If you have fallen down a manhole or stepped on a defective utility cover and ended up injured, you may have a claim for compensation.
Personally, I’m rather cautions when it comes to walking over manholes and utility hole covers. It’s nothing superstitious – I just don’t like the idea of walking over a hole in the ground; that, and I have seen a fair few claims involving defective manhole / utility covers which have all ended up with nasty injuries to the victim.
The companies responsible for the manhole covers – whether it be the electricity board, the water board, any other utility company, or the local council – have an important duty to ensure the hole does not pose any hazard to any passersby. Manhole covers must be adequately secured, and the surrounding areas must be free from defects that could affect the cover. The companies responsible must regularly inspect and maintain the area to ensure the cover does not become a hazard.
So, what happens if you’re walking along and you suddenly fall in to a manhole? If the cover is missing entirely, you should always seek the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer. If a cover has had to be removed, the company responsible has an important duty to make the area safe – either by using a secure temporary cover, or preventing public access to the hole entirely. This doesn’t mean just a few road cones that can easily be moved by foolish children – there should be no way anyone can end up falling down that hole.
If you step on a manhole cover and it collapses, rocks, tilts, or is already raised causing a tripping hazard, you should again seek the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer. Whether the cover has broken entirely and you have been unfortunate enough to fall right down the hole, or whether you have tripped or stumbled due to a defect, you have solid grounds for a claim for compensation.
Falling down a manhole can be a lot more painful than it sounds. Due to the direction of movement as you are walking, you will likely fall forward at the same time your body starts to drop in to the hole. Common injuries occur below the waist from impacts on the interior edge of the hole with the knee and the legs. You can do yourself some serious ligament damage in your knees if you hit them hard from falling in a manhole. If you trip, it’s likely you’ll land on surrounding surface concrete – so a fracture can so easily occur.
If you have been the victim of a defective manhole / utility hole cover, seek urgent medical attention, and then instruct a specialist personal injury lawyer to deal with your claim. Given the nature of this type of fall, it’s likely you’ll be suffering from your injuries for some time – so it’s important to get an expert on your side.
If you need any medical assistant – physiotherapy, osteopathic treatment, scans, etc, a good injury lawyer can get you this on a private basis right from the start of your claim, with no costs to pay – ever.
Feel free to get in touch if you need some friendly advice about claiming for compensation.
