Public roads, pavements and footpaths can cause accidents when they haven’t been maintained properly by councils or local authorities. Our expert solicitors could help you claim compensation if you’ve been injured because of a pothole.
Can You Claim Compensation For A Pothole Injury?
A pothole is considered unsafe when it has a depth of more than 22mm on a footpath, or 40mm on a road. In areas where there is higher footfall or more vulnerable road users (like schools and care homes) there should be a higher standard of maintenance. This means you may be able to claim regardless of the above measurements.
To claim compensation from the council you need to prove your accident happened due to the council’s negligence. Our solicitors have helped many people claim compensation from pothole injury claims including:
- Cyclists
- Motorcyclists
- Pedestrians
- Vulnerable road users such as children
If you’ve suffered from a pothole injury we could help. We offer a free initial consultation where we’ll discuss your case and the steps forward to claim compensation from your local authority or council.
Who Can I Claim Against For A Pothole Injury?
In most cases involving pothole injuries in the UK it’s the County Council who is responsible for keeping public roads, pavements and footpaths safe. In some instances a utility company may be at fault. We’ll investigate and help you claim compensation from the party responsible for your injury.
The following list shows which authorities may be responsible:
- England – The County Council, Unitary Authority or Metropolitan District
- Wales – The County Council or Borough Council
- Greater London – The London Borough Council
- City of London – The Common Council
- London Tube stations – Transport for London owns certain areas of the highway around tube stations and they are responsible for maintaining these areas
- Motorways or major trunk roads – Secretary of State for Transport
What Can You Do To Help Your Claim?
To give your case the best possible chance of success it’s important to make your claim as soon as possible after your accident, especially if repair work is done on the pothole.
It’s also important to take photographs of the pothole and where the injury took place. Take measurements of the pothole, collect any names of witnesses and give us the police incident number if the police were involved.
What Are The Time Limits For Making A Claim?
You usually need to make your claim within three years of when your accident happened. For pothole injuries where the defect can be repaired it helps to make your claim as soon as you can, to make it easier to gather evidence.
If you’re making a claim for your child then you have until they are 18 years old to make a claim. After they turn 18, you or your child will have three years to make a claim.
Sometimes you may need to make a claim on behalf of someone without the mental capacity to make a claim themselves. In these instances there is no time limit to submit your claim.
No Win No Fee
Most of the pothole injury claims we handle are on a no win no fee basis. This means you won’t have to pay anything upfront to make your claim. If your claim is successful, most of your legal fees will be covered by your opponent. Any remaining fees will be paid out of your settlement. If your case is unsuccessful you won’t pay anything.*
Why Choose Us?
As one of the largest personal injury law firms in the UK, our dedicated team are here to help and give your claim the best possible chance of success.
Our expert solicitors have helped many people claim against their council or local authority. In the past two years we’ve helped our personal injury clients claim over £1 billion. We’ll support you throughout the claims process and take all your needs into consideration.
Contact Us
Contact us online or call 0800 056 4110 to arrange a free initial consultation to discuss your claim.
Call us for a free initial consultation
0800 056 4110Or we can call you back at a time of your choice
