A pavement accident claim seeks compensation for a personal injury you suffer in an accident that is not your fault. If you suffer an injury on a pavement or footpath due to an accident caused at least in part by someone else’s negligence, you may well be entitled to make a claim for compensation. 

Pavement and footpath injury claims are public liability injury claims as they happen in areas open to the public or on land you have accessed with the owner’s permission. You claim for the personal injury suffered in the pavement accident and the effects on your life.

Your personal injury solicitor seeks to recover damages through a claims process. If you or a loved one have been injured, and your life impacted by an accident that was someone else’s fault, a claim for compensation seeks financial redress for the injuries and financial losses.

If you have been injured in an accident and it was not your fault, The Personal Injury Team No Win No Fee solicitors can file your compensation claim for the money you deserve.

A pavement accident claim seeks compensation for a personal injury

What is a pavement accident claim?

A pavement accident claim is a legal process to seek compensation when you are injured in an accident that was not your fault. You could suffer a personal injury when walking the dog, jogging in the evening or if you trip on a loose pavement slab when walking to work. 

In any pavement or footpath accident, you could suffer serious injury to muscles, nerves and tendons, broken bones and may need surgery to aid recovery. You may be off work for some time recovering from a broken ankle, snapped tendons or be unable to drive due to a fractured arm. 

You might be able to claim compensation to cover the costs of the injury and the effects of it on your life. You could be injured, need hospital care, and have large medical bills to pay, but you might be able to claim compensation to cover your costs. 

The property owner has a duty of care to those who use the pavement or footpath. If they breach that duty of care and you suffer an injury, you might have a pavement accident claim for compensation. 

A No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can review your case and advise if you have a valid pavement accident injury claim.

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Common pavement accident claims

Common pavement accident claims range from breaking an arm on a poorly maintained footpath to a facial injury from slipping on an oily surface to tripping over a root and chipping your teeth. 

You may be able to claim compensation for the pavement accident if you can show the accident was not your fault or only partially your fault. 

Some of the common pavement accident claims:

  • A trip on a tree root breaking through the pavement
  • Falling on a poorly-maintained footpath
  • Falling over a loose pavement slab
  • Tripping on a pothole in the pavement
  • Loose kerbstones causing a fall
  • Falling due to missing manhole cover
  • Tripping over a broken bench on the pavement
claim compensation for the pavement accident

A trip on a tree root breaking through the pavement

A trip on a tree root breaking through the pavement could result in a broken wrist, chipped teeth, or a sprained ankle. The local council or landowner should take care of the pavement and keep tree growth under control. 

You may have a claim for compensation if you trip or fall over a tree root breaking through the pavement.

A fall on a poorly maintained footpath

A fall on a poorly-maintained footpath can happen if the property owner does not repair cracks and replace broken paving stones. If you fall on a poorly maintained footpath, you could suffer facial injuries and cuts to your hands and legs. 

You could have a pavement accident claim against the local council or the landowner.

Tripping over a loose pavement slab

When tripping on a loose pavement slab in an accident that was not your fault, you could dislocate a shoulder or fracture your wrist. Older people are particularly vulnerable, and care should be taken to ensure all pavement slabs are securely in place. 

A pavement accident claim for compensation might be possible if you or a loved one is injured in an accident that was not your fault.

Tripping on a pothole in the pavement

Tripping on a pothole in the pavement can throw you flat on your face, injuring your nose and causing cuts and bruises. Deep lacerations may need stitching and can leave unsightly scars on your face. 

You might be able to claim for the trauma of your injuries when claiming for pavement accident compensation.

Loose kerbstones causing a fall

Loose kerbstones causing a fall are a danger when crossing the road or getting out of a parked car. The local council should keep the pavement in good order and remove the trip hazard of loose kerbstones. 

You may be able to claim for injuries sustained in a pavement accident compensation claim.

Falling over a missing manhole cover

Falling over a missing manhole cover can break an ankle or cause deep cuts to your legs and feet. The council should ensure all manhole covers are in place and none are missing leading to pedestrians falling over. 

A claim for the pavement accident due to a missing manhole cover might get you compensation for your injuries.

Tripping over a broken bench

Tripping over a broken bench left unrepaired by the council or property owner can cause injuries such as broken bones, sprained ankles, and facial injuries. 

