We've been featured in:

How much compensation can I claim for a doormat slip trip?

By Lewis Cobain. Last updated 1st March 2023. Welcome to our guide on claiming compensation for tripping on a doormat. A slip or trip accident could cause various injuries that you could seek compensation for if someone else acted negligently. This guide will explore the process of claiming in more detail.

It seems simple to put in a doorway to keep the floor from becoming marked. The simple doormat – found in commercial premises, public buildings and all across the country. But this small item can cause big problems if it is not secured properly to the floor, leaving many people up and down the country suffering pain due to the incorrect placement or securing of the mat that has led to a slip or trip.

Doormat slip trip claims can be put forward to many different businesses if they have not followed the correct procedure when installing them. This guide offers all the information you’ll need to make a doormat slip trip claim, as well as including common payout amounts for claims just like yours.

Better still, we offer advice on how to go about claiming compensation for tripping on a doormat. And if you have a fall at work, we can advise on filing an accident at work claims.

Please get in touch for free legal advice. You can contact us by:

  • Calling on 0800 073 8804
  • Speaking with an advisor via the live chat function below
  • Filling out the contact form with your query

Choose a Section

Introduction to our doormat slip trip claims guide

When you enter most commercial buildings, the first thing you’ll step on is usually the doormat, placed in situ so that the floor of the building does not become unduly marked. However, these doormats could pose a slip or trip hazard, especially if they are not put in correctly, and health and safety aren’t considered when the business purchases them.

If you have suffered injuries because of the incorrect type/fitting of the mat, then you may be entitled to claim for your injuries. However, you must be able to demonstrate negligence in order to put forward a valid trip and fall claim.

In this handy guide, we cover the important information you’ll need if you’ve been injured in this manner, along with providing example payment amounts for specific types of personal injury for doormat slip trip claims.

What constitutes a doormat slip trip claim?

The most simple way of explaining this is by illustrating something that could happen, sort of a slips trips and falls case study. Let us say, for example, a person walks into work on a rainy day.

Doormat Slip, Trip And Fall Accident Claims

Doormat Slip, Trip And Fall Accident Claims Guide

The doormat by the front door of the office building is not non-slip, and water has collected under it. If that person slips on that doormat and then injures themselves, then the fault would be the entity that placed the doormat and/or did not secure it properly to ensure that it did not slip in the first place.

Whether it is your employer’s building, a commercial building, or a public building, proper care should be taken to avoid slip, trip hazards and doormats that are not fit for purpose or not fitted properly can leave businesses and public entities liable for slip, and trip cases should people become injured because of this.

Please get in touch if you have any questions regarding claims for compensation for tripping on a doormat.

What injuries can be caused by a doormat slip or trip?

Slip or trip injuries can be fatal in extreme cases, as you can read in health and safety case studies for accidents. It depends, however, on how far a person falls and where they hit.

A severe blow to the head, when it hits the ground, for example, could cause severe damage to the head and brain. Alternatively, a simple fall on the same level could result in minor fractures or sprains.

Hip damage could also be sustained in falls, as are foot injuries, and some can take a long time to recover from. This may mean time off work, which may cause you to lose income, incur medical bills and other costs. However, you could claim these back as part of your compensation for injuries sustained after you tripped over a doormat.

 I Slipped on a doormat in a supermarket – can I claim?

Supermarkets have a responsibility to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls as much as possible. According to the HSE, preventing slips with the removal of water from a person’s shoes can be done with a mat. But the mat should be of sufficient quality and length to ensure that they don’t provide a slip hazard. If not, then you may make a supermarket doormat slip trip claim.

I Slipped on a hotel doormat causing injury – do I have a claim?

People use hotels across the country on business or for pleasure, and if you’re going away from home, the last thing you need is to be injured – it could completely ruin your trip. If a hotel has failed to ensure a mat is fitted properly or that it is fit for purpose, then it could be that you have a right to claim compensation for your injuries caused by the trip or slip. You should report the hotel doormat slip trip incident to the hotel, so they make a record of it, and you should also ensure that witnesses details are collected. That’s because a witness statement might help your case of claiming compensation for tripping on a doormat.

