How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain Could You Claim?
People who wish to claim compensation after a broken drain cover accident may ask, ‘How much compensation for falling down a drain could I claim?’ Broken or poorly maintained drain and maintenance covers could give way under the weight of a passerby. This could cause the pedestrian to fall into the area beneath or suffer injuries if one leg falls through the drain.
How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain Could You Claim?
If the responsible party fails to maintain drain covers to a reasonable standard, you may be able to claim compensation for your injuries. Please contact Legal Expert today to see if you’re eligible to claim for falling down a drain. An expert personal injury lawyer could start working on your case if you meet the right criteria to make an injury claim.
Please get in touch with the team today to make your enquiry:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Request to claim online
- Speak to an adviser using the Live Support widget
Select A Section
- How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain Could You Claim?
- How To Claim For Falling Down A Drain
- Who Could Be Responsible If You Fall A Drain?
- Could Falling Down A Broken Drain Cover Cause Injuries?
- How Can I Prove A Broken Drain Cover Injured Me?
- Find Out How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain You Could Claim?
How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain Could You Claim?
You may wonder how much compensation you could claim for falling down a drain. If your claim succeeds, the compensation you receive will depend on the type of injuries you suffered, their severity and the impact they had on your quality of life. You can claim general damages for the pain and suffering you experienced.
Solicitors can use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them value payments for general damages. We have used the latest edition of the JCG to create the compensation table below. However, the compensation brackets in the table are not guaranteed payments.
Judicial College Guidelines Figures
| Type Of Injury | Severity And Notes | JC Brackets |
|---|---|---|
| Head Injury | B – Moderately Severe. The injury left the person substantially dependent on others for their care. | £219,070 to £282,010 |
| Head Injury | C – Moderate (ii). The ability to work is either very much reduced or gone. There is a modest to moderate degree of intellectual deficit. | £90,720 to £150,110 |
| Back Injury | A – Severe (i). The bracket includes the most severe back injuries where the spinal cord and nerve roots are damaged. Consequences may include those not normally found in back injuries. | £91,090 to £160,980 |
| Back Injury | B – Moderate (ii). The bracket includes many commonly encountered back injuries. These could lead to backache or result in existing injuries being worsened/accelerated. | £12,510 to £27,760 |
| Shoulder Injury | A – Severe. Associated with injury to the brachial plexus, resulting in a significant disability. | £19,200 to £48,030 |
| Shoulder Injury | B – Serious. Includes shoulder dislocations, brachial plexus injuries, rotator cuff injuries and soft tissue injuries with permanent, intrusive symptoms. | £12,770 to £19,200 |
| Arm Injury | C – Less Severe. Injuries from which a substantial degree of recovery occurs or can be expected. | £19,200 to £39,170 |
| Hip Injury | B – Moderate (i). There has been a significant pelvic or hip injury, but this does not result in any major disability. | £26,590 to £39,170 |
| Leg Injury | C – Less Serious (i). A leg bone fracture from which the person makes an incomplete recovery, or where they suffer a serious soft tissue injury. | £17,960 to £27,760 |
| Ankle Injury | C – Moderate. Torn ligaments, fractures and other injuries which cause less serious disability. For example, the person may find it difficult walking on uneven ground. | £13,740 to £26,590 |
What Else Could I Receive In A Compensation Payout?
Claimants could also receive special damages, which means they receive a payout for injury-related financial expenses. For example, if your injuries have caused a permanent disability, you may require mobility equipment. Special damages can cover these costs.
Examples of other financial losses you could claim for include:
- Medical costs
- Travel and parking expenses
- Home or car adaptation costs
- Specialist care costs
- Reimbursement for loss of earnings
If you want to know how much compensation you could get for falling down a drain, please contact us today. One of our advisers can provide further insight.
How To Claim For Falling Down A Drain?
