How To Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work

This guide looks at when you could be eligible to claim for injuries caused by a broken ladder at work. We also look at how to prove employer liability and demonstrate the impact the injuries you have sustained have had on your quality of life. 

broken ladder at work

How To Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work

Ladders are an essential appliance in many work environments. If broken or defective, they can be a danger to an employee’s safety. Falls from a height, for example, can lead to serious injuries such as brain damage, back or neck injuries and broken bones. We look at the duty of care employers owe and provide examples of how a breach of this could lead to workplace accidents.

Moreover, we look at how accident at work settlements are calculated. To conclude, this guide discusses the benefits of working with our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors. 

Please continue reading this guide for more information on ladder accident at work claims. Otherwise, you can use the contact details below to get in touch with our advisors. They are available 24/7 should you wish to discuss what happened and what you should do next. So why not:

Select A Section

  1. Can I Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work
  2. How To Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work
  3. Types Of Injuries Caused By a Broken Ladder At Work
  4. Average Settlements For Broken Ladder Workplace Accidents
  5. Get Help Making A No Win No Fee Broken Ladder At Work Claim
  6. Further Workplace Accident Claim Resources

How To Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work

As stated in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers owe their employees a duty of care to ensure their safety by taking reasonable and practical steps to reduce or remove the risk of injuries. Some steps they could take to uphold their duty include:

  • Providing adequate equipment to employees to do their job safely.
  • Conducting regular maintenance checks on such equipment and the work environment.
  • Implementing health and safety measures to address any hazards that pose a risk of injury.

If your employer failed to ensure your safety while you were working by not adhering to their duty of care, and you’re injured as a result, you might wonder whether you have valid grounds to begin a personal injury claim. 

To be eligible to make a personal injury claim for an accident at work, you must prove negligence. In tort law, negligence is: 

  1. Your employer owing you a duty of care. 
  2. A breach of duty by the employer. 
  3. You becoming injured because of this breach.

You usually also have 3 years to begin claiming for a personal injury according to the Limitation Act 1980. This generally starts from the accident date. There are some exceptions to this time limit, though. You can call our team for more guidance on these.

What Regulations Apply To Ladder Safety?

Schedule 6 of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 states that employers must only consider the use of ladders to complete any work at a height if a risk assessment has demonstrated that the use of other work equipment isn’t justified due to the low risk of activities being carried out and the short time it will be used. Additionally, it places a duty on employers to ensure that the surface ladders are placed on are stable, firm, and can safely support the ladder. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides a guide on working at a height including information on what employers should do before asking an employee to work from a height. For example:

  • Providing personal protective equipment, such as a safety harness.
  • Putting up a permanent or temporary guard rail.
  • Ensuring employees using a ladder or working from a height are trained correctly.

You can enquire with an advisor about your workplace claims eligibility by getting in touch with us today. If your claim is eligible, they can connect you to a solicitor from our panel.

How To Claim For Injuries Caused By A Broken Ladder At Work

If you wish to claim for personal injuries caused by a broken ladder at work, it is advised that you collect sufficient evidence to support your case. Evidence could show employer negligence and how your injury has impacted you. 

For example, these types of evidence could help you:

  • Your workplace’s CCTV footage that shows your accident. 
  • Photographs of the broken ladder and your injuries. 
  • Copies of your medical reports, such as a photocopy of a CT scan. 
  • Contact details from any witnesses to the accident, most likely any colleagues. 
  • Recordings of your psychological injuries and symptoms in a personal diary. 

If you get connected to a solicitor from our panel, they will be able to help you collect the sufficient evidence. If you seek this assistance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with an advisor.

Types Of Injuries Caused By a Broken Ladder At Work

To provide an idea of how a broken ladder at work can cause an injury, here are some examples:

  • The locking bars of a ladder are not fully engaged. This causes the ladder to collapse, leading to the employee using the ladder to suffer broken and fractured bones, or a serious spine injury. 
  • The closing mechanism of a ladder is broken. This can result in limbs getting trapped and causing crush injuries to arms, hands, feet, or legs. 
  • There is no anti-slip stability device on a step ladder. This causes the ladder to slip on a wet surface, meaning you fall and suffer from a serious head injury as well as cuts and lacerations. 

