In December 2014, our client Kirsty was at her work Christmas party at a hotel in Manchester city centre. While on the dance floor with friends, she slipped on some liquid, fell and hurt her ankle. At the time, there were no wet floor signs to alert guests to the spillage.

After reporting the accident in the hotel’s accident book, Kirsty was taken to hospital in a taxi. An x-ray confirmed that she had badly broken, and pulled ligaments in, her right ankle.

Kirsty had to wear a below-knee plaster cast for six weeks. She wore an air cast boot for a further two before undergoing a program of ankle rehabilitation physiotherapy.

Sadly, Kirsty’s injuries meant that she could not fully participate in activities with her family over the festive period. She was unable to enjoy her daughter’s second birthday a month after the accident and her injuries prevented her from enjoying a pre-booked holiday with her family.

Kirsty’s ankle injury also affected her everyday life. She could not cook or undertake household chores and was forced to hire a wheelchair for 6 weeks from the Red Cross to help her get around. Kirsty was unable to drive for 2 months and relied on lifts from a colleague to get to and from work.

12 months after the accident, Kirsty’s ankle had still not completely healed. She had difficulty fully bearing weight, sitting cross-legged and her ankle regularly became stiff in the cold.

How we helped with Kirsty’s claim

Kirsty instructed Jefferies Solicitors in 2015 and claims handler Jenny Fenton looked after her case:

“The hotel failed to inspect the dance floor to ensure it was safe. This negligence exposed guests to an unacceptable level of risk which caused our client to suffer an injury. If the hotel staff had monitored the condition of the dance floor, cordoned off the affected area and erected adequate signs warning guests of the danger posed by the spillage, Kirsty’s injury and consequent suffering could have been avoided.”

Kirsty’s case concluded early without the need for further medical evidence. In October 2016, she received £12,500 in an out-of-court settlement. The amount she received compensated for both the ankle injury itself and the financial loss she experienced as a result, including the cost of her wheelchair hire, travel expenses and physiotherapy.

Make a compensation claim with Jefferies Solicitors

Unfortunately, accidents like Kirsty’s are not uncommon. If you have fallen at a work party because of someone else’s negligence, you might be able to make a claim for compensation. Get in touch with the personal injury experts at Jefferies for more information. Call us today on 0800 342 3206 or contact us online.