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Last Updated 4th February 2026. A broken chair injury, often caused by sudden collapse, can lead to significant physical harm, including life-changing spinal damage and fractured bones. In the long term, this can result in lasting pain and profoundly impact your daily life, requiring time away from work and increasing the psychological strain. If defective furniture in the workplace or in a public space caused you harm through no fault of your own, you may be able to make a broken chair injuries compensation claim.
Our solicitors are experts in supporting clients, and have the experience needed to secure fair broken chair injury settlements for claimants nationwide. With a client-centred approach, they can help gather all the evidence you need, ensure that your claim is started within the appropriate time limits, and connect you with the right rehabilitation specialists. By placing clients at the heart of everything they do, they handle all the legal complexities so claimants remain focused on their recovery.
For an obligation-free consultation, you can contact our advisory team by:
- Calling us on 0161 509 2856
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Select A Section
- Can I Make A Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim?
- Compensation Payouts In Broken Chair Accident Claims
- Special Damages In Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claims
- What Evidence Will Help Me Prove My Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim?
- Types Of Injuries Caused By Broken Chairs
- Potential Causes Of Broken Chair Accidents
- Make A Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
- Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
Can I Make A Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim?
There are different situations in daily life where you could suffer injuries in a broken chair accident. These include while at work and in public areas, such as a restaurant.
If you have suffered an injury due to a broken chair and would like to make a personal injury claim, you must meet the eligibility criteria. This is:
- You must be able to prove that you were owed a duty of care.
- This duty was breached.
- The breach caused your injuries.
The duty of care you are owed while at work is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). It states your employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees while they are working. If you suffered an injury due to your employer breaching this duty of care, you could be eligible to make an accident at work claim.
The duty of care for those in control of public spaces is set by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. Per their duty, they must take steps to ensure your reasonable safety while you are using that space for its intended purpose. For example, if you were in a restaurant and you suffered an injury due to a faulty chair, and the owner of the restaurant was aware that the chair was faulty and still let you use it, you may be able to make a personal injury claim.
Please contact one of the advisors from our team if you have any questions about broken chair accident claims.
Time Limits In Broken Chair Accident Claims
You must file your claim within the personal injury claims time limit if you would like to seek compensation for injuries involving a broken office chair. The Limitation Act 1980 sets this as generally three years from the date of the accident.
However, there are some exceptions to this limitation period. These include:
- Those without the mental capacity to handle their own broken chair claim. The time limit is suspended for as long as they lack this capacity. However, the court may appoint a litigation friend to bring forward a claim for the injured party at any point during this time. Should the injured party recover the capacity necessary to make a personal injury claim, they will have 3 years from the date they regained this capacity to launch one if a litigation friend hasn’t acted already.
- Children below the age of 18. In these cases, there is a pause to the time limit lasting until the injured party reaches their 18th birthday. A litigation friend can file a claim for them before this date. However, if the injured party turns 18 without legal proceedings having been started, they will have 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday to bring forward a personal injury claim.
If you would like to know if you are within the time limit to start a claim, speak to one of the advisors from our team.
Compensation Payouts In Broken Chair Accident Claims
If your personal injury claim is successful, your settlement may consist of two heads of claim: general and special damages.
Under general damages, you are compensated for your pain and mental suffering caused by the injuries you experienced in the broken chair accident. Those responsible for valuing this part of your claim can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) for guidance. This text provides guideline compensation brackets for various types of injuries.
In our table below, we’ve provided a few figures that could be relevant to broken chair accident claims from the JCG. It is only to be used as guidance. Also note that the first entry in the table is not based on the JCG.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Compensation Bracket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries plus special damages | Serious/Severe | This includes compensation for the claimant's mental and physical pain and suffering plus any financial losses they incurred as a result of these injuries. | Up to £500,000+ |
| Back | Severe (i) | The claimant has the most severe back injury with a combination of very serious consequences due to damage to their spinal cord and nerve roots. | £111,150 to £196,450 |
| Neck | Severe (i) | This bracket includes neck injuries associated with incomplete paraplegia or causing permanent spastic quadriparesis. | In the region of £181,020 |
| Neck | Severe (ii) | Injuries in this bracket cause considerably severe disabilities and usually involve serious fractures or damage to the cervical spine. | £80,240 to £159,770 |
| Arm | Severe | In this bracket, the injury is extremely serious and leaves the claimant little better off than if the arm had been amputated. | £117,360 to £159,770 |
| Ankle | Very Severe | The claimant has suffered an unusual injury that may result in a future below-the-knee amputation if they suffer a further injury. | £61,090 to £85,070 |
| Ankle | Severe | These ankle injuries require an extensive period of treatment and/or in plaster and result in significant residual disability. | £38,210 to £61,090 |
| Shoulder | Severe | These shoulder injuries result in significant disability from brachial plexus damage. | £23,430 to £58,610 |
| Pelvis and Hips | Moderate (i) | Significant hip or pelvis injury but there is no major permanent disability and the future risk id not great. | £32,450 to £47,810 |
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Special Damages In Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claims
Special damages in broken chair accident claims can offer financial redress by reimbursing you for any provable out-of-pocket costs and expenses resulting from your injuries. They can account for a large portion of your settlement, especially if your mobility has been affected and you are faced with lasting lifestyle changes.
