Carpets, when frayed, loose, or raised, can be a real danger. You can easily slip on a loose section if it moves or trip due to a lip caused by it being raised or frayed. This kind of danger should never become an oversight.
So what happens if you are in a shop or a restaurant or other public place, or perhaps at work, and you are injured due to a dangerous piece of carpet? Can you make a slip or trip claim for personal injury compensation?
Your Rights
There is a duty as a visitor in a public place for those in control of the area to take all reasonable steps to make sure that visitors are not injured when in the premises. Normally this is done by inspection and maintenance. A carpet should not be allowed to become a danger. If it does, and no action is taken to rectify this, you may have a claim for personal injury compensation. This is covered by the Occupiers Liability Act.
At work, there are specific regulations that address the conditions of traffic routes in the workplace in The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 that state as follows:
… the floor, or surface of the traffic route, shall have no hole or slope, or be uneven or slippery so as, in each case, to expose any person to a risk to his health or safety… (Legislation)
A carpet that has become a trip or slip hazard is therefore breaching these regulations, which can leave your employer liable for a claim for personal injury compensation.
The duty is similar to that of a public place though – inspection and maintenance regimes should be in force to prevent a carpet becoming a hazard.
Making a Claim
Whether a carpet has injured you in a public place, at work, or in a rented premises, we may be able to help you make a claim for personal injury compensation if you’re injured as a result. We offer a full No Win, No Fee service and we still offer 100% compensation</strong> for this type of claim.
Other lawyers will deduct up to 25% from your payout due to legal fee reforms in April 2013 from the government. But we still give our clients the opportunity to still retain all 100% of the payout!