Since there are many possible defects to a ladder and how a broken ladder at work accident could lead to an injury, please contact us. We can assess your specific case to help you understand whether you’re eligible to begin a claim. 

Average Settlements For Broken Ladder Workplace Accidents

It can be difficult to provide an average settlement for broken ladder workplace accidents as payouts are calculated on a case-by-case basis. Generally, though, settlements for successful personal injury claims may be divided into general and special damages. 

Firstly, the pain and suffering of your physical and psychological injuries are compensated under general damages. Factors considered when valuing your injuries can include:

  • The severity of your injuries.
  • The extent of your treatment and recovery. 
  • Effects on your quality of life. 

The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) contain guideline compensation brackets that correlate to different types and severity of injuries. Solicitors can use the JCG and your independent medical reports to help them calculate your general damages settlement. 

Compensation Table

For your guidance, here is a table containing injuries that could be suffered after a broken ladder at work accident and the JCG’s guideline compensation brackets for each. The figures are not a guarantee so please use them as a guide only.

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Injury Severity Compensation Guidelines Notes
Paralysis Tetraplegia (a) £324,600 to £403,990 Paralysis of the lower and upper body.
Paraplegia (b) £219,070 to £284,260 Paralysis of the lower body.
Brain damage Very severe (a) £282,010 to £403,990 The need for nursing care full time.
Moderately severe (b) £219,070 to £282,010 A very serious disability with substantial dependence on others and the need for constant care.
Neck Severe (a) (i) In the region of £148,330 Incomplete paraplegia from associated neck injuries.
Severe (a) (ii) £65,740 to £130,930 This bracket includes serious fractures of the cervical spine.
Leg Very serious (b) (ii) £54,830 to £87,890 Very serious injuries, such as multiple fractures have led to serious deformity after taking years to heal.
Arm Injuries resulting in permanent and substantial disablement (b) £39,170 to £59,860 Where one of both forearms are seriously fractured.
Back Moderate (b) (i) £27,760 to £38,780 This bracket includes cases where there is a possible necessity of spinal fusion after traumatic spondylolisthesis.
Minor (c) (i) £7,890 to £12,510 Where a fracture injury recovers with no surgery between 2-5 years.

How Else You May Be Compensated

Secondly, your financial losses from your injuries may be compensated under your special damages. This can include:

  • Prescription costs and other medical expenses. 
  • Loss of earnings from missed wages. 
  • The cost of adapting your home or vehicle.
  • Travel expenses. 

For a chance at receiving special damages as part of your settlement, you must have evidence of your financial losses. Evidence for this can be receipts, bank statements, payslips, and invoices. 

You can learn more about compensation for accidents at work from our advisors. Enquire today about what you could possibly receive in compensation if you have an eligible personal injury claim. 

Get Help Making A No Win No Fee Broken Ladder At Work Claim

If you have valid grounds to sue your employer for being negligent and causing you to be harmed by a broken ladder at work, you might benefit from instructing a solicitor. Our panel of No Win No Fee solicitors could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) if you are connected to them. 

The benefits of a CFA contract is that you do not have to pay for your solicitor’s work:

  • Before the claims process.
  • During the claims process. 
  • If your claim is unsuccessful.

You will only pay if your solicitor wins your claim. In this case, your solicitor will take a success fee, a percentage of your awarded compensation. Because the law limits the maximum success fee percentage, you still get most of your compensation. 

Call Us Today

If you have sustained an injury following an accident at work with a broken ladder, contact an advisor today. An advisor can assess your case and if they find it’s valid, could connect you with a solicitor from our panel. To get in touch, you can:

Further Workplace Accident Claim Resources

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Thank you for reading our guide on when you could claim for injuries caused by a broken ladder at work. If you have any other questions, call an advisor on the number above.