How A Country Walk Can Turn Into A Personal Injury Battle 

Public embarrassment falling over is bad enough, but if you become seriously injured there could be liability with whoever is responsible.

A public place injury could happen in the most innocuous of places and often when you’re least expecting it. In the West Midlands there are more canal walks than most other places in the country, Birmingham, after all has more canals than Venice!

A simple canal side ramble has led to people being injured while walking due to the uneven nature of the ground, particularly in the more rural areas, and if the area’s maintenance isn’t as it should be then there could be liability with whoever is responsible for the stretch of land. It could be anywhere in the West Midlands, you could be out enjoying a countryside walk and it’s the last thing that’s on your mind but sometimes these just simply happen.

We recently settled a claim out of court for a Solihull resident who was walking along the canal between Lapworth and Stratford-upon-Avon. He was proceeding along the bridge, and his foot slipped down a large gap in the footbridge while crossing the canal. His foot became stuck, causing him to fall backwards and sustain a serious injury to his foot. The personal injuries to his foot created several challenges to his everyday life, as well the initial pain, illness and discomfort.

Liability was denied and we started court proceedings. Shortly before trial the Canal Trust agreed an out of court settlement.

The thing is, this isn’t about seeking out injury claims where there isn’t one but if it’s not your fault and the liability sits elsewhere, then that isn’t right. If that is the case and there is an injury claim or a serious injury claim to be made then you need to consider what action, if any, you’d like to take.

This is where we come in. We can help not just in dealing with a difficult injury claim but also in assessing where the liability lies. If you need advice or think you may have a difficult claim then Contact Us and we may be able to pursue your case even if it is a complex situation.