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Home > Personal Injury News > Public Liability Claim for Injured Council Worker

Newspaper Strapping Causes Tripping Accident

In a recent case, our expert personal injury lawyers assisted a council employee in making a compensation claim against a newsagent, following an accident caused by plastic newspaper strapping left in the street.

Personal Injury

Whilst working in her capacity as a street cleaner, our client tripped on the plastic strapping whilst emptying a public bin. The bin was only a few feet away from a newsagent’s shop and she believed they had left the strapping there.

She instructed our lawyers, who have extensive experience in public liability cases, to pursue a personal injury claim on her behalf.

Accident Claim

The newsagent denied that they had put their waste in the bin, however evidence was provided that they had been reported for placing trade waste in public bins in the past. Council records also showed they had not purchased council bags for trade waste for over 2 years before the accident and only began to do so shortly after it occurred.

Some of our client’s colleagues also confirmed having seen trade waste in the same bin previously.

The defendant tried to argue that the strapping could have come from a supermarket further along the street, however the newsagent was the only shop open on the morning of the accident and the only one with a history of incorrectly disposing of waste. The Judge also felt it was unlikely that staff from the supermarket would walk along the street to use a bin outside another shop.

The Judge found in favour of our client and she was awarded compensation in respect of her injuries.

Accidents in Public Places

If you have been injured in an accident at work or accident in a public place, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Contact The Legal Line on 0800 0328511, or by completing an online compensation claim enquiry form, for cost free accident claim advice from our specialist solicitors.