A bench may be broken in an accident or due to a lack of repair, but the council should make sure the pavement is kept safe for pedestrians. 

In every pavement accident claim, you might be able to seek compensation for injuries caused and their effect on your life now and in the future.

Our Process

We make the claim process as simple and streamlined as possible, and that’s one of the reasons we’re maintain a 4.9 / 5 ★ rating from our customers!

Enquiry

The first step is to get in touch and tell us what went wrong. It’s free and easy. Call our 24-hour helpline: 0800 027 0370 or request a callback here.

Claim Evaluation

Once you have spoken with our team we’ll let you know how we can help. This will involve a thorough case review and understanding of the incident, financial damages and physical injuries.

Legal Letter

Once we are satisfied we have all the information we require and have a full understanding of your circumstances. We send a letter of claim to the negligent party outlining your claim and compensation requirements.

Who is responsible for a pavement accident claim?

The owner of the pavement or footpath where you were injured could be responsible for your pavement accident claim. In all personal injury claims in the UK, you can only bring a claim against an entity if you can show they are responsible or partially responsible for your injury. 

You may have a personal injury claim if you can show:

  • The owner of the pavement has a duty of care to pedestrians
  • They breached the duty of care, i.e., a poorly maintained pavement, due to negligence
  • The breach of care led to you suffering an injury in a pavement accident

The entity responsible for the upkeep of the pavement can be:

  • The local council
  • A private landowner

If you can prove that the owner of the pavement, or who is responsible for the pavement, was negligent in their upkeep of the pavement, you might have a claim for compensation. 

Your No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can advise if you have a claim for compensation against the local council or private landowner.

Can I claim against the local council for a pavement accident?

Yes, you may be able to claim against the local council for a pavement accident. In most cases, the local council is responsible for the upkeep of the footpath and pavement in their area. 

They should inspect the pavements on a regular basis and schedule repairs as soon as possible.

Can I claim against a private landowner for a pavement accident?

Yes, you might be able to claim against a private landowner for the injury in a pavement accident. 

The landowner is responsible for the upkeep of pavements and footpaths on their property, and you may have a claim for compensation if you are hurt when walking on their land.

Causes of a pavement accident

The causes of a pavement accident could be a poorly-maintained footpath or the local council not clearing the area after doing repairs. 

You might be able to claim compensation for a pavement accident if you can show the cause of the pavement accident was not your fault, or you were only partially to blame.

 Causes of a pavement accident are:

  • Poorly-maintained pavements
  • Kerbstones broken by traffic mounting the pavement
  • Badly lit pavements at night
  • Tree roots coming through the surface
  • Cracked paving stones not replaced
  • Rubble left on the pavement at night
  • Drain covers not replaced
  • Incorrectly laid paving stones
  • Uneven paving stones
  • Damaged rubbish bins and broken seating

Your No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor may be able to claim compensation for your injury in a public liability claim.

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What is a public liability claim?

A public liability claim is for when you are injured in an area open to the public, such as a fall on a footpath in the local park, a trip when jogging on the public pavement or a slip when walking on the pavement at a stadium or sports ground.   

You might have a public liability claim if the accident was not your fault, and you can show that your injury could be due to the owner’s negligence. 

Your claim is usually against the public liability insurance of the property owners where you had your accident. 

If the defendants do not have public liability insurance, you can still make a claim, but they may have to fund your possible claim.

public liability claim

Compensation for pavement accident claims

In a No Win No Fee pavement accident claim, you might be able to seek compensation damages ranging from a few thousand pounds to more than £10 million. How much compensation you can claim depends on the injuries suffered and the financial effect of those injuries on your life.

If someone else is responsible for your personal injury, you might be able to claim compensation from their insurance company.

Sample compensation amounts in a personal injury claim are as follows. Please note these are figures for the injuries only. Financial losses would apply in addition:

  • Minor scarring to the face, from £1,710 to £3,530
  • Loss of teeth, from £1,710 to £11,410
  • Moderate hip and pelvis injury, from £12,590 to £39,170
  • Severe shoulder injury, from £19,200 to £48,030
  • Fractures of the arm, from £6,610 to £19,200
  • Permanent mobility problems with legs, from £54,830 to £87,890
  • Severe back injury, from £38,780 to £160,980
  • Moderate brain injury, from £43,060 to £219,070
  • Paraplegia, from £219,070 to £284,260

(The figures given here are for General Damages amounts only. You might also receive compensation for any financial losses you suffer due to the personal injury. Figures are taken from Judicial College Guidelines 16th Edition and are accurate as of April 2023.)

There is not one fixed amount in personal injury claims. The circumstances differ from person to person and claim to claim, and the amount of compensation awarded is tailored to the circumstances of your claim.  

A No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor can give you an idea of what to expect from their experience in compensation claims.

Compensation calculator

What can you claim for compensation in a personal injury claim?

In a personal injury claim, you claim compensation for two types of damages: General Damages and Special Damages.

The amount of compensation awarded is the total of these two types of damages.

General Damages

General damages is the claim you make for what is known as PSLA, or the Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity you experience directly from the personal injury. 

Pain is that suffered as a direct result of the injury or any treatment for it. 

Suffering is the discomfort in your life as a result of the injury

Loss of Amenity is the disruption to your daily life, such as difficulty or restriction in walking, sitting, playing sports, and sleeping.

Special Damages

Special damages cover your past and future financial losses. These could include loss of earnings, care costs, medical treatment or specialist rehabilitation, aids, adaptations and any other out-of-pocket expenses you have or might suffer due to the personal injury.

Loss of earnings is for income lost directly from being off work and any reduction in income expected from not being able to return to your current type of employment.

Care costs include the care needed to recover from the personal injury and any long-term care and treatment costs, whether provided by friends and family or professionally.

Out-of-pocket expenses are for your medical appointments, travel and accommodation and any other costs incurred after the injury.

Compensation is awarded to cover all losses, including loss of life, medical expenses and long-term care needs arising from the injury in a personal injury accident.

You need records such as payslips, all day-to-day receipts, and any other paperwork showing your losses from the personal injury.

A No Win No Fee solicitor handles your personal injury claim and seeks the compensation you deserve.

How Much Is Your Claim Worth?

Take a few minutes to fill in our claim assessment form and find out how much compensation you will be entitled to.

Evidence to support a pavement accident claim

Evidence to support a pavement accident claim should help show that the accident was not wholly your fault and someone else was at least partially responsible. 

If you are involved in any pavement accident, be it when out exercising, going for a drink, or taking the kids to school, you will need to gather as much evidence as possible to prove your claim. 

When gathering evidence to support your pavement accident claim, you should:

  • Take note of where, when and who is involved
  • Use your phone to take photographs of the scene
  • Get the details of everyone involved in the accident
  • Get a copy of the accident report from the local council
  • Ask local business owners if the hazard has been there for long
  • Get the details of any witnesses
  • Find CCTV evidence if possible
  • Call for medical help to assess your injuries
  • Take photos of your injuries at the scene

Every piece of evidence may be crucial in your pavement accident claim. You do not know what the negligent party will dispute or claim when the case begins. 

Your No Win No Fee solicitor may use the evidence against the negligent party in any possible pavement accident injury claim.

How to prove your claim for personal injury compensation

How to make a compensation claim for a pavement accident claim?

If you have been injured on a footpath in the UK and it was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for damages. Speak to a member of the personal injury team today and start your no win no fee personal injury claim process. 

steps in making a personal injury claim

Find out how much you can claim for today

Find out how much you can claim for today by using our online assessment tool. It will give you an idea of what you might be able to claim for and what compensation you might be able to expect in a personal injury claim.

Compensation amounts are guidelines only on what to expect from your personal injury claim. Our personal injury solicitors can advise you using their expertise and experience and can quickly tell you if you have a valid claim and what to do next.

Our team of No Win No Fee personal injury solicitors can take your case to seek the compensation you deserve. We have the experience to handle your claim for personal injury compensation and see it through to a successful conclusion, whether the claim is worth £1,500 or more than £10,000,000.

When you suffer a personal injury, the effects on your life can be devastating. If the personal injury is not your fault, it can make the situation feel even worse.

Take our online assessment today to get an idea of claim amounts and what you could be due for the pain, suffering and impact on your life.

Contact your Personal Injury Team today for immediate expert advice tailored to you.

how much can you claim for personal injury