SLIPPING ACCIDENT AT WORK RESULTS IN COMPENSATION PAYOUT

April 4th, 2008 Hinchliffes

To ensure the safety of staff and authorised visitors, a workplace floor must not be slippery. A recent claim for personal injury compensation made by an employee of Bristol City Council has highlighted that in claims of this type the Court will bear in mind the use to which the floor was put, including temporary circumstances that might often arise. In this case the Court considered the frequency of any intermittently hazardous conditions, the chances of someone having an accident at work and suffering injury, and the severity of that injury.

It was found that the floor where the Council’s employee worked was frequently contaminated by urine, and when wet became slippery. The Court found that the likelihood of a slipping accident occurring that might result in an injury was reasonably foreseeable during such times. The employee had been warned of the potential hazard, but nevertheless the Council was held to be in breach of established Health and Safety Regulations. However, the employee was also considered to be partly at fault and as a result his injury compensation was reduced by one third.

COMMENT:-

A work accident resulting from slipping, tripping and falling usually happens because of the employer’s poor maintenance of the workplace. The causes of such accidents include wet or overly polished floors, worn carpets or matting, and obstacles or debris left lying around.

In this particular personal injury claim, the employer was found to be responsible for the accident as they required their employee to work in potentially hazardous conditions. However, the employee knew the floor was wet and should have taken extra care to avoid slipping and because of this the compensation recovered was reduced by one third to represent the part he played in the work accident.

PERSONAL INJURY CLAIM SOLICITORS:-

If you have been injured in a slipping, tripping or falling accident at work, contact personal injury specialists Hinchliffes Solicitors for immediate legal advice, to find out if you are entitled to make claims for injury compensation. All cases are dealt with on a No Win – No Fee basis and successful Clients keep 100% of the compensation recovered.

Call now on 0800 138 1348 to speak direct to a personal injury lawyer or go to our Start Your Claim Now page to submit details of your personal injury claim online.