Croydon Council grapples with escalating costs due to numerous injury claims, paying over £400,000 since 2020.
Councils must check and fix road problems regularly. Accident Claims Advice found 342 claims since 2020. Croydon settled only 67 of these claims. They paid compensation in those cases.
Uneven roads caused 93 claims. Potholes caused 72 injury claims. Other causes included cracks and bad paving stones. A lawyer, Lucy Parker, said proper maintenance matters. People get sprains, head trauma, and broken bones.
Well-kept roads are very important. Parker wants councils to face responsibility. Victims have medical bills and lost wages. Claims help victims and improve public spaces.
Broken bones were the most common injury. Bruises, swelling, and hand/foot injuries also happened. Croydon had 69 claims in 2020. It was the second-lowest in five years.
Claims rose to 88 by 2023. In 2024, claims dropped to 36. A 2018 study showed £2.1 million awarded in pavement trip cases. Only eight percent of claims succeeded nationwide.
It’s hard to get compensation. Claimants must prove the council was negligent. They must show the council failed its duty of care. A council spokesperson talked about safety.
They work to keep roads safe all year. They try to fix problems quickly. The council watches closely in winter. Roads change in the weather then. Residents should report hazards via an app.