Could I Claim For My Injuries When I Slipped On Water At Work?

By Jo Jeffries. Last Updated 11th March 2024. Have you slipped on water at work due to someone else’s negligence? Did you injure yourself when you did? Then this guide will show you how you may be able to make a personal injury claim for an accident at work. We explain how slip and trip accidents at work could happen, and when you could claim work injury compensation.

Your employer should take reasonable steps to protect your health and safety at work. This includes providing you with a safe working environment. If they don’t, then they could be liable to pay compensation if you consequentially suffer harm.

A man who slipped at work lying on the floor.

All claims have unique aspects, so you might not find the answers to all of your questions in this guide. If this turns out to be the case, you can still get the answers you need. All you have to do is reach out to our personal injury claim advisors on 0800 073 8801. They will answer your queries and explain how to get your claim underway.

Our advisors are also available through our live chat and you can even request a callback. They’re ready to help whenever you need it, with all of our channels open 24/7. They offer confidential, free legal advice and you won’t be under any obligation to proceed with the services of our solicitors. We’re ready whenever you feel ready.

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A Guide To Claims If You Slipped On Water At Work

If you suffered an injury when you slipped at work, you may wonder whether you can claim compensation. Your employer must adhere to relevant workplace health and safety legislation, including the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA).

The HASAWA sets the duty of care of employers. It states that they need to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees at work. If this duty is broken and you suffer an injury in an accident at work, you might be eligible to claim personal injury compensation.

Additionally, you must ensure that you launch your accident at work claim within the three-year personal injury claims time limit, as set out under the Limitation Act 1980. However, there are some exceptions to this.

If you would like to discuss this eligibility criteria or the time limits, please get in touch with an advisor.

Injuries Caused By Having Slipped On Water At Work

If you have slipped on a wet floor at work, you may have suffered any number of injuries. Some injuries might be trivial, but others could be severe or even fatal in extreme circumstances. For example, a person who suffers from osteoporosis may have a higher risk of enduring serious injuries as a result of a slip, trip or fall.

Injuries caused by slipping on water could include:

  • Lacerations, cuts and grazes.
  • Sprains, strains and other soft tissue injuries.
  • Fractures of all kinds (such as simple fractures or complicated fractures).
  • Dislocations of the shoulder or hip.
  • Head injuries, such as concussion.

No matter what injuries you have suffered from, you could be able to claim for them in the right circumstances. You could call and speak to our claim experts to find out if you have a valid cause to seek compensation.

Someone holding their knee in pain after they slipped on water at work

Causes Of Slipping On Water At Work

There are many ways that a hazard could cause you to suffer a fall on a wet floor at work. Trips, falls and slips are some of the most common of all types of workplace accidents. In fact, the most common accident to cause injuries in the workplace in 2019/20 (according to employer reports) were slips, trips or falls on the same level. They accounted for 29% of reported injuries.

When it comes to slipping on water at work, you could fall foul of hazards such as:

  • Leaks from pipes that haven’t been maintained regularly.
  • Spillages on the floor of your work canteen that were noticed but weren’t cleaned and a floor sign wasn’t placed.
  • Water or other liquids that have been spilt on a stairway and noticed but not attended to.

If your employer caused and could have reasonably prevented your slipping injury, they could be liable in a compensation claim. You can call us and talk to our advisors to learn whether you could claim.

Work Injury Compensation – Slip And Trip Injuries

There are a variety of accidents at work that someone could have. No two accidents at work are completely the same. Even two slip and trip accidents could bring vastly different work injury compensation payouts. This is because each claim is assessed on its own merits. Courts and lawyers look at the facts and circumstances of the case. Only then can they arrive at a fair work injury compensation payout.

One important piece of evidence in work injury compensation claims is the independent medical report. As part of your claim for any accidents at work, you may need to see an independent medical expert. They would examine you and ask you about your slip and trip injury. Once they had all the information they needed, they could produce the medical report for you. This can evidence your injury and their opinion on your prognosis.

Calculating Compensation

In order to calculate the general damages head of claim for your work injury compensation claim, courts and lawyers could look at the Judicial College Guidelines to help them. This is a publication that offers guidance on compensation amounts for a variety of injuries for cases made in England and Wales. The latest release of this publication was in April 2022. We have put together the table below to illustrate some of these figures for you. Additionally, we’ve included a figure in the top row (not from the Judicial College Guidelines) that shows how compensation could be awarded for multiple severe injuries and expenses. Only use them as a guide.

