Compensation for falling down the staircase

In recent times, Netflix viewers have been intrigued by the story of a lady who was found dead at the foot of her stairs. Her husband was accused of her murder. A camera crew filmed the progress of the case over many years.

At Levenes, we have not had a camera crew following any of our files involving staircases, but that does not mean they are any less interesting, in our opinion. Stairs, staircases, and steps continue to keep us busy. 

Can I claim for falling down stairs at work?

Levenes were able to settle a case where a client fell down stairs. Thankfully, there was no accusation that she had been pushed.

Our client was a cleaner at a hotel. She fell down stairs and alleged that this was because she tripped over an apron which was too big for her and because there was no handrail she could hold. She was carrying a bucket with cleaning materials.

Liability was denied. When someone is accused of causing injury on a staircase, they will say anything to avoid responsibility.

The insurer of the employer stated that they did not understand why she fell and that the cause of the accident was that she tried to carry a basket which was too heavy.

They claimed that it was not necessary to install a railing and that the passageway was too narrow anyway. They also said that our client had not tied up her apron properly.

Levenes will always fight to claim the highest compensation possible

We were not impressed with the Defendant’s arguments and one step at a time, we took them down.

After the accident, a handrail was installed – which undermined the argument that the staircase was too narrow. A higher part of the staircase, which was the same dimension as the stairs where our client fell had a handrail before the accident.

Our client denied that her apron was loose. She asserted that it was tied properly but it was too big and baggy and so liable to catch her legs as she walked. She did not choose to carry too much. She was carrying the bucket containing what was prepared for her by her manager. She had no choice in the matter.

If a suitable and sufficient risk assessment had been done, or, having been done, adhered to, the risk of falls on these narrow stairs would have been identified.

The installation of a rail would have been an obvious measure – a measure which was taken after the accident.

Furthermore, the risk to employees from carrying too much would have been identified and employees would not have been instructed or required to carry a basket that they might struggle to carry whilst negotiating the stairs.

We put those arguments and the insurance company gave up and we were then able to settle claim.

We fight hard for our clients, and we enjoy the challenge of acting in difficult cases. Sometimes that means being willing to take the extra step to achieve justice for our clients.

Accident compensation claims

Seeking the expert advice of a specialist accident at work lawyer can be crucial in ensuring that your claim goes smoothly and that you get the support you need to recover from your injuries.

You can trust in the experience and knowledge of our team of professional injury lawyers to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to.

Get in touch today and find out within 1 hour if you have a claim. Call us on 0800 048 2355 or request a call back now.