If a poor lighting injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Injuries caused by inadequate lighting, resulting in trips, falls, or accidents, can lead to compensation for medical care, as well as pain, suffering and loss of amenity.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by an inadequate lighting accident, we can help. If someone else was responsible for your injuries, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for a slip, trip or fall with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
You are not alone
Injuries from poor lighting are relatively common and as such, are addressed in a specific section 8 of The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (legislation.gov.uk).
Accidents and injuries arising from trailing wires, discarded rubbish or unmarked steps often result in claims for compensation. Slip and trip claims are particularly common examples, and such injury claims frequently have a greater chance of success if the accident has occurred in an badly lit environment.
Your solicitor can help you claim compensation for accidents related to inadequate lighting hazards, including those that occurred in unlit stairwells, dark storerooms and streets and roads with damaged street-lighting.
If you decide to make an inadequate lighting injury claim, your personal injury 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.
How much compensation can I claim for a poor lighting accident?
Your compensation for an injury caused by poor lighting depends on:
- how significant your injury is,
- the ways in which your injury affects your daily activities and job,
- any financial losses or costs you have incurred due to the accident.
Inadequate lighting injury
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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.
Special damages is compensation for quantifiable financial losses you've incurred as a result of your injury. Compensation can include lost wages, bonuses, benefits and other perks, and any additional expenses directly related to your injury.
These damages will also cover any medical or treatment bills, such as pain medication and psychological support.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average injury general damages compensation table
The following injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Ankle injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms | £15,250 to £29,500 |
| Severe | Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected | £34,740 to £55,540 |
| Very severe | Severe ongoing symptoms that are likely to worsen in the future | £55,540 to £77,340 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
Leg injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simple tibia or fibula fracture | Simple fracture with full recovery | Up to £13,140 |
| Simple femur fracture | Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces | £10,110 to £15,620 |
Pelvis and hip injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Injury with no residual disability and complete recovery in under 2 years | £4,380 to £13,970 |
| Moderate | Ongoing symptoms but no major disability | £13,970 to £43,460 |
| Serious | Including fracture of acetabulum and injuries with a risk of future hip replacement surgery or leg instability | £43,460 to £58,250 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
| Serious | Some permanent disability, persistent pain and/or stiffness | £13,970 to £27,180 |
Do I qualify for inadequate lighting injury compensation?
You can start a claim for a poor lighting accident, if:
- you were injured in the last 3 years, and;
- another person was to blame, and;
- that person had a legal duty of care to safeguard you from harm.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.
Can I claim if I feel I was partly to blame?
Identifying who is legally responsible for a claimant's injuries is not always obvious.
In our 2024 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.
Even if you were partly at fault, you could still be able to claim compensation. 'Split liability' or 'contributory negligence' are terms used to describe these cases.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to make an inadequate lighting injury claim?
For most injury claims, you have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start the claims process.
The 3 year limitation period does not apply to minors (under 18s). A parent, guardian or litigation friend can start a claim on a child's behalf up to their 18th birthday and the child has until their 21st birthday to claim for themselves.
Poor lighting and injury claims
If an area is badly lit, steps, wires and other hazards can be harder to avoid. An area may be poorly lit due to a lack of lighting, poorly placed light fittings, or because light bulbs have blown and have not been replaced.
Inadequate lighting in a public place or in the workplace can make it easier to prove that a defendant was responsible for your accident. In order to win claim you may need to prove that the defendant has been negligent in failing to install and maintain adequate lighting.
A failure to install or regularly check on lighting may amount to a 'breach of duty of care'. It is necessary to establish who is responsible for keeping an area well lit to determine whether that party owed you a duty of care, and whether they can therefore be held liable for your injury.
If the accident was at work
Usually if the accident happened at work your employer will be found to be responsible. However, if they rent the office space it may be that the landlord they rent from is responsible for maintenance of lighting. This is more likely to be the case in common areas like stairwells and entryways.
If the accident was in a communal area
If you were injured as a result of a fall in a communal area - for example in the stairwell in a block of flats - the owner of the building may be responsible. The owner may outsource their maintenance duties to another company, a managing agent. In either case, failing to monitoring the state of the lighting and carrying out regular repairs may amount to negligence.
If the accident was in public
If you slipped or tripped due to poor lighting in a public place such as a street or subway, the local authority or council may be responsible. Your solicitor will be able to identify the responsible party and confirm how to proceed with a claim.
What caused your poor lighting injury?
The compensation claims process will depend on where and how your injury occurred. Click the icons below for more information:
Can I make a no win, no fee inadequate lighting injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim inadequate lighting injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
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Call 0800 376 1001
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The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (reviewed: 01/08/2024)
Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.