Slip On Wet Floor at Work – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

Slips, trips and falls on the same level were the most common reason for injuries to workers in 2022/23 according to government statistics. While there are some steps employers could take to stop such accidents, they’re not always carried out. Importantly, if you’ve slipped on a wet floor at work and been injured because of your employer’s negligence, you could be entitled to begin a personal injury claim. Therefore, this guide answers some of the most common questions posed about claiming compensation for a slip at work.

We can also provide further advice and free legal guidance as part of a no-obligation initial consultation. Therefore, if you’ve had a slip on water and injured yourself, you can ask a specialist from our team about your chances of being compensated. Also, if your claim is valid, you could be partnered with one of our No Win, No Fee solicitors.

To discuss your case with one of our advisors you can:

• Call us on 0333 241 2519.
• Use our free live chat service.

Getting legal advice as soon as possible after you fell on a wet floor at work can significantly enhance the chances of receiving compensation for your pain, suffering, and financial losses incurred due to the accident.

Can I Make a Claim for a Slip On a Wet Floor at Work?

In law, there is a legal duty for employers to take practical and reasonable steps to try and protect the welfare of their staff. Some of the steps they could take to prevent slips and falls on wet floors include:

• Assessing the work area for wet floors regularly.
• Ensuring warning signs are used to highlight that a floor in the workplace is wet because of cleaning, adverse weather conditions, spillages or leaks.
• Maintaining and repairing machinery and equipment such as freezers to prevent leaks.
• Providing anti-slip footwear, handrails or other safety devices to prevent slips in areas where wet conditions cannot be avoided.

Failure to carry out such steps could mean that your employer has breached their duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. In turn, this could enable you to claim compensation for any injuries.

The general criteria that must be met if you’re to be compensated after slipping on a wet floor at work are:

1. Your employer must have owed you a duty of care when you had the accident.
2. Your employer’s negligence is the reason you slipped on a wet floor at work.
3. You can prove that your injuries were sustained as a result of the accident.

If you’ve slipped on a wet floor in the workplace and believe you should be compensated, you can contact one of our advisors today to find out what options you have.

Types of Slipped-On Wet Floor Injuries We Can Help With

As shown above, you might be entitled to compensation for any suffering you’ve endured after slipping on a wet floor at work. Some of the most common injuries sustained following these types of accidents that we may be able to help you get compensated for include:

• Fractures and broken bones.
• Soft tissue damage affecting muscles, tendons and ligaments.
• Hand and wrist injuries.
• Head injuries including concussions.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Severe bruising.
• Knee and ankle injuries.

If you call us please let us know how the accident occurred and the type of injuries you have sustained and we’ll review your claim for free.

What Should I Do If I Slipped and Fell On a Wet Floor at Work?

If you have slipped and fallen on a wet floor at work, there are some steps that you should consider. They include:

• Tell a supervisor about the accident. This will allow them to clear the area and stop someone else being injured.
• Ensure the accident is logged on the company’s accident reporting system.
• Go to a hospital for proper diagnosis and treatment of your injuries. Remember, some injuries including fractures aren’t always obvious without an X-ray.

Taking the steps above might also mean there is evidence in place to support any subsequent accident at work claim. We’ll discuss this in more detail next.

What Evidence Can I Use in an Accident at Work Claim?

If you decide to claim compensation for injuries sustained after you slipped on a wet floor at work, you’ll need evidence to prove your case. Without it, your claim will become “your word against their’s” and it may be very difficult to prove.

The types of evidence that can help with work-related slip and fall claims include:

• Photographs of the accident scene – ideally while the floor is still wet and where the cause of the accident can be demonstrated.
• Details of anyone who saw you fall in case witness statements are required.
• A copy of your accident report form to help prove the accident did in fact happen.
• Medical records from your GP or a hospital to help prove your injuries.
• A CCTV recording of the accident if security cameras covered the area.

If you would like us to review what evidence you have to support your claim, please call the number above and speak to a member of our team.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Slipped On Wet Floor Compensation?

The Limitation Act 1980 is legislation that sets a 3-year time limit for personal injury claims in the UK. Therefore, if you’ve slipped on a wet floor at work and been injured, the time limit will typically begin on the date of your accident.

Legally, a claim can become statute-barred. This means you may lose the right to claim compensation if you begin the claims process after the 3-year limitation period. As such, it’s always a good idea to seek legal advice about your options as soon as possible following a fall on a wet floor in the workplace.

What Compensation Can I Claim for a Slipped-on-Wet Floor Injury?

