Falls from Height Claims

Our personal injury lawyers have represented people in many kinds of fall from height claims. Certain jobs and industries are more at risk of injury, with accidents often involving:

• Fragile material, such as skylights or unsafe tiles
• Falls from steelwork, ladders, stairs, edges, openings and scaffolding
• Inadequate or missing protective equipment.

Employers must take the necessary precautions to protect workers from harm, but all too often we see clients who have been failed by their company. Some of the most common examples of people we help include:

• Construction workers
• Window cleaners
• Roofers
• Engineers
• Warehouse operatives.

If you have been injured by a fall from height, our solicitors could help you claim compensation.

Both leaning ladders and stepladders can cause accidents if they aren’t used correctly: Your employer should have checked your workplace and any equipment before it was used to prevent your chances of being injured. The following factors should have been considered before you worked on a ladder:

• Ladder length: When ladders are too small, you may have to overreach, putting you at risk. They also shouldn’t exceed nine metres tall.
• Balancing angle: Normally, an angle of 75 degrees is suggested.
• Scaffolding: This should sometimes be provided if it would be a safer alternative.
• Uneven surfaces: This can mean that rungs and steps aren’t horizontal, causing you to struggle with balancing.
• Access ladders: These shouldn’t be longer than the surface you are trying to reach.
• Maintenance: Stiles should be in good condition, the ladder should have feet to prevent slipping, locking bars shouldn’t be bent and rungs should be straight.

If you have been made to work with substandard equipment or in unsafe conditions, and were injured as a consequence, we could help you make a claim.

There are a number of ways in which scaffolding accidents can happen, causing injuries to workers and members of the public. We can help with claims for injuries caused by:

• Falls from height
• Passers-by struck by falling tools and materials
• Unstable scaffolding collapsing
• Electrocutions and burns (when scaffolding is near power lines)
• Poor standard of construction materials (such as bracing)
• Safety procedures not being followed
• Incorrect manual handling
• Using scaffolding in wet conditions.

To find out more about making a scaffolding accident claim, contact us online or call us free today.

Employers have a responsibility to protect employees from danger as much as is reasonably possible. In practice, this can mean different things according to the situation, but there are broad rules around equipment and safety procedures that employers should follow when appropriate.

It’s important to reduce the risk of a fall happening in the first place, either through mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) or robust scaffolding systems. Through the use of a restraint lanyard, employers could also stop workers from reaching the edge of an area where they are at risk of falling.

The consequences of a fall should also be minimised wherever possible. Employers can do this by using:

• Safety nets
• Air cushions/soft landing systems
• ‘Fall arrest’ lanyards to slow a worker’s descent if they fall
• Suitable rope access equipment.

We will investigate the circumstances around your fall, working out whether your employer should have done more to protect you. Our solicitors have decades of experience helping people who have been injured at work, so we know how to hold those responsible for your injury to account.

The effects of a fall from height can be devastating, with often life-changing consequences for victims and their families. When it comes to rebuilding lives, we know how important rehabilitation is, as well as compensation.

We will work hard for you to access the support you need to make a successful recovery, whatever the nature of your injury. We have helped people claim compensation for:

• Brain damage
• Fractures
• Internal injuries
• Spinal injuries.

If you have suffered a serious injury after falling from a building, compensation could help pay for:

• Adaptations to your house
• Additional care
• Lost earnings
• Private treatment
• Specialist equipment.

Our solicitors will fight to make sure your injuries are properly taken into account by the compensation, working hard to prove your employer’s negligence.