Given that work takes up such a huge amount of our lives nowadays, we expect to be safe when working; i.e. not running in to any hazards whilst we get on with our jobs. Health and Safety in the workplace is of paramount importance, and employers must adhere to loads of rules and regulations to make sure employees do not come to harm whilst in the workplace.
Whilst differing rules and regulations apply more to varying areas of employment, one of the most basic areas of health and safety law that applies to any employment situation is tripping hazards!
We get a lot of enquiries from people looking to make compensation claims for tripping injuries at work. At the end of the day, it’s so easy to get caught out. A tile on the floor becomes raised and isn’t inspected or maintained regularly enough by the employer, and you have yourself an employee tripping over an obvious and dangerous defect. A colleague leaves some bags in a corridor and you walk straight in to them; the likelihood is you ending up on the floor, humiliated, and injured.
In employments that involves a lot of stock being moved around and containers being opened, such as warehouses or shop floors, the hazards from stock waiting to go on shelves or debris from packaging is also a major health and safety concern. Getting your feet caught in plastic tie wrapping or catching your feet on some cardboard will also likely end up with you as an injured victim.
Whilst tripping over can seem like a small thing, the injuries we see here at The Injury Lawyers range from the straightforward bruising and cuts, to the fractures and ligament damage. Landing hard on any area of your body leaves you susceptible to fractures, and injuring the joints risks ligament damages in common impact areas from tripping such as the knees and wrists. You can end up with some serious injuries that can have a huge impact on your life; both personally, and financially from being off work.
Can You Claim?
If you tripped over in the workplace through no fault of your own, your best course of action is to speak to an independent personal injury lawyer as soon as you can. We can assess your potential claim over the phone and tell you in minutes whether we think you have a claim or not. However, it can on occasions be difficult to say. Your employer has a duty to minimise the risk or possibility of any tripping hazard occurring. Risk assessments and regular inspection and maintenance regimes can assist with this. If your employer can prove they have done all that is reasonably necessary to prevent any accidents occurring, you may find it difficult to claim. If the tripping hazard was caused by the negligence of a colleague, you may well have a strong case as your employers insurance must cover negligence of colleague.
It’s all on a case by case basis though! So speak to a lawyer as soon as you can.
For a free claims assessment over the phone, call our team on 0800 634 75 75 and we will see if we can help you out. Your employer must legally have a policy of employer’s liability insurance so you have nothing to worry about – you are insured, and the insurance covers legal fees too, so you can expect 100% of your compensation payout if you get the right lawyer with a good agreement as well.
