I had a fall
Author
Discussion

croyde

Original Poster:

25,553 posts

253 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Back in October going into the reception of a building that the company I work for has a floor.

A business park with super safe grippy flooring everywhere from the wood and concrete outside and inside apart from one small area that was wet and had all the grip of oil on ice.

Took me by complete surprise and I went down hard.

Embarrassed, as I'm a grown up and there were loads of people around, I jumped straight back up and said I'm ok.

Filled in a form and went up to my floor to work.

I won't go into details but a month and a half later I still can't bare any weight on my left hand and have had to turn down work plus can't do my usual 100 press ups a day that have kept me fit and able to do the heavy lifting that I have to do from time to time.

So, how did I start going about a claim without it costing me loads as I'm not flush?

Ring the first no win no pay company on Google or does anyone have any suggestions. I'm in SW London.

I was willing to just pass this off as an accident but didn't realise how badly I would still hurt 6 weeks later.

Cheers.

Eric Mc

124,789 posts

288 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Did you get yourself medically checked?


If not, why not?

croyde

Original Poster:

25,553 posts

253 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
I did, three times in AnE. Firstly sent away with tissue damage but I'd been there so long that the x-ray dept had closed.

A week later went back as still in pain and was x-rayed. Broken elbow yikes but I said my hand is in pain not my elbow.

X-rayed again, broken wrist and splinted.

Got a phone call a few days later from a fracture clinic. We have looked, it's not broken, just tissue damage.


Terminator X

19,549 posts

227 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
I'm not a fan of "compo culture" perhaps the OP should have just been more careful?

TX.

SteveStrange

6,610 posts

236 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
As politely as I can...

Have you had any financial loss through your slip? If not, why claim?

Not judging, just wondering.

normalbloke

8,482 posts

242 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
At what age does ‘I fell over’ become, ‘I had a fall’?

croyde

Original Poster:

25,553 posts

253 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
I have had to turn down most of my freelance work.

I am super careful. I had just been hiking in the Lakes where all the footpaths were streams, I didn't slip once.

The company are concerned as they immediately covered that piece of floor with special tape.


Pica-Pica

16,061 posts

107 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
At what age does ‘I fell over’ become, ‘I had a fall’?
Indeed, about the same time as when it ceases to be a joke.

Nightmare

5,278 posts

307 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
His financial loss is not being able to take on work surely?

I am also not generally a fan of compensation culture either, but there’s a reason everywhere puts up those yellow slippery floor things when the floor is slippery - they’re responsible for warning people if it isn’t safe.

Assuming he couldn’t possibly see the difference in floor traction, a la black ice, then I’m not sure what he should have done differently. If he said he’d walked into a ‘big pole that shouldn’t have been there’ I’d have no sympathy, but this feels different to me.

All that said, i don’t have any useful advice…. but as you say there isn’t a lack of companies who want to know if you’ve been hurt in an accident that wasn’t your fault

Nightmare

5,278 posts

307 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Pica-Pica said:
normalbloke said:
At what age does ‘I fell over’ become, ‘I had a fall’?
Indeed, about the same time as when it ceases to be a joke.
Quite. The answer any experienced doctor will give to the question ‘what’s the best way to get to a ripe old age?’ is ‘don’t fall’

super7

2,194 posts

231 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
This is your normal place of work?

How many times have you successfully crossed this piece of flooring and how many others cross it every day safely......

Sounds like you just weren't paying any attention!!

Anyway, I guess you need to sue your employer.........

croyde

Original Poster:

25,553 posts

253 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
As said, I was walking into the foyer as I have done for 3 or more years and suddenly found myself on the floor.

Even the health and safety guy said I went flying. He saw on CCTV.

The metal floor that I have crossed for 3 odd years suddenly had the traction of olive oil on teflon.

Not a fan of compo culture myself but I'm 60 and don't want to fall over, so I'm careful.

If the pain had passed after a month I'd have been happy to forget about it but as it has continue to impact my work and my home life I just wondered if it was worth pursuing a claim.

