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Can I Claim for Tripping Over Wires or Cables at Work? – Compensation Guide For Accident At Work Wire Trip injuries

Common Tripping Over Wires or Cables Accidents in the Workplace

Some of the most common tripping over wires or cables accidents in the workplace occur when areas are not correctly set up and/or inadequately cordoned off when work is being carried out in a working environment. It could be that appropriate hazard signs were not erected when a contractor was carrying out necessary work in the workplace and as a result you tripped over wires or cables that were lying about. If you suffered any sort of injury because you tripped and fell, you could be entitled to file for compensation for the pain, suffering and any expenses you incurred during your recovery.

What Are the Most Common Injuries Sustained in a Tripping Over Wires and Cables Accident?

You can sustain a variety of injuries when tripping over wires and cables in the workplace with the most common being listed below:

A sprained wrist
A sprained ankle
Soft tissue damage
Cuts
Abrasions
Fractures and broken bones
Torn ligaments
Torn tendons
Head injuries
Internal bleeding
Spinal and back injuries

Should you have sustained any sort of injury in the workplace due to tripping over wires and cables, you would have every right to seek compensation from an employer providing the incident occurred in the last 3 years and you have enough evidence to prove employer negligence.

Would My Tripping Over Wires or Cables Claim Be Valid?

Employers in the UK are legally required to abide by the Health and Safety Executive regulations and other workplace laws which are set in place to keep employees as safe from harm and injury as possible. Providing you can prove that your employer failed to adhere to any of the following regulations and laws which resulted in you injuring yourself at work, your tripping over wires and cables at work could be deemed valid:

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 was ignored
Workplace Regulations 1992 was not adhered to
Risk management was ignored
Hazard signs were not erected appropriately when contractors were carrying out necessary work
An area was not cordoned off appropriately leaving wires and cables exposed on the ground

If you are unsure of what you need to prove your claim for compensation against your employer, it is best to discuss your case with a solicitor who specialises in accident at work claims.

What Evidence Is Needed to Make a Tripped Over Wires and Cables Claim?

Following an accident at work where you tripped over wires and cables that resulted in you sustaining an injury whether minor or more severe, you should collect as much evidence as possible even if you are not thinking about filing for compensation at the time. This evidence would not only prove the accident occurred while you were at work, but it would also establish who would be held liable for the injuries you sustained. The evidence you need to gather is detailed below:

Photos of where the accident occurred
Photos of your injuries before you received any treatment
Witness statement
Witness contact details
A record of the accident as reported in the accident report book
A medical report of the injuries you sustained

What You Should Do After Tripping Over Wires and Cables at Work

No matter how minor you believe your injuries to be, the first and most important thing to do is seek medical attention. The reason being that you may not be aware of the extent of your injuries to begin with because all too often any symptoms might only be apparent some time later. Other necessary steps to take following an accident at work are listed below:

Check to see if the incident has been recorded in the accident at work book and if you find that there is no book available, make sure all the details of the incident and the injuries you sustained are written down and sent to your employer remembering to keep a copy of the details for your own personal records. It is worth noting that you are entitled to see the details of the incident and your injuries as recorded in an accident report book to make sure everything is correct
If the incident is “reportable” to RIDDOR, make sure this has been done
Get witness statements and their contact details
Take photos of where the accident occurred and if available ask for any CCTV footage of the incident
Take photos of your injuries making sure these are done before you receive any treatment
Make sure you get a full, detailed medical report of your injuries
Keep all records of expenses you incurred as a direct result of your injuries

What Level of Compensation Would I Receive in a Successful Tripping Over Wires or Cables Claim?

The level of compensation you may be awarded in a successful tripping over wires or cables claim, would depend on the complexity and severity of the injuries you sustained. Other factors that would be factored into the amount you receive are detailed below:

The amount of time you are off work due to the injuries you sustained
Whether your injuries would prevent you from working again
Your out-of-pocket expenses that were incurred for treatments whether at a hospital or other medical facility
The amount of money you had to spend out when travelling to and from treatment appointments
Whether you needed care around the home during your recovery
Whether you would require ongoing treatment for the injuries you sustained
Whether you would need to be cared for on a 24-hour basis for the remainder of your life

If you were injured at work because you tripped over trailing wires or cables, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. A solicitor who specialises in accident at work claims would offer essential advice on how best to proceed when filing a tripping over wires and cable claim. A solicitor would also be able to establish whether an employer was negligent in their duty to keep you safe from harm and injury in the workplace.

What Can I Include in a Tripping Over Wires and Cables Claim?