 What Should I do If I Tripped on a restaurant doormat?

Eating out in restaurants or bars is something that people do every day. Almost always, this will happen without incident, and you’ll return home full and happy, but sometimes a trip to a restaurant, either locally or out of town, won’t go so well. Whether you have slipped or tripped on a doormat in a restaurant and hurt your knee, ankle, shoulder, hand, foot or any other part of the body, if this was due to the mat not being sited properly or being not fit for purpose, then it will be likely to lead to a compensation claim. This will cover the costs you incur as a consequence of the restaurant doormat slip or trip, as well as a payment that is supposed to compensate you for the pain and the suffering you have gone through.

Who Is Responsible For A Slip, Or Trip On A Doormat Accident in hospital?

Even in a hospital, slips and trips can happen. If you have experienced a hospital doormat slip trip injury while either visiting someone in hospital, going to the hospital as a patient or even while you are working in a hospital, then you might need to establish who is liable for this. You would think that in a place meant to provide good health, proper health and safety would be observed, right down to doormat placement and suitability, but sometimes mistakes are made. In these cases, if a hospital shows negligence in their repair or placement of doormats, and you suffer an injury, you could claim.

Can I Claim For Doormat slip trip accidents at work?

If you tripped over a loose doormat at work, you may be eligible to claim provided someone else’s negligence caused you to sustain harm in an accident.

Employers also have duties to make sure you have a safe environment to work in. If they fail to secure a mat to the floor, they are liable. Accident at work scenarios should have risk assessments as much as possible for workers on business premises. However, RIDDOR slips, trips and falls are reported very frequently across the country. And some are because of office doormat slip and trip incidents caused by mats.

However, you will likely have some reticence about taking legal action against someone who pays your wages no matter what accident scenarios in the workplace you have experienced. You may worry that your employer would go out of business if they had to pay a lot of money out or that they would fire you because you claimed against them. Neither of these things is likely. First of all, your employer should have in place insurance – this should be where your compensation payment comes from. Secondly, your employer isn’t legally allowed to treat you any differently than they did before you made your claim. Many accidents at work case study writers explain that their employment doesn’t change after claiming compensation for tripping on a doormat.

What type of compensation award could I get when pursuing a doormat slip trip claim?

When you’re looking at the types of compensation, you could be entitled to within your award, whether a petrol station doormat slip trip or shop doormat slip trip, they divide into different subsections. We have the most common types below, but if you incur other costs, be sure to let us know. And we can then ascertain whether these could form part of your claim.

Carer’s costs – If, as a consequence of your accident, you require someone to come into your home to help with things you would otherwise have been able to do yourself, then the person tasked with this care would likely be able to put forward a carer’s claim.

Travel Costs – Travel due to your doormat slip or trip injury may incur costs that you could recoup.

Medical Costs – Prescriptions, hiring mobility equipment, physiotherapy – all things that would be part of a medical costs award.

Damages – General – This part of your personal injury compensation award should be for the actual injury you’ve incurred, including suffering and pain experienced.

Wage/Expected Wage loss – You should receive compensation for money through time off work both afterwards and in the future.

What Amount of Doormat Slip and Fall Compensation Could I Receive?

Each case is different, which is why they are all assessed according to their unique circumstances. For example, you may have sustained a minor injury to your knee due to the doormat at your office being a tripping hazard. You may get less compensation for this than someone who suffered a severe head injury as a result of a doormat slip accident.

General damages compensates you for the pain and suffering caused by the injury. Your potential general damages compensation amount can be affected by factors such as:

  • Whether any permanent side effects were caused
  • The severity of the injury
  • How badly the injury has negatively impacted your life

Legal professionals often use the Judicial College Guidelines to give you a clearer idea of what you could receive. Below are some figures from their latest publication that was made available in April 2022. Please remember that these only relate to general damages compensation and are only based on successful claims from England and Wales.

