Falls are among the most common reasons for serious injury in the workplace. They caused the highest number of industry-related fatalities in the UK last year, primarily in construction and agriculture, and in the food and drink sector alone there are around 80 major injuries each year from falls.
A serious injury from a fall such as a broken limb or fractured skull can have lifelong effects, and at the very least is likely to keep you off work for an extended period. Recovering damages can provide valuable financial support while you heal. Read on to find out more about how to manage this process.
Understanding liability with slips and falls
Employers are responsible for the welfare of their employees and all visitors to worksites. If you suffered a serious fall in your workplace or a public space, you could be eligible for compensation from the business.
This compensation can cover living costs in the wake of any changes in your salary while off work and medical expenses from emergency operations to long-term rehabilitation and medication.
To be eligible for compensation, you must be able to demonstrate that you fell because of negligence on behalf of the business. An example would be a workplace failing to recognise and rectify hazardous situations that create the risk of falling.
Gathering evidence and building your case
You must prove that the fall wasn’t your fault to achieve financial compensation. Gathering evidence is therefore a key step in building your case against the business responsible.
In the UK, employers must keep an accident book to record workplace incidents if they employ more than nine people. If you have an accident in your workplace, you must record an entry as soon as possible.
If your fall occurred in a public place, request a copy of the logbook. Eye witness statements and photographs are the strongest supporting evidence.
Other details that will help build your case include medical records and expert testimony if this can be arranged.
Calculating damages and compensation
Two sets of damages can be recovered: general damages, which relate directly to the accident you were involved in, and special damages which cover the associated costs and losses like salary loss due to an inability to work or the cost and care of treatment.
You can work with personal injury solicitors to calculate how much you are owed and help you handle the legal process of taking a business to small claims court.