As with all work-related personal injury claims, there are specific things that can be included in a tripping over wires and cables claim against a negligent employer which are detailed below:

General damages are awarded for all the suffering and pain you had to endure because you were injured in the workplace
Special damages are awarded for all the money you had to pay out following an injury that you sustained at work through no fault of your own. Special damages also cover any loss of wages and future earnings should your injuries prevent you from working again and whether you would require specialist care and ongoing treatment

It is also worth noting that special damages could also include compensation for any damage that occurred to any of your possessions when tripping over wires and cables in the workplace.

Should I File a Tripping Over Wires or Cables Claim Against My Employer?

You may be off work for a short period of time or you may have to take much longer off work to make a full recovery from the injuries you sustained after tripping over wires and cables in the workplace. Your injuries may be such that you are unable to work again which could put you and your family under a lot of financial pressure. Filing for compensation from a negligent employer would help alleviate any financial worries you may be faced with following an accident at work bearing in mind that employers in the UK are legally required to have valid liability insurance in place. As such, it is an employer’s insurers who would pay out the compensation you may be awarded in a successful tripping over wires and cables claim.

The best course of action following an accident at work that leaves you injured, is to discuss the circumstances surrounding the incident with a solicitor who specialises in work-related injury claims. A solicitor can provide essential advice on how best to proceed when filing a tripping over wires and cables claim and would be in a better position should your employer decide to dispute your claim. They would also be able to determine whether your claim against a negligent employer would be deemed likely to succeed whether your case goes to court or it is settled “out of court”.

Can an Employer Sack Me for Making a Tripping Over Wires and Cables Claim?

Your employer cannot by law sack you should you choose to seek compensation for an accident at work that left you injured unless they have a valid reason for doing so. Should your employer show you the door for no good reason other than because you sought compensation, you could seek to file an unfair dismissal claim against them on top of your accident at work claim.

Working with a Solicitor on a No Win No Fee Basis on a Tripping Over Wires or Cables Claim

If you believe that your employer was negligent in their duty to keep you safe from harm while you were at work and you were injured when tripping over wires and cables, you should discuss the incident with a solicitor before taking any legal action on your own. The reason being that personal injury claims can often be complex with some employers and their insurers hotly disputing the circumstances surrounding accidents at work.

A solicitor would establish whether you have a claim against an employer and would do so by offering you a no obligation, initial consultation which is free of charge. Once a solicitor determines who is at fault for the injuries you sustained, they could offer to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis which means they can begin working on your claim without having to request an upfront fee to do so. You would agree to pay a specific percentage to a solicitor which is detailed in the Conditional Fee Agreement you sign at the outset. The contract also lays out the Terms and Conditions that apply to the agreement.

Should your tripping over wires and cables claim not be successful, there would be nothing to pay the solicitor for the legal services they provided. The reason being that having signed a CFA, the solicitor would have agreed to take on the risk involved in representing you on a No Win No Fee basis.

Can I claim compensation for an accident that was my fault? – View Our Online Accident At Fault Guide

Can I File an Accident at Work Claim if I am Partly Responsible?

Accident at work claims are often successful amongst those who are partly to blame for an accident. If you are partially responsible for causing an accident in the workplace, you could make a claim against your employer. For example, if 30% of the fault lies with you, and another person is 70% to blame whether it is your employer or a work colleague, the amount of compensation you receive may be reduced by 30% to account for your share of the fault. It is worth noting that determining the amount of blame can be a complex process. As such, it is always best to discuss your case and the circumstances surrounding an accident at work with a solicitor who specialises in this type of claim.

In order to make a successful claim for an accident at work where you are partly responsible, you would need to prove that a portion of the blame lies with another person which could be a work colleague or an employer. However, you are not automatically entitled to receive compensation, even if the accident was not your fault. You must fully demonstrate that someone else is legally liable. As such, it is important to speak to an accident at work solicitor who would be able to establish whether you can make a claim and whether you are partly liable along with another third party.

How Do I Establish Who Is Liable for an Accident at Work?

In some accidents in the workplace, liability is obvious. However, in other circumstances, you may be left wondering, “Was the accident my fault?” Whatever the nature of the incident, you should seek advice from a solicitor. Personal injury claims are often complicated, and it may not be that obvious as to whether you would be eligible to file for compensation. An experienced accident at work solicitor would be able to offer advice regarding your individual case. They would let you know whether you have a strong chance of filing a successful claim against an employer because they were in breach of their duty and therefore even if you were the cause of an accident, the blame would fall to your employer.

What Should I Do Following an Accident at Work?

You should follow your company’s accident at work procedure by reporting the incident to your employer as soon as possible, even if you think you are responsible. You should also make sure the details of the workplace accident is recorded in your company’s accident book and that you can check the details to make sure they are correct. If there is no accident report book, you should still follow the company’s accident at work procedure, before making a personal record of the accident and sending it to your employer. You should also keep a copy for yourself. If your injury makes it difficult to report the accident yourself, ask another person to record it on your behalf.

