A school caretaker who was cleaning a loft has received compensation after falling from the ladder he was using.

The man was removing boxes from the loft and descending down a ladder, which meant that he had to keep one hand on the box he was carrying, and therefore was not able to hold onto the ladder with both hands.  The position of the box he was holding also meant that he could not see very well where he was putting his feet and had to feel his way down the ladder.

As he was descending the ladder with a box he missed his footing and his foot went through the gap between the rungs, resulting in him falling backwards. The consequence of the fall was a broken leg, which meant that he was on crutches for several weeks and off work for 4 months. Although he did not lose any earning he was in a great deal of pain throughout this period.

It was ruled that the local council which ran the school should have planned the job better and found a safer way of doing the job.

The caretaker received £5,000 in compensation and had his legal bills paid.

If you have had an accident at work, find out whether you can make a claim for compensation by contacting our personal injury department:

• Ring us on 020 7485 8811

• Fill in our online form

• Text LEGAL to 60888

Stuart Kightley is a recommended Personal Injury Lawyer in London by legal directory Chambers & Partners. The Personal Injury team is also recommended in the Legal 500 directory. If you have been involved in an accident, Osbornes Solicitors can help you claim compensation on a no win no fee basis.