By Danielle Newton. Last Updated 6th April 2023. Are you seeking more information related to slip and fall head injury settlements? This guide is here to help you.
Regardless of where it happened, if it was caused by another party’s negligence, our advisors are here to help. They can offer you free legal advice with no obligation on a 24/7 basis. After assessing your claim, and finding that it has a good chance of success, they can even connect you to a solicitor from our panel.
To find out more about how much you could receive for your slip and fall head injury, continue reading or get in touch by:
- Calling us on 0800 408 7825
- Talking to us through our live chat, which is viewable at the bottom-right of this page
- Contacting us directly through the website
Select A Section
- Slip And Fall Head Injury Settlements
- Types Of Head Injury Caused By Slips And Falls
- What Are The Symptoms Of Head Injuries?
- Who Could Be At Fault?
- What Should I Do Before Contacting A Solicitor?
- How Slip And Fall Head Injury Settlements Are Calculated
- Starting A Slip And Fall Head Injury Claim
- Find Out More About Slip And Fall Injury Claims
Slip And Fall Head Injury Settlements
Slips and falls are the most common type of workplace injury in Great Britain. This is according to statistics on non-fatal injuries at work, released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the period 2019/20. As reported by employers, slips and trips accounted for 29% of workplace injuries in that time.
Head injuries can occur when a person slips and falls over, causing them to hit their head. This can create high-impact trauma to the skull and brain, which can potentially result in a range of injuries. These can be mental and emotional as well as physical.
These injuries could occur anywhere. They could happen as a result of poor housekeeping, such as from wet floors not being properly signposted, or trailing wires not being properly managed.
To find out more about possible injury settlements for your slip and fall head injury, contact our advisors today for more information and guidance.
Types Of Head Injury Caused By Slips And Falls
Head injuries caused by slip and falls can range from less serious to severe. Head injuries that can result include:
- Concussion. This is where the brain is shaken with force, causing confusion, nausea, and “brain fog”. More severe cases can cause loss of consciousness and vomiting.
- Contusion. This can commonly be referred to as a bruise on the brain, where there will be swelling and bruising causing discomfort.
- Intracranial haematoma. This occurs when blood from the brain pools within the skull. This can cause a continuing loss of consciousness, confusion, and paralysis on one side of the body.
Please note that while certain injuries, such as concussions, can be minor, they can also be more severe or cause you to develop other problems. This is why we always recommend seeking medical attention. It is key that you and your doctor fully understand the extent of your injuries so you can receive appropriate medical care.
For help with injury settlements for your slip and fall head injury, we are here. Speak to an advisor to find out how we can help you.
What Are The Symptoms Of Head Injuries?
In specific terms, we have mentioned the symptoms that can arise due to certain head injuries. However, there is a general list of symptoms that you should be aware of. These include:
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Memory issues
- A headache that is not eased with tablets
- Sudden irritability
Again, this should not be interpreted as legitimate medical advice. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, speak to a doctor as soon as possible. Swift medical care can make the difference in helping you recover.
Who Could Be At Fault?
You may have sustained a head injury in a slip and trip accident. This could have been as a result of negligence. This may have been caused by your employer, the local council, or the owner of private property such as a shopping centre.
In these claims, we need to establish who was liable for negligence. Essentially, this means asking who was at fault for an incident that caused your injuries.
Everyone that owns or controls a premises has a duty of care to reasonably ensure the safety of visitors. Generally, all controllers of spaces that are accessible to the public are expected to signpost anything that could cause injury.
This is called a duty of care. If they fail to uphold this duty, this is considered a breach. If a breached duty of care directly causes your injury, you could be able to make a claim. Solicitors will generally work out who was liable for negligence based on the details of your case.
Duty Of Care And The Law
Different parties will be bound by different legislation to keep you safe.
In the workplace, your employer must work under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This mandates that good housekeeping is practised, while also ensuring that employees have well-lit and well-ventilated spaces to work in. Essentially, employers should protect the safety of employees.
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 also requires that employees be provided with safety gear where necessary, such as goggles and steel toe boots.
For council-controlled property as well as privately controlled spaces, the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 defines their duty of care. This also ensures that the parties practise good housekeeping, but there are additional provisions made to expect children to be less careful.
In personal injury claims, it is important to establish liability. This means working out who caused your injuries. You may be worried that you can not claim if the injury was partially your fault.
In certain circumstances, you could still claim — this is regarded as split liability where you and the defendant are both deemed partially liable for your injuries. This may happen where a spillage was not signposted and the employer was aware of it, but you were still running in the workplace, which could be deemed unsafe.
Compensation is still possible, but this will be a lesser figure than you would have gotten had it solely been the defendant who was negligent.
What Should I Do Before Contacting A Solicitor?
Before you contact a solicitor, it should be noted that you are not legally obligated to speak to one. Civil claims can be started without legal representation and this is entirely your choice. However, you may find the claims process much simpler with the assistance of a solicitor.
