Being hit by a falling object can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries. Even if a small object hits you, it may have built up enough speed on the way down to cause serious suffering. Something to bear in mind is that if you or a loved one has been struck by a falling object, you could claim compensation for any subsequent injuries. Our guide to claiming compensation for being hit by a falling object will review the types of accidents that could lead to a claim and show how much compensation you might be able to claim.

To find out if you might be entitled to compensation, you can speak to one of our specialist advisors. After listening to how your accident happened, they’ll offer legal advice about what you could do next. This might include claiming compensation with one of our personal injury solicitors on your side. If that happens, you’ll receive No Win No Fee representation so you’ll only pay your solicitor if they win the case for you.

Please call us on 0800 6524 881 to discuss your case or read on to find out more about claiming compensation if you’ve been hit by a falling object.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Being Hit By A Falling Object?

Generally, to be eligible to claim compensation after being hit by a falling object you’ll need to prove:

• You (the claimant) were owed a duty of care by the defendant; and
• You were struck by a falling object because of the defendant’s negligence; and
• You sustained injuries as a result.

Essentially, you’ll be owed a duty of care in many day-to-day situations such as while you’re at work or school or whilst you’re in a public place. This will be verified by your advisor when you call so you shouldn’t worry about this particular criteria too much. Instead, you could concentrate on collecting evidence to prove how your accident occurred and the impact of your injuries. We’ll explain more about this shortly.

Common Causes Of Being Struck By A Falling Object

Here are a few examples of when you could claim compensation after being hit by a falling object:

Workplace Accidents

Employers must try to make sure staff are as safe as possible at work. This is their legal duty of care. Therefore, claims might be possible if you were struck by a falling object at work because:

• Items of stock were stacked poorly.
• If an object fell onto you because of damaged shelving.
• If a colleague dropped something from a height without looking and it struck you.
• Where a warning sign or similar fell onto you because it was not secured to the ceiling properly.
• Staff weren’t trained on how to store objects correctly.
• Where items hit you after falling from a forklift truck.

Essentially, if an employer fails to have safety procedures in place or they are not adhered to and you are injured as a result, you could claim compensation for any subsequent injuries at work.

Public Place Accidents

It may be possible to claim compensation if you were struck by a falling object in an accident in a public place. Some examples include:

• If you were struck by falling timber in a DIY shop because of damaged racking.
• Where luggage fell from overhead storage on a coach or train because of damage to the shelf.
• If a sale sign or another piece of advertising fell and hit you in a shop because it wasn’t secured properly.
• Where you suffered a head injury from a falling object dropped onto you whilst walking past scaffolding.
• Being struck by a bottle thrown from an upper tier in a football stadium because of poor crowd control.

If you’ve been struck by a falling object in a public place and believe that you should receive compensation for your suffering, please contact us to find out your options.

Common Injuries Caused By Falling Objects

As you might imagine, there are a great number of injuries that could occur if an object falls onto you from a height. Any of these could lead to a personal injury claim if the accident was not your fault. Some of the most common injuries caused by falling objects include:

• Concussions and minor brain injuries.
• Skull fractures and more serious brain damage.
• Flashbacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other forms of mental harm.
• Spinal cord injuries.
• Facial injuries.
• Cuts, lacerations and bruises.
• Sprains and strains.
• Fatal injuries.

If you have been hit by a falling object and sustained injuries through no fault of your own, call us today for free advice on how to start a compensation claim.

How Much Compensation For Being Hit By A Falling Object?

If you file a compensation claim after being struck by a falling object, how much compensation you might get will depend largely on the type and severity of your injury/injuries. As you can only claim for the same incident once the claim’s been settled, it’s important to consider this carefully as part of the claims process.

If you win your claim, any settlement you’re awarded may cover:

• The discomfort and suffering caused by physical injuries.
• Mental health injuries.
• Lost earnings caused by your injuries and future losses as well.
• Medical expenses, travel costs and care costs.
• Replacement costs for personal property damaged by the falling object.
• Adaptations to your home to help you cope with disabilities resulting from your injuries.

Calculating Compensation Amounts

The amount of compensation you’ll receive in a successful claim will be largely based on how severe your injuries from the falling object were. Therefore, you may need a medical assessment as part of the claims process.

Your solicitor will usually book an appointment with an independent specialist who’ll examine your injuries and then report back on their impact. Once this report has been received, your solicitor will try to determine how much compensation you could be entitled to.

For now, you can use the compensation calculator in this section to see how much compensation you might be entitled to:

Evidence To Support A Struck By Falling Object Compensation Claim

If you are unlucky enough to have been hit by a falling object, you probably won’t think about claiming compensation right away. However, the basic steps below should be taken as soon as possible as they could provide the evidence you’ll need to prove why you should be compensated:

1. Seek medical treatment. It is important to have any injuries assessed, diagnosed and treated by a medical professional. If you go on to claim, the notes and x-rays recorded in your hospital visit can be requested.
2. Take photographs. If you are able to, take pictures of the object that fell on you plus any obvious reason for the accident. Also, photographs of your visible injuries can help to prove how you’ve suffered.
3. Speak to witnesses. If anybody else saw the object fall and hit you, ask them for their contact details. This may help if your solicitor needs to take witness statements to help prove liability for the accident.
4. Report what happened. If an object fell from a height and hit you whilst you were working or in a public place, you should report what happened. Legally, the accident must be documented and a copy of the report could help to prove where and when you were injured.
5. Collect video evidence. Finally, some organisations use security cameras to keep their premises safe. If your accident was recorded on a CCTV camera, asking for footage of your accident may be a good way to prove what happened.

Don’t be put off from starting a claim if you’ve not yet collected all of the evidence shown as your solicitor will work hard to do so on your behalf if the claim is accepted.

Time Limits For Claiming Compensation

Legally, you have 3 years to make a personal injury claim in the UK. In the majority of cases, this limitation period will start from the date you were hit by the falling object. However, if you were incapacitated after being hit i.e. you were in a coma, the limitation period will start from when you found out about your injuries.

Ideally, we believe that you should begin the claim as soon as you possibly can to allow your solicitor plenty of time to collect evidence and medical records. Also, starting the claim early could mean that interim payments might be paid to pay for the cost of private medical treatment before the claim is settled.

Starting The Hit By A Falling Object Compensation Claims Process

We will review your claim and provide no-obligation legal advice if you call us on 0800 6524 881 for an initial consultation. While you don’t have to claim with us, we could appoint one of our personal injury solicitors to help you if they believe your claim is suitable.

Remember, any claim that is accepted will be managed on a No Win No Fee basis meaning you’ll only pay legal fees to cover your solicitor’s work if they secure compensation for your injuries.

Please use our live chat service or call us if you have any extra questions about hit by a falling object compensation claims.