One of my all time favourite things is that moment when I come home from work on a Friday night, crack open a bottle of beer, and collapse in to my lovely leather sofa to wind down from a hard week at work helping you guys fight for your rights to make a claim for compensation. It’s always great to sit down, and most of us probably spend a heck of a lot of time sat down in chairs at work and in everyday life. It’s a huge part of living when you think about it.
However, life is not so bliss when you’re sat in a chair and end up injured through no fault of your own. We do see a fair few chair accident compensation claims, which commonly arise from one of the following:
- A new chair you have bought collapses due it being defective
- A chair constructed by someone else collapses through poor quality building
- A chair at work or in a public place (like a cafe) collapses and breaks (at work you have a good claim so read on!)
- There is something sticking out of the chair that you sit on (ouch!)
Any of these circumstances can give rise to a claim for compensation. New chairs collapsing due to defects normally comes down the Supply of Goods and Services Act which dictates that any products bought must be fit for purpose, of a quality that would be expected, and ultimately should not injure you! If we can prove that the chair has been sold in a defective condition, you can make a claim against the supplier (i.e. whoever sold you the chair) or this manufacturer.
If you get a chair delivered and it is built up by the supplier, then you can make a claim in the event it wasn’t constructed properly if it collapses or something is sticking out, for example.
In a public place, if a chair collapses there is the option of suing whoever owns or is responsible for the chair. If it is a cafe, then whoever owns the cafe. If it’s a restaurant, then it is the restaurant. Under the Occupiers Liability Act, if you are injured in a premises then there is the option for suing the owner or whoever is in charge / has the insurance. You must prove that they have been negligent in the duty of care they have for you though – if the owner knew the chair was broken, or had not taken steps to inspect, maintain, or keep it in good condition, then you may be able to make a claim.
In a workplace environment, we can argue that the chair is part of your work equipment, and as such your employer is strictly liable to compensate you. Basically, if your chair breaks at work and it wasn’t your own doing, you should have a pretty strong claim.
If you have been injured due to a chair, give us a call on our free claims helpline to find out now if you have a claim for personal injury compensation. The number to dial is 0800 634 75 75.
