{"id":15833,"date":"2014-05-30T15:39:20","date_gmt":"2014-05-30T14:39:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theinjurylawyers.co.uk\/injury-lawyers-blog\/?p=15833"},"modified":"2014-05-30T15:39:20","modified_gmt":"2014-05-30T14:39:20","slug":"tripped-on-raised-or-sunken-tarmac-claims-advice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.theinjurylawyers.co.uk\/injury-lawyers-blog\/2014\/05\/30\/tripped-on-raised-or-sunken-tarmac-claims-advice\/","title":{"rendered":"Tripped on Raised or Sunken Tarmac Claims Advice"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"slipsWhilst difficult to spot at the best of times, potholes can be seen and often dodged, as can raised or sunken paving slabs. But one of the worst forms of defects that are well known for being more difficult to spot is raises or sunken sections in the tarmac or concrete.<\/p>\n

Raises or sunken sections can be caused by a number of things – tree roots under the surface lifting the ground up, or defects under ground causing the concrete to lower and sink. But what are your rights for making a claim in these kinds of scenarios?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

As with any defect claim against a local highways agency or council , it’s all down to reasonable knowledge of a defect and what steps have been taken by those responsible to prevent an incident occurring. Over time, many things can result in raised or sunken tarmac which is hard to spot and can easily pose a tripping hazard.<\/p>\n

But just because you trip on such a defect doesn’t mean you are instantly entitled to make a claim for personal injury compensation.<\/p>\n

The Law<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Highways Act 1980 imposes a duty on the body responsible to ensure they have a reasonable system of inspection and maintenance to spot hazards and rectify them in good time. In addition, if a defect is reported, they must act on the information within a reasonable timeframe to rectify or make safe the area.<\/p>\n

This is achieved through ensuring that:<\/p>\n