Falls from height injury compensation claims

Which jobs are most at risk from falls from height?

Some jobs place you more at risk of a fall from height than others. Regardless of your job, if you were not provided with the correct training, equipment, or support and you fell and injured yourself then it's likely you'll have a compensation claim.

Below is a list of some professions we know to be at higher risk of ‘falling from height' accidents:

• Construction workers.
• Architects.
• Window cleaners and installers.
• Roofers.
• Engineers.
• Warehouse operatives.
• Sales assistants and stock takers.
• Insulators.

Will my claim negatively affect my employer?

You may be worried that making a fall from height claim will have a negative impact on your employer. However, the business you work for won't pay anything directly. Your employer is legally required to have insurance to cover any compensation you receive from your claim.

This means you don't need to worry about your employer being out of pocket - they're not the ones paying the compensation for your fall from height accident.

Am I eligible to make a claim after falling from height?

The simplest way to know if you're eligible for compensation for your fall from height injuries is to get in touch with us. Our expert advisors will be able to quickly advise you of whether you may be eligible to make a claim.

Generally, you can claim compensation for a fall if your accident happened within the last three years, caused you to be injured, and was someone else's fault. Typically, a Claimant has three years from the date of the accident to start court proceedings if their claim has not settled before then.

1. Where the person injured does not have the capacity to make a claim (perhaps because their injury was so severe), there is no time limit. This has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. It should also be noted that should the claimant regain capacity at any time after the accident, however briefly, the usual three years will start from that date.
2. If the person injured is under 18 at the time of the accident, a claim can be made at any time until they turn 18 by a ‘litigation friend', which is often a parent or guardian. However, if no claim is made before they turn 18, then the person can make a claim as an adult, either settling their claim or initiating court proceedings before their 21st birthday.

It's also important to be aware that our solicitors need some time before the claim deadline to complete certain administrative processes. It's therefore important to start your claim as soon as possible.

If you're not sure whether you're eligible to make a fall from height claim, there's more information on our “am I eligible?” page.

It may be that your employer has breached the regulations set by the Government regarding your safety when it comes to working at height. The further you are from ground level, the more dangerous your working conditions are. It's important that your employer takes these risks very seriously.

By law, your employer is required to take action to make sure you're safe at work. This includes carrying out the necessary risk assessments and providing the correct training under The Work at Height Regulations 2005 Act.

If your employer has failed in their duty of care, and as a consequence you've suffered an injury, then we can help you make a claim. You shouldn't be left out of pocket, or in pain, without the compensation you deserve following a fall from height.

How can compensation support your recovery?

If your claim is successful following a fall from height, any compensation you receive can help you to get things back to how they were before your accident, and to secure your future.

It may be that you're not sure whether your fall from height accident was sufficiently serious to warrant a claim. If you've had:

• Lengthy or repeated hospital visits;
• Significant time off work;
• Significant change to your lifestyle/everyday life; or
• Care from loved ones or professionals.

Then it's likely that you can make a fall from height compensation claim.

If you're still unsure and would like some further advice, you can contact our team on and they can help you to find out whether you're eligible to make a fall from height claim. They'll talk to you about your circumstances and advise you about any next steps. When you contact us  there's no obligation to proceed with a claim and everything is completely confidential.

Can I make a fall from height claim on a no win no fee basis?

Our panel of expert solicitors almost always uses ‘no win no fee' agreements for falls from height claims. If for any reason this isn't possible, they'll always tell you what your options are at the outset.

A no win no fee agreement (or ‘conditional fee agreement') is a contract between you and your solicitor. It basically means that if you lose, you pay nothing.

If you win, most of the legal costs that you've incurred will be recovered from whoever caused your accident or injury. The premium for the insurance covering your no win no fee agreement will be paid from your compensation, as will the ‘success fee' which is payable to your solicitor. This means you never have to pay anything up front.