You probably never expected to be reading an article about claiming compensation for a doormat slip, did you? What seems like an innocuous object inside the doorway of shops, offices, council and commercial buildings up and down the country is just there to wipe your feet on surely?
Well, in most cases yes but when they’re not maintained properly or not secured to the floor properly, they can become trip hazards and cause people to trip, fall and cause some serious injuries.
Advice.co.uk are experts in dealing with personal injury claims and can help you if you’ve tripped over a doormat and been injured. To begin a claim today, call us on 0161 696 9685 to speak with one of our specially trained advisers.
If you’d like to know more information before claiming, then carry on reading this useful guide.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Claiming Compensation For A Doormat Slip Or Trip Injury
- What Is A Doormat Slip Or Trip Accident?
- Doormat Slip And Fall Injury Compensation Calculator
- What Can My Personal Injury Claim Compensate Me For?
- Common Injuries Which Can Be Caused By Slipping Or Tripping On A Doormat
- Common Places You Could Suffer A Slip Or Trip On A Doormat
- Hospital Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
- Hotel Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
- Restaurant Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
- Supermarket Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
- What Duty Of Care Do Occupiers Have To Maintain Entrance Ways?
- I Slipped On A Doormat At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?
- How Much Time Do I Have To Claim Compensation?
- Getting Started With Your Personal Injury Claim
- No Win No Fee Claims For A Doormat Slip Accident
- Contact Us
- Further Advice For Accident Victims
A Guide To Claiming Compensation For A Doormat Slip Or Trip Injury
Doormat slip trip compensation claim guide
As you enter most commercial buildings you may enjoy the warm and welcoming environment or notice the luxurious foyer area, but you probably don’t notice the doormat just inside the entrance – and that’s how it should be.
Most buildings, whether shops, offices, schools, hotels, restaurants or gyms have a mat just inside the door to catch the debris from shoes and preventing being spread around the building which on the whole they do. There are cases however where the mat becomes lose or uneven and becomes a trip hazard to anybody entering the building.
This guide is going to provide information about what constitutes liability in a trip type accident, how much compensation may be awarded for your injuries, what can be included in a claim and how you could use a no win no fee agreement to make a claim.
It may seem like a minor accident but when you fall over anything, you can be left with some serious injuries which require surgery on one or more occasion. In any case where you been left with injuries, by an accident that wasn’t your fault, you are within your rights to seek compensation.
What Is A Doormat Slip Or Trip Accident?
A doormat is obviously not placed in a doorway to try and trip up people coming into a building, it is there to serve a purpose, but accidents can still happen. So, you may think that, as the building operator didn’t intend to harm you, you may not be able to claim compensation.
That’s not the case in all situations. If the owner or occupier of the building has been negligent in any way which causes you to have an accident and suffer injuries, then you could make a claim against them.
The main point in the last paragraph is that somebody else must’ve caused your accident for you to be able to claim compensation.
Examples of how negligence could be proven include:
- On a wet day, excess water has collected on the doormat and around it, making the area slippery. If the excess water hasn’t been cleared up and you slip on it, then liability could be claimed.
- On a windy day, the mat is blown out of position or folds over on itself. This becomes a trip hazard which wasn’t caused by the business operator but, if they fail to put the mat back and you trip on it, you may be able to claim.
- If another person entering the building catches the mat with their foot and causes it to fold over, a trip hazard is created. If staff don’t spot and put the mat back in a timely manner, somebody tripping on it could seek compensation for their injuries.
These scenarios are just examples and there will be others. If you believe you’ve been injured in a commercial or publicly accessible building by tripping on a door mat, call us to discuss what actions you should take next.
Doormat Slip And Fall Injury Compensation Calculator
We don’t actually offer a compensation calculator. We know from experience, that each case is unique, and a calculator couldn’t take into account all of the different variables in each case.
When you call us, we’ll assess each part of your claim such as injuries sustained, how they affected you and the financial impact. Then we’ll be able to provide you with an estimated compensation amount.
We can show you the table below, which is just one part of a claim, that shows the damages that can be claimed for pain and suffering caused by different injuries:
| Injury | Details | Compensation amount |
|---|---|---|
| Neck Injury - Severe (ii) | Disc damage and fractures in the cervical spine which cause a severe disability. | £65,740 to £130,930 |
| Neck Injury - Moderate (i) | Dislocations or fractures which cause immediate severe symptoms and may require spinal fusion. | £24,990 to £38,490 |
| Leg Injury - (b) Severe (iii) Serious | Serious compound or comminuted fractures, or injuries to joints or ligaments resulting in instability with prolonged treatment. | £39,200 to £54,830 |
| Leg Injury - (c) Less Serious (i) | Fractures from which an incomplete recovery is made. The person may be left with a limp. | £17,960 to £27,760 |
| Back Injury - Moderate (i) | Could include compression/crush fractures of the lumbar vertebrae causing a risk of osteoarthritis and chronic pain | £27,760 to £38,780 |
| Back Injury - Minor (i) | Soft tissue injuries with recovery expected within about two to five years. | £7,890 to £12,510 |
| Wrist injuries - (c) | Wrist injury that causes persisting stiffness and pain. | £12,590 to £24,500 |
| Whiplash Injury with Psychological Injury | Symptoms lasting 18-24 months | £4,345 |
| Whiplash Injury | Symptoms lasting 18-24 months | £4,215 |
If your injury isn’t listed, we can still help. This is just a sample of different injury types but, so long as your accident was caused by somebody else, we can help you to make a claim.
