Data provided by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) reveals that accidents are more likely to happen at home than they are elsewhere. Every year 2.7 million people seek medical attention for an accident that has taken place at home, and it's often assumed that because the accident has taken place at home then nobody else can be held accountable and therefore no compensation can be claimed. However, things are not always as clear cut as that and there are many cases where people have suffered an accident at home resulting in an injury due to the negligence of somebody else.

Defective product claims

An injury at home may be caused by an item that isn't fit for purpose, such as an item of furniture collapsing. If you suffer an injury at home because of a defective product and want to pursue an injury claim because of it, then it's important to not just throw the furniture away. You should keep hold of the item so that I can be inspected, even if it's damaged or faulty beyond repair. The item will likely need to be examined to prove the fault and without this vital evidence it may be impossible to pursue the claim. Receipts or other documents that relate to the item can also prove useful, and it may also be beneficial to photograph the item in its current state and gather any photographs that you may have of the item before the accident took place.

Poor workmanship claims

An accident at home could also occur as a result of poor workmanship that has been carried out by a third party, meaning there could certainly be grounds for a claim of compensation. For example, doors or windows may have been badly fitted, or electrical wiring or home appliances may have been incorrectly installed. If you have reason to believe that your accident at home was the result of poor workmanship that was carried out by a tradesperson, take photographs of the work in question before you seek to rectify the issue. If the issue is related to the electrics make sure you have a qualified specialist inspect and repair the fault. Keep receipts or invoices of any repair work that is then completed and ask the specialist carrying out the repair to state the reason for the work on the receipt or other documents as a repair job to rectify the previous faulty work.

Negligent landlord claims

The home you live in may be unsafe due to poor property maintenance, whether private or through the local authority. All landlords have a legal responsibility to make sure that the property they let out is safe for their tenants. If you suffer an accident due to their poor negligence then you are likely to be entitled to claim compensation. Examples of when a landlord may be to blame could include a failure to carry out the correct maintenance required, failure to act quickly enough to prevent an accident from occurring or failure to carry out regular maintenance checks, resulting in an injury. Photographs should be taken of any damage or poor maintenance that caused the accident and you should also keep a note of when you first reported any issues to your landlord. You should also notify your landlord about the accident and the injury you sustained as soon as possible, and request that they rectify the fault.

Claim following an attack at home

A compensation claim for an injury sustained during an attack on you that takes place in your home may relate to a domestic assault or an attack by an intruder in your property. These claims are made through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, which is an organisation that the Government set up to make sure those who are a victim of crime receive an award of compensation.

If you believe you're entitled to compensation due to an accident that's taken place in your home that wasn't your fault, then don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We offer a wide range of legal services here at Fonseca Law and our team of solicitors have the expertise to help you claim the compensation you deserve. Call us today on 01495 303124, e-mail enquiries@fonsecalaw.co.uk or complete our online contact form.