Accident in cinema - what action should I take?

Equaliser123

DCFC79 wrote: »

I rarely look at the lights when im going down the steps and have yet to fall and break anything

I think you could say that about the circumstances surrounding any accident.

I rarely hold a handrail and have yet to fall down. I rarely walk on ice and have yet to fall. etc. etc.

Mark_Hewitt

Somewhat unusual. Whenever I've been to the cinema as soon as the credits are rolling the lighting comes up. Not bright daylight by any means, but enough for you to see where you're going.

anotherginger

Tandia wrote: »

Thanks for all your comments.

Yes, they did know I was going straight to the hospital, but they don't yet know the outcome, and whatever happens I will write to let them know. They certainly seemed to take what had happened seriously, and I would hope they are going to make sure it gets fixed quickly.

It doesn't matter what the outcome was. Because you went straight to hosptial the accident comes under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995:
Major injuries

If there is an accident connected with work and your employee, or self-employed person working on the premises sustains a major injury, or a member of the public suffers an injury and is taken to hospital from the site of the accident, you must notify the enforcing authority without delay by telephoning the ICC or completing the appropriate online form.


(http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor)


'You' meaning the cinema in this case.

Googlewhacker

interestingly for me I read this thread and then went to my local cinema, it had no lights on the steps but I did pay attention to when the lights came on and it was immediatly as the credits came on and also the nosing on the step was white compared to the carpet colour which was darker.

Gettingeven

Earlier this year, I fell down some stairs at work (well, the office is in a building owned by an independent landlord). I broke my ankle, and was unable to work for 6 weeks. My sales were going very well until that happened and I was well ahead of target.

Since returning to work, I've been amazed at how I seem to have this 'black fog of depression' about it all! I started to feel that way after about 2 or 3 weeks off work, when I was stuck at home, couldn't do a thing for myself as the leg was in plaster up to my knee....anyway, I just thought I'd been careless.

However, I was showing someone out of the office the other day and he said that the second step on the staircase is noticeably 'shorter' than all of the others (it's a straight down staircase with no landing, about 22 steps), and that this is against building regs, as the tread should be identical. My left foot overhangs the edge of the step by about 3 inches, whereas there is no overhang at all on any of the other steps).

I have suffered substantial financial loss due to this fall, and I really don't care if this puts me under the tag of ambulance chaser, because I really do feel that I have a significant case for a claim here.

My advice to others is to claim. My mother-in-law didn't claim when she slipped on some yoghurt at Sainsburys many years ago and badly sprained her wrist when she fell. We wrote a letter on her behalf, but they just wrote back saying there would be no financial award and enclosed a £25 voucher towards her next shop. We should've taken it further and sought legal advice, as her wrist is now fairly useless and even looks slightly deformed.

Another perosn we know, works in a care home. She badly injured her shoulder when she was trying to lift one of the elderly patients onto a bed when there weren't enough staff available to help. Her shoulder has even been operated on - but she refuses to claim as she still works for the employer and thinks that she would lose her job if she claimed! It still gives her a lot of pain.

Employers and workplaces have cover for public and employee liability. Why bother to ignore that fact? If people dont claim, employers will continue to employ dangerous work practices. That's not right.

mattyprice4004

2 year bump for that...?

arcon5

Gettingeven wrote: »

Earlier this year, I fell down some stairs at work (well, the office is in a building owned by an independent landlord). I broke my ankle, and was unable to work for 6 weeks. My sales were going very well until that happened and I was well ahead of target.

Since returning to work, I've been amazed at how I seem to have this 'black fog of depression' about it all! I started to feel that way after about 2 or 3 weeks off work, when I was stuck at home, couldn't do a thing for myself as the leg was in plaster up to my knee....anyway, I just thought I'd been careless.

However, I was showing someone out of the office the other day and he said that the second step on the staircase is noticeably 'shorter' than all of the others (it's a straight down staircase with no landing, about 22 steps), and that this is against building regs, as the tread should be identical. My left foot overhangs the edge of the step by about 3 inches, whereas there is no overhang at all on any of the other steps).

I have suffered substantial financial loss due to this fall, and I really don't care if this puts me under the tag of ambulance chaser, because I really do feel that I have a significant case for a claim here.

You may have suffered financial loss but that doesn't necessarily mean your employer should be liable. In fact in this case i'm not sure they should at all, it seems to me YOU had an accident.

My advice to others is to claim. My mother-in-law didn't claim when she slipped on some yoghurt at Sainsburys many years ago and badly sprained her wrist when she fell. We wrote a letter on her behalf, but they just wrote back saying there would be no financial award and enclosed a £25 voucher towards her next shop. We should've taken it further and sought legal advice, as her wrist is now fairly useless and even looks slightly deformed.

The supermarket aren't necessarily liable.

Had they known about the spill and didn't take steps to rectify it then you would have a strong case. However, the spill could have been caused by a customer just minutes before the slip - in which case the supermarket have done nothing wrong.

