In this guide, we’ll be discussing the process of making a claim for slipping on a wet floor. We will look at the eligibility requirements that must be met in order to seek personal injury compensation, including the time limits in place for starting a claim.
Making A Claim For Slipping On A Wet Floor And Getting Hurt
A slip on a wet floor can occur in various types of accidents, including at work and in a public place. We will provide examples of how these could occur as well as look at the duty of care you’re owed in these places.
Furthermore, we will discuss the steps you can take after being injured including seeking medical attention, gathering evidence and seeking legal advice.
Furthermore, we will look at the compensation you could be owed if you make a successful claim and how this is calculated.
You can contact our advisors for free legal advice at any time. They can provide further guidance on the steps you can take as part of the personal injury claims process and answer any questions you have regarding your potential claim.
You can get in touch by:
- Calling on 0113 460 1216
- Filling our our ‘claim online’ form
- Chatting with an advisor via the live chat feature below.
Choose A Section
- When Can You Claim For Slipping On A Wet Floor And Getting Hurt?
- How Could I Be Injured After Slipping On A Wet Floor?
- What Compensation Could You Receive From Personal Injury Compensation Claims?
- Evidence That Could Help You Claim For Slipping On A Wet Floor
- Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors To Claim Compensation
- Learn More About Making A Personal Injury Claim
When Can You Claim For Slipping On A Wet Floor And Getting Hurt?
In order to make a claim for slipping on a wet floor, you’ll have to prove that your injuries were caused by negligence. This means that a third party:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached their duty of care
- Caused you to sustain harm in an accident due to the breach of their duty.
If negligence occurred, you could make a personal injury claim for injuries sustained in an accident.
Below, we have explored the duty of care owed by certain third parties and how they could breach it, such as employers and those in control of a public space.
Accidents At Work
Employers have a duty of care to their employees that’s set out clearly in the Health and Safety at Work Act etc.1974. This piece of legislation states that an employer needs to take all steps considered reasonable and practicable to prevent an employee from sustaining harm in the workplace or while carrying out work-related duties.
The steps they could take include:
- Carrying out regular risk assessments
- Providing adequate training
- Addressing any hazards that pose a risk of harm
Accidents In A Public Place
Accidents in public places can happen in various places including restaurants and cinemas. The party in control of a public space has a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 to ensure your reasonable safety.
They can do this by carrying out risk assessments and addressing any hazards they find in a reasonable time-frame.
How Could I Be Injured After Slipping On A Wet Floor?
There are several ways someone could be injured after slipping on a wet floor. For example:
- An employer may not provide an employee with sufficient health and safety training. As a result, a spill on the floor isn’t cleaned up or signposted, causing a member of the public to slip on a wet floor in a supermarket. They sustain a broken arm and broken wrist as a result.
- An employer fails to carry out regular risk assessments to address any hazards in the workplace. As a result, an employee slips on a wet floor caused by a leak in the ceiling and sustains a broken leg in an accident at work.
However, not all accidents involving a slip on a wet floor will form the basis of a valid claim. You must prove that negligence occurred. If you’d like to discuss slip trip and fall claims, get in touch with an advisor on the number above.
Is There A Time Limit To Making Slip Trip And Fall Claims?
The standard time limit for starting a personal injury claim is three years from the date of your accident, or the date that you became aware that negligence contributed to your injuries. This is outlined in The Limitation Act 1980
There are exceptions to this rule though. If you’d like to find out more about these, you can get in touch using the number above.
What Compensation Could You Receive From Personal Injury Compensation Claims?
After making a successful claim, you could be eligible to receive a settlement comprising two heads of claim. Firstly, general damages compensates claimants for the pain or suffering that they’ve experienced as a result of their injuries.
The following figures have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines which is a document used by solicitors to assign a value to your claim. Note that these figures are not guaranteed. This is because of the many different variables that have to be considered when valuing general damages.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Injury | Very Severe (a) | £282,010 to £403,990 | There is a need for full-time nursing care for cases in this bracket. |
| Head Injury | Moderate (c) (i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | Cases with severe to moderate intellectual deficit, a personality change, and no future prospect of employment. The senses are also affected. |
| Leg Injuries | Severe (b) (i) | £96,250 to £135,920 | The most serious injuries, that don't involve amputation, still receive a similar level of damages. This can include an extensive degloving of the leg. |
| Injuries to the Pelvis and Hips | Severe (a) (i) | £78,400 to £130,930 | Extensive fractures of the pelvis which can involve a dislocated low back joint and a ruptured bladder. |
| Arm Injuries | Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement (b) | £39,170 to £59,860 | Serious fractures to one or both forearms involving permanent residual disability. |
| Injuries to the Elbow | A Severely Disabling Injury (a) | £39,170 to £54,830 | Injuries resulting in a severe disability. |
| Knee Injuries | Moderate (b) (i) | £14,840 to £26,190 | Injuries involving dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus which results in mild future disabilities. |
| Shoulder Injuries | Serious (b) | £12,770 to £19,200 | Dislocation of the shoulder with lower brachial plexus damage resulting in shoulder and neck pain. |
| Ankle Injuries | Modest Injuries (d) | Up to £13,740 | Injuries in this bracket include less serious, minor or undisplaced fractures. |
| Foot Injuries | Moderate (f) | £13,740 to £24,990 | Displaced metatarsal fractures causing a permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms. |
Claiming For Financial Losses In Personal Injury Claims
The other head of claim that you could be eligible to receive is special damages. This reimburses claimants for any financial losses they have experienced as a direct result of their injuries. This can come in the form of:
- Renovations to a home in aid of recovery
- Cost of care
- Loss of earnings
- Cost of medication
You’ll have to provide evidence of losses, which can include bank statements, invoices, or receipts.
Evidence That Could Help You Claim For Slipping On Wet Floor
In order to prove a personal injury claim for injuries sustained after slipping on a wet floor, it’s important that you’re able to supply evidence to support your claim. This can help demonstrate that negligence occurred. Below are some ways you can gather evidence:
- Requesting CCTV footage of the accident
- Keeping a diary of your treatment and symptoms
- Getting medical care and asking for copies of any records produced.
- Taking photographs of your injury and the accident site
- Taking contact details of any potential witnesses to your accident.
A solicitor from our panel could help you gather evidence and ensure you put forward a full and complete case. To find out whether you’re eligible to have them represent your claim, call our team on the number above.
Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors To Claim Compensation
If you are eligible to work with a solicitor from our panel, they could offer you a type of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement. This means that you typically won’t be expected to pay any upfront or ongoing fees for your solicitor’s services. As well as this, in the case that you’re unsuccessful in your claim, you won’t have to pay for the work they have completed on your claim.
In the case that you’re successful in your claim, you’ll be expected to pay a success fee. This is a legally capped amount, that is discussed between you and your solicitor before you begin your claim.
If you have any questions pertaining to your claim or the services a solicitor from our panel could offer, then you can use the contact information below to get in touch with an advisor.
- Telephone: 0113 460 1216
- Online form: Fill out our ‘claim online‘ form
- Live chat: Speak with an advisor via the live chat function below.
Learn More About Making A Personal Injury Claim
If you’d like to learn more about making a personal injury claim, read our guides below:
- What factors determine the best no win no fee solicitors for a claim?
- Valuing compensation for a hand injury claim
- How to find serious injury solicitors
Alternatively, you can find out more from the external resources below:
We hope this guide on making a claim for slipping on a wet floor has helped. If you have any other questions, please get in touch using the number above.
Writer Louis Pen
Editor Meg McConnell