Trips and Slips

Slipping and Tripping accident claims often occur after tripping over a pavement due to a defect e.g. a pothole or as raised or rocking paving slab, and involve a claim against the local Council. It also includes claims for tripping or slipping in a supermarket, a shop or a restaurant or at a school or any other premises. Injuries again vary but often include broken/fractured or sprained wrists, broken legs, sprained ankles and bruising.

Accidents arising from slips and trips are often seen as trivial, and an example of the "compensation culture", when In reality, a high proportion of such accidents involve serious personal injury. Health and safety executives estimate that 95% of major slips result in broken bones.

Examples of tripping and slipping personal injury claims successfully pursued include:

• Severe injuries to the elderly, caused by slipping or tripping on defective pavements
• Injuries to children caused by defective utility grids
• Injuries caused by slipping on wet floors in supermarkets, hospitals, and schools
• injuries suffered by children in playgrounds and sports centres
• Claims by council tenants for ill health caused by housing disrepair and defective premises
• injuries to cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists caused by potholes in roads

Very often the personal injuries sustained in such accidents have adverse consequences for life.

All public and private organisations owe a duty of care to ensure all visitors to premises are safe. Local Authorities are also under a duty to ensure that pavements and public highways are in a safe condition for public use. As an Ebbw Vale-based firm, Fonseca Law personal injury solicitors are instructed in thousands of such cases each year.