To support your claim, it is wise to collect evidence. Sources of evidence to target include:
- CCTV footage
- Contact details from eyewitnesses, as they can later be used for witness statements
- Photographs
You will also be invited to a medical assessment as part of the claims process. This is designed to see how severe your injuries are. It’s also intended to establish if your injuries were caused or worsened by the accident or if there was no link at all.
In turn, this can also decide how much compensation you can receive. This assessment is generally agreed on by both sides in a claim as it ensures a payout is fair and unbiased.
You can learn more about slip and fall head injury settlements by speaking to our advisors today.
Time Limits For Head Injury Claims
In addition to having sufficient evidence to support your head injury accident claim, as discussed above, you will need to start legal proceedings within the time limit. This is usually three years from the date of the accident as set by the Limitation Act 1980.
However, in circumstances where the injured party cannot start a claim for themselves the time limit is paused. During a pause, a litigation friend could be appointed to start legal proceedings on behalf of the injured party at any time. Solicitors for head injury claims can advise you on how to be appointed as a litigation friend.
Injured parties who cannot start a claim for themselves include:
- The time limit is paused until their 18th birthday. Once they turn 18, the personal injury claim limitation period starts, giving them three years from that date to start a claim if a litigation friend hasn’t already begun proceedings.
- Those without the mental capacity for legal proceedings. An indefinite suspension to the time limit applies. If the injured party regains their capacity and a litigation friend has not started a claim on their behalf, they will have three years from that date to begin proceedings.
Call our advisors for free advice about head injury claims. They can assess the validity of your claim and if it seems eligible, you could be connected to one of the No Win No Fee solicitors on our panel.
How Slip And Fall Head Injury Settlements Are Calculated
The compensation that you may receive for a head injury can be based on figures in the Judicial College Guidelines. Below, we have provided a compensation table taking select figures from these guidelines.
While this can be a useful tool, your injury may not be listed here. The amount of compensation you could receive may also be different. As such, we recommend speaking to an advisor to assess how much your settlement may actually be.
| Injury | Nature of incident | Possible compensation |
|---|---|---|
| (A) Brain Damage (a) Very Severe Brain Damage | Where there is very little meaningful response to the victim's environment, and will necessitate care on a full-time basis. Compensation will differ depending on (for example) life expectancy and how physically limited they have become. | £282,010 to £403,990 |
| (b) Moderately Severe Brain Damage | Will involve disability to a very serious degree. Can involve limb paralysis as well as an intellectual or personality-related impairment. | £219,070 to £282,010 |
| (c) Moderate Brain Damage (i) | Where there can be a severe deficit to intellect as well as a change to personality, speech and sight. | £150,110 to £219,070 |
| (d) Less Severe Brain Damage | Here, the injured party will be able to lead a normal life again, but may have problems with concentration or inhibiting moods. | £15,320 to £43,060 |
| (e) Minor Brain or Head Injury | Minimal brain damage. Payout will depend on the severity of the injury as well as the time taken to recover, and if any symptoms are ongoing. | £2,210 to £12,770 |
| (B) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (a) | Where the injured person will not be able to work or won't be able to function as before. | £59,860 to £100,670 |
The above table also depicts general damages only. This is compensation for injuries diagnosed by a doctor. As stated, these can be emotional, mental, or physical and will be caused or exacerbated by the accident.
However, there is another head of claim called special damages. This is compensation related to losses of a financial nature. These will have been sustained as a result of your accident. Special damages can include lost wages as well as travel costs to the hospital.
To find out more about injury settlements for your slip and fall head injury, get in touch with an advisor today.
Starting A Slip And Fall Head Injury Claim
You may now have more knowledge about slip and fall head injury settlements. However, you still might be nervous about making a claim because of legal fees.
No Win No Fee agreements allow people to use the services of a solicitor with reduced financial risk. If a solicitor represents you on this basis, you will not have to pay them any solicitor fees at the start of your claim or while it is ongoing. This is also true in the event of a loss.
In the event of a win, you will pay a legally capped fee for your solicitor’s success. This is taken off the top of your payout.
If the claim loses, you won’t have to pay any solicitor fees at all.
To find out more, why not get in touch? You can speak to our advisors for no-obligation legal advice. This advice is free and can lead to you being connected to a solicitor from our panel. This may dramatically change the outcome of your case. Get in touch by:
- Calling us on 0800 408 7825
- Talking to us through our live chat, which is viewable at the bottom-right of this page
- Contacting us directly through the website
Find Out More About Slip And Fall Injury Claims
Head Injury Compensation Case Study Guide
Accident At Work Head Injury Compensation Case Study Guide
Fractured Skull Compensation Case Study Guide
Request CCTV footage of yourself — UK Government guidance on gaining CCTV footage for the purpose of evidence.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) — Information provided by the UK Government on a benefit you can claim on a short-term basis if you are unable to work.
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents — An anti-accident charity in the UK.
Thank you for reading this article about slip and fall head injury settlements.
Article by EC
Publisher UI