By Jade Carrington. Last Updated 22nd May 2024. If you’re wondering ‘can I claim compensation for slipping on ice at work?’, this guide can help.
If you’ve been injured at work in the winter months when frost or ice has settled you may think that it’s simply been caused by the changing of the seasons and is ‘just one of those things’ but it certainly shouldn’t be. You may not be aware that all employers are supposed to put systems in place to make sure work is a safe place to be and that includes managing the risk of slipping on ice at work.
If an employer fails to protect its employees when icy conditions are prevalent, then it could be held liable for any injuries suffered. If you’ve been injured by a slip or fall in icy conditions at work and would like to make a no win no fee personal injury claim, then please call our expert team today on 0800 073 8804.
If you’d like to no more first, then please carry on reading this useful guide.
Select A Section
- Can I Claim Compensation For Slipping On Ice At Work?
- What Evidence Is Needed For A Slip On Ice At Work Claim?
- Slipping On Ice At Work – Time Limit For Injury Claims
- Compensation Payouts After Slipping On Ice At Work
- Slipped On Ice At Work – Make A No Win Fee Claim
- Helpful resources
Can I Claim Compensation For Slipping On Ice At Work?
Someone slipping on ice will not always be able to make a claim for an injury. In situations such as slipping on ice at work, you would have to be able to prove that your employer was negligent in dealing with the hazard in order to make a successful claim.
As per the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 your employer has a duty of care to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure you are safe in the workplace. If your employer is aware that it is snowing, or there is an ice buildup at your place of work, they will have a responsibility to start taking practical steps to deal with the hazard before it causes an injury to you or your colleagues.
Actions they could take in this instance include:
- Assigning someone to clear out the ice buildup
- Providing alternative routes to avoid any buildup of ice
- Signs to warn of the slipping hazard
- Not requiring you to come in, if the conditions are deemed too unsafe
If your employer fails to take such actions, then they could be found liable for the injury you had sustained after you slipped on ice at work.
To be eligible to make a personal injury claim after slipping on ice at work, you must be able to prove:
- You were owed a duty of care by your employer.
- This duty was breached by them.
- This caused you to suffer you injuries.
To discuss employer liability for injury caused by slipping on ice at work, please reach out to one of our advisers.
What Evidence Is Needed For A Slip On Ice At Work Claim?
When asked the question ‘’can I claim compensation for slipping on ice at work?’, we always tell clients that if there is evidence to prove that somebody else was to blame, then the answer is yes.
We know that at the time of an accident your first thought isn’t necessarily going to be about making a claim but if you have the wherewithal to there are a number of steps that can help to make a claim more successful:
- Photograph the scene of the accident and also photograph your injuries as evidence of the accident and the damage it caused.
- Try to gather any statements from witnesses who saw your accident happen and ensure you have their contact details.
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible and if necessary, call the emergency services if you’re unable to make your own way to A&E. Any medical records from the assessment can be used in the evidence to support your claim.
- Report the accident to your employer
- Ensure you keep any receipts or bills for any expenses incurred because of the accident.
All of this, together with your own statement, can be used to support your claim. It may be worth writing down what actually happened as soon as you can in case you forget some of the details later on.
Slipping On Ice At Work – Time Limit For Injury Claims
If you have strong grounds to claim for injuries caused by a slip and fall on ice at work, then you should be aware that there is a time limit for starting this process. Due to the Limitation Act 1980, there’s usually a three-year time limit for starting a personal injury claim for an injury at work. This time limit normally starts from the date of your accident.
Under certain circumstances, the time limit can work differently. For instance, if the injured party lacks the mental capacity to start their own claim, then the time limit is suspended indefinitely. A court-appointed litigation friend could file for personal injury compensation on behalf of the injured party. If, however, this does not happen, and the injured party later recovers their mental capacity, then the time limit will begin on the day of recovery.
If the injured party is under the age of 18, then the time limit will not start for them until their 18th birthday. A litigation friend could handle to claims process on their behalf prior to the injured party’s 18th birthday. If this does not happen, then the injured party will have three years to start their own claim once they turn 18.
If you still have any questions about your eligibility to claim for injuries after you slipped and fell on ice at work, please contact our team of advisors today for free. They can also provide further guidance on how long you have to initiate legal proceedings.
Compensation Payouts After Slipping On Ice At Work
If you make a successful slip on ice at work claim, you will be awarded a compensation settlement. As part of that settlement, there are two potential heads of loss that can be included – general damages and special damages.
