You might have seen in the news recently that more than 10,000 compensation claims were made by pedestrians between May 2016 and May 2017 for slips and trips that they suffered whilst walking along pavements. You might have been one of these people, or you might be worried about the state of your local pavements after the heatwave and might be wondering what to do in case of an accident.  

Lucky for you the legal team at Hodge Jones & Allen London based personal injury claims solicitors have provided some hints and tips of how you can make a claim if you have been injured while out and about through no fault of your own. 

Slip, Trip and Fall Claims – what counts as a slip or trip? 

Slips, trips and falls usually happen when your local council or a business fails to keep you safe. This can either be through: 

• Wet floors due to a spill 
• Uneven floors or pavements 
• Cracked floors, such as cracked pavements 
• Inadequate lighting 
• Some kind of obstruction, such as a cable or similar across your path 

If you’ve had an accident outside, such as falling over a crack in the pavement, then this is the responsibility of the council for not maintaining it properly. If you have a trip inside a building, such as over a cable or thanks to inadequate lighting, then this will be the responsibility of the business that owns it. 

Two years ago Megan tripped in a shop due to an unsafe shelving unit and seriously injured her stomach, chest and leg. Due to us being inside of the building it was the responsibility of the chain store, and our claim was against them, and rightly so.

Slip, Trip and Fall Claims – why should I make a claim? 

It may seem obvious, but having a slip or a fall can leave you in a lot of trouble. This can often be from a broken bone, a fracture, or from nerve damage or something similar. Depending on the severity of the trip and fall, you could even potentially be left paralysed or with chronic pain from a personal injury. 

All of this can quickly add up, as you may have to go to hospital, might be out of work for some time whilst you recover, and even be out of pocket paying for treatment privately if that’s the route you choose. Making a claim for a slip and trip personal injury can often get you the compensation that you’ll need to get back on with your life after the accident. 

I felt incredibly angry that my child had been injured due to the fault of someone else and, although compensation doesn’t take back that injury, it did go in some way to correcting the situation knowing that my child’s injury had been recognised and she had that money in the bank for the future.

Slip, Trip and Fall Claims – how do I make a claim? 

You can make a claim for compensation for a slip or trip when you get in touch with a lawyer or legal firm. Having a consultation with a law firm, like Hodge Jones & Allen, can get you a clearer idea of how much compensation you might be able to claim for having an accident. From there, a lawyer can advise you on your next steps and what you might have to do when you’re making a claim, such as if you might have to go to court or if something else is likely to happen. 

Hopefully you won’t have a slip or fall any time soon but if you do, you’ve now got the knowledge of what you can do in such an event and can hopefully claim compensation back for having a personal injury. 

Stay safe! 

** This is a collaborative post **