A fall from height claim is a personal injury claim against an employer, occupier or other party whose negligence caused a claimant to fall from a ladder, roof, scaffold, mezzanine, vehicle or raised level and suffer injury, with a three-year time limit under the Limitation Act 1980. Emaari Legal, a firm of solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 8007172), acts for claimants pursuing these claims across England and Wales.
Falls from height frequently cause serious harm: head and brain injury, spinal cord injury, complex fractures, chronic pain or, in the worst cases, death. Emaari Legal handles the serious end of this claim type and can send a solicitor to visit a claimant at home or in hospital within 24 hours where this is needed.
How Does a Fall From Height Claim Work?
A fall from height claim proceeds through investigation, notification to the defendant, medical evidence and, in most cases, settlement without a trial. Emaari Legal manages each stage so the claimant can focus on recovery.
The typical steps are:
- Free claim assessment. Emaari Legal reviews the circumstances of the fall, the injury and the likely defendant at no cost, and can visit the claimant at home or in hospital within 24 hours if the injury is serious or the claimant cannot travel.
- Investigation. The solicitor gathers evidence: accident reports, witness statements, photographs of the ladder, roof, scaffold or working platform, risk assessments and, in workplace cases, health and safety records.
- Medical evidence. An independent medical expert assesses the injury and its likely long-term effect, forming the basis for general damages.
- Notification and negotiation. The defendant (an employer, occupier, contractor or their insurer) is notified and given the chance to respond. Many fall from height claims settle at this stage once liability and value are established.
- Court proceedings, if required. Where liability is disputed or a fair settlement cannot be agreed, the claim proceeds through the County Court or, for higher-value catastrophic injury claims, the High Court.
Emaari Legal offers fall from height claims on a no win, no fee basis, so a claimant can pursue a claim without paying costs upfront.
What Counts as a Fall From Height?
A fall from height, in a personal injury context, is any fall from one level to a lower level that causes injury, regardless of the exact distance fallen. The law does not set a minimum height before a fall can support a claim; what matters is whether a breach of duty caused it and whether that breach caused the injury.
Common settings include:
| Type of fall | Typical setting |
|---|---|
| Ladder fall | Maintenance, decorating, warehouse picking, roofing access |
| Roof fall | Roofing repair, construction, fragile roof sheeting, gutter access |
| Scaffold fall | Construction sites, building maintenance, refurbishment work |
| Fall through an opening or edge | Mezzanine floors, loading bays, unguarded floor voids |
| Fall from a vehicle or platform | Loading and unloading, tail lifts, cherry pickers, MEWPs |
Falls of this kind commonly happen where an employer or occupier has failed to assess the risk of working at height, failed to provide suitable equipment such as harnesses or guard rails, failed to maintain ladders or scaffolding, or failed to train staff properly. Where the fall happened during employment, it falls within the scope of an accident at work claim, and Emaari Legal handles both the workplace liability investigation and the personal injury claim together.
Does It Cost Anything to Make a Fall From Height Claim?
Emaari Legal offers a free consultation to assess whether a fall from height claim has reasonable prospects, at no cost to the claimant. Claims are then funded on a no win, no fee basis, removing the need to pay legal fees upfront while the claim is ongoing.
This funding route matters most where the fall has caused serious injury, because a claimant recovering from a spinal cord injury, brain injury or complex fracture is rarely in a position to pay legal costs while unable to work.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Fall From Height Injury?
Fall from height compensation is assessed under two heads of damage: general damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, and special damages for financial losses caused by the injury. There is no fixed figure; the value of a claim depends on the injury’s severity, its long-term effect and the claimant’s individual losses.
| Head of damage | What it covers |
|---|---|
| General damages | Pain, suffering and loss of amenity, assessed by reference to the Judicial College Guidelines and the medical evidence |
| Loss of earnings | Past and future income lost because the injury prevents the claimant working, in whole or in part |
| Care and rehabilitation | The cost of care, physiotherapy, psychological support and rehabilitation needed because of the fall |
| Adaptations and equipment | Home adaptations, mobility equipment or vehicle modifications required by a serious or permanent injury |
| Other financial losses | Travel to treatment, medical costs and other expenses directly caused by the injury |
Cases of this kind can be worth more where the injury is permanent, such as paralysis following a spinal cord injury or lasting brain injury, because both general damages and future special damages increase with the severity and duration of the loss. Emaari Legal does not quote figures before reviewing the medical evidence, since doing so before assessment would be misleading.
What Injuries Result From Falls From Height?
