Past Cases - Tripping or Slipping

Accident at a wedding reception

We acted for a woman (aged 62) who was attending her stepdaughter’s wedding at a hotel in Gloucester during February 2009. During the evening reception, she slipped on some food which had fallen on a highly polished floor, causing her to lose her balance and fall over and fracture her right dominant wrist. The wrist was manipulated back into shape and she had to wear a plaster cast for a short while. Fortunately, she made a good recovery from this injury although she will be left with some minor residual symptoms. The insurers of the hotel in question disputed liability for this accident. They maintained that the floor was safe and our client had been the author of her own accident. Proceedings had to be issued at the County Court and once the insurers appointed their own solicitors to represent the hotel, we were able to negotiate a settlement on behalf of our client.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £9,000.00 for this client during 2012

 

Accident at Tescos

We acted for an elderly gentlemen (aged 86) who during October 2010 was shopping at a Tesco store in Swindon. As he was picking up some fruit in one of aisles, one of his feet got caught on a dangerous green safety mat on the floor, causing him to fall over and dislocate his left little finger. Fortunately, he should make a complete recovery from this injury within about 2 years or so. A letter of claim was sent to Tescos and after some correspondence between us and their insurers, they agreed to compensate him.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £2,250.00 for this client during 2012

 

Accident at Public House

We acted for a client (aged 69) who had an accident at a public house in Witney, Oxon during February 2011. She stepped out of a toilet cubicle and fell down a step of around 6 – 8 inches which was immediately outside the cubicle. She banged her head on the exit door and broke her left humerus. It was our case that there were no warning signs and there was no marking along the edge of the step in question. These safety measures would have avoided her accident. Correspondence was exchanged between our firm and the insurers of the public house who vigorously denied liability. Proceedings had to be issued at Oxford County Court and the parties were then able to negotiate a settlement which included a small discount representing our client’s contributory negligence.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £10,000.00 for this client during 2012

 

Accident whilst on holiday abroad

We acted for the parents of a young girl who was only aged 6 at the time of her accident. Briefly, during March 2010, her parents had booked a holiday with Thomas Cook staying at a resort in Turkey. The contract provided for both flights and accommodation thus triggering the Package Holidays & Package Tours Regulations 1992 – the upshot is that her case could be heard in England under English law. On the 17 April 2010, whilst on holiday, our client slipped on a wet step, close to the swimming pool at the hotel the family were staying, which caused her to fall and sustain a number of facial injuries including the loss of four of her front milk teeth. She was taken to hospital and received dental treatment both in Turkey and upon her return to the UK. It was our case that the step in question was too slippery and appropriate safeguards including anti-slip rubber grips would have prevented the accident. A letter of claim was sent to Thomas Cook and their solicitors initially denied liability. After threatening to issue proceedings, they reconsidered their position and we were eventually able to negotiate a settlement on behalf of our client.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £4,500.00 for this client during 2011

 

Falling over in town

During July 2007, one of our clients (a woman aged 60) was walking along the pavement close to the shopping centre in Swindon when she tripped and fell to the ground and fractured her right shoulder. The cause of her trip is that she had stepped onto the cover of an inspection chamber which had a concrete surface which had become severely cracked and pitted. This inspection cover was the property and/or responsibility of Thames Water Utilities Limited. A letter of claim was submitted on her behalf but the insurers of Thames Water denied liability. They maintained that the manhole cover, whilst cracked, did not constitute a danger to pedestrians as there was an insufficient lip to cause someone to trip. Proceedings had to be issued at Swindon County Court and shortly before the date fixed for trial, the parties were able to agree upon a settlement. This figure had to be discounted to represent the litigation risk that our client may not succeed with her claim at trial.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £3,500.00 for this client during 2011.

 

Accident in pub

Another client of ours (aged 30) was visiting her local pub in Oxford. At one point, she decided to use the ladies toilet and as she was walking across the floor, she slipped on a wet substance (probably split beer) which caused her to lose her footing and fall, hitting her face on the corner of a nearby fruit machine. This left her with a split lip and some bruising on her face. She made a good recovery from her injuries within a few weeks of her accident. The insurers of the public house disputed liability and we had to issue proceedings on her behalf at Oxford County Court. Shortly before trial, we were able to agree upon a settlement.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £1,000.00 for this client during 2010

 

Accident at Sainsburys

One of our clients (now aged 59) slipped on a slippery substance (she suspects cream cheese) during December 2008 whilst she was shopping at her local Sainsburys store in Sevenoaks, Kent. She landed heavily and sustained a fracture of a metatarsal in her left foot and a fracture of her right wrist which was her dominant arm. She worked as a physiotherapist and was off work for about 3 months because of her injuries. The insurers of Sainsburys admitted liability for her accident but we were unable to agreement the value of her claim. Proceedings were issued at Swindon County Court. Sainsburys solicitors then attempted to withdraw the earlier admission of liability which had been made which we successfully opposed. We were then able to settle her claim.

S J Edney solicitors obtained compensation of £12,500.00 for this client during 2010

 

Trapped stiletto causes broken arm

One of our clients (aged 49) attended her daughter’s wedding reception at a hotel in Swindon. The dance floor at the reception was only a temporary construction and had been erected beforehand. There were small gaps between the floor panels. Whilst our client was dancing, one of her stilettos got caught in one of the gaps, causing her to fall over and break her right arm. She had to undergo surgery. Fortunately, she has made a good recovery from this injury and there was no claim for loss of earnings. After receiving our letter of claim the insurers of the hotel admitted liability. We were able to negotiate a settlement for her.

SJ Edney solicitors obtained £11,700.00 for this client in 2009

 

 

Large pothole throws cyclist off his bike fracturing his left clavicle

We acted for a client (aged 42) who was involved in an accident during February 2007 when he fell from his bicycle. He had been riding along a narrow country lane in Wiltshire when his bike hit a large pothole in the road which was filled with rainwater. As a result, he was thrown off his bike, hitting the road and fracturing his left clavicle. The Highway Authority responsible for this stretch of road was Wiltshire County Council who vigorously denied liability for his accident. They tried to pass the blame onto Network Rail who had also been working in this area at the material time. Proceedings had to be issued at Court and once these had been served on their solicitors, they admitted liability straightaway. Fortunately, our client made a complete recovery from his injury although he has been left with an unsightly lump on his shoulder.

SJ Edney solicitors obtained £6,000.00 for this client in 2008

 

Ankle injury caused by defective grid

Another client (a pensioner) tripped over a defective grid outside her local Lidl store causing her a nasty ankle injury. This injury had a major impact on her life in that it took her much longer than before to do her normal household chores and care for her disabled husband. She had been fit and active prior to her accident and not surprisingly her symptoms caused her to become depressed. The prognosis for the future was encouraging. This case settled before the issue of proceedings.

SJ Edney solicitors obtained £10,000.00 for this client in 2007

 

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