This guide will explore the process of making a personal injury claim to seek fall at work compensation. In order to make a valid workplace accident claim, you must be able to prove that your employer’s negligence caused you to sustain harm.
Throughout this guide, we will discuss what employer negligence is and how it could cause fall accidents at work.
Additionally, we will explore the steps you could take to build a strong case, as well as the evidence you could gather.
Furthermore, this guide will look at what your compensation settlement could comprise.
To find out more, you can get in touch with our advisors by:
- Calling via the number at the top of this page.
- Use our online contact form.
- Interact with an advisor via the live chat feature.
Fall at work compensation claims guide
Can I Claim Fall At Work Compensation?
You could make a work injury claim if you have suffered harm due to your employer’s negligence. Negligence is where someone breaches the duty of care they owe you.
According to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA), employers owe all their employees a duty of care. Essentially, your employer is responsible for doing everything they reasonably can to keep you and your workplace safe. Section 2 of HASAWA defines the steps employers can take to minimise workplace injuries. If they fail to adhere to health and safety legislation that outlines their duty of care, it could result in you sustaining harm in an accident due to their negligence.
It is important to note that not all workplace accidents can lead to a claim. To be successful, you must prove that the accident was caused by your employer breaching their duty of care. This then resulted in you becoming injured, either physically or psychologically.
For more information on whether you’re eligible to claim fall at work compensation, call our team.
Fall At Work Statistics
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collates reports made by employers under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).
As per these reports, there were 51,211 non-fatal injuries. Of these, 16,698 were caused by slips, trips or falls on the same level. Additionally, there were 4,143 falls from a height.
Contact our team for more advice if you want to make a fall at work compensation claim.
Calculating Compensation For A Fall At Work
In personal injury law, settlements are divided into general and special damages. General damages consider the mental suffering, physical harm and the impact on the quality of your life due to the injury.
Solicitors often use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to value general damages. This is because the JCG outlines compensation brackets for different injuries. Using the 16th edition of the JCG, we have inserted a table of compensation figures. Please use this table as a guideline only.
| Injury | Severity/Notes | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Knee Injuries | (a) Severe (i) - The person suffers from disruption of the knee joint. They will need lengthy treatment and will suffer from considerable pain and function loss as well as other issues. | £69,730 -£96,210 |
| Knee Injuries | (b) Moderate (i) - The person suffers from dislocation or torn cartilage in the knee. It can result in weakness and minor instability. This bracket also includes the acceleration of pre-existing knee injuries. | £14,840 - £26,190 |
| Back Injuries | (a) Severe (iii) - The person suffers from disc lesions or fractures. These can lead to chronic conditions, where despite surgery or other treatment, there remain disabilities such as ongoing severe pain, discomfort and impaired agility. | £38,780 - £69,730 |
| Back Injuries | (c) Minor (i) - A full recovery (without surgery) takes place within two to five years. This also applies to the short-term acceleration of a pre-existing back condition. | £7,890 - £12,510 |
| Injuries to the Elbow | (a) An elbow injury that's severely disabling. | £39,170 to £54,830 |
| Injuries to the Elbow | (b) Less Severe - The person suffers from elbow function impairment, but major surgery will not be needed. | £15,650 - £32,010 |
| Wrist Injuries | (c) Less severe injuries that cause the person to suffer from persisting pain and stiffness in the wrist. | £12,590 - £24,500 |
| Wrist Injuries | (f) The person suffers from displaced fractures and soft tissue damage in the wrists. A full recovery is expected within 12 months. | £3,530 - £4,740 |
| Shoulder Injuries | (b) Serious - The person suffers from dislocation of the shoulder and lower brachial plexus damage, causing pain in the neck, shoulder and elbow. The person will also suffer from grip weakness and restricted shoulder movement. | £12,770 - £19,200 |
| Shoulder Injuries | (c) Moderate - The person suffers from a frozen shoulder which results in a limitation of movement and discomfort. Symptoms persist for about two years. | £7,890 - £12,770 |
Additionally, you may be awarded special damages depending on your case. Special damages consider the financial losses you suffered because of the injury.
For example, you may have needed to take the bus to hospital appointments due to being unable to drive.
You could claim back the cost of travel in these instances. However, make sure to keep a financial record of these losses to be able to claim back for them.
For more information on calculating compensation for a workplace accident claim, call our team.
Causes Of Fall Accidents
There are various ways a fall accident could occur in work. Examples of what could cause a fall at work include:
- Your employer hasn’t properly secured the railing on an upper level. This results in you falling through the railing and severely injuring your back in a construction accident.
- Your employer hasn’t replaced a faulty ladder that they were aware of. The ladder breaks whilst you are using it, resulting in you falling and injuring your legs in a factory accident.
- Your employer fails to ensure the workspace is free from clutter or that trip hazards are properly signposted. As a result, you break your wrist in an office accident.
As mentioned, not all accidents at work will result in claims. You must be able to prove that your employer breached the duty of care they owed you and caused you harm.
If you tripped and fell at work, call our team to find out whether you’re eligible to seek fall at work compensation.
What Evidence Could I Gather To Seek Fall At Work Compensation?
There are certain steps you can take to help build a strong claim. For instance:
- Receive medical attention – Always get treated for your injuries. Ensure you get a copy of any diagnostics and treatments you receive due to your injury. This can be used as evidence in your work injury claim.
- Gather evidence – CCTV footage, photographs, and witness contact details will all help you in your claim for fall at work compensation.
- Fill out an accident report book – If your workplace has one, you should ensure it is filled out with information about your accident and injury.
- Get legal advice – Talk to an advisor about how our panel of personal injury solicitors might be able to help you in claiming compensation.
Again, for your claim to succeed, you must prove that your employer breached their duty of care to you. Also, you need to prove it caused you to become harmed in an avoidable accident. If you can prove this, you could have grounds to start a claim.
What Are No Win No Fee Lawyers?
If you are looking to seek fall at work compensation and want to do so with legal representation, then a No Win No Fee arrangement offered by our panel of solicitors could help. They can represent claims under a Conditional Fee Agreement. The benefits are:
- You do not need to pay your solicitor upfront when starting a claim.
- During the process of your claim, there are no fees to pay.
- You are not obligated to pay for your solicitor’s services if your case doesn’t succeed.
- You will pay a small success fee from your compensation if your case succeeds. However, this is subject to a legal cap.
Speak with our advisors for more information on how a No Win No Fee arrangement can help you. They can also discuss whether a solicitor from our panel could help you claim.
Discuss Fall At Work Compensation
For more information on fall at work compensation, contact our advisors. They are available to help you with any questions you might have.
- Calling via the number at the top of this page.
- Use our online contact form.
- Interact with an advisor via the live chat feature.
Our team is here to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Further Information About Claiming Fall At Work Compensation
Please find below some additional information that may help you.
- Accidents At Work Claims
- Slips trips and falls in the workplace
- Forklift accident claim
- Factory accident claim
- Construction accident compensation claims
- Office accident claims
- Calculating compensation for a workplace accident
- Tripped and fell at work can I claim
- Average payouts for a trip and fall at work
- GOV: Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- NHS: First Aid
- GOV: Request CCTV footage of yourself.
Thank you for reading our fall at work compensation guide. Call us if you need any other information regarding your potential claim.
Writer Megan Rogers
Editor Meg Martin