General damages looks to compensate for the physical and psychological injuries you have suffered from a slip and fall on ice at work accident. The following will be taken into consideration when general damages are being calculated:
- The type and severity of your physical or psychological injury. For example, if you have broken your ankle from falling on the ice, how complicated the fracture is will be considered.
- Prognosis and recovery.
- What treatment is required.
Very often, as part of the claims process, you will be invited to attend an individual medical assessment where a report can be written about your injuries. This can then be used in combination with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to aid in the calculation of your general damages.
The JCG provides guideline compensation brackets for different types of injuries at different severities.
Guideline Compensation Table
Below, we have provided a table that consists of some injuries which could be sustained from a slip and fall on ice at work accident. The table also consists of the JCG’s guideline compensation brackets for each injury (the top entry is ours and not the JCG’s).
Please note that this table is for guidance only as all slip on ice at work claims are unique.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries and special damages. | Severe | Up to £500,000+ | Multiple injuries that are severe plus financial losses such as a loss in earnings. |
| Back injury | Severe (a)(i) | £111,150 to £196,450 | There will be severe pain and disability with incomplete paralysis. |
| Head injury | Moderate (c)(ii) | £110,720 to £183,190 | Moderate to modest intellectual deficit, and, if not removed, the ability to work is greatly reduced. |
| Neck injuries | Severe (a)(ii) | £80,240 to £159,770 | Serious fractures or disc damage in the cervical spine. |
| Hip injuries | Severe (a)(ii) | £75,550 to £95,680 | Traumatic myositis ossificans and the formation of ectopic bone around the hip is included in this bracket. |
| Hand injuries | Serious (e) | £35,390 to £75,550 | Reduced the hand to about 50 per cent capacity. |
| Wrist injuries | Complete loss of function (a) | £58,110 to £73,050 | Where an arthrodesis has been performed. |
| Leg injuries | Less serious (c)(i) | £21,920 to £33,880 | Fractures that do not make a complete recovery. |
| Ankle injuries | Moderate (c) | £16,770 to £32,450 | Fractures and ligament tears that give rise to less serious injuries such as difficulty with walking for a long period of time. |
More Payouts For Slipping On Ice Claims
Special damages looks to compensate for the financial losses you have incurred from a slip and fall on ice at work accident. Examples of financial losses you may be able to claim compensation for during a slip on ice at work claim include:
- Loss of earnings. For example, if you’re unable to work while your ankle fracture heals.
- Care costs. For example, you may need to hire a carer if your injuries caused by the slip and fall accident have left you unable to carry out domestic tasks.
- Damaged personal property. For example, your phone may have broken as a result of the fall.
General damages are awarded in all successful accident at work claims, whereas special damages are not. For this reason, keeping evidence such as payslips, invoices, and receipts is essential.
If you have had a slip and fall on ice at work, please contact our advisors to learn more about how your potential compensation could be calculated.
Slipped On Ice At Work – Make A No Win Fee Claim
If you have slipped on ice at work and are eligible to make a personal injury claim, one of our expert solicitors could help you. Additionally, our solicitors work with their clients on a No Win No Fee basis by offering their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement.
With this particular arrangement in place, some of the benefits you could experience include:
- Nothing to pay prior to your claim starting or while it it progressing for your solicitor’s services.
- Not having to pay for their work if the claim fails.
- Only paying a small percentage of your compensation as a success fee if you claim succeeds. The law limits how much this percentage can be.
If you would like to know whether you could work with one of our solicitors, you can contact a member of our advisory team by:
- Calling 0800 073 8804
- Contacting us online.
- Using our live chat.
Helpful resources
Additional personal injury claims guides by us:
- Ice slip compensation – A guide on claiming for slipping on ice in public places (i.e. not at work)
- No Win No Fee Service – Further information on how our no win no fee service works
- Accident At Work claims – A guide about claiming for accidents at work (not just slipping on ice)
Further external resources:
- Broken Leg guide – an NHS guide to broken legs which is a common injury sustained when slipping on ice at work
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – guidance from Gov.UK on when you could claim SSP if you needed time off work.
- Icy conditions – guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on keeping employees safe during icy conditions.
We hope this guide has helped answer the question of ‘can I claim compensation for slipping on ice at work?’. If you require any more resources, then please feel free to call Legal Expert today and we’ll try to answer any remaining questions you have.
