Whether it’s water, gas, or toxic chemicals, finding a leak is never ideal. But what’s even worse is when you suffer an injury because someone else failed to get a leak fixed. Noxious gases, dangerous chemicals, and even spilled water can all result in serious injuries, and if you’ve suffered because of someone else’s failings, you might be interested in leak injury claims.
Legal Expert’s team of advisors are available around the clock to answer any questions you have about how to claim for injuries suffered due to leaks, explosions and spillages. As part of our free services, you can have a claim eligibility check, advice on how much compensation you might be entitled to, and an advisor could talk you through some of the items you could gather to support your case.
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Key Takeaways
- Leaks can affect rental homes, public spaces, and workspaces.
- It’s not just puddles that can pose a risk; gases and chemicals can also cause leaks.
- If the leak occurred in your social housing accommodation, you might be able to make a housing disrepair claim.
- Whether you suffered lung damage from breathing in chemicals or a broken bone from slipping on a puddle, you may be able to claim.
Who Can Make Leak Injury Claims?
Anyone can make leak injury claims as long as they are over 18 and can prove that negligence occurred. But what actually is negligence, and why is it so important?
Essentially, negligence means that someone else is at fault for your injuries. It can mean different things at different times, but in personal injury law, it means that:
- Someone owed you a duty of care: This means that they are responsible for your reasonable health and well-being at a given time or location.
- They breached this duty of care: This can look like failing to have a leak repaired in a timely manner, or failing to carry out a risk assessment to identify hazardous leaks.
- You were injured as a result: This can include either physical injuries or psychological injuries.
All of these factors come together to form negligence, and if you can prove that negligence occurred, then you can make a claim.
When Am I Owed A Duty Of Care?
When it comes to leaks, you’re owed a duty of care at work under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and in public places, as per the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
At work, your employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety. This could involve anything from having appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), carrying out risk assessments and having proactive housekeeping policies.
While out and about in public places, occupiers of these spaces (individual or organisation responsible for the premises) must take steps to ensure the public’s reasonable safety.
Take a look at our helpful guides on making an accident at work claim or a public liability claim to learn more about this.
We are here to help. When you get in touch with our advisors, a member of our expert team can tell you whether or not you could be eligible for leak injury compensation in a free and confidential assessment.
What Types Of Leaks Can Be Claimed For?
There are a number of different types of leaks that can be very dangerous and could lead to serious injuries. For example, these can include:
Water Leaks
- You report a leaking water pipe in the hallway of the warehouse where you work. Despite receiving multiple reports, your employer does not make any attempt to repair the leak. This causes you to slip and fall on a puddle of water, breaking your leg.
Gas Leaks
- You work in a professional kitchen, but your employer allows the gas safety certificate to lapse. This causes a gas leak to go unchecked, which eventually causes the kitchen to ignite, causing severe third-degree burn injuries.
Chemical Leaks
- A farm silo containing chemical waste is known to leak into a play area, but the person in control of the area does nothing to have it fixed. This causes a child to develop severe contact dermatitis and chemical burns.
Leak injury claims can come about for a myriad of reasons, so if you don’t see your situation listed here, don’t worry; you may still be able to claim. Contact us today to learn more.
What If The Leak Happened In My Social Housing?
If the leak happened in your social housing or housing association property, you may be able to make a housing disrepair claim. Landlords, including housing associations, owe their tenants a duty of care, and that includes making sure the property is liveable and doesn’t pose a risk to you or your health. You can make a housing disrepair claim and a personal injury claim at the same time, but we recommend speaking to an expert before you get started.
Our advisors are on hand to give you more information on the housing disrepair claims process. Get in touch today to learn more, or keep reading for more information on leak injury claims.
What Compensation Could I Get After Being Injured Due To A Leak?
If you were injured because of a leak, there are two different kinds of compensation that can make up your settlement. These are general damages and special damages. We’ll talk about general damages first, because these are awarded to anyone who makes a successful claim.
General damages cover the pain and suffering you endure as a result of the leak. When this heading is calculated, the professional handling your claim might reference the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document contains guideline compensation amounts for different injuries and illnesses.
You can take a look at some examples of JCG brackets in the table below, but please keep in mind that these are not guaranteed. It’s also worth noting that the first entry in this table isn’t from the JCG.
| Injuries | Compensation Guideline |
|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries with special damages, like lost earnings or the cost of care while recovering | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Very Severe Brain Damage | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Minor Brain Injury | £2,690 to £15,580 |
| Total Blindness | In the region of £327,940 |
| Severe Back Injuries (Disc Lesions) (iii) | £47,320 to £85,100 |
| Severe (iii) Neck Injuries | £55,500 to £68,330 |
| Severe Pelvis And Hip Injuries (iii) | £47,810 to £64,070 |
| Moderate (ii) Knee Injuries | Up to £16,770 |
| Chest Injuries Caused By Toxic Fume Inhalation(e) | £6,500 to £15,370 |
Can I Claim Back Financial Loss As A Result Of A Leak Injury?
Yes, you can claim compensation for financial loss resulting from a leak injury. These fall under special damages, and can help you recover losses like:
- Lost earnings
- The cost of mobility aids
- Childcare
- Medical expenses
- Prescriptions
- Home care
- Home adaptations
Keep reading to learn more about leak injury claims. Or, to learn more about compensation in personal injury claims, contact our team of advisors today.
No Win No Fee Leak Injury Claims With Legal Expert
At Legal Expert, you are our top priority. We’ve helped countless people around the country pursue justice, securing over £85 million for those affected by negligence, and you could be next.
As part of our cutting-edge, client-forward approach, all of our solicitors use something called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee agreement that allows you access to their services without:
- Paying solicitors’ fees upfront,
- Solicitors’ fees also don’t apply as the claim goes on
- Solicitors’ fees don’t apply at all if you don’t get compensation
You only pay a success fee if you succeed in claiming compensation, and this fee is small and legally capped percentage. This means you don’t need to worry about solicitor’s fees piling up, and can focus instead on your recovery. In fact, we partner with a number of specialists who can help you get back to health, including physiotherapists, rehabilitation centres, and more.
Contact Our Expert Solicitors
So why wait? Our friendly advisors are waiting to start your free and confidential consultation when you get in touch by:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8804
- Using the live chat feature
- Contacting us online
Learn More
For more information on making a personal injury claim:
- How to make cycling activity personal injury claims
- How to make a window cleaner personal injury claim
- How to make food allergy compensation claims
Or, to find more resources:
- Get health and safety information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
- Learn about first aid from the NHS
- Get information on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
Thank you for reading our guide to leak injury claims.