Carpet / Lino Slip Trip At Work – Can I Claim Compensation?
By Stephen Hudson. Last Updated 17th August 2023. If you tripped over a carpet at work, or if you slipped on linoleum, then you may be wondering if you can claim.
In this guide, we will discuss who could be eligible to make an accident at work claim, as well as the duty of care owed to all employees by their employers.
Tripped over the carpet at work claims guide
You may also be wondering how much compensation you could receive if your claim succeeds. We will touch on compensation amounts, as well as how solicitors and other legal professionals value personal injury claims.
If you have any more questions about claiming if you’ve tripped over a carpet at work, get in touch with our team. They can offer more help, including free legal advice and a free evaluation of your claim. If they find your claim to be valid, one of our solicitors could offer to take on your case on a No Win No Fee basis. To learn more:
- Call 0800 073 8804 to speak to an advisor
- Use the live chat feature
- Contact us online
Select A Section
- Carpet Or Lino Slip Trip At Work Accidents
- How Could You Be Injured If You Tripped Over Carpet Or Lino At Work?
- Case Study: How Are Workplace Accidents Caused By Bad Flooring?
- How Do I Claim If I Tripped Over Carpet At Work?
- I Tripped Over Carpet At Work – What Payout Could I Claim?
- Contact Us If You Tripped Over Carpet At Work
Carpet Or Lino Slip Trip At Work Accidents
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA), employers have a duty of care towards their employees. In other words, employers are responsible for taking all reasonably practicable steps to ensure their employees are safe while working.
This includes following the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Under this legislation, employers are required to carry out regular risk assessments to identify and mitigate risks in the workplace. This can include risks such as loose carpet tiles or damaged linoleum.
Once identified, employers should take the appropriate steps to remove or mitigate the risks identified. If they fail to do so, this may be a breach of their duty of care. If you are injured as a result of this breach, this is known as negligence.
How Many People Have Slips Or Trips At Work?
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collect and publishes statistics surrounding accidents at work from reports made to them under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).
According to these reports, slips, trips, and falls on the same level were the most common cause of non-fatal workplace injuries in 2020/2021, making up 33% of reports.
Read on to learn more about how to claim if you tripped over the carpet at work. Or, contact our advisors today to get a free consultation.
Could You Be Injured If You Tripped Over Carpet Or Lino At Work?
If you tripped over a carpet at work or slipped on lino, you may have been injured. Here are some examples of how tripping accidents can happen:
- An employee could trip over or slip on a loose carpet tile that has no clear markings
- If someone spills a liquid onto the linoleum, an employee could easily slip. Clear warning signs should be put out to prevent slips and falls at work.
- If the edge of a carpet has come loose and is curling upwards, it can cause a tripping accident.
Tripped Over A Carpet At Work Injuries
Some examples of injuries you could sustain by tripping or slipping at work include:
- Broken bones or fractured bones
- Injuries to the tendons, which may result in tendonitis
- Sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries
- Damage to the nerves
- Wounds such as cuts, lacerations and scrapes
- A slipped disc
- Head injuries or concussion injuries
If you have tripped over a carpet at work because your employer breached their duty of care, get in touch with our team today.
Case Study: How Are Workplace Accidents Caused By Bad Flooring?
Below we look at a case study from the HSE on how the type of flooring in a workplace has to be sufficient in order to prevent slip and trip accidents.
A local authority Environmental Health Officer (EHO) raised concerns about a nearby pub-restaurant’s kitchen floor. The floor was unusually slippery when wet and was unsuitable for a professional kitchen, where food and liquid were likely to be spilt on the floor. So there was a considerable risk of employees slipping if the floor was wet.
After the EHO raised their concerns, the flooring was replaced. The new floor was tested by the Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL), and it was confirmed that this one could perform adequately. The Environmental Health Officer was satisfied but said that if the previous flooring was used across the chain of pub-restaurants this might need to be addressed.
( Source: https://www.hse.gov.uk/slips/experience/pub-floor.htm )
How Do I Claim If I Tripped Over A Carpet At Work?
If you have suffered a slip, trip, or fall injury at work, you may be wondering if you can make a claim for compensation. Not every workplace injury can be claimed for. In order to form the basis of a valid claim, your case must meet certain criteria.
- Firstly, your employer must owe you a duty of care at the time and place of your accident. All employers owe their full-time, part-time, and zero-hour contract employees a duty of care while at work.
- Secondly, your employer must breach this duty of care, which leads to a workplace accident.
- Subsequently, you must suffer a physical or mental injury as a result of this breach.
