Injured at work

[Dilligaf81]

I was recently carrying out checks on a fire door (which we have to do monthly) and the door pulls inwards as I pulled it the handle snapped off and I fell backwards down the stairs.
Initially I'd cut my finger and felt a bit bruised but 2 days later I'm in agony and have been sent to a&e for x rays.

Good news no fractures but poss slipped disk or facet joint injury.
I'm on tramadol and diazepam and still in a lot of pain.
This has been reported to my works accidentline and I called property to fox the door as it is the only escape on that floor but what now.
I'm getting full pay whilst off but doc has told me no running for 6 months I've realised this is going to have an impact for a long time.
Do I wait till I'm better to contact them about compensation or do it now....really don't know what to do?

Why do you feel you're eligible for compensation? Is there any indication that your employers were aware that the door was faulty? Presumably, if these checks are regularly done and the door passed the check every time it was previously checked, then they couldn't possibly have known and therefore can't have been negligent? In which case it is simply an unfortunate accident.

Compensation for an accident?!

Unless it was known to be faulty I don't think it was any more than an accident. No one is automatically liable just because it happened on their premises. You are being paid so not sure what loss you feel you can claim for.

Compensation for what? You have to be more specific than just 'I want compensation'.

Compensation for the physio and chiropractic visits I'm going to have to pay for the impact on my life of not being able to drive or run in races I have planned.
The door is supposed to be checked monthly which obviously hadn't been done and as the handle snapped mid point it was obviously not up to standard so not an accident but poor maintenence.

Firstly sorry to hear of your accident. I can't imagine much worse then being injured due to not your own fault.

However regarding compensation specifically I think you're getting into complex legal augments about liability there. That's what the previous posters are reacting to.

Basically should the employer reasonably have known the door was faulty. Did they provide you the right training and supervision for your checks.
Presumably your checks are the process by which they find out about problems with the fire door, so was the damage by wear and tear, or did someone do some repairs recently and not fit the handle according to a reasonable standard. Or were the checks not happening previously? But even if they weren't, would it have been discovered without injury?

As you can see, it's extremely hard to work out if anyone is at fault, but you needn't worry about that too much now.

However, having said all that, since it happened at work, I'm pretty sure your company have to give you some benefits still regardless of liability. Check their hr policies if they have them, if not get advice. There's no time limit that's super urgent, but all your physiotherapy and whatnot are a business expense in effect. You shouldn't be left out of pocket.

Good luck and get well soon!

I agree you shouldn't be left out of pocket for the injury and I'd be expecting insurance at work to kick in for all the physio and other appts you need.

Thank you for responses.
I probably didn't word the post very well with saying compensation and explain in meant to cover costs to help me recover.
I'll speak to hr regarding physio etc.

The very fact that you were expected to do monthly checks on the door suggests that your employers took care in ensuring it was up to standard. I would ask them to cover your medical costs though.

Unless you're not in the U.K, then medical treatment is free if needed.

If you can't run, you've not loss anything financially to claim compensation for.

They have measuresbin place hence the checks so unlikely to be found negligent.

If you can't run, you've not loss anything financially to claim compensation for

That is rubbish. If the OP can't run the injury has impacted her ability to carry on with her normal life. She may be entitled to compensation for that. There does not have to be a financial loss.

They have measuresbin place hence the checks so unlikely to be found negligent

The OP believes the monthly checks have not been carried out. If that is the case it is evidence of negligence.

you were expected to do monthly checks on the door

Where does the OP say that she was expected to do monthly checks? She says that monthly checks were supposed to be carried out but that she believes they have not been. She has not indicated that she was responsible for those checks personally.

The monthly checks were and are not my responsibility I was doing them as I was aware they hadn't been done and think a working fire escape is quite important.
People seem to think this is all about money, it's not but for the foreseeable future I'am limited in what I can do which will impact on family life and my life.
I didn't do anything to make this happen or encourage it, in fact I was going above my job role (with my managers knowledge) in carrying out these checks.
I do not think it's unreasonable to be compensated for that and have any extra costs involved covered.
Yes physio is available on the NHS but Dr has advised I'd need to go private for a chiropractor.

Were you instructed to carry out the checks? If it wasn't part of your role that weakens your case rather than strengthening it, I would have thought.

Good heavens. You are not being unreasonable. Without knowing precisely the ins and outs of your role, and a whole load of stuff around your employers paperwork, no one can say if your claim will be successful. However I would certainly put one in. You could see if you have legal Cover on your house insurance or through a union.

Hmm, I slipped on a custom made path last year op. No warning signs. Fractured vertebrae, more than 50% impacted. I had nine days off work, was referred for NHS physio, a consultant neurologist appointment and MRI. The vertebrae is tipping into the spinal canal which prevented kyphopkasty to realign the vertebrae. Have made a brilliant recovery - will always have to take care but thrilled. I didn't have to use that path, I didn't have to hurry, I certainly don't have to run marathons.

I am thrilled that you haven't done any significant structural damage. Might I suggest you stop being litigious and get on with it.

The monthly checks were and are not my responsibility I was doing them as I was aware they hadn't been done and think a working fire escape is quite important.

Ooh, that changes things. If you weren't asked to do them, were you adequately trained? Did someone know you were doing them?

If you were doing them as a favour to someone and they weren't part of your duties, your employer may well defend any compensation claim using that information.