If you are compensated after slipping on a wet floor at work, your settlement will usually be based on two heads of loss:

• General damages – for any pain, discomfort, suffering or loss of amenity endured.
• Special damages – to compensate for any costs, losses or expenses.

When calculating general damages, your solicitor might refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document lists a range of injuries with guideline compensation brackets. To try and ensure you’re compensated at the right level, your solicitor may use medical records or an independent medical assessment report to get a full understanding of your injuries.

The special damages that could be awarded as part of your claim after slipping and falling on a wet floor at work include:

• Rehabilitation and medical expenses.
• Lost income (including any future losses).
• The cost of adapting your home if you’ve sustained more serious or permanent injuries.
• Care and support costs.
• Personal property costs i.e. for clothes, jewellery or other items damaged in the fall.

To get a better understanding of the potential value of your slip-at-work claim, contact our team today.

Can I Claim if I’m an Agency Worker or Self-Employed?

In this day and age, there can be various types of employees working in the same building. For example, in a warehouse, you might find that staff are:

• Full or part-time employees.
• Agency workers.
• Self-employed staff.
• Zero-hours workers.

However, when it comes to health and safety in the workplace, the employer will have the same duty of care for all types of workers.

Therefore, if you slipped on a wet floor at work and injured yourself and your employer’s negligence caused your accident, you could still be entitled to start a claim. For more information, please speak to one of our friendly advisors.

Will I Be Sacked for Claiming Slip on Wet Floor Compensation?

Some employees are so worried about the consequences of claiming against their employer that they decide not to take legal action. This is not something you should be concerned about. If you’ve been hurt from slipping on a wet floor with no sign or other form of negligence by your employer through no fault of your own, you’re well within your rights to seek compensation for your injuries.

Importantly, it is against the law for you to be disciplined, demoted, denied overtime, sacked or bullied because of a legitimate claim.

Therefore, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you believe you should receive compensation for your injuries.

How Is Liability Decided Upon in Slip at Work Claims?

If you’re to win a workplace injury claim against your employer, liability for both your accident and injuries will need to be agreed upon. In some cases, your employer might simply put up their hands and accept the blame when your solicitor gets in touch to start the claims process.

However, it’s more likely that they’ll need to see the evidence first to prove how the wet floor injury occurred and how you’ve suffered. This process will usually be taken care of by your solicitor and your employer’s insurance provider. Both parties will raise any objections and try to counter them until an amicable agreement can be reached.

If liability is proven (or accepted), the claims process will move on and the value of your claim will be assessed.

Do I Need to Use a Solicitor to Claim Compensation?

If you slipped at work on a wet floor in the workplace and decide to sue your employer, there’s no legal reason to take on a solicitor. You can manage the claims process alone but it’s often easier if you do take on legal representation.

For example, if one of our accident-at-work solicitors works for you, they will:

• Deal with your employer (and their insurers) so you don’t have to.
• Find the evidence needed to best prove your case.
• Present as strong a case as possible and ensure it’s filed on time.
• Make arguments where necessary to try and counter any objections from your employer’s insurers.
• Try to ensure any compensation offer is fair and fully covers all of your suffering.

What’s more, because our solicitors use a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), if your claim is taken on, it will be on a No Win, No Fee basis.

The CFA means you don’t pay for your solicitor’s work up front, during the claims process or if the claim is lost. You will have a success fee deducted from any compensation payout if the claim is won. However, when using a CFA, this is capped at 25 per cent of your settlement to ensure you retain the bulk of it.

If you’d like to, call us today to see if one of our No Win, No Fee solicitors could help you claim compensation.

How Long Will It Take to Process My Claim?

The time it takes to receive compensation following a slip on a wet floor at work will vary from case to case.

Generally, if your employer has admitted liability for the accident and where you’ve recovered from your injuries already, you could receive a compensation payout in around 6 to 8 months.

More complex cases can take longer and might exceed a year. For example, if your employer has agreed they were to blame but you are still having surgery for your injuries, the claim won’t be settled until your prognosis is properly understood. In this case, however, interim payments might be made to help you with any immediate expenses.

Contacting Us About Suing for Slipping on a Wet Floor at Work

If you’ve been injured after slipping on a wet surface at work, please get in touch to find out if you could sue your employer.

There’s no obligation to proceed but you can request a free initial consultation to discuss your case by:

• Calling 0333 241 2519 to speak with a specialist.
• Discussing your case with a member of our team via our live chat service.

We provide no-obligation legal advice and a completely free initial consultation to discuss your options. If your claim appears to be valid, we could connect you with one of our solicitors who’ll work on a No Win, No Fee basis if your slipped-on wet floor compensation claim is taken on.