A pensioner who tripped on a pavement and suffered serious injuries to her face and jaw has won a substantial amount in compensation.

Joan Heppenstall, 75, tripped on a raised paving slab on the way back to her car after visiting a friend. Her jaw hit the ground so hard that it caused her dental bridge to break, knocking out one tooth and chipping others.

In hospital, Mrs Heppenstall required stitches to her chin. Two years after the accident occurred she is still receiving treatment for the injuries she sustained. Her dentist suggested that she should claim compensation for the cost of her dental treatment.

Mrs Heppenstall brought a claim against the local council for failing to maintain the pavement. After photographs showing the condition of the pavement where she had fallen were produced in evidence, the council agreed to pay her a substantial undisclosed amount in compensation.

If you have been injured after a slip or trip in a public place, it will assist your compensation claim if you can provide photographic evidence showing that an uneven surface was the cause of the accident. Councils have been known to carry out emergency repairs in such circumstances. In this case, photographs of the defective pavement were extremely beneficial in helping Mrs Heppenstall achieve a settlement.

Councils have a legal duty to maintain highways and pavements and are liable for injuries caused by any negligence in performing this duty.