Risk of Falling from a Ladder

There is always a risk of falling if you are on a ladder, whether you are carrying out jobs in the home or at work. The nature of many jobs requires the regular use of ladders and both employers and employees should take reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Roofers, builders, scaffolders, labourers and anyone else working within the construction or trade industry who has a requirement to use ladders in their job is at a heightened risk of injury.

Employer’s Responsibility

Your employer has a duty of care to protect you from any dangers within your working environment. Employees should be given the correct training and regular risk assessments should be undertaken by your employer to ensure safety. If there is a change to your process of working, risk assessments should be carried out to assess whether there are any new potential dangers present.

Reasons for Ladder Falls

There are many different reasons as to why an employee may have fallen from a ladder, resulting in injury. In some instances, the ladders may not be suitable for the job you are doing or the ladders may be broken or poorly maintained. Similarly, there could be little to no grip or a lack of anti-slipping materials on the steps of the ladder, which could potentially cause injury. You may have been carrying tools while climbing up the ladder, which can often result in injury as it is more difficult to securely grip onto the ladder in this case. The resting place of the ladders may also be unstable which could result in the ladder falling down completely. Similarly, you may have not been given adequate training about how to interact and use ladders within the workplace, resulting in injury.

If the fault of the accident lies with your employer, you may be able to claim compensation as a result.

Amount of Compensation

All personal injury cases are unique and so the amount of compensation that is awarded in each case is also unique. Compensation is understood by looking at two specific factors: general damages and special damages.

GENERAL DAMAGES

The pain and suffering that your injuries have caused are main factors that are used to determine how much general damage compensation you are owed. This will usually be determined by undergoing a medical examination, from which a report is created that highlights the length of time the injuries will take to heal as well as their severity. Our compensation calculator will give you an indication of how much general damage compensation you might be entitled to based upon your injuries.

SPECIAL DAMAGES

In addition to receiving compensation for your injuries, you may be able to reclaim any financial losses that you might have suffered as a result of your injuries. Compensation for financial losses is known as special damages compensation. This can include losses such as loss of earnings due to not being able to return to work, the cost of treatment as well as travel to treatment. It is important that you keep any receipts or evidence of additional losses in order for these to be reclaimed.

With the exception of children, there is a three-year time limit on making a personal injury claim. This time limit begins from the date that the accident initially occurred. Therefore, you should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to assess your case.

Making Falls From Ladders Claims

You may be entitled to compensation for a range of compensation claims under accident claims. Our experts will help assess your potential claim going forwards and provide you with proficient advice. Contact First Personal Injury to discuss your potential compensation claim today by ringing 0333 358 2345 or by filling out the online claims form.