InjurySeverityNotesCompensation Guideline
Multiple Severe Injuries and Related CostsVery SevereClaimants may be able to recover compensation for multiple injuries and incurred expenses, including lost earnings and any care they need.Up to £1,000,000+
Brain InjuryVery SevereIn these cases, the injured person has severe disabilities, both cognitive and physical that require nursing care full time.£282,010 to £403,990
Back InjurySevere (i)The claimant suffers serious consequences, severe pain and disability from spinal cord and nerve damage.£91,090 to £160,980
Back InjuryModerate (i)The injured party has residual disability, but it isn't as severe as more extreme cases. £27,760 to £38,780
Arm InjuryPermanent and SubstantialThe injured party suffered serious fractures in one or both of their forearms resulting in a significant and permanent residual disability. £39,170 to £59,860
Arm InjurySimpleIn this bracket, the claimant suffered a simple forearm fracture. £6,610 to £19,200
Wrist InjurySignificantSome useful wrist movement remains, however, the injury still causes significant disability that is permanent. £24,500 to £39,170
Ankle InjuryModerateThe claimant suffers less serious disabilities (difficulty standing or walking for long periods of time or walking on uneven ground and the like) from fractures and ligamentous tears.£13,740 to £26,590
Shoulder InjurySeriousThe injury causes restricted shoulder movement, sensory problems in the forearm and hand and pain.£12,770 to £19,200

For a personalised estimate of how much your claim could attract, please do not hesitate to contact the team. We would be happy to help you with this.

Special Damages If You Fell On A Wet Floor At Work

If you fall on a wet floor at work due to someone else’s negligence and successfully make a compensation claim, you could be offered a settlement. This settlement could encompass two heads of claim. The heads of claim are general damages (for physical or mental suffering) and special damages (for financial loss).

An Overview Of General Damages

General damages compensate you for the injuries and suffering you endured after you slipped on water at work. This could include both psychological and physical harm. When deciding on the value of general damages, legal professionals may consider:

  • How lengthy and intrusive treatment was.
  • How you were affected psychologically.
  • Whether you have long-term or permanent impairment or disabilities.

An Overview Of Special Damages

When you slipped at work and were injured, you may not have realised the financial losses you’d accrue due to the injuries. Rest assured, you could be compensated for these through special damages.

Special damages might include:

  • Travel costs. You may have had to travel to appointments or solicitors’ meetings because of your injuries, for example.
  • Lost income. Perhaps you took time off work and were not paid in full while you recovered.
  • Medical fees. You may have paid for prescriptions or medications to help treat your injuries.
  • Lost future earnings. You may have to change career or give up working altogether due to your injuries. Loss of earnings claims could include future earning losses.
  • The cost of medical care. Did you hire help because you needed somebody to take care of you at home? Even if your family or friends provided gracious care, you could claim their time as compensation.
  • Modifications to your home. You may have had to fit safety rails in your bathroom because of an ongoing medical problem caused by your injuries.

It is important to note that if you intend to try and claim back money you already had to spend because of your injuries, you will need to provide proof. Receipts, tickets, invoices and bills are examples of what you could use to evidence your losses.

No Win No Fee: Slipped On Water At Work Injury Claims

You probably heard the phrase No Win No Fee before. But do you really understand what it means? In general, it means that you wouldn’t pay a solicitor their fee if you didn’t win your compensation claim. But there are other benefits too.

Another name for a No Win No Fee agreement is a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under such an arrangement, your solicitor would agree that their fee will be conditional on them winning your claim for you.

You would not be charged a solicitor’s fee at the start of your claim. And, you would not be charged solicitor fees during the case either.

Of course, if the claim fails, your lawyer would not be paid their fee at all. But if your claim is a success, your lawyer would be able to take a success fee that you discuss and agree to before you sign the No Win No Fee agreement. This success fee is legally limited in its amount.

For a fuller explanation, please call and talk to one of our claim advisors.

A No Win No Fee solicitor working on an accident at work claim

Why Claim For An Accident At Work With Us?

What is the procedure if you slip on a wet floor? Firstly, you should make sure that your injuries have been treated properly. Then, you should ensure that your accident was entered into the company accident book.

Afterwards, you may feel you have a reason to make a compensation claim. And if you do, we might be able to help you. All you have to do is give us a call on the number below, and follow our simple three-step process.

  1. Contact our advisors and explain your case to our team. They will provide you with any more information and answers you need.
  2. One of our expert advisors will look over your claim and evaluate it for free. They will tell you whether you have a potentially valid claim or not.
  3. If your claim is valid, we can arrange for a No Win No Fee solicitor to start working on your case.

To get in touch, use any of the methods below. Our advisors are available whenever you need them. You’ll be given free legal advice and won’t be under any obligation to proceed with the services of our solicitors.

Begin A Slipped On Water At Work Accident Claim

Do you think you have a valid reason to make a claim against your employer for an accident at work? If you slipped on water at work and were injured due to your employer’s negligence, then we might be able to help you. You can:

An expert advisor will talk through your legal options with you, and about the best way for you to proceed.

Essential Work Accident Resources If You’ve Slipped On Water At Work

These links will take you to personal injury claims guides on our site. You may like to read over them.

The links below lead to external websites that could have information relevant to your claim.