Just because someone has fallen down or through a drain does not automatically mean they can make a personal injury claim. Sometimes accidents happen that could not have been prevented. To make a personal injury claim following an accident involving a drain or drain cover, it is important to establish if you meet the correct criteria. You will need to establish the following are true of your circumstances.
Firstly, another party must have owed you a duty of care. Secondly, that party must have neglected their duty of care by failing to complete necessary inspections or maintenance of the drain cover. Alternatively, that party could have known the manhole cover was broken but failed to repair it in a timely fashion. Finally, you must have suffered an injury.
Contact our adviser if you’d like further information about duty of care.
Who Could Be Responsible If You Fall A Drain?
In the UK, certain legislation means specific parties owe a duty of care to others. This section will examine which parties could be responsible for maintaining drain and manhole covers to a safe standard.
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, the parties that manage public spaces or premises are known as occupiers. They owe a duty of care to those who use that space for its intended purpose. This legislation determines they must take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of those using the public premise.
For example, your local authority could be responsible for maintaining certain walkways. Therefore, they could be found liable for an accident caused by their failure to maintain a drain or grid cover to a safe standard.
Very often, utility companies and telecommunication companies are responsible for manhole covers, so your claim may need to be directed to them.
In conclusion, if the party negligently and a broken manhole or drain cover injures a person, that party may be liable for the harm caused. Therefore, the injured individual could be eligible to make a public liability claim.
Could Falling Down A Broken Drain Cover Cause Injuries?
This kind of accident could lead to injuries like:
- Sprains or strains
- Lacerations
- Soft tissue injuries
- Broken bone injuries
- A spinal cord injury, which may cause permanent paralysis
- Head injury or traumatic brain injury
To learn how much compensation for falling down a drain you could claim, please contact Legal Expert today.
How Can I Prove A Broken Drain Cover Injured Me?
Certain pieces of evidence can help prove negligence. For instance, this could include:
- CCTV footage showing the accident
- A copy of your medical records
- Photographs of your injuries
- Contact details for witnesses who saw the incident
If you choose to work with a personal injury solicitor, they can help you locate evidence to be used in support of your claim. Speak to our advisers if you’d like to know more.
Case Study – Falling Down A Broken Drain
The case study concerns Miss R, who suffered multiple injuries after falling down a broken drain cover. Miss R frequently ate her lunch at a public park. On her journey to the park, she would pass several manholes and drains. Several individuals had previously reported that a drain cover was broken to the water company, but they had neglected to repair the drain or block the area from use.’’
Miss R went to the park on her break and stepped on the broken drain cover with her right leg. Her right leg fell through the drain cover, causing multiple injuries to her ankle, knee and hip, including several broken bones. After seeking the correct medical attention in the hospital, Miss R pursued a public liability claim against the utility company.
Find Out How Much Compensation For Falling Down A Drain You Could Claim?
Please contact Legal Expert today to ask if you’re eligible to claim for falling down a drain. An advisor can assess your case during a free consultation and, if they feel your claim is valid, may pass you on to one of our solicitors.
Our solicitors usually work under a type of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). There is no upfront service fee. You also typically don’t have to pay for the lawyer’s services if your claim fails. Instead, you pay a success fee if you win.
The success fee is legally capped, meaning that you always receive the majority of your compensation.
If you have any questions, reach out to our team of advisers. They can provide information about the claims process. This consultation is free, so learn more today:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Request to claim online
- Speak to an adviser using the Live Support widget
Learn More About Public Or Work Accident Claims
These guides may be helpful if you want to learn more:
How Much Compensation For Tripping on Pavement Accident?
How Much Compensation Can I Claim For An Accident In A Restaurant?
Can I Claim Compensation For A Knee Injury?
Find out what to do if your foot was ran over by a car with our guide.
Third-party resources that may be of use:
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) – Charity for the prevention of accidents
Request CCTV Footage – UK Government
Broken Leg – NHS
Thank you for reading our guide. We hope we have answered how much compensation for falling down a drain you could claim.
