Men have Lucky Escape from Loft Fire

What happens if I am injured fixing a pipe?

If the house you are working in is yours, you may be able to claim for medical expenses and other losses through your home insurance.

If you are employed, and are injured in the course of employment, your employer may have insurance to cover any expenses.

However, what happens if you are injured neither in the course of employment nor in your home? You may not know where to find the money to cover medical fees or other expenses incurred, such as loss of income for time spent off work. If you are injured in the house of a friend your friend may not have any home insurance, and even if they did, it is unlikely to cover an injury to a third party.

What rights do I have if I have an injury in another person’s house?

If someone invites you into their house and you are injured, the owner has a duty of care to ensure you are in a safe environment.  They must ensure precautions are taken to prevent any accidents.  This is known as the law of Occupier’s Liability.  The owner (who could be a tenant or sub-tenant) must make sure a visitor is reasonably safe in using the premises for the purposes for which he or she is invited.  Therefore, if you are asked in to fix something, the owner must still make sure the premises are safe.

If you are an independent contractor then you may be held liable for an injury to a third party which arose from your negligence.

Can I claim compensation for an accident in another person’s house?

You can claim compensation if the accident is not your fault.  However, there are still provisos.  If the owner warned you clearly about a danger then they have discharged their duty of care to you and you will be deemed to have accepted the danger.    However, the court will take other relevant factors into consideration, so even if the owner has warned you, you should still seek legal advice as you may still have a valid claim for compensation.

Can I claim compensation if I am injured in another person’s house?

The law is not straightforward, so you need to get legal advice as soon as possible.  Contact us at LEGAL REQUEST for a FREE CONSULTATION where our compensation specialists can assess whether you have a valid claim.