Falls from height cause a wide range of injuries, from complex fractures to catastrophic and life-changing harm, because the force of an uncontrolled fall transmits through the body on landing.
| Injury type | How it typically arises |
|---|---|
| Brain and head injury | Impact to the head on landing, causing concussion, traumatic brain injury or lasting cognitive effects |
| Spinal cord injury and paralysis | Impact to the spine, which can sever or compress the spinal cord and cause partial or total paralysis |
| Complex and multiple fractures | High-force impact fracturing limbs, pelvis or skull, sometimes requiring multiple operations |
| Chronic pain and CRPS | Nerve or soft tissue damage that develops into long-term, disproportionate pain after the initial injury heals |
| Psychiatric and psychological injury | Trauma from the fall itself, causing anxiety, PTSD or a lasting fear of heights |
| Fatal injury | Where the fall causes death, giving rise to a fatal accident claim brought by the bereaved family |
A fall from height claim involving a spinal cord injury or paralysis is assessed separately as a catastrophic injury claim, given the scale of the long-term care and adaptation needs involved.
Where Do Fall From Height Claims Apply Across England and Wales?
Emaari Legal handles fall from height claims for claimants across the whole of England and Wales, from its offices in London and Manchester. Geography does not limit a claim: the relevant law is the same nationally, and the 24-hour home or hospital visit is available wherever the claimant is based, not only near the firm’s offices.
Funding Options for a Fall From Height Claim
Emaari Legal funds fall from height claims through a Conditional Fee Agreement, commonly known as no win, no fee. This arrangement lets a claimant pursue a claim against an employer, occupier or contractor without paying legal fees while the case is ongoing, and the free consultation confirms whether the claim is suitable for this funding before any commitment is made.
When Must a Fall From Height Claim Be Started?
A fall from height claim is generally subject to a three-year time limit under the Limitation Act 1980, running from the date of the fall or from the date the claimant first knew the injury was linked to it. Exceptions apply for children, for claimants lacking mental capacity, and for fatal fall from height claims brought by bereaved families, where different rules govern when the clock starts.
Where to Go Next
Emaari Legal holds the Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation and is a member of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society, credentials that support its focus on serious personal injury work rather than minor claims. A claimant who has fallen from a ladder, roof, scaffold or any other raised level and suffered a serious injury can request a free assessment of the claim, with a home or hospital visit within 24 hours where needed.
The employer duties behind falls from height are explained on the accident at work claims page, spinal outcomes are covered under spinal cord injury claims, and how the award is calculated is under personal injury compensation amounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much compensation do you get for a fall?
Compensation for a fall from height depends on the severity of the injury and the claimant’s financial losses; it is calculated using general damages for pain and suffering plus special damages for losses such as lost earnings and care costs, not a fixed figure.
What counts as a fall from height?
A fall from height is any fall from a raised level, such as a ladder, roof, scaffold or vehicle, to a lower level that causes injury, where negligence by an employer, occupier or other party caused or contributed to the fall.
At what height is a fall considered a trauma?
There is no minimum height requirement in law; a fall from even a modest height can support a claim if it caused a genuine injury and was caused by a breach of duty, such as an unmaintained ladder or missing guard rail.
What injuries can you get from falling from a height?
Falls from height can cause brain and head injury, spinal cord injury and paralysis, complex fractures, chronic pain conditions such as CRPS, psychiatric injury including PTSD, and, in the most severe cases, fatal injury.
Can I claim if I fell off a ladder at work?
A fall from a ladder at work can support a claim where the employer failed to provide a safe ladder, adequate training or proper supervision, and this forms part of the wider accident at work claims process that Emaari Legal handles.
Free consultation on your serious-injury claim. Call 0330 441 6754 or request a callback. Request a free assessment of your fall from height claim.
“No win, no fee” means we act under a conditional fee agreement: if your claim does not succeed you do not pay our fees, subject to the agreement’s terms. If your claim succeeds, a success fee is deducted from your compensation, capped by law at 25% of the damages awarded for your pain, suffering and past losses, and you may be liable for certain costs in some circumstances. We explain the full terms, including any insurance you may need, before you sign anything.
About this page. This page provides general information about the law in England and Wales. It is not legal advice and should not be relied on as legal advice; the right course of action always depends on the specific facts of your situation, and the law may have changed since this page was last reviewed. Strict time limits apply to personal injury claims, usually three years from the date of the accident or the date you first knew your injury was linked to it, with important exceptions (for example for children and for people who lack mental capacity). If you think you may have a claim, take advice as early as possible. For advice about your own circumstances, contact Emaari Legal on 0330 441 6754. Emaari Legal Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 8007172).