Following your accident at work, you may not feel that your injuries are particularly serious. You should, however, still be examined by a doctor who would assess your injuries before writing an official medical report which would be required later if you decide to make a claim for compensation against your employer. You may also need the medical report should you want to make a claim for benefits. Further information about benefits for industrial injuries and the accident at work time limit can be found on GOV.UK website.

You could also seek advice from your Health and Safety Executive representative or contact a trade union representative if you believe the conditions of your workplace are unsafe putting you in serious or immediate danger of suffering an accident at work. By law, you are entitled to protect yourself at work and in some cases, this could mean taking a leave of absence until the health and safety issues are rectified.

Does My Employer Have to Provide Adequate Training?

Your employer has a legal duty to put into place all measures necessary to ensure your health, safety and well-being at work. By law, your employer must abide by current health and safety and employment laws, as well as health and safety executive legislation. It is your employer’s ethical and moral duty to take every reasonable measure to prevent injuries of any kind occurring in the workplace, and they must meet their responsibilities when accident at work claims are filed against them should they be deemed liable.

Your employer’s duty of care towards you and all other employee typically includes the following:

Providing a clear definition of duties and carrying out regular risk assessments
Ensuring safe working conditions
Providing sufficient ongoing training and to carry out regular performance reviews
Ensuring no excessive hours are worked by any employees
Providing suitable rest areas for breaks
Protecting staff from harassment or bullying by work colleagues and/or other parties
Ensuring discrimination does not occur in the workplace
Offering clear routes of communication so that employees can raise issues or concerns when they deem it necessary
Consulting employees on any issues or concerns they may have

Your employer may be in breach of their duty of care putting you at risk of suffering an accident at work if they fail to carry out any reasonable measures to protect you from injury and harm. It is also worth noting that you are also responsible for your own well-being and safety in the workplace. It is also worth noting that by law, you are entitled to refuse to carry out any duties that you believe are unsafe, without the fear of being fired or the threat of disciplinary action being taken out against you.

Does My Employer Have to Provide Me With Adequate Personal Protective Equipment?

Under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, your employer must provide you with personal protective equipment (PPE) if you are exposed to health and safety risks at work which includes working with hazardous substances. They must also provide adequate protective wear like goggles, gloves, hard hats, non-slip footwear and other clothing that offers adequate protection in the workplace. This legal requirement is only exempt if the health and safety risk is sufficiently controlled by an equally or more effective means of protection.

In order to reduce the risks of an accident at work, an employer must ensure that all personal protective equipment is readily available in the workplace and that you are given clear instructions on where you can find it when needed. PPE must also be correctly stored and maintained. Under Section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, an employee cannot be charged for the provision of personal protective equipment which is used only in the workplace. Section 9 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 prevents your employer from levying any charges for specific requirements of the “relevant statutory provisions”. These “specific requirements” include the provision of personal protective equipment.

Should I File an Accident at Work Claim if I am Responsible?

Even if you believe you could be responsible or partly responsible for an accident at work in which you suffered an injury whether minor or more catastrophic, you should still follow the correct procedure when it comes to reporting and recording the incident. You should also gather as much evidence and proof as you can relating not only to the incident and the circumstances around which it occurred, but also of all the injuries you sustained and the treatment you would require during your recovery.

You should always contact an accident at work solicitor who would be in the best position to assess your case before advising you whether you have a strong claim against an employer and how best to proceed.

Would a Solicitor Work On a No Win No Fee Basis?

If you have suffered an accident at work, you may be hesitant when it comes to filing a claim against your employer because of the cost involved. You may also not make for a claim because you believe you have gone over the statutory accident at work time limit. You may even think, that the “accident my fault?” and therefore you would not be entitled to file for compensation.

However, the cost of hiring an accident at work solicitor need not be a concern and should not prevent you from making a compensation claim against an employer, even if you believe you were at fault or partly responsible for the accident occurring. The reason being that many solicitors offer a No Win, No Fee service, which means you would not have to pay an upfront fee for them taking on your case.

If you decide to work with an accident at work solicitor, you would typically be offered a free initial, no obligation consultation. If your solicitor believes that you have a strong case to claim compensation against an employer even if they believe you were responsible for the accident occurring, you would be asked to sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) which allows a solicitor to begin working on your case without requesting an upfront fee or retainer. In such a case, the Conditional Fee Agreement, which is a legal contract, sets out the Terms and Conditions as well as the percentage you agreed to pay a solicitor for the legal services they provide when filing an accident at work claim.

You would only pay a No Win No Fee solicitor if your claim is successful. The amount you pay is referred to as a “success fee”, and the amount is directly taken from the compensation you receive whether it is awarded by a judge or in an “out of court settlement”. Should your accident at work claim not be successful, having entered into a CFA with the solicitor, there would be nothing to pay for the legal services they provided.