Council compensation for ice injury

[Justjoinedforthis]

I fractures my wrist walking very carefully down my iced over road, this is in London and it was a well used residential street. I saw so many other people have bad falls, and this was after three days of solid ice.

I honestly hate the culture of compensation, it’s not about the money - I could donate that (or use it to buy a grit box for our street!) but I feel I really want them to do a better job next icy period. I had emailed about how icy it was and got palmed off.

Does anyone have experience of this, in regards to ice? Or should I just let it go. For the record I am not one of these ‘anti council’ types who are always complaining, I generally love the council bit this was really lethal.

Actually going against the grain, I agree with you OP. I was equally disgusted that my local council didn’t provide parasols and iced tea drinking stations at pedestrian crossings during the long hot summer we had. There’s a lot of focus on the fact that councils aren’t carrying out the things that they are responsible for at the moment, when really, they should be focusing on delivering the things that they aren’t.

The Council is only responsible for things that they can control - they cannot control when it is icy, and they cannot afford to grit all the pavements and streets that you'd like to use.

Us up north, you know, where it's icy more than twice a year, have to - shock, horror - buy our own grit / salt, and wear appropriate footwear. Though it does remind me of the person who decided to try to sue the local council (they failed) because they fell and supposedly injured themelves on wet leaves. They were walking around a tree-filled park, in autumn, in the rain. Who'd have thunk there might to wet leaves on the ground??? As I said, they didn't win but the council ended up have to put up signs in all the local parks pointing out that people should take care because wet leaves can be slippery. Perhaps London authorities need signs pointing out that ice might be slippery?

Christ what ever happened to common sense and taking responsibility for yourself

stay in or as others said those grips for your shoes

love the “it’s not about money and I’d donate it”

why an earth do people expect there arse wiping for them nowadays

If it’s eg the pavement next to a local station then I could see why this should be gritted (and was where I live) but as others say, the council can’t grit all the side roads and I’m not sure what’s happened in recent years but I don’t see grit boxes on streets as I used to do.

The recent snow was unexpected too. Where I live is on of the hilliest parts of London and it really is lethal on those hills. I was lucky enough that I didn’t have to go out every day and if I did I was really careful and wore correct footwear (I did ask here for recommendations on boots).

The council won’t be interested in a claim, I’m sorry you fractured your wrist, but I do hope they install a new grit box.

Our council policy is not to grit pavements or side roads . We're in a cul de sac with a bin at the top of the hill. So you need to get up there take a bucket and start spreading yourself. Only the road though

London councils do salt and grit residential roads and pavements, at least before the pandemic they did in my areas and certainly where I live and used to work (also London areas).

They gritted and salted pavements when there was recent snow this December too. They were a bit late as the snow was unexpected and they didn’t expect it to ice over. Even on our high street level pavements there was grit and certainly leading from the station. Similar when I started a new job, the area all around there was gritted and salted, not all of it but certainly accessible areas used by walking.

What I’ve noticed is no or very few grit boxes, they were around when there was last heavy unexpected snow in I think 2010 onwards but not seen them or not much, since.

I live in the borough of Enfield and have never seen a grit bin.

I'm in a London borough. They grit main roads, not residential. Our street has a 'snow friends' scheme, those that are able have shovels and grit. The road is icy, we are on a hill, so the snow friends grit and shovel if needed.

Oh and there haven't been grit boxes in the main roads for years, they've all been removed.

You and your neighbours could "do better" yourselves by clearing the excess snow next time? Or do you just want to watch other people doing it and then moan when they don't? Bloody people, honestly.

Sorry but when we can't afford functioning A&E departments or social care, you falling over is the least of our problems. Accidents happen and aren't always someone else's fault!

I live in Enfield and yes it was pretty bad here. Considerably deeper than west or south London where I have family. I would say we had 6 inches dumped from the sky in just 3 hours. I have only once before seen such deep snow here, in 20 years of living here.

It was very icy on almost all the pavements here for a full week and OP is right that there was little / no pavement gritting, except at transport hubs (which might have been done by station staff). I too felt it was rather negligent; however the snow we had was exceptional.

The main roads were pretty much fine for driving on though, after 24 hours - so they must have gritted them.

@NewYearNora were you guys not affected by the ‘beast from the east’? We had 6 foot drifts here!

It's totally impractical that every residential area is gritted in the event of ice. Talks of suing is nonsense.

My dad used to grit the roads, it would be impossible to grit every single road and pavement, what happens when it inevitably ices over again. It is impossible for every street to be gritted. Personal responsibility has to come into play, the Council can't be sued because of natural events. Buy gripped boots or shoes.

6 inches? Wow

Hope we never get to experience extremes like that up here in the north!

Why don't you do what we do OP? Club together with your neighbours and buy some grid and salt?

When it snows, just clear it with a shovel,