Personal injury claim news
22/07/2008

Postwoman hopes for compensation over steps fall

A Yorkshire man has spoken of how he is "flabbergasted" after receiving news that he and his wife will be the subjects of a personal injury claim made by a postwoman who allegedly slipped and fell on the steps leading to his house.

The married couple received news of the personal injury claim in a letter from the postwoman's accident compensation solicitor, in which it was claimed that the couple had failed to ensure the postwoman "safe passage… in accordance with the Occupier's Liability Act."

The letter further states, "We attach black and white photographs and they illustrate that the steps appear to be painted, which would cause them to be slippery in rainfall."

"We understand it was raining on the day of the accident."
The 41-year-old sales executive who lives in a town near Leeds commented, "I was flabbergasted when I read the letter."There are only five steps down from our door to the drive and no one's ever had a problem on them before in the 12 years we've lived here."

He added that he was worried by the effect the compensation claim might have on his household insurance premium, "Obviously I'm concerned that if they do pay out, then my premium might go up. It's galling to think I could end up out of pocket from something like this."

However, it is also understood that the woman making the personal injury claim sustained both a muscle tear and a soft tissue injury in the fall; injuries for which she has needed prolonged medical treatment.