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3rd July 2007

Two year platform leak an accident waiting to happen

Slipped on wet floor

Chiltern Railways have been forced to pay compensation of £10,000 after failing to mend a roof which had leaked for at least two years. Mr Richard Wilmot, from Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, slipped and broke his right shoulder on the station concourse as he approached the ticket barrier at Marylebone station. Mr Wilmot was assisted with his claim by his union, PCS, and Thompsons Solicitors.

Liability was denied by Chiltern Railways despite the fact that their own documentation, obtained by Thompsons Solicitors, showed that the leaking roof had been present for at least two years prior to the accident, which happened in November 2004.

“I was in a lot of pain, off work for two months and received physiotherapy to try and get my shoulder back to normal,” said Mr Wilmot. “It could have happened to anyone. It’s ironic because I was travelling with my wife who had a medical appointment in London, yet I was the one who ended up in hospital. Chiltern Railways dragged this out but I hope now that they’ve fixed the roof to avoid anyone else suffering with injury.”

Mr Wilmot’s representative at Thompsons Solicitors, Angela Smart, said: “Chiltern Railways owed a duty of care to my client as well as everyone else walking along their platforms. By simply ignoring a known leak, they put Mr Wilmot and other passengers at risk. We had to push this towards a trial before they eventually decided to settle out of court.”

Compensation Claim Advice

If you or someone you know has suffered a personal injury or illness as a result of a slip or trip, telephone us now for accurate advice.

There are strict time limits in place to make any injury claim. For further information, contact us or visit our Questions Answered page.

Thompsons Solicitors are experts in all personal injury matters. We will be able to advise you whether or not you have a valid claim for compensation. Our specialist personal injury lawyers will be happy to talk you through the process of making a claim in plain English and will be happy to answer any questions or queries you may have. If you do have a valid personal injury compensation claim and you decide to instruct Thompsons Solicitors to deal with the matter for you, we will recover our legal fees from the person responsible for your injury, ensuring that the entire procedure is cost-free for you. Telephone us now on 08000 224 224 or complete one of our online compensation claim forms.