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| Slips, Trips & Falls |
>> A slip, trip or fall can happen anywhere and generally it may be unclear who is reponsible for your injuries. If you slip on a pavement or road is it owned and maintained by the council or by a private firm or individual? If you slip on a wet patch at work are you employers liable or is it the plumber who didn't fix the pipe properly? These are all questions that you will not be asked to investigate on your own. Your solicitor will be able to advise you on the best route to finding out and you options depending on who is at fault. What you need to do is to obtain any evidence that may be time-sensitive. E.g. if you have tripped over a broken up piece of road then try and get a photograph of it before it is repaired. If you slipped on something wet at work check that other people saw the puddle before it was cleaned up. Injuries alone do not make an entire case. If you have only just had your accident then get in contact with a solicitor as soon as possible as they will often have their own investigators who can document the evidence properly.
>> Unfortunately slipping and falling has been one of the most abused sections of personal injury litigation since the boom of the personal injury claims market. Everyone and his dog (literally!) started blaming all their aches and pains on broken paving slabs that they saw outside their home. In the beginning councils could not cope and simply paid out compensation to everyone as investigating and repairing would have cost them far more. In the past few years, though, the tide has turned and councils now have strict guidelines and good legislation to help them out. Even if you do trip over a broken paving slab the council may not be liable if the lip of the crack is under a certain height. Also if the slab was only broken within a specific time period such as the previous 48 hours and you tripped on it, the council could not be expected to have known. Councils are also fighting a lot more cases and fines for starting a frivolous lawsuit against a council can be as much as £3,000.
>> Those with genuine claims have no need to fear and most claims are handled swiftly and efficiently by most councils who have hired more staff and dedicated more resources to handle claims for injuries. The same with slips and falls at work, you employer will be insured and the insurance companies will normally have plenty of previous data to go on regarding your claim type and the injuries you sustained. Remember though, just because you have been injured does not necessarily mean that you will get compensation. If you slip on an icy driveway, if you slip in your own shower, if you trip over your own shoelaces then don't expect a huge cheque in the post any time soon.
Disclaimer: Although this site is updated as often as possible the information provided may not accurately reflect the current laws, procedures and/or facilities available to you. To ensure that you get the most up to date information make sure you consult an actual solicitor before pursuing any action. The articles on this site are for informational purposes only and are not intended to advise any particular action or inaction. Please read our terms of use for more information.
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