In January 2021, Mrs Iddon, a prison officer near Preston, began her day like many others—driving to work for her usual early morning shift. However, as she entered the staff car park that morning, the icy conditions posed a hidden danger.

Knowing how icy it was from her car skidding on the way in, she cautiously stepped out of her vehicle, only to be greeted by a colleague’s warning to take care. Unfortunately, no amount of caution could prevent what happened next. As she slowly walked across the car park, her feet suddenly slipped out from under her, causing her to fall heavily onto the icy ground.

Mrs Iddon experienced a temporary flare-up of previously diagnosed arthritis in her right thumb, and she developed long-term lower back pain. Her condition required physiotherapy, and she was eventually referred to the NHS pain clinic for injections. The injury also impacted her ability to work and affected her daily life.  The aftermath of the fall was not just physical.  Immediately after the painful fall she was shaking and crying.  She continued to experience emotional distress, upset and anxiousness with, understandably, fear of a repeat fall especially in icy conditions.

When Mrs Iddon approached Switalskis for help, she was looking for answers, support, and a way to move forward after the injury. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ), responsible for the prison service, initially denied liability, arguing that they had outsourced responsibility for gritting the car park to a third-party contractor.

Investigating the accident

Working closely with Mrs Iddon, Charlotte Waller, one of our experienced solicitors,  investigated the case thoroughly. We found out that although the car park had been gritted the afternoon before the accident, it wasn’t treated the evening before, when temperatures were expected to drop below freezing. We also discovered that 12 other prisons in the area were gritted that night, but the one where Mrs. Iddon worked wasn’t.

Negotiating compensation

 Using this information, we issued proceedings and were able to negotiate an 80/20 split in responsibility. This meant Mrs Iddon was able to secure a settlement of £10,500. But this wasn’t just about compensation—it was about giving Mrs. Iddon the resources she needed to rebuild her life after the injury.

The settlement allowed her to access important medical treatments, including physiotherapy and specialist injections for her back pain. It also gave her the peace of mind and financial security to focus on her recovery, rather than worrying about the costs of her care.

At Switalskis, we know that recovering from an injury is about more than just money. It’s about helping people move forward, regain their independence, and get the support they need to heal. For Mrs Iddon, our work meant she could finally start to rebuild her life and look towards the future with hope.

If you've been injured at work, in a public place or in someone's premises, call and speak to our friendly team - let us help you get your life back on track. Call Switalskis on 0800 138 0458  or email help@switalskis.com.