According to the government’s own health and safety advice, falls are far more likely to take place on floors which have become wet in one way or another. In some cases, this may be the result of a spillage which hasn’t been cleared up, or a problem such as a pipe leaking oil or water. Sometimes, however, a floor in a place such as a supermarket or train station may become wet as a result of cleaning, something which, if the proper warnings aren’t given, represents a major hazard.
A smooth, polished tile or stone floor which has been wet through cleaning will become extremely slippery and if you walk on it wearing standard footwear then there’s a very good chance that you’ll slip. Slipping and falling in this way could cause significant injury, from cuts and bruises all the way up to broken bones, whiplash or damage to the spine.
If there were no warning signs placed upon the wet floor then the owners of the property have been negligent in their failure to warn you of an obvious danger. Since a warning sign would have prompted you to avoid the wet floor, then the injuries you’ve suffered can be laid squarely at their door, meaning that you have every right to make a claim for compensation.
If you feel you might be able to make such a claim then contact an injury solicitor and give them as many details of the incident as you can. They will make an honest appraisal and tell you whether you are likely to receive compensation. Any compensation finally awarded will depend upon the court deciding that the other party was in fact negligent, and that this negligence caused a genuine injury. The amount will be calculated on the basis of the type and severity of your injury, and factors such as present and future loss of earnings.
