Ladder injury
compensation claims

If a ladder injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Injuries from ladder falls can lead to significant trauma. Compensation claims often focus on the circumstances leading to the fall, including any breaches of workplace safety or product liability.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a ladder accident, we can help. If your injuries were caused by your employer or a co-worker, you may be entitled to claim compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and long-term rehabilitation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee work accident compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

You are not alone

Around 50,000 people a year visit A&E following a ladder accident.

8% of all workplace injuries are caused by falls from height, according to HSE research (hse.gov.uk).

An estimated 30% of falls from a height involve a ladder, resulting from a range of factors including overreaching accidents, defective equipment, and inadequate training and supervision. Ladder injuries typically arise following accidents at work and in the home.

Building sites, in particular, are inherently dangerous places to work, and these dangers are reflected in the official building site accident statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive ('HSE'). The figures reveal that 53,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries at work averaged over the three-year period 2020/21-2022/23. The construction sector accounts for a disproportionately high number of workers who sustain serious injuries in the course of their work.

It is estimated that around 5% of accidents lead to head injuries. Symptoms might appear months or even years after the accident and may not even be attributed to the fall. For this reason, lawyers and medical professionals recommend that medical attention be sought after a ladder accident.

If you decide to make a ladder injury claim, your work accident solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

Do I have a ladder injury claim?

If you've been injured in an accident that was caused another person or organisation in the last 3 years, you will be entitled to make a claim for financial compensation.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.

Am I still eligible to claim if I was partially responsible?

Determining legal responsibility for a claimant's injuries can involve myriad factors.

In our recent 2024 Work Injury Claimant Survey, 26.02% of injured workers believed they may have been partly (or wholly) responsible for their injuries.

You could still be able to claim even if you were partly responsible for the accident. If you were injured at work, you can claim compensation from your employer under the principle of vicarious liability - even if you or another employee caused the accident.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long do I have to make a ladder injury claim?

In most cases, you have 3 years from the date of your accident or injury.

If you were injured when you were under 18, a parent, guardian or adult 'litigation friend' can make a claim on your behalf. Once you turn 18, you have until your 21st birthday to start an injury claim.

How much compensation can I claim for a ladder injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages is compensation for quantifiable financial losses you've incurred as a result of your ladder injury. Compensation can include loss of earnings, including lost overtime, holiday pay, benefits and pension contributions, and any additional expenses directly related to your injury.

These damages will also cover any medical or treatment bills, such as diagnostic imaging tests, surgical intervention and physiotherapy.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

The psychological impact of work injuries

Are you concerned about the mental and emotional impact of your injury? You are not alone.

Our 2024 Work Injury Claimant Survey reveals the extent of psychological trauma, with 25.00% of claims involving a psychological injury, 64.09% of which related to a physical injury.

Ladder injuries can cause a phobia of heights (acrophobia) or even PTSD, affecting future work and daily activities involving height.

Some workers remain hesitant to seek help for potential psychological injuries, fearing that their concerns will be dismissed or they will be treated differently.

A specialist solicitor will ensure that the psychological harm you have suffered is considered when calculating your compensation. This can be vital to ensure you receive mental health support and other therapies that may not be readily available on the NHS in your area.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

Common ladder accidents

One of the most common ladder accidents occurs when the ladder is effectively too short for the job. The natural inclination is then to stretch or 'overreach'.

Overreaching can unbalance the ladder resulting in a fall. For this reason, employers have a duty to train staff to use ladders appropriately, including always maintaining at least three points of contact with the ladder.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 6 April 2022.

This legislation means that employers have an obligation to provide free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all workers, including workers who are self-employed or on a zero-hours contract.

Under the previous 1992 regulations, employers were only required to provide PPE to employees with a formal employment contract.

PPE is often overlooked when using a ladder. In most cases the use of gloves, boots, and bump caps can protect your extremities when climbing or descending a ladder. Fall arrest equipment should be used if you are climbing particularly high.

If you are injured when using a ladder at work and your employer failed to provide you with suitable PPE, you may be entitled to claim compensation - even if you are self-employed.

What happened?

The compensation claims process will depend on where and how your ladder injury occurred. Click the icons below for more information:

Work accidents Public places Other accidents

Citations

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.