Furthermore, these figures are not guaranteed. As such, if your claim is successful, you may receive a different figure than the ones listed below.

Edit
Injury Severity Description Compensation Bracket
Brain Moderate (iii) Memory and concentration are negatively impacted with the ability to work being reduced. £43,060 to £90,720
Brain Less Severe A good recovery will lead to the injured person being able to return to work and lead a normal social life. £15,320 to £43,060
Brain Minor Brain damage will be minimal, in these cases. £2,210 to £12,770
Arm Less Severe While a significant disability may still be present, there will be a substantial degree of recovery. £19,200 to £39,170
Arm (d) Simple forearm fractures. £6,610 to £19,200
Wrist (b) Useful movement remains despite the significant permanent disability that has been caused. £24,500 to £39,170
Wrist (c) Some permanent disability has been caused by the injury, but the disability is less severe in nature. £12,590 to £24,500
Hand Moderate Penetrating wounds, soft tissue injuries and crush injuries. £5,720 to £13,280
Elbow Moderate or Minor Simple fractures, lacerations and tennis elbow syndrome. Up to £12,590
Finger (J) This compensation bracket is for an index finger fracture. £9,110 to £12,240

I Hurt Myself Tripping On A Doormat, Meaning I Missed Time At Work – Can I Claim Loss Of Earnings?

Sometimes you may experience financial loss or harm after tripping over a doormat, meaning you could be awarded special damages.

Examples of financial harm you may incur as a result of tripping over an office doormat include:

  • Paying for specialist equipment you require following your injuries. For example, you might break your ankle after falling over a trip hazard, meaning you need to use a wheelchair.
  • If you have to pay prescription fees for any medication needed to alleviate any symptoms of your injury.
  • Any adaptations you have to make to your home. For example, if your injury leaves you with a broken foot, you might need a stairlift to get up your stairs.

When claiming special damages, you’ll need to prove these losses too. Consider collecting the following:

  • Receipts
  • Invoices
  • Bank statements

Our personal injury solicitors assess both general and special damages you could be awarded to work out your potential compensation figure. Get in touch at any time to be connected to our experienced legal team.

No Win No Fee doormat slip trip claims

It is entirely possible to conduct No Win No Fee doormat slip trip claims when you contact Legal Expert.

A No Win No Fee agreement means:

  • No upfront fees
  • No fees to pay while your claim is ongoing

It also means you won’t pay a success fee to your solicitor if the claim fails. However, if the claim succeeds, you will pay the legally capped success fee from your compensation. Your solicitor will provide further details on this beforehand though.

Why Should You Choose Our No Win No Fee Doormat Slip Trip Claims Service?

As a claims service that really cares, we are a company that loves to listen. We don’t feel that the claims process should cause you more stress. Furthermore, we have a lot of expert knowledge and experience in helping people similar to yours. And we take the time to respond to any queries you may have. We can provide a solicitor with experience in pursuing claims just like yours anywhere in the UK. And we offer more details on the solicitor’s service than you might find online by searching by yourself.

Talk to us about making your claim

Speaking to the team here at Legal Expert on 0800 073 8804 is just one of how you can get in touch with us. We are also available to email you if you contact us at info@legalexpert.co.uk. Should you wish us to contact you, there is a form available for you to complete.

You don’t have to be ready to claim to contact us. If you are worried about claiming against an employer, or you’d like us to furnish you with more information on how to claim without paying a penny in advance, or if your compensation for tripping on a doormat case was not to be successful, want to hear about a case study or RIDDOR. We can help answer your queries quickly and efficiently.

Helpful Links

More information on Slips and Trips and Falls

Claiming for slips or trips can be complex. Here, our guide lays out all the information you’re likely to need.

Slips Advice and Information from HSE

Advice and information on slips etc. can be found on the HSE’s page.

Advice on preventing slips – HSE

Here you will find more advice on reducing the risk of slips from the HSE.

The Law and Slips – HSE

The law surrounding slips at work can be found here.

Please see these additional guides on other claims we handle: 

Thank you for reading our guide about claiming compensation for tripping on a doormat.