Fall from Height Claims

A serious fall at work is never just a moment—it’s the days, weeks and sometimes months that follow. The hospital visits, the worry about getting back on your feet, the impact on your family and your income. At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we understand the weight of it all—and we’re here to help you carry it.

For over 20 years, we’ve been supporting individuals across Tallaght and greater Dublin who’ve been injured in workplace accidents, including falls from scaffolding, ladders, roofs, and raised platforms. We’re a local firm with a familiar name and a simple way of working: we listen, we guide, and we act—always with your best interests at heart.

Falls from height can be especially traumatic. Often, they happen in places where proper safety measures were missing or ignored. When you’ve done your job, followed instructions, and still ended up injured, it’s only right to ask what went wrong—and what can be done now.

When you speak to us, you’ll get a calm, straightforward conversation with a solicitor who understands where you’re coming from and knows how to move things forward. We take the time to explain your options clearly, and we stand beside you from start to finish.

If you’ve suffered a fall from height at work, contact us to arrange a consultation with a team that’s thorough, dependable, and always on your side.

Where and Why Falls from Height Happen in Irish Workplaces

Falls from height can happen in seconds, but the lead-up often takes weeks or months—through missed safety checks, poor planning, or everyday shortcuts that no one thought twice about. While it’s easy to associate these accidents with high-rise construction work, the truth is they can happen in almost any workplace—even in places that don’t seem especially dangerous.

In our work with clients across Tallaght and Dublin, we’ve seen serious injuries from height in all sorts of environments:

  • Construction sites– Scaffolding collapses, unsecured planks, missing guardrails
  • Roofing and repairs– Slips on wet tiles, falls through skylights or fragile surfaces
  • Warehouses– Workers climbing racking or ladders to retrieve stock without harnesses or supervision
  • Retail and hospitality– Staff reaching overhead storage on unstable step ladders or stools
  • Schools, offices and healthcare settings– Maintenance staff working alone on raised platforms with little to no safety equipment
  • Delivery and logistics– Drivers falling from tail lifts, truck beds or loading bays

The most common thread across these environments isn’t what the job is—it’s how the risk is managed.

Falls often happen when:

  • Ladders are used when a platform or lift would be safer
  • Work at height is carried out without fall prevention measures
  • Equipment is old, damaged or unsuited to the task
  • Workers are left to figure things out without proper training
  • Jobs are rushed to meet deadlines, and safety is treated as an afterthought
  • Surfaces are wet, uneven or unstable, but no warning or action is taken

According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), working at height is consistently among the top causes of fatal injuries in Irish workplaces. Many of these deaths—and countless serious injuries—happen because a task that should have been done with the right equipment or supervision was not.

Even in non-fatal cases, the falls themselves can be traumatic, leading to permanent injury or months of physical therapy. And often, these injuries affect people who were simply doing what they were told—without being given the means to do it safely.

What’s particularly important is this: you don’t need to have fallen from a great height to have a valid claim. Many workplace falls happen from one or two metres up—enough to cause broken bones, head injuries or long-term damage. A short fall doesn’t mean a small impact.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we focus on understanding not just where your fall happened, but why. We’ll look closely at the conditions, equipment, and supervision in place, and help you figure out whether your employer or someone else in charge failed to keep you safe.

What the Law Requires Employers to Do And What Happens When They Don’t

If you’ve been injured in a fall from height, one of the first questions we’ll help you answer is this: was this accident preventable? Often, the answer lies in what your employer did—or didn’t do—to protect you.

Under Irish law, employers have a legal duty to provide a safe working environment. This duty is clearly laid out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and further reinforced by the Work at Height Regulations, which apply whenever a worker could be injured by falling from one level to another.

These laws aren’t just guidelines—they are legal obligations designed to prevent exactly the kind of accidents we see far too often. And when they’re ignored or poorly followed, the employer can be held accountable.