What Can My Personal Injury Claim Compensate Me For?
General Damages
This is the compensation awarded to victims for the pain and suffering caused by their injuries. Some example figures were listed in the table in the previous section.
A solicitor needs to prove, by using medical experts and medical records, how serious your injuries were because the amount of compensation awarded is graded from minor to severe. It’s important you get the right level of compensation, which is why we recommend you use a personal injury specialist, like Advice.co.uk, to begin your claim.
Special Damages
The part of a claim known as special damages are to compensate you for any financial impact the injuries have had on you including:
Cost of Medical Treatment
When you are injured, you may have to pay for prescription medicines or, in some cases, require private medical treatment. These costs can be claimed as part of special damages.
Cost of Care
If your injuries mean you require any professional care while you recover, and if there’s any financial cost for that care, you could add it to your claim.
Damaged Property
You may have damaged items of personal property during your fall such as your phone, bag or items of clothing. If that has happened, you can claim for the cost of replacements or in some cases the cost of repair.
Lost Income
When your injuries mean you need to take time off from work, either to recover or to attend medical appointments, you may lose some of your salary if your employer only pays statutory sick pay (SSP). In these cases, you could add the lost income to your claim.
As special damages are financial costs, you should try to provide your solicitor with evidence to support the claim such as receipts or bank statements. If you need to make any large purchase (such as the cost of private medical treatment), you should seek the advice of a personal injury solicitor to ensure you can claim them back.
It’s important to furnish your solicitor with as much information as possible so they can make a full claim on your behalf. This is because, if they miss anything, once a claim has been settled, you are unable to go back and ask for more, even if it is justified.
Common Injuries Which Can Be Caused By Slipping Or Tripping On A Doormat
Some of the more common are:
- Hip or pelvis injuries
- Broken collarbones
- Sprains to the wrists or ankles
- Head injuries including concussion
- Knee or elbow injuries
- Tendon, ligament or soft tissue damage
- Muscle damage
- Bruising
This list isn’t conclusive, and we can help with any injury sustained following a fall, so long as it was caused by somebody else’s mistake or negligence.
Common Places You Could Suffer A Slip Or Trip On A Doormat
There are a number of places where slipping on a doormat is more common than others. We’ll cover each in the next few sections:
Hospital Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
Hospitals, especially emergency departments, are very busy places. They all have health and safety procedures in place and maintenance and cleaning staff who’d usually deal with any doormat issues. If, however a problem occurs and is missed, which causes you to trip and fall, then you could seek compensation for any injuries sustained.
Hotel Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
Hotels entrances are another very busy location throughout different times of the day. Hoteliers have a duty of care to protect guests, visitors and staff from being injured while on site and this includes ensuring doormats are properly fitted and remain properly in place at all times.
If you trip over a doormat at a hotel, you may have a valid compensation claim so please get in touch to discuss the exact details.
Restaurant Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
Most of the time, when you visit a restaurant, you have an enjoyable meal, and everybody goes home happy. The mood isn’t quite the same if you’ve fallen because of a slippery mat or poorly located mat.
In any case where you’ve tripped when entering or leaving a restaurant, if the owner or their staff was negligent in some way, you could seek compensation for any injuries. Please contact us if you’d like to begin a claim.
Supermarket Doormat Trip And Slip Claims
Supermarkets very often have automatic doors or open foyers which are open to the elements. This could lead to problems if excessive rain gets into a mat or if a mat, because it’s not fitted properly, is blown out of place by a gust of wind.
While those issues aren’t caused by the supermarket, you could claim if you tripped because nothing was done to rectify the situation, or no warning signs were put in place to highlight the trip hazard.
What Duty Of Care Do Occupiers Have To Maintain Entrance Ways?
Under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, any lawful visitor to any type of property has the right to feel safe and the occupier has a duty of care to ensure they are safe at all times.
The act is based on occupiers rather than building owners, the claim would be against them rather than the building owner.
If you are injured while on any premises covered by this act then it can be used as a basis for claiming compensation. In fact, even the car park would be covered.