Another perosn we know, works in a care home. She badly injured her shoulder when she was trying to lift one of the elderly patients onto a bed when there weren't enough staff available to help. Her shoulder has even been operated on - but she refuses to claim as she still works for the employer and thinks that she would lose her job if she claimed! It still gives her a lot of pain.

Okay, slightly better reason to consider a claim.

It would also depend on their policy for lifting residents, training received amongst other factors though.

Employers and workplaces have cover for public and employee liability. Why bother to ignore that fact? If people dont claim, employers will continue to employ dangerous work practices. That's not right.

What nonsensical logic! They have insurance to indemnify them from claims, not to encourage more people to make claims.

If we want employers to engage in safer practices, there are better ways than encouraging everybody to sue everybody.


Many employers often agree a settlement not because the claimant has a strong case, but because it's cheaper than defending a claim in many cases. This is what is also encouraging this compensation culture.

As far as ops complaint is concerned (ignoring the fact it's 2 years old)... op does have a valid complaint and at very least should receive a small gesture to cover parking, petrol and a refund of tickets for the inconvenience. In this instance the should have and could have taken steps to prevent it

Gettingeven

arcon5 wrote: »

You may have suffered financial loss but that doesn't necessarily mean your employer should be liable. In fact in this case i'm not sure they should at all, it seems to me YOU had an accident.



The supermarket aren't necessarily liable.

Had they known about the spill and didn't take steps to rectify it then you would have a strong case. However, the spill could have been caused by a customer just minutes before the slip - in which case the supermarket have done nothing wrong.



Okay, slightly better reason to consider a claim.

It would also depend on their policy for lifting residents, training received amongst other factors though.



What nonsensical logic! They have insurance to indemnify them from claims, not to encourage more people to make claims.

If we want employers to engage in safer practices, there are better ways than encouraging everybody to sue everybody.


Many employers often agree a settlement not because the claimant has a strong case, but because it's cheaper than defending a claim in many cases. This is what is also encouraging this compensation culture.

As far as ops complaint is concerned (ignoring the fact it's 2 years old)... op does have a valid complaint and at very least should receive a small gesture to cover parking, petrol and a refund of tickets for the inconvenience. In this instance the should have and could have taken steps to prevent it

Daft answer - nonsensical logic? If the claim is justified, which in my case I believe it would be, then it is vaild. If a staircase has been fitted which does not conform to building regs, and I actually slip on the offending step, what do you want me to do? It's not a 'clai,m culture', you fool! Using your logic, no one would ever claim on their car insuarnce,now, would they? What an idiot. I mentioned that it happened in abuilding that my employer doesn;t own - therefore it wouldn't be my employer that is liable - you can read, I take it?

meer53

Gettingeven wrote: »

Earlier this year, I fell down some stairs at work (well, the office is in a building owned by an independent landlord). I broke my ankle, and was unable to work for 6 weeks. My sales were going very well until that happened and I was well ahead of target.

Since returning to work, I've been amazed at how I seem to have this 'black fog of depression' about it all! I started to feel that way after about 2 or 3 weeks off work, when I was stuck at home, couldn't do a thing for myself as the leg was in plaster up to my knee....anyway, I just thought I'd been careless.

However, I was showing someone out of the office the other day and he said that the second step on the staircase is noticeably 'shorter' than all of the others (it's a straight down staircase with no landing, about 22 steps), and that this is against building regs, as the tread should be identical. My left foot overhangs the edge of the step by about 3 inches, whereas there is no overhang at all on any of the other steps).

I have suffered substantial financial loss due to this fall, and I really don't care if this puts me under the tag of ambulance chaser, because I really do feel that I have a significant case for a claim here.

My advice to others is to claim. My mother-in-law didn't claim when she slipped on some yoghurt at Sainsburys many years ago and badly sprained her wrist when she fell. We wrote a letter on her behalf, but they just wrote back saying there would be no financial award and enclosed a £25 voucher towards her next shop. We should've taken it further and sought legal advice, as her wrist is now fairly useless and even looks slightly deformed.

Another perosn we know, works in a care home. She badly injured her shoulder when she was trying to lift one of the elderly patients onto a bed when there weren't enough staff available to help. Her shoulder has even been operated on - but she refuses to claim as she still works for the employer and thinks that she would lose her job if she claimed! It still gives her a lot of pain.

Employers and workplaces have cover for public and employee liability. Why bother to ignore that fact? If people dont claim, employers will continue to employ dangerous work practices. That's not right.

Did you notice that this thread is called "Accident in Cinema" and that it is nearly 2 years old ?

mattyprice4004

Gettingeven wrote: »

Daft answer - nonsensical logic? If the claim is justified, which in my case I believe it would be, then it is vaild. If a staircase has been fitted which does not conform to building regs, and I actually slip on the offending step, what do you want me to do? It's not a 'clai,m culture', you fool! Using your logic, no one would ever claim on their car insuarnce,now, would they? What an idiot. I mentioned that it happened in abuilding that my employer doesn;t own - therefore it wouldn't be my employer that is liable - you can read, I take it?