Last Updated on the 13th April 2026. Trailing cables and leads hazards are a significant cause of trip injuries in both workplaces and public spaces. These incidents often result in broken bones, head trauma, or severe, life-altering spinal damage. If you’re wondering, ‘Can I claim for tripping over trailing cables?’, the answer is yes, provided that the injury you suffered in the accident resulted from a third party’s negligent actions. At Public Interest Lawyers, we use our expertise to support clients navigating the personal injury claims process with compassion, transparency, and dedication.
With our solicitors, you could seek compensation for the physical injuries, psychological impact and any related financial losses, including lost income and medical expenses, In line with the suggested brackets of compensation provided within the Judicial College Guidelines (a publication often used by solicitors to value claims) you might receive £73,050 for loss of function in your wrist to £47,320 to £85,100 for severe disc fractures.
With this said, any final settlement will be entirely dependent on the severity of your injuries and their wider impact on your life. Having a dedicated team of expert solicitors ensures that the full impact of your trailing cables accident is addressed in a compensation claim. With our proven track record and over £100 million secured for claimants nationwide, Public Interest Lawyers is ready to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Select A Section
- What Are Trailing Leads, And When Could I Claim?
- Trailing Wires And Trailing Leads – How Can Accidents Happen?
- How Long Do I Have To Claim For An Accident Caused By Trailing Wires?
- Evidence For Claiming For Trip Hazard Injuries
- Compensation For Injuries Caused By Trailing Cables – How Is It Calculated?
- How Our Expert Solicitors Can Help After Cable And Lead Accidents
- Claiming For Injuries Caused By Trailing Cables And Leads Hazards On A No Win No Fee Basis
- More Information
What Are Trailing Leads, And When Could I Claim?
There could be many potential slip or trip hazards in the workplace, including trailing leads, which are power cables that may trail across the workplace floor, hallway or walkway.
Firstly, it is important to know about the duty of care employers have. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) legally obligates employers to take reasonable and practical steps to ensure the safety of their employees. Some of these are outlined in Section 2, including:
- Providing employees with proper training.
- Carrying out risk assessments.
- Ensuring maintenance and repairs are carried out in due time.
- Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) that has been deemed necessary to reduce health and safety risks.
If your employer fails to uphold the duty of care, they owe you and causes you to be injured, this is called negligence. In cases where an employer’s negligence has caused you harm, you could be eligible to make a claim. You could sustain physical and psychiatric injuries which impact your life in various ways. Read on to find out how much compensation you could be eligible to receive and what factors are considered when valuing your settlement.
Continue reading to find out how employers can mitigate trailing cable hazards and prevent you from suffering an accident at work.
Trailing Wires And Trailing Leads – How Can Accidents Happen?
You might be wondering how an accident can happen as a result of trailing cables. It’s worth noting that in order to make a valid accident at work claim, your injuries must have been caused by your employer’s negligence.
Therefore, in this section, we’ll discuss accidents involving trailing wires where an employer has breached their duty of care to you. For example:
- Your employer fails to ensure walkways are clear from trailing leads, meaning you trip and fall, causing an injury
- A damaged or faulty trailing cable is identified but your employer fails to have it repaired, exposing you to an electric shock hazard
- A spillage is not cleaned with caution as your employer has failed to inform staff on how to complete tasks safely, resulting in a potential fire hazard if the trailing cable comes into contact with the spillage
If you are considering hiring an injury at work solicitor, speak to our advisors for more information. You could be connected with one of our expert solicitors who offer their services on No Win No Fee basis.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For An Accident Caused By Trailing Wires?
As established by the Limitation Act 1980, there’s usually a three-year time limit for beginning a personal injury claim for an injury caused by trailing leads or other hazards such as loose cables. This time limit usually begins from the date of your accident.
Under some circumstances, the time limit for claiming for an injury caused by trailing leads can work differently. If, for instance, the injured party lacks the mental capacity to start a personal injury claim, then the time limit is suspended indefinitely. A court-appointed litigation friend could claim instead on the injured party’s behalf. Otherwise, if the injured party later recovers their mental capacity, then the time limit will start from the day of recovery.
If a minor under the age of eighteen has been injured by trailing wires or a similar hazard, then the time limit will be paused until their 18th birthday. While the time limit is paused, a litigation friend can claim on their behalf. Otherwise, the injured party will have three years to begin their own claim starting from the day they turn 18.
Contact our advisors today if you’d like to learn more about your eligibility to claim for injuries caused by trailing cables or leads. A member of our team may be able to evaluate your claim for free.
Evidence For Claiming For Trip Hazard Injuries
An important step when claiming for injuries after tripping over trailing wires or trailing leads is collecting evidence to help strengthen your claim. Evidence can help establish who is responsible for your injuries, and it can also help you prove the extent of your injuries and the ways in which they affect your life.
Some examples of evidence that you could collect to help support your claim include:
- CCTV footage of the accident
- Photographs of your injuries or the accident site, such as the cable trailing on the ground
- The contact details of witnesses to ensure their statements can be taken at a later date
- Medical records or a medical report that details the severity of your injuries or the length of your treatment
One benefit of working with a solicitor is that they can help you gather evidence to strengthen your claim. To find out if one of our specialist solicitors could help you claim for injuries caused by tripping over trailing wires or trailing leads, contact our team today.
Compensation For Injuries Caused By Trailing Cables – How Is It Calculated?
If you make a successful personal injury claim after tripping over trailing cables, you will be awarded general damages. This compensates you for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries.
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is a document used by lawyers and other legal professionals when valuing this head of claim. The JCG features guideline compensation brackets for a wide range of injuries.
