Any fall, whether in the house or outdoors, can cause injuries from mild sprains and bruises to broken bones, fractures and head injuries. Falling down the stairs at work however can result in multiple injuries over several different parts of the body, which can have far-reaching and long-lasting consequences to your health.

If you fell down stairs at work and believe negligence was the cause you should speak with a personal injury solicitor to determine your rights to compensation.

Our personal injury claims advisors provide a no-obligation initial consultation to review your claim. They’ll answer any questions you might have and provide free legal advice. If a compensation claim appears to be viable, you could be partnered with one of our personal injury solicitors. If they agree to represent you, there won’t be any legal fees to pay unless you are compensated as all claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis.

To learn more about your rights if you’ve fallen down stairs at work and suffered injuries as a result, please continue reading. If you’re ready to speak to us about your claim today, please contact our advice centre on 0800 6524 881.

Can I Sue My Employer For Falling Down Stairs At Work?

According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers need to try and reduce the risk of injury to their staff whilst they are working. This doesn’t mean that your workplace will ever be completely safe but it should mean that where a particular risk is identified, measures are introduced to try and reduce it.

If you’re considering suing your employer after falling down the stairs at work, one of our solicitors will check whether:

• Your employer breached their duty of care through an act of negligence; and
• You fell down a flight of stairs at work as a result; and
• You were injured during the fall.

Importantly, claims don’t have to be for falls down a large flight of stairs, you could be compensated for injuries following a fall down a single step as well. Later on, we’ll show you what evidence you could use to prove your claim meets the criteria set out above.

Employer Negligence That Can Lead To Employees Falling Down Stairs At Work

You might think that there’s not a lot your employer could do to prevent you from falling down stairs at work. However, as with other parts of the workplace, your employer must implement safety measures to keep steps and stairs as safe as possible. Therefore, to reduce the risk of falls on stairs employers should try to ensure that:

• Bannisters or handrails are at the right height, sturdy and secure.
• Carpets leading to and on stairs should be held firmly in place to prevent slipping.
• Any spillages or leaks on or around stairs are cleared up swiftly.
• The top and bottom of stairwells are not littered with boxes, stock or other trip hazards.
• “Wet Flooring” signs are used to indicate when the stairs might be slippery after any recent cleaning.
• Stairs constructed of wood, granite, marble or other smooth surfaces have slip-resistant features added.
• Tears in carpets on stairs are repaired swiftly (even if only a temporary fix can be applied).
• Staff are provided with anti-slip footwear if other safety precautions cannot be installed to avoid the risk of falling down stairs.

If your employer neglected any one of these aspects and you fell down stairs at work as a result, you may be eligible to file a compensation claim. For example, you can claim compensation for your injuries if there was no hazard sign warning you that the stairs were wet or there was an oil spill on the stairs. You may also be able to claim for your injuries if you tripped on a tear in the carpeting.

Common Injuries Caused By Falls Down Stairs At Work

Any accident involving a fall down a flight of stairs can be traumatic. Falling down a large flight of stairs at work can be particularly frightening. As well as the mental trauma associated with the fall, you could sustain serious and life-changing injuries. Some of the most common injuries caused by staircase falls include:

• Slipped disc or compression of discs – Falling down the stairs at work can injure the walls of the spinal discs, causing them to bulge or get compressed. This can be excruciatingly painful. Very often, the pain extends beyond the immediate area to the arms and legs. Surgery followed by extensive physical therapy is often required to recover from slipped disc or compression of discs.
• Head and brain injuries – Direct impact to the head can result in severe brain injuries that can cause long-term problems with cognition, mobility, and memory among others. Even mild brain injury requires extensive rehabilitation. Severe brain injury may cause irreversible damage.
• Injuries to the spine – Your spine is most susceptible to being injured when you fall down stairs. Not only is the immediate pain from a broken spine unbearable, but the healing process can be slow and arduous too.
• Nerve damage – This is one type of injury that may manifest only days, weeks or months after the actual fall. The effects of nerve damage can range from numbness and tingling, to pain, a burning sensation or loss of fine motor function. Nerve damage treatment is complex and often requires long term rehabilitation.

