By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 18th September 2024. In this guide, we discuss claiming compensation for a slip, trip or fall. One of the most common types of accidents that we successfully make a compensation claim for on behalf of our clients is what is termed a “slip trip” accident. The name is pretty self-explanatory; a slip trip accident occurs when the person claiming compensation has suffered an injury by slipping or tripping whilst at work or due to some form of obstacle in a public place.
This kind of accident can have very grave health side effects, including serious long-term chronic back injury, sometimes manifesting far into the future after the initial accident took place. Therefore, if you are involved in a slip trip accident, no matter how trivial you think it was, you really should consider making a compensation claim. If you do not, and it turns out the accident results in health problems further down the line, it will be much harder to press a compensation claim at a late stage.
Contact Our Team
Our advisors can answer questions on slip, trip and fall claims. We can also potentially provide support with our No Win No Fee solicitors if we determine you have a strong case. You can contact us about how much compensation for a fall, slip, or trip you may be entitled to through the following methods:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Use our online contact form
- Message us on our 24/7 live chat service
Select a Section
- How Much Compensation For A Slip Or Trip Fall Could I Claim?
- Can I Claim Compensation For A Slip Or Trip?
- How Could A Slip, Trip, Or Fall Occur?
- What Evidence Can Help In Slip And Fall Claims?
- Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Claim Compensation For A Slip or Trip?
How Much Compensation For A Slip Or Trip Fall Could I Claim?
Compensation for a slip or trip claim can be awarded under two heads of loss following the success of your claim:
- General damages: for physical and psychological harm.
- Special damages: for resulting financial losses.
Calculating a possible trip and fall compensation figure is one of the many tasks our expert solicitors could assist you with. Those given this task can refer to your provided medical evidence, in conjunction with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).
The JCG publishes guideline compensation brackets for a broad range of different injuries. We have provided some relevant brackets here:
Potential Compensation Figures
Please note that the first bullet point was not taken from the JCG. These slip and trip compensation amounts are intended as guidance only.
- Multiple very serious injuries alongside substantial special damages could receive compensation of up to £500,000 or above.
- Severe knee injuries where there has been a significant disruption to the joint, requiring lengthy treatment could receive an award of between £85,100 and £117,410.
- A severe leg injury where multiple fractures take years to heal and permanently impede mobility can be valued from £66,920 to £109,290.
- Severe foot injuries, such as the fracture of both heels or a severe injury to a single foot that is a substantial restriction on mobility could receive compensation from £51,220 to £85,460.
- A wrist injury that results in a complete loss of wrist function could receive compensation valued between £58,110 to £73,050.
- Severe neck injuries, including severe soft tissue damage, fractures or dislocation that give rise to chronic conditions, could be valued from £55,500 to £68,330.
- A Less Severe elbow injury that impairs function but does not require major surgery could be valued from £19,100 to £39,070.
- Serious shoulder injuries where the lower brachial plexus has been damaged can be valued between £15,580 to £23,430.
Could I Claim For Special Damages?
As part of your trip or fall compensation, you could receive special damages. This head of loss aims to reimburse you for the costs incurred from your injuries.
Furthermore, special damages can be awarded for future losses, not just immediate costs. It is for these reasons that special damages payments are often considerably higher than those awarded for the injuries themselves.
Examples include:
- Loss of earnings.
- Travel costs.
- Medical expenses.
- Home modifications.
Make sure you retain copies of your payslips as well as other documents such as travel tickets, your prescription letters and any invoices for home installations as proof of these losses.
For a more personalised idea of what your potential trip and fall claim could be worth, get in touch with our advisors today using the contact information provided below.
Can I Claim Compensation For A Slip Or Trip?
There are a few different situations where you could suffer an injury in a tripping accident. These include:
- An accident at work: Your employer has a legal obligation to ensure that they’ve taken all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees while they are working. This is their duty of care as set by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). It is considered both reasonable and practicable for your employer to maintain good housekeeping, including keeping walkways free of clutter and ensuring staircases are suitable for use. Should they fail to uphold this duty, you could slip or trip and suffer an injury such as a broken ankle.