Here’s what employers are required to do before any work at height takes place:

  • Carry out a full risk assessmentfor the task being done
  • Avoid working at heightwhere possible—by using tools with reach extensions, for example
  • Provide suitable safety equipment, including:
    • Stable ladders or platforms
    • Harnesses or fall arrest systems where needed
    • Guardrails and edge protection
  • Ensure all equipment is regularly inspected and maintained
  • Provide proper training and supervision—especially for younger or less experienced staff
  • Ensure the surface being worked on is safe, clean, and properly lit

Crucially, they must plan the task from start to finish, selecting the right equipment and people for the job. It’s not enough to leave workers to “figure it out” or rely on someone’s experience from a previous role. Every job at height must be treated with care.

Unfortunately, many falls happen because safety was treated as secondary:

  • A ladder was used instead of a platform because it was “handier”
  • A worker was asked to complete a job alone without assistance
  • Equipment hadn’t been checked in weeks—or wasn’t suitable in the first place
  • Risk assessments were copied and pasted from older jobs without real consideration for the task at hand
  • Safety briefings were rushed, skipped, or never happened at all

When this happens, it’s not just a failure in planning—it’s a breach of legal duty. And if that breach led to your injury, you may be entitled to bring a claim for the harm you’ve suffered.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we take these obligations seriously because the law does too. We will examine what was in place, what was missing, and whether your employer met the standard of care required. And if they didn’t—we’ll help you take the next step toward protecting your future.

Injuries from Height-related Falls: Physical and Psychological Consequences

Falling from a height is one of the most dangerous types of accidents in any workplace. Even a short drop—from a ladder, platform, or loading bay—can cause serious, lasting injuries. And when the fall is unexpected, the body often has no chance to brace or prepare, making the damage even more severe.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we’ve supported individuals across Tallaght and Dublin who’ve suffered a wide range of injuries from workplace falls. Some of the most common include:

  • Fractures and broken bones, especially in the wrists, arms, hips, legs, or ribs
  • Spinal injuries, including slipped discs, fractured vertebrae, or long-term nerve compression
  • Head injuries, ranging from concussions to more serious traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
  • Soft tissue damage, such as torn ligaments, severe bruising, or internal bleeding
  • Shoulder and back trauma, particularly from landing awkwardly or absorbing force in a fall

While the physical injuries are often visible and immediate, the emotional impact can be just as significant—and in many cases, longer-lasting.

Many of our clients describe feeling:

  • Anxious about returning to work, especially when the fall happened in a high place or during a routine task
  • Embarrassed or blamed, even when the accident wasn’t their fault
  • Emotionally flat or disconnected, struggling with confidence or motivation
  • Sleep problems, panic, or flashbacks, particularly when the fall was severe or involved a near-miss with death

These psychological injuries are real—and they deserve proper recognition, support, and treatment.

Even everyday routines can become difficult. Driving, walking unaided, lifting children, or standing for long periods may no longer be possible. This affects more than just your work—it can change how you engage with your family, your community, and your sense of independence.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and your injuries are not something you just have to “get on with.” At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we’ll ensure that every part of your injury—physical and emotional—is taken into account. Your pain matters, and so does your recovery.

What to Do Immediately After a Fall

The moments and days after a fall from height can be disorienting. You might be in shock, unsure what to do next, or worried about the consequences of speaking up. That’s completely normal. But acting early—both for your health and your legal protection—can make a real difference.

Here are the steps we recommend at John O’Leary Solicitors LLP if you’ve experienced a fall at work:

1. Seek Medical Attention Right Away

Even if you feel “mostly fine,” don’t wait to see a doctor. Falls from height often result in injuries that take time to show—like internal bruising, spinal compression, or concussion. Getting checked by a GP, A&E, or walk-in clinic creates a medical record of the incident and ensures your injuries are treated properly from the start.