I Slipped On A Doormat At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?
Slipped on doormat at work
All employers, under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, have a duty of care. Employers must maintain a safe working environment and make any necessary changes to prevent staff from coming to any harm.
Risk assessments might seem drastic when talking about doormats but if a mat is damaged or fitted incorrectly then staff could claim compensation if they trip on it.
You are allowed to make claims against your employer, and, by law, they can not treat you badly because of the claim. Don’t be put off from claiming and bear in mind that they will have insurance in place to cover personal injury claims against them.
How Much Time Do I Have To Claim Compensation?
All personal injury claims have to made within certain time limits in the UK. Missing a deadline will automatically mean the claim can’t be made so you should contact us as soon as possible following an accident.
The current UK time limits for claiming are:
| Accident type | Limit |
|---|---|
| Workplace, road accident, slip or fall, medical | 3 years from the actual date of the incident - 3 years from knowledge date (the date you became aware of the injury) |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority | 2 years from the actual date of the incident |
| Children | Parent claiming; till the child turns 18. Child has ability to claim up to three years in most cases from their 18th birthday. |
| Brain injury | The time limit for those who lack mental capacity does not apply until they have recovered. |
If you’re unsure about your time limit, please get in touch.
Getting Started With Your Personal Injury Claim
The easiest way to begin your claim is to pick up the phone and call our friendly team at Advice.co.uk but before you do, there are steps you can take to make the claim easier:
- Write down exactly what you remember happening, as soon as possible after the accident.
- Visit a doctor for medical assessment of any injuries you sustain. This will ensure you are treated correctly, and we can use the doctor’s medical records to provide evidence of your injuries, treatment and prognosis.
- Photograph the scene of the accident including the root cause. If you think the accident was caused by an ill-fitting mat, a wet floor or an uneven doormat then try to capture that in your photograph.
- Gather any witnesses contact details and ask them if they can provide a witness statement of what they saw.
- In public places, report the accident to reception or customer services. They should record it in their accident report book. Try to obtain a copy of their report to be used as further supporting evidence of your accident.
- If the place that your accident occurred is covered by CCTV, then you should try and obtain a copy from the business operator. Remember though that CCTV may not be retained for a very long time, so ask as soon as possible after your accident happened.
When you have gathered as much evidence as possible, please contact us using the details below. If you have difficulty obtaining any evidence from the building occupier (such as the accident report or a copy of the CCTV), please contact us as we may be able to help.
No Win No Fee Claims For A Doormat Slip Accident
When you start to consider making a personal injury claim, you may worry about the cost of hiring a solicitor, which we understand and is why we only work with solicitors who offer no win no fee agreements.
If a no win no fee solicitor loses your case, you don’t have to pay them anything for their services. If they win, you don’t have to actually send them any payment yourself as they retain a success fee from your compensation and send you the rest directly (success fees are a maximum of 25% of your compensation).
Many clients tell us that without a no win no fee agreement they wouldn’t be able to afford to begin a claim and they would be worried throughout the case in case they ended up with a large legal bill.
Why Choose Our Friendly Team?
At Advice.co.uk we love providing free legal advice to people considering making a claim. We know that the defendant will usually have legal representation and that’s why we like to provide free advice to help you decide whether to claim or not.
Our team are professional, friendly and available throughout the case to answer any questions you may have.
We can provide no win no fee solicitors for cases we take on and we’re dedicated to ensuring our clients receive as much compensation as possible. When you contact us, we’ll follow this process:
| You contact us via email, telephone or post | We assess your claim with you. | If we confirm your claim is eligible, and you're happy, we'll begin your claim. |
Contact Us
Advice.co.uk are personal injury specialists who can help with claims for accidents that have happened anywhere. If we take your case on, we’ll provide a no win no fee solicitor to represent you.
If you’re happy to use Advice.co.uk to begin your claim today, you can contact us by:
- Telephone: Call us today on 0161 696 9685 and one of our advisers will take your details right away.
- Email: Send us the details of your claim, using [email protected] and we’ll get back to you shortly.
We offer all claimants a free, no obligation assessment of their claim. You can ask us any questions you have, and we will provide you with an honest assessment of your chances of successfully winning compensation.
If we believe you have a good chance, we’ll take your case on and provide you with a solicitor offering a no win no fee service.
Further Advice For Accident Victims
Finally, now that you’ve read this guide about claiming compensation for a doormat slip, we’ve provided a few more articles which you may find useful:
Advice on placing doormats – This is a brief guide, from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on how to place a doormat correctly.
NHS Falls Guide – A guide from the NHS about the injuries that can occur during falls.
HSE – The law on slips – Another guide from the HSE, this time covering the law in relation to slips at work and the different legislation that protects employees.
If you require any further information, have any questions or are unsure about anything, please call our advisers for more information.
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