We have taken compensation amounts from the JCG relating to injuries that could be caused by an accident with trailing wires. Please only use the figures below as guidance. Also, take note that the first entry in this table is an estimated figure that is not based on the JCG.
| Injury | Details | Compensation Brackets |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries Plus Special Damages | Your compensation payout could cover multiple serious injuries plus any special damages you're eligible to claim. Examples may include the cost of care, travel or loss of earnings. | Up to £500,000+ |
| Very Severe Brain Damage (a) | The injury will cause several symptoms such as double incontinence, little or no language function and little response to the environment. Also, the person will need full-time nursing care. | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Moderate Brain Damage causing Injury (c) (iii) | The person's concentration and memory will have been affected, and their capability to work will have been reduced. Other problems may be present. | £52,550 to £110,720 |
| Less Severe Brain Damage causing Injury (d) | The person will have made a good recovery. However, some problems, such as poor concentration, may persist. | £18,700 to £52,550 |
| Severe Psychological Damage (a) | The injury will cause the person to have marked problems coping with day-to-day life, and their prognosis will be very poor. | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| Severe Back Injuries (a) (iii) | This bracket includes fractures of discs, disc lesions, or soft tissue injuries, which give rise to chronic conditions. | £47,320 to £85,100 |
| Moderate Back Injuries (b) (ii) | This will involve injuries of the back, which are frequently encountered, such as soft tissue injuries and disturbance of ligaments and muscles. | £15,260 to £33,880 |
| Wrist Injuries (a) | The person will have completely lost function of the wrist. | £58,710 to £73,050 |
| Arm Injuries (b) | Injuries in this bracket will cause permanent and substantial disablement, such as serious fractures of both or one forearm. | £47,810 to £73,050 |
| Severe Injuries to the Pelvis and Hips (a) (iii) | The person could have suffered an acetabulum fracture leading to leg instability, likely requiring future hip replacement surgery. | £47,810 to £64,070 |
What Are Special Damages?
You may also be awarded special damages as part of your settlement. This head of claim is awarded to cover any monetary losses or out-of-pocket expenses inflicted by your injuries. Examples of what special damages could cover include:
- Care costs – your injuries might leave you incapacitated and result in you paying a carer to help you with daily activities.
- A loss of earnings – if you trip over a trailing cable and smack your head, you could have a serious head injury and may require time off work to recover. In return, your earning capacity might be detrimentally affected.
- Prescription costs – arising from paying for medication to alleviate symptoms of your injuries.
It’s crucial that you can provide evidence of financial harm if you seek special damages. For example, a pay slip could prove a loss of earnings, whilst an invoice or receipt of service can highlight expenses relating to care or prescriptions. One of our specialist solicitors could assist you in gathering evidence.
If you have tripped on trailing wires and would like to know if you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, you can contact our advisors today.
How Our Expert Solicitors Can Help After Cable And Lead Accidents
At Public Interest Lawyers, our team has years of experience handling trailing cables and leads hazards claims. Grounded in a personalised service, we have successfully secured over £100 million for clients across the country. Our approach is built on specialist legal knowledge and a deep understanding of health and safety legislation, giving us the expertise to support clients injured due to poorly managed wiring.
We work tirelessly to ensure that your needs are met, with a complete commitment to your recovery and long-term wellbeing. This extends beyond legal support; we can also connect you with specialist healthcare professionals, allowing you to stay focused on healing.
If you choose to instruct one of our specialist solicitors, Public Interest Lawyers will deliver compassionate, expert legal representation by:
- Providing regular updates about how your claim is getting on
- Connecting you with orthopaedic consultants and physiotherapists experienced with the impact of injuries caused by trips on trailing cables and leads
- Giving simple explanations of complex legal terminology and relevant regulations, including workplace health and safety legislation
- Arranging remote consultations or home visits where necessary to discuss the advancement of your claim
- Fighting to recover compensation that reflects the full impact of the injuries caused by mismanaged leads or cables, addressing both your current and future needs
For more information about how our expert solicitors could help you in trailing leads hazards claims, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our advisors today.
Claiming For Injuries Caused By Trailing Cables And Leads Hazards On A No Win No Fee Basis
In addition to the benefits of working with our solicitors, their services are offered on a No Win No Fee basis to provide access to justice without upfront service fees.
Claiming on this basis uses a contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement, which means that:
- You’d have no upfront service fees to pay for one of our solicitors to begin working on your claim
- You wouldn’t be faced with ongoing payments for your solicitor’s work during the trailing leads hazards claims process
- You wouldn’t have anything to pay in service fees if we do not recover compensation on your behalf
If the claim goes in your favour, a pre-agreed percentage would be taken from your compensation by the solicitor. This is our success fee, and the percentage is legally capped in line with legislation to ensure that you receive the majority of your compensation.
To learn more about the benefits of using our No Win No Fee service, please get in touch with one of our advisors today. They can provide you with an obligation-free consultation, where they will analyse the facts of your case and advise whether you would be eligible to seek compensation with our solicitors at Public Interest Lawyers.
Get in touch with our advisory team today by:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8803
- Using our online contact form
- Messaging us with our 24/7 live chat service.
More Information
Why not read our other guides about:
- How to make a loss of sight compensation claim
- What is a catastrophic injury and can you claim?
- How long does a personal injury claim take to settle?
Helpful External Resources
- NHS guidance on back pain
- Find out if you could receive Statutory Sick Pay
- NHS information on broken arms or wrists
Thank you for reading our guide on trailing cables and leads hazards claims. If you’d like any further information, please get in touch with our advisory team today.