If your claim is successful, the amount of compensation you’ll receive will be based on the severity of your injuries. Therefore, you’ll need a medical assessment as part of the claims process. This will be carried out by an independent specialist who’ll create a report to explain the injuries you’ve sustained and your prognosis. The report will form the basis of any compensation offer you receive.

How Much Compensation For Falling Down The Stairs At Work Could I Claim?

If you make a successful claim against your employer for a workplace accident you could be compensated for the suffering that resulted from the fall down the stairs (general damages) and any subsequent financial losses (special damages).

No two claims are the same but, in theory, compensation can be requested to cover:

• The physical pain you endured when you fell down the stairs at work and during your recovery.
• Any mental suffering caused by anxiety, depression or similar conditions such as PTSD claims.
• Any negative impact your injuries have on your hobbies, family life or social events.
• Care costs if you needed to be looked after while you were recovering.
• Physiotherapy or the cost of private medical treatment.
• Travel costs.
• Loss of income or future loss of earnings for longer-term injuries.
• Mobility aids.
• Home adaptations that improve your quality of life if you are left disabled after your fall.

Our experienced solicitors will always try to secure the maximum compensation possible for those injured in a fall at work if they take on your claim.

Compensation Calculator For Injuries Caused By Falls Down Stairs

We have included a compensation calculator to give you some idea of payout amounts for injuries sustained in a fall down the stairs at work. These figures are not guaranteed as each claim is based on the severity of the individual’s injuries.

Your solicitor will be able to explain the amount you’ll be claiming after they have received a medical report with more detailed information about your injuries.

Evidence To Support A Compensation Claim Against Your Employer

When you claim compensation after falling down the stairs in your workplace, your employer will usually pass the claim to their insurance company. This means that you’ll need to convince them why your employer’s negligence caused you to fall and the extent of any injuries sustained during the accident. The more evidence you can supply, the better your chances of being properly compensated. Therefore, if you’ve fell down stairs at work, you should:

• Take photographs of the accident scene. Ideally, your pictures should identify the cause of the accident so it’s best to take photographs before anything is moved or repaired.
• Seek medical treatment for your injuries. Your medical records and x-rays can be requested by your solicitor to help prove how you were injured during the fall.
• Ask anybody else who was present for their contact details. Witness statements could be obtained by your solicitor to help prove what happened.
• Report the accident to your employer. You should be given a copy of an accident report form. This can be a good way of proving when and where you fell down the stairs.
• Request security camera footage if the accident was caught by the company’s CCTV system. Although you’re allowed to request this footage, you should act quickly because data isn’t usually retained for too long.

As part of our free initial consultation, you’ll be given advice on how to secure evidence and we’ll review any that you’ve managed to secure already.

Will I Be Sacked If I Sue For Falling Down Stairs?

Potential claimants are often scared about the implications of claiming compensation from their employer for falling down stairs at work. However, there are laws in place to protect workers’ rights so no employer can fire any worker unreasonably. So as long as the claim is honest, you are legally entitled to sue for any suffering and your employer cannot sack you, demote you or discipline you in any way.

Time Limits For Making A Claim Against An Employer

As with any personal injury claim, you’ll have 3-years to claim for injuries sustained in a fall down the stairs. This will usually begin from the date of your accident.

If you begin your claim early, your solicitor might be able to secure an interim payment to cover the cost of private medical treatment of your injuries. An early start will also usually mean that it’s easier to gather evidence, your solicitor will have plenty of time to prepare your case and you’ll be compensated sooner rather than later if your claim is won.

How Do I Start A Claim If I’ve Fell Down Stairs At Work?

The easiest way to see if you can sue your employer for a fall down stairs at work is to call our team on 0800 6524 881. An advisor will guide you through the claims process and explain your options. After reviewing your claim, they could connect you with one of our personal injury solicitors.

Remember, legal fees only have to be paid if your claim is won as our solicitors offer a No Win No Fee service for all accepted claims.

If you’d like more information right now about claiming compensation if you fell down stairs at work, please connect to our live chat service.