This head of compensation can include:
- Loss of earnings if you’ve taken time off work during your recovery, as well as any future impacts on income.
- Medical expenses, including physiotherapy costs, prescriptions, and any related private medical treatments (such as reconstructive surgeries).
- Domestic or professional care costs.
- Home adaptations if you now require wheelchair ramps or easier accessibility.
- Travel expenses, including fuel and mobility-friendly transport.
In order to pursue compensation under this head of claim, you will need documents that prove your financial losses. This usually includes payslips, invoices, and receipts.
For more information about claiming special damages, please get in touch today.
What Evidence Will Help Me Prove My Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim?
Collecting evidence is an important step in the personal injury claims process. This is because evidence can illustrate who is responsible for your injuries, how they occurred, and how severe they are. Evidence for your claim for a broken chair accident may include the following:
- Medical records that confirm your injuries and the treatment you’ve received for them.
- Any video footage available, such as CCTV footage, that shows the accident and how it happened.
- Photographs of the accident scene and your injuries.
- Contact details of any witnesses who can provide a statement at a later date.
- If your broken chair accident happened at work, then a copy of the report from your work accident book could also be used as evidence.
A solicitor could assist you with gathering evidence if you choose to be supported by one. For more advice on preparing for a personal injury claim following an accident involving a broken chair, please contact our advisors for free today.
Types Of Injuries Caused By Broken Chairs
You may be asking, “What injuries could occur if a chair broke under me?” This type of chair accident or other types could potentially cause one or multiple injuries to different areas of the body. Examples may include:
- Various back injuries, such as a spinal injury or a herniated disc.
- A head injury, such as a concussion or damage to the brain, in a severe chair accident.
- A fracture in an arm, leg or another part of the body.
- Cuts and/or bruises.
If you suffered injuries in a chair accident caused by another party breaching their duty of care, you can contact our advisors for free to determine whether you could claim.
Potential Causes Of Broken Chair Accidents
The potential causes of broken chair accidents typically include poor maintenance, structural failure, or improper use of the furniture. Damaged components, such as loose screws or worn-out chair casters, are common factors in these accidents.
Below, we’ve provided a few examples of how such accidents arise, both in the workplace and in public places:
In The Workplace
- Despite multiple complaints to your employer about a worn-out office chair, they fail to arrange a replacement or repairs. As you sit down one morning, the chair collapses due to several loose screws, causing you to sustain a broken arm and bruising.
- While renovating the office, your employer purchases several second-hand chairs. Due to their disrepair, a caster becomes jammed as you move across the floor in your seat, causing you to fall. You suffer a serious head injury as a result.
In Public
- While dining at a local restaurant, a chair known to management to be faulty suddenly collapses under your weight. This causes you to fracture your wrist as you put your arms out to break the fall.
- You’re in a department store when you sit on a display chair that has not been assembled properly and is not marked with any warnings against use. This causes you to suffer neck and back injuries due to the fall.
This is not an exhaustive list, so please reach out today to confidentially discuss the circumstances of your accident.
Make A Broken Chair Injuries Compensation Claim With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
If you were injured due to a broken chair, one of our solicitors could help you make a claim, provided you have an eligible case. They can support broken chair accident claims under a type of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under a CFA, you won’t have to pay an upfront fee or ongoing fees for your solicitor’s services. Also, you won’t have to pay your solicitor for their work if your claim goes ahead but fails.
If your claim is successful, then your solicitor will take what’s called a success fee. This is usually a small percentage of the broken chair accident compensation awarded to you. However, this percentage is capped by law.
To get your claim reviewed and to see whether our No Win No Fee solicitors can help, contact our advisors for free today. To get in touch, you can:
- Call on 0161 509 2856
- Use the live chat feature.
- Contact us online.
Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
You may find the information at the following external links to be of some use to you:
- The Health & Safety Responsibilities Of Schools
- What Is An Accident Book?
- NHS Information On Hand Injuries
If you need any more advice on broken chair accident claims, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
