I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work, Can I Claim?

By Lewis Hendrix. Last Updated 12th September 2023. In this article, we investigate the answer to your question, ‘I slipped on a wet floor at work, what should I do next’? Learn about wet floor injury claims. 

You may have questions such as:

  • If I slip on a wet floor at work, can I make a claim?
  • Why is a wet floor considered a hazard?
  • What to do if you slip on the floor? 

We take a look at what the legislation says in regard to health and safety while carrying out your work duties. Additionally, we explore the risks associated with wet floors. We also look at injuries you could experience should you slip on a wet floor, as well as what employers could do to reduce wet floor risks. 

I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work, Can I Claim?

I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work, Can I Claim?

If you decide to claim for your wet floor-acquired injury, you may wish to do so with the support of a No Win No Fee solicitor. To conclude, we look at what this means for claimants. 

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 Select A Section

  1. Can I Claim If I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work?
  2. Slipped On Wet Floor At Work – How Long Do I Have To Claim For My Injuries?
  3. How Could Wet Floor Slips Be Prevented?
  4. What Injuries Could Be Caused?
  5. I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work, How Much Could I Claim?
  6. Talk To A Specialist Solicitor

Can I Claim If I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work?

Employees are given health and safety rights in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). Under section 2, your employer owes you a duty of care while at work. Whilst carrying out your work related duties, you should expect that your employer has taken reasonably practicable steps to reduce the risks you might face.

If your employer fails to adhere to health and safety legislation and you are injured as a result, you might be able to make a slip at work claim. To support your personal injury claim, you will need to submit evidence of both your injuries and that employer negligence caused them. 

A personal injury solicitor could help gather supporting evidence for accident at work claims. They may contact witnesses for statements, for example, if anyone witnessed the accident that caused your injuries. 

Our accident at work claims team can answer your questions about what you can do if you slipped on a wet floor at work. 

Slipped On Wet Floor At Work – How Long Do I Have To Claim For My Injuries?

If you fell on a wet floor at work, and you’re eligible to claim compensation, there will be a time limit that applies to your claim. Typically, under the Limitation Act 1980, you’d have three years from the date of the accident to file your claim. 

However, there could be some exceptions.

For example, if someone under the age of 18 slipped on the floor and was injured at work, they could not claim themselves until they turned 18. The limitation period would effectively pause until they reach 18. However, during the pause, an appropriate adult, such as a solicitor or relative, could apply to be a litigation friend and make a claim on the minor’s behalf. 

Should no claim be made in this way, and the minor reaches 18 years of age, they could launch their own claim. They would have until they turned 21 to claim.

There are also exceptions to the personal injury time limit that could apply to those who lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves.

To learn more about limitation periods or to start your claim today, you can contact an advisor at any time.

How Could Wet Floor Slips Be Prevented?

Wet floors cannot be prevented all of the time, however, the risks they pose could be reduced. To be HASAWA compliant, your employer may conduct a risk assessment. This allows for risks to be identified. Once identified, steps could be taken to mitigate. This could include a policy on signage and policies to deal with spillages in a timely manner. 

Additionally, working at heights on a wet and slippery surface poses further risks. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 applies if staff are expected to work at height. Working at height could include a mezzanine floor in a factory, for example, or scaffolding at a building site. 

Our work injury claims team can help you start a slipped on a wet floor at work claim. 

What Injuries Could Be Caused? 

We can’t provide a comprehensive list of injuries that could occur if you slipped on a wet floor at work, however, we can provide examples. These include:

  • A sprained ankle and other sprain or strain injuries.
  • Torn ligament injury. 
  • Soft tissue injuries. 
  • Concussions and head injuries may even include a traumatic brain injury. 
  • Fractures. 

In addition to physical injuries, the accident or injury itself could cause you a mental health injury, such as post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A psychological injury could form part of your workplace accident claim. 

Witnessing a colleague having an accident could also result in a psychological injury. As a witness, you might also be able to claim for your psychological distress. 

Contact our work accident claims team to discuss your injuries. 

I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work, How Much Could I Claim?

We cannot tell you what’s the average payout for a slip and fall in the UK. Different factors are involved in each award. However, we can provide you with examples of figures given in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Additionally, you may be able to recover costs under special damages.  

General Damages In I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work Claims

The first head of your work injury claim seeks to compensate you for your physical injury and any psychological damage experienced as a result. As stated above, the JCG contains examples of figures for particular injuries. It is a document that legal professionals will use to help value injuries. It cannot provide a definitive figure. Examples in the table below are from the spring 2022 edition. 

Edit
Injury Severity Potential Compensation Notes
Neck injuries Severe (a) (iii) £45,470 to £55,990 Significant permanent disability from fractures, dislocations, soft tissue damage or ruptured tendons.
Head injuries Moderate (c) (iii) £43,060 to £90,720 Reduced workability but minimal dependence on others. Concentration, memory and possible sensory impact along with a small epilepsy risk.
Other arm injuries Substantial permanent disability (b) £39,170 to £59,860 Either a disability in function or appearance following serious forearm fractures.
Back injuries Severe (a) (iii) £38,780 to £69,730 Chronic conditions causing disability from disc lesions or fractures or soft tissue injuries.
Wrist injuries Permanent disablement (b) £24,500 to £39,170 Some useful movement is present, but the injury still causes a significant permanent disability.
Leg injuries Less serious (c) (i) £17,960 to £27,760 Serious soft tissue injuries or fractures with a reasonable but incomplete recovery.
Ankle injuries Modest (d) Up to £13,740 Sprains, undisplaced fractures and ligament injuries.
Skeletal injuries Nose/nasal complex fractures (c) (i) £10,640 to £23,130 Permanent airway damage or numerous operations due to serious or multiple fractures.
PTSD Moderate (c) £8,180 to £23,150 Some non-disabling symptoms remain, but overall, a large recovery has occurred.
General psychological injury Moderate (c) £5,860 to £19,070 Coping with life presents problems, but improvements occur with a good prognosis.

Special Damages In I Slipped On A Wet Floor At Work Claims

This head allows for you to recover costs incurred as a direct result of your workplace injury. In order to recover any of your expenses, however, you must supply proof. Receipts, invoices and wage slips could be presented. 

You could recover:

  • Wage loss and lost future earnings. 
  • Medical expenses, such as therapy or cosmetic surgery. 
  • Vehicle and home adaptations. 

Estimates of your work injury claim are available from our work accident claims team. 

Talk To A Specialist Solicitor

If you’ve slipped on a wet floor at work caused by employer negligence and were injured as a result, you might like to claim compensation with the help of a personal injury solicitor. You won’t pay an upfront solicitors fee if you hire a No Win No Fee solicitor. They will often work under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). In addition to not paying for your solicitor’s services upfront, you won’t have to pay a solicitors’ fee if your claim is unsuccessful. You will be charged what is known as a success fee if your claim succeeds. A legal cap will apply to the success fee, and it will be taken from your award. 

The Accident Claims advice team can help you start your work injury claim today. They can answer your question, ‘I slipped on a wet floor at work, can I claim’. If it appears that you have a valid claim, you could be passed on to our solicitors. 

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Related Slip And Fall Claims

Additional links:

Below, you can find links to some more of our guides on accident at work claims: