Injured in Communal Area at Home? Get Free Legal Advice
Compensation for Tenant Who Slipped on Garden Step
Our solicitors recently represented a man who was injured after slipping in the garden at his rented property. In the communal garden was a set of stone steps covered in algae and moss. Mr V was walking across the garden one evening, when he slipped on one of the stone steps, and fell backwards onto the ground, breaking his coccyx (tailbone) and bruising his lower back in the process.
His wife drove him to their local hospital, where his injuries were treated and he was later discharged on crutches. He was off work for four weeks following the accident, and was in constant pain and discomfort during that time. The landlord had received multiple complaints about the slippery stone steps in the garden, but no action had been taken to render them safe. Upset and angry about the situation, Mr V decided to seek a legal opinion.
- Tenant Sued Landlord for Slipping on Mossy Garden Steps
- Case Study: Tenant Injured Falling Over Pothole in Car Park
- Our Experience With Accidents at Home
- The Claims Process
- Your Compensation
Under the Defective Premises Act 1972, landlords owe a duty of care and must meet their contractual obligation to keep their premises in a state of good repair. The Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 also imposes a duty of care on landlords to make sure that visitors are kept reasonably safe while on the premises. In this case, the landlord was clearly liable for the state of the garden steps and for Mr V's injuries resulting from the accident. The latter subsequently received a cheque for £3,750 in compensation for his injuries.
Acting on Mr F’s behalf, we argued that given the terms of the tenants' lease agreements, the landlord should have made some provision for ensuring that the car park was kept in a reasonably safe state for residents. The tenants all paid a sizable service charge for living at the property, and the cost of employing a contractor to deal with the upkeep of external areas should have been factored into this. The landlord had been informed about the danger posed by potholes in the car park, and had acted negligently in failing to take any action to keep the car park safe. We were able to reach agreement on a compensation settlement of £3,500, paid out under the terms of the landlord's building insurance policy.
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the likelihood that you’ll make a full recovery. We’ll seek expert opinions on what care you’ll need to ensure that the compensation we claim will be sufficient.
Why Choose Bartletts Solicitors?
Solid Traditional Values Delivered
in a Modern Convenient Manner
Every year we help over a thousand injured people make claims for compensation on a no win no fee basis. Many are tenants claiming against their landlords.
We help tenants claim for personal injury, such as slips, falls and injuries caused by unsafe structures.
Our service is designed to be easy to use: meetings by phone & email, local medical appointments, sign documents online, or visit our city centre offices.
Our solicitors are very experienced having worked at the firm for an average of 18 years.
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Accident Claims Caused by Disrepair We Have Won:
- Slips and Trips on Unsafe Steps
- Injuries From Defective Home Appliances
- Trips on Damaged or Loose Carpeting
- Injuries From Collapsing Ceilings
- Dangerous Fixtures and Furnishings
- Slipping Accidents at Rented Properties
- Accidents in Communal Areas
Accident and Disrepair Topics:
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