury solicitors is impartial and given with your best interests in mind. Our panel of specialists have up to thirty years’ experience in representing victims of third-party negligence in personal injury claims and they understand every case should be treated with respect and sympathy.

No Win No Fee Fall, Trip Or Slip At Work Accident Claims

No Win No Fee agreements, also known as Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs), are a type of way to work with a personal injury lawyer. In essence, a small percentage will be taken from your final settlement amount to cover their legal costs if they win your claim for you. Commonly known as a “Success Fee”, there is legislation in place which puts a legal cap onto this fee, meaning it won’t result in you losing much of your payout. However, you will be able to discuss the exact percentage prior to beginning your claim with your solicitor.

One of several benefits to using a No Win No Fee solicitor, however, is that if your case is unsuccessful, you won’t have to pay for their legal fees. This is one of many reasons why a No Win No Fee agreement significantly reduces the financial risks associated with pursuing an accident claim.

If you would like to learn more about this financial agreement in regards to slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims, please consider one of the contact options below to discuss your options with a friendly adviser.

Start A Claim With Legal Helpline

If you require further information regarding anything in this guide or you feel ready to discuss your potential claim, contact our team of specialists. A friendly adviser will assess the validity of your claim under a free, no-obligation consultation and advise you on what steps to take next.

  • Call Us: A friendly adviser is just a phone call away, call us on 0333 000 0729.
  • Call-back: If you are busy, fill out a form and someone from our team will call when it best suits you.
  • Online Enquiry: You could even begin your claim online. Click here to fill out an online enquiry form.

Slip, Trip and Fall Workplace Accident Claims FAQs

Here, we’ll take a look at some commonly asked questions to round-off our guide.

What is the average compensation for slip and fall?

There is no average amount of compensation for a personal injury claim. Instead, each claim is valued depending upon the amount of suffering experienced by the claimant. This can be determined in a medical assessment to evidence their claim. For an estimate of how much you could be entitled to, call us free today.

Can you sue your employer for slip and fall?

Your employer has a duty of care to uphold health and safety at work as much as reasonably possible. They should take all necessary steps where reasonably possible to prioritise the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone on site. If they fail to uphold their duty of care and you’re injured as a result, you could be entitled to make slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims. To see if you could claim, call us free today.

Further Resources

Compensation Claims Against Landlords
This is a guide for tenants who require legal advice following an incident with a landlord.

HSE – Causes And Prevention
How slip, trip and fall accidents may occur and what steps can be taken to prevent such occurrences.

Thanks for reading our guide on making slip, trip and fall workplace accident claims.

Guide by HS

Editor MA.