Personal injury advice from
Thompsons Solicitors
Accidents at Home
If you or a member of your family is suffering from a personal injury due to an accident at home caused by the negligence of someone else, our specialist personal injury lawyers may be able to help you claim compensation. Contact us today on 0800 032 8511 for claim advice, or by completing a compensation claim enquiry form.
Accidents at Home
Safety in the Home
Damages for Accidents at Home
How to Make a Compensation Claim for an Accident at Home
Personal Injury Compensation
Our Specialist Personal Injury Lawyers
Accidents at Home
In the UK, accidents in the home are one of the largest causes of injuries and accidental deaths, with thousands of people requiring hospital treatment each year. There are many different types of household accidents, occurring under a range of circumstances including the following:
- Household fires (causing burns and smoke inhalation)
- Defective products (furniture, toys, home fixtures, appliances, toiletries)
- Electrocutions and electric shocks (from electrical faults, faulty wiring, incorrect use of appliances)
- Falls (from stairs, ladders or windows)
- Faulty applicances (including carbon monoxide poisoning from boilers and fires)
- Household chemicals (which can cause poisoning and chemical burns)
- D.I.Y. related accidents (involving tools, power tools, working at height)
- Burns and scalds (from hot water, cooking appliances, hot food and drinks)
- Tripping accidents (on damaged carpets, defects and objects lying around)
- Drowning (e.g. involving garden ponds or swimming pools)
Some of these accidents are simply that, accidents, and could not have been prevented or predicted. In other cases however, someone is at fault. If your accident at home was caused by the negligent actions or inaction of another party, say, a landlord or manufacturer, a person that you employ to do work for you or a visitor, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Safety in The Home
There are some steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of having an accident at home as far as possible:
- Keep your home free from clutter and spills that people could trip or slip on
- Ensure that fire and smoke alarms are well serviced and in working order
- Use electrical appliances responsibly and never with worn or damaged cables
- Only plug the recommended number of appliances into each socket
- Keep chemicals and toxic substances clearly labelled, well out of the reach of children and away from food
- Guard all fires and heaters and keep clothing and furnishings away from heat sources and naked flames
- Have all heating appliances checked at least once a year
- Do not use electrical appliances with wet hands or in wet areas such as bathrooms
- Ensure that stairs and steps are well lit when in use
- Do not leave children unsupervised near to garden ponds, pools or in the bath
- Wear protective clothing when carrying out home improvements and do not attempt tasks that are beyond your skills and experience
- Take care when handling sharp or large objects
- Use safe, sturdy stepladders when reaching into high places, preferably with assistance. Do not attempt to balance on chairs or worktops
- Secure cupboards, drawers and medicine cabinets so that young children can not access them
- Take care when running hot water and heating liquids in a kettle or on the stove, particularly when children are around
- Employ reputable and competent craftsmen that are insured
It is important to ensure that the facilities in any household are safe for the inhabitants and visitors. People with specific needs could include children, the elderly or disabled persons.
Damages for Accidents at Home
There are some circumstances under which an accident at home could be caused by the negligence of another party. For example accidents involving defective products, poor workmanship carried out by contractors or dangerous facilities provided by a landlord or housing association.
For cases involving defective products, certain laws apply. The Sale of Goods Act states that all goods should be of satisfactory quality and fit for their intended purpose, and the Consumer Protection Act 1987 provides strict liability where damage is caused either in part or wholly by a defective product.
It may be that your accident occurred in someone else's home. If you visit another place of residence and there is a hazard that you are not made aware of, the owner or occupier could be held responsible for any personal injury that you suffer as a result. If you suffer an accident on private property, the owner should hold insurance that would cover such incidents.
How to Make a Compensation Claim for an Accident in the Home
In any case, it is important to keep a record of as much information and evidence as possible. This could include photographs, receipts, details of medical treatment and a record of any injury related expenses.
It is important to seek legal advice if you feel that you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim. Your solicitor will be able to advise you on the best way to pursue your claim. In every case, medical evidence will be required, and it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.
Your lawyer will be able to collate all of the evidence and advise you on the best way in which to pursue your compensation claim.
Personal Injury Compensation
There are two elements to a compensation award.
The first, called general damages, is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and any loss of amenity (perhaps an inability to wash your car, look after your garden, walk the dog). The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after an accident or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.
The second element of a compensation award, for your losses and expenses, is known as special damages and aims to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the accident so that these can be reclaimed.
In serious cases, where a person may no longer be able to continue their employment, this can be taken into account. Costs for care, equipment, transport and housing modifications can also be factored into the calculations. If the person is still able to work but not in the same role as before, particularly if they held a public service role such as a doctor or police officer, an extra amount may be awarded for loss of ‘congenial employment’. A court can also make a financial award to recognise that an injured worker's prospects on the open labour market may be limited.
If a person is fatally injured, a dependent relative such as a widow and children may be able to claim a statutory sum for their bereavement and funeral expenses, but also sums for the loss of income and contribution to the household in the form of future losses.
Our Specialist Personal Injury Lawyers
The Legal Line lawyers are experts in all areas of personal injury, with extensive experience in recovering compensation for the victims of accidents at home. They can provide specialist accident claim advice, assistance and guidance in helping you to pursue your claim to the best possible outcome.
For details of previous cases we have dealt with involving accidents in the home, and articles about related issues, follow the links below or visit our news and client stories sections:
Housing
Charity Calls for Measures to Tackle Dangerous Rental Properties
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