Stop the judgement guys, I'm just asking a question hehe

Flumpo

4,024 posts

96 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
croyde said:
As said, I was walking into the foyer as I have done for 3 or more years and suddenly found myself on the floor.

Even the health and safety guy said I went flying. He saw on CCTV.

The metal floor that I have crossed for 3 odd years suddenly had the traction of olive oil on teflon.

Not a fan of compo culture myself but I'm 60 and don't want to fall over, so I'm careful.

If the pain had passed after a month I'd have been happy to forget about it but as it has continue to impact my work and my home life I just wondered if it was worth pursuing a claim.

Stop the judgement guys, I'm just asking a question hehe
Google injury claim lawyers, pick the advert/logo you like the best. The national tv advert ones are just brokers who will send you to one of their affiliates local to you anyway.

1- Ring one and see what they say, if they don’t think you have a claim you won’t get passed the first call.

2- never check this thread again it will be a waste of time.

TwigtheWonderkid

47,954 posts

173 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
At what age does ‘I fell over’ become, ‘I had a fall’?
croyde said:
Not a fan of compo culture myself but I'm 60 and don't want to fall over, so I'm careful.
I'm 60 and I'm still falling over. I like to think I'm a good 10 years off having a fall.


Zetec-S

6,626 posts

116 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Can you speak to the company about claiming for loss of earnings from their insurance?

drmike37

574 posts

79 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Probably more important than compo is getting to see a decent hand and wrist surgeon to work out why your hand still doesn't work.

If you don't mind a bit of risk (financial) go private and claim the cost later in your compo.

Avenicus

577 posts

67 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Zetec-S said:
Can you speak to the company about claiming for loss of earnings from their insurance?
This - they have you on CCTV and they took immediate action to mitigate anyone else slipping which seems like they realised they may be liable.
Any of those 'wet floor' signs around at the time?

kestral

2,133 posts

230 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
croyde said:
As said, I was walking into the foyer as I have done for 3 or more years and suddenly found myself on the floor.

Even the health and safety guy said I went flying. He saw on CCTV.

The metal floor that I have crossed for 3 odd years suddenly had the traction of olive oil on teflon.

Not a fan of compo culture myself but I'm 60 and don't want to fall over, so I'm careful.

If the pain had passed after a month I'd have been happy to forget about it but as it has continue to impact my work and my home life I just wondered if it was worth pursuing a claim.

Stop the judgement guys, I'm just asking a question hehe
If it's your place of work and in a union tell the union and they will make the claim. There should be an insurance policy in place.

If not in union, no win no fee solicitor. They give free advice.

Pica-Pica

16,061 posts

107 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
Nightmare said:
Pica-Pica said:
normalbloke said:
At what age does ‘I fell over’ become, ‘I had a fall’?
Indeed, about the same time as when it ceases to be a joke.
Quite. The answer any experienced doctor will give to the question ‘what’s the best way to get to a ripe old age?’ is ‘don’t fall’
And a good hospital consultant will recognise that ‘a fall’ is a symptom of something else. Neuro or muscular-skeletal (MSK) deterioration.

Tango13

9,848 posts

199 months

Thursday 8th December 2022
quotequote all
croyde said:
Back in October going into the reception of a building that the company I work for has a floor.

A business park with super safe grippy flooring everywhere from the wood and concrete outside and inside apart from one small area that was wet and had all the grip of oil on ice.

Took me by complete surprise and I went down hard.

Embarrassed, as I'm a grown up and there were loads of people around, I jumped straight back up and said I'm ok.

Filled in a form and went up to my floor to work.

I won't go into details but a month and a half later I still can't bare any weight on my left hand and have had to turn down work plus can't do my usual 100 press ups a day that have kept me fit and able to do the heavy lifting that I have to do from time to time.

So, how did I start going about a claim without it costing me loads as I'm not flush?

Ring the first no win no pay company on Google or does anyone have any suggestions. I'm in SW London.

I was willing to just pass this off as an accident but didn't realise how badly I would still hurt 6 weeks later.

Cheers.
Have you got legal cover via your house insurance?