To claim the compensation, you must also begin your claim within the time limit specified by the Limitation Act 1980. The time limit is generally three years, but there are sometimes exceptions to this rule.
To find out if your claim falls within the relevant time limit, contact our team of advisors today.
Evidence For Slip Or Trip At Work Injury Claims
To help you make a successful injury claim if you tripped on a carpet or linoleum at work, you should gather evidence. The evidence you collect should confirm the injuries you’re claiming for and show that they were caused by a third party breaching their duty of care. Evidence to support your injury claim may include:
- Medical records that confirm your injuries and the treatment you’ve received for them.
- Contact details of any witnesses who saw your accident and can provide a statement.
- Any video footage available, such as CCTV footage, that shows the accident that caused your injuries.
- Photographs of the accident scene and your injuries.
- A copy of the report regarding your accident in your employer’s accident book.
If you work with a solicitor on your work injury claim, then they can assist with gathering evidence that can strengthen your case. For more advice on gathering evidence for a claim after you slipped or tripped on the floor, contact our advisors on the phone or online today.
I Tripped Over Carpet At Work – What Payout Could I Claim?
If your tripped over a carpet at work compensation claim is successful, you can receive up to two types of damages. The first is general damages, which compensate you for the harm your injuries caused.
We used compensation brackets from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) in the table below. However, while legal professionals use this document to help them value claims, these amounts are not guaranteed.
| Injury And Severity | Notes | Payouts |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Damage – Very Severe (A) | Awards at the top of the bracket are for those who are able to follow some basic commands but have little meaningful response to the environment. There may also be some sleep and waking patterns. | £282,010 to £403,990 |
| Brain Damage – Moderately Severe (B) | An injury which could result in cognitive impairment, paralysis of limbs and professional constant care. | £219,070 to £282,010 |
| Back Injury – Severe (A) (i) | An injury which involves harm to the spinal cord as well as the nerve roots, leading to very serious consequences. | £91,090 to £160,980 |
| Back Injury – Moderate (i) | Compression or crush fractures which affect the lumbar vertebrae. | £27,760 to £38,780 |
| Knee Injury – Severe (A) (i) | The injury may have disrupted the joint and require a lengthy period of treatment. | £69,730 to £96,210 |
| Knee Injury – Moderate (B) (i) | Dislocations or torn cartilage injuries which could cause some degree of disability. | £14,840 to £26,190 |
| Wrist Injury (A) | Total loss of function in the wrist. An arthrodesis could have been carried out. | £47,620 to £59,860 |
| Wrist Injury (B) | Whilst the wrist will be significantly disabled, there could be some remaining movement. | £24,500 to £39,170 |
| Ankle Injury – Moderate (C) | The person may be left finding it difficult to either stand on this ankle or walk on it for long periods of time due to fractures or ligamentous tears. | £13,740 to £26,590 |
| Arm Injury – Forearm Fracture – Simple (D) | A simple fracture affecting a bone in the forearm. | £6,610 to £19,200 |
In addition, your compensation payment can include special damages. These damages are compensation for costs and financial losses associated with your injuries. For example, this could include medical bills for treatments not available on the NHS, or travel costs to and from hospital appointments.
Contact our team of advisors today if you tripped over a carpet at work and would like to start a claim.
Contact Us If You Tripped Over A Carpet At Work
Are you thinking of hiring legal representation for your tripped on a carpet at work compensation claim? Our No Win No Fee solicitors have years of legal experience and knowledge and can provide representation under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Generally, a solicitor and claimant will both enter into this type of arrangement which usually means no up-front fees are needed for the solicitor’s service. If your claim succeeds, the only fee your solicitor will require is a success fee. This is taken as a percentage of your compensation with a legal cap. But, if your claim does not succeed, then your solicitor will not take this fee.
To see if you can claim for a tripping accident on a carpet or lino floor, please get in touch with us today:
- Call 0800 073 8804 to speak to an advisor
- Use the live chat feature
- Contact us online
Learn More About Injury Hazards In The Workplace
You can read our guides to learn more about claiming compensation for an injury at work:
- How Much Compensation Can I Claim For An Accident In A Restaurant?
- How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Warehouse Injury?
- A Guide To Claiming Compensation For A Back Injury At Work?
- Learn more about claiming compensation for a fall at work here. You can find potential compensation payouts and advice on working with a No Win No Fee solicitor.
Or, for more helpful resources:
- An HSE guide to the causes and prevention of slip, trip and fall injuries
- A slips and trips hazard spotting checklist
- An NHS guide to the causes and treatment of slipped disc injuries
For more information on how to claim if you tripped over a carpet at work, get in touch today.
