Welcome to our guide on pavement accident compensation claims. In this guide, we explain how those who have an accident on a pavement could make pavement accident claims if they could prove someone else was at fault for them having tripped on uneven pavement.
We discuss falling on uneven pavements, and answer questions such as ‘Can I claim for falling in the street?’ ‘How do I make a claim for pavement tripping?’ and talk about the types of uneven pavement injury someone could experience.
I tripped on uneven pavement – could I claim?
Pavements are a common sight from villages to towns and cities. A pedestrian walkway should be safe for us to use. This means whoever is responsible for the pavement needs to keep it in good condition. But this, along with other issues, doesn’t always happen, which can lead to a trip on a pavement. If this has happened to you, the assumption you have made may be that there is no one to blame for the accident.
This may not be the case. Most pavements are for public use and maintained by local government, a town council or your local authority. They may do this themselves, using their employees, or contract this work to a private maintenance company.
As the body responsible for maintaining pavements, they have a duty of care to the public that they will be in a fit state to use, free from defects and hazards.
How to Claim Pavement Accident Compensation
Ask yourself this question – what caused you to trip and fall on the pavement? Were there piles of rubbish that had not been cleared away obscuring your view? Was the pavement uneven, and clearly in need of remedial work and upgrade?
If so, you could look at suing the council for uneven pavement if they have failed to carry out an uneven pavement repair or corrected uneven paving slabs. Were there other obstructions and hazards that caused you to trip?
Depending on the circumstances of your pavement accident, you may be able to claim compensation for the injuries that you suffered from whichever body – the local council, for example – who is responsible for their maintenance.
Falling On Uneven Pavements – Is It Someone Else’s Fault?
It is easy to think that there is ‘no one to blame’ or ‘it is just one of those things’. Read on to find out more about claiming for tripping on a pavement and learn what the process of suing compensation entails. And with Accident Claim’s no win, no fee service, you can be confident that you will not take a financial gamble.
Your No-Fuss Comprehensive Guide to Personal Injury Compensation
Like most things in life, the more research and information you gather beforehand, the more likely you are to be successful in your end goal – and the same is true when it comes to claiming compensation after tripping on a pavement.
This guide has been written with this in mind. It ensures that you know everything about the process, including how to start a claim, who the claim will be against and the evidence or information you will be asked to provide.
Pavement accident compensation claims – what’s the process?
The process starts the same, whether for personal injury after a car accident or for someone who has been hurt after tripping on pavement, with our free consultation.
This process is a chance to assess your potential claim, look at what happened, how you were hurt and the circumstances that led to your trip. But it is also a chance for you to talk to us, ask us questions about your claim, and discuss any issues or concerns you may have.
Free Advice On Falling On Uneven Pavements Claims
This free consultation can be done over the phone. We take our time, so you get a chance to discuss everything you need to. We’ll ask you questions about what happened, how you were hurt so that we start to build a clear picture of what happened. We must get all the facts because it is this information that we pass on to a personal injury solicitor if you decide to go ahead with your claim.
You may also be required to undergo an independent medical assessment as part of your claim, not something that should worry you at all. This appointment is often arranged locally, to minimise travel and disruption to your rehabilitation.
You’ll find with Accident Claims that we always put our client first. Our service will revolve around you and your claim. By the end of the consultation process, we’ll let you know what options are open to you, including whether you have a claim for personal injury compensation.
Pavement Accident Compensation Claims – What Are They?
When a pavement or another surface is badly maintained, people may trip. Someone can make a pavement accident compensation claim after they have slipped, tripped or fallen on a pavement, car park or another kind of walkway.
Tripping and falling can result in injury, and it is these claims that we deal with regularly. Some accidents can result in minor injuries, although still painful and unpleasant. But for other people, a trip on an uneven pavement has led to serious injuries such as broken bones, concussion and back injuries.
There are cases of people suffering long-term injuries too, such as paralysis, although these cases are thankfully rare.
Causes of an accident on the pavement
The causes of trips on pavements are many and varied. These are just a few hazards that we have come across that have contributed to pavement accident claims;
- Weather – inclement weather, from lashing rain to ice and snow, impact on the pavement materials. This leads to potholes and uneven ground that can contribute to someone falling. This may lead to compensation for falling down a pothole. Likewise, we also work with people to make pavement accident claims after slippery on icy pavements too, a situation that has led to many people suffering injuries such as broken bones.
- Poorly lit areas – it is also possible that poor lighting led to your trip. In some areas, lighting is essential, especially if you felt you had no other course of action but to take that route. Stumbling about in the darkness on an uneven pavement that led to a trip and injuries could be the basis of a pavement accident compensation claim. Councils and businesses responsible for maintenance on their own land must ensure that it is safe to use, including providing there is adequate light for when it is dark.
- Poor maintenance – a local authority, council or private business has a duty of care to ensure that pavements and car parks etc., are well maintained and safe for the public. There are cases that due to budgetary constraints, maintenance work was not carried out. However, if there was no action taken to alert you of the hazards and risk, and you fell, hurting yourself, you could have a compensation claim. A dwindling maintenance budget is no defence!
Insecure pavement slabs, damage from rain or ice and so on, are all issues that local council maintenance teams and private landowners are expected to deal with promptly. Understandably, getting around to fixing the problem can take time, but they are expected to take action in the meantime. This could be in the shape of roping the area off or placing warning signs that are prominent or even shutting a part of the pavement until repairs are made.
If you’d like to talk about pavement accident claims with a specialist, please call our team today.