2. Report the Accident

Tell your supervisor or employer as soon as possible. Ask for the incident to be recorded in the company’s accident report book. If there isn’t one, follow up with an email or message so there’s a clear paper trail. Include:

  • Date and time of the fall
  • Location and specific task you were doing
  • Any visible hazards (wet floors, missing rails, faulty equipment)

3. Preserve the Scene (If Safe to Do So)

If you’re able—or if someone you trust is nearby—take photos of:

  • The exact area where you fell
  • Equipment or structures involved (ladders, scaffolding, platforms)
  • Any signs of danger (e.g., missing guardrails, uneven surfaces, no signage)
    These images may become crucial in showing what went wrong.

4. Gather Witness Details

If someone saw the accident, write down their name and contact info. Colleagues, site supervisors, or even cleaners may be able to confirm how the fall happened or whether they raised safety concerns before.

5. Keep a Personal Record

Start a notebook or digital file where you record:

  • How the accident happened
  • What symptoms you’re experiencing
  • Time off work, medical appointments, receipts for travel or medication
  • Any communication you’ve had with your employer
You don’t need to decide about making a claim right away. But by taking these steps early, you give yourself the best possible foundation—for your recovery and for any future legal action you may choose to take.

Shared Fault and Contributory Negligence

After a fall from height, it’s common to question whether you might have played a part in what happened. Maybe you misjudged the ladder angle. Maybe you didn’t ask for help. Maybe you thought the platform was safe because it had been used before.

But here’s the truth: even if you were partly responsible, you may still be entitled to make a claim.

Under Irish law, your compensation may be adjusted if you’re found to have contributed to the accident—but it doesn’t cancel out your right to bring a claim. This is known as contributory negligence.

Here are some real-world examples of shared fault:

  • You weren’t wearing the right footwear, but the ladder was unsecured
  • You lost your balance, but the scaffolding lacked guardrails
  • You were rushing, but your employer failed to provide proper supervision or training

In cases like these, a court or the Injuries Resolution Board may decide that fault lies with both you and your employer. If you’re found to be, say, 25% responsible, your compensation may be reduced by that percentage—but you’d still be awarded the remaining 75%.

The key question is whether the accident could have been reasonably prevented if proper safety steps had been taken.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we don’t expect you to have the answers. That’s our job. We’ll help you understand your position clearly—without judgement or pressure—and make sure your side of the story is fully heard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it matter how far I fell?

No. You don’t need to have fallen from a great height for your injury to be taken seriously. Many claims involve falls from one or two metres—off a step ladder, loading bay, or platform—that still caused serious harm.

Can I claim if I wasn’t wearing safety gear?

Yes, you may still be eligible. If your employer failed to provide proper PPE, failed to supervise, or allowed unsafe work practices, they may still be held partly or fully responsible—even if you weren’t fully equipped.

I was on a ladder I’ve used before—do I still have a case?

Possibly. Repeated use doesn’t make a ladder safe. If the ladder was inappropriate for the task or poorly maintained, or if safer equipment should have been provided, your employer may still be liable.

My fall happened while I was working alone. Is that relevant?

Yes. Employers must ensure that high-risk work is planned and supervised properly. If you weren’t given enough support or instruction to carry out the task safely, this may strengthen your claim.

What if I’m self-employed or a subcontractor?

You may still be entitled to make a claim. The party responsible for the site—whether a main contractor, site manager or client—may still owe you a duty of care depending on the arrangement in place.

Can I claim even if I didn’t report the fall right away?

Yes, though early reporting is always best. If you delayed because of shock, injury, or fear, you may still have a valid claim. The sooner you speak to a solicitor, the better your chances of gathering the right evidence.

I’ve returned to work—can I still claim?

Absolutely. Returning to work doesn’t affect your right to compensation, especially if you’re still dealing with the financial or physical consequences of the fall.

Will I have to go to court?

Not necessarily. Many fall from height claims settle through the Injuries Resolution Board or negotiation. If a court appearance becomes necessary, we’ll prepare and support you every step of the way.

Speak to a Solicitor Who Understands Your Situation

If you’ve suffered a fall from height at work, we’re here to help you take the next step with confidence. At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, you’ll speak directly with a solicitor who understands your case and your community. Contact us for a consultation focused on your recovery and your rights.