Compensation for Woman After Fall at DIY Store

Hazard left outside shop

A Sheffield woman has received £4,000 compensation after she was injured in a fall at a DIY store.

Angela was visiting the store in Sheffield as a customer in July 2007. She parked her car in the car park and walked towards the entrance when she caught her foot in a plastic tie rope used to wrap around boxes to secure them. She lost her balance and fell forwards landing on the floor. Angela managed to get up and reported her accident to the store.

A medical report was obtained from a Consultant in Accident and Emergency Medicine where it was reported that she had suffered bruising to her left cheek, chest and grazes to her hands. She also suffered a whiplash type injury to her neck. In the wake of the accident she sought medical advice from her GP and was off work for four weeks.

The claims was settled, after the store admitted liability, by Katrina Elsey of Irwin Mitchell’s specialist Accidents in Public Places Teams. She said, “The store permitted the plastic tie rope to be left on the floor outside of the store instead of disposing of it properly.

"The store therefore failed to clear the tie rope away leaving a hazard to customers at the store."