- While in a public place: If you go to a public place, the organisation or individual in control of that space (the occupier) must ensure that you are reasonably safe while using that premises for the permitted purposes. This is the duty of care that is owed to you while in a public place. This duty of care is set by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. If there is a breach of this duty, you could become injured in a trip or fall accident.
When Could I Claim?
In order to make a personal injury claim for slip, trip or fall compensation, you must satisfy the eligibility criteria. This means that you must be able to prove that:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- There was a breach of this duty.
- As a result of this breach, you suffered an injury.
If you have any questions about slip and fall compensation amounts, such as ‘Do I meet the eligibility criteria to make a personal injury claim?’, please get in touch with a team member.
Are There Time Limits That Apply To Slip And Fall Claims?
As with most personal injury cases, slip, trip and fall claims need to be made within 3 years of the accident date as per the Limitation Act 1980. Exceptions can, however, apply in certain cases. These circumstances include:
- Injured persons who are children: those who are minors at the time of the accident will have the 3 years counted from the day they turn 18.
- Injured persons without sufficient mental capacity: If the injured person’s mental capacity is not sufficient to claim on their own, either bc of the accident or a prior condition, the time limit is halted indefinitely. It can be restarted if there is sufficient recovery.
In these situations, the court can appoint a litigation friend to pursue claim on behalf of the injured person. Our dedicated advisory team can explain the time limits in more detail, as well as provide a free assessment of your eligibility to seek compensation for a slip trip and fall.
Get in touch today using the contact details given below.
How Could A Slip, Trip, Or Fall Occur?
A slip, trip, or fall could occur in a variety of different circumstances. We have highlighted a few possible scenarios where slip and trip claims could be made here:
- The local council were informed of a broken paving slab on a pavement they were responsible for but failed to organise a repair in a timely manner. You tripped over the raised slab and suffered a sprained ankle.
- Inadequate lighting in your office stairwell resulted in you falling down the steps, injuring your head and your neck.
- A wet floor in a supermarket was not clearly signposted, nor had staff cleaned up the hazard. You slipped on the water while reaching for a shelf, injuring your arm in the fall.
To find out if you are eligible to claim in your particular circumstances, to ask more about slip and fall compensation amounts, or for further guidance, talk to our advisors today using the contact information provided above.
What Evidence Can Help In Slip And Fall Claims?
When making a personal injury claim for a slip, trip or fall accident, you will need to present sufficient evidence that supports your case. This evidence will need to prove how someone else was liable for your injuries due to them breaching their duty of care and also the severity of the injuries you have suffered.
Evidence that could prove useful for slip and fall claims include:
- Copies of your medical records detailing the injuries you have suffered and what treatment you required for them.
- The contact details of anyone that witnessed your accident as the could provide a statement regarding the incident at a later date.
- Video footage of your accident taking place, such as CCTV footage.
- Photographs of the accident scene and the visible injuries you may have suffered.
A personal injury solicitor could help you with gathering this evidence if you decide to work with one.
To see whether you may be able to work with one of our solicitors, or to ask any questions regarding the average payout for a slip and fall in the UK, you can contact our advisors.
Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Make A Slip Or Trip Claim?
Now that you’ve learned more about potential slip and fall compensation amounts, you may be ready to start your claim. However, finding the right solicitor for your claim can seem daunting. Our team of solicitors offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis; this means that they can help you claim for a fall through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under a CFA, you don’t need to pay any fees to your solicitor in order for them to start working on your claim. Likewise, you don’t need to pay any fees for them to continue their work, nor do you pay a fee for their services if your personal injury compensation claim fails.
If it succeeds, then you will pay a success fee to your solicitor. This fee is taken directly from your compensation, though the amount your solicitor can take is limited by law. This legal cap allows you to keep the majority share of what you receive.
Contact Our Team
Our team of advisors are on hand if you’d like to learn more about making a claim for a slip, trip, or fall. They can answer any questions you might have in a free consultation, and may be able to connect you with one of our No Win No Fee solicitors. To get started:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Use the live chat feature
- Contact us online
Thank you for reading our guide about compensation for a slip, trip or fall.
