Hampshire County Council has paid out more than £1.2m in personal injury compensation in the last year, according to new data uncovered by LegalExpert.co.uk.

Responding to a Freedom of Information request, the local authority confirmed a total of 217 personal injury claims had been submitted from April 2022 to April 2023.

Overall, £1,256,506.82 was paid out in damages during this period.

Amongst the causes of these claims included a fallen tree injury, defective premises, potholes, violent incidents and slip, trip and fall accidents.

Hampshire County Council has a duty of care to make sure that any premises, spaces, highways or equipment they control are safe for employees and visitors, so far as is reasonably possible for them to do so.

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Tony Jennings, senior solicitor at JF Law, which owns the Legal Expert brand, said: "Claims against local highways authorities are more common than you may think. 

"If a highway is maintainable at public expense then the local authority or council is responsible for ensuring that a reasonable system of inspection, maintenance and repair is implemented and adhered to. 

"In the event that you are injured, we would recommend that date stamped photographs are taken, along with clearly marked images which show the depth and size of the defect, both from a distance of around 5m and closer up and on which the measurements are clearly discernible, photos of any injuries or damage sustained along with any witnesses to the incident. 

"We would also recommend that the matter is reported to the local authority so that they have a record of the same and can make any repair if necessary."

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “Hampshire County Council is one of the largest local authorities in the country delivering hundreds of local services each day to a population of over 1.4 million residents. Any incidents are of course very unfortunate; occasionally however issues do occur. Every case is assessed individually, on its facts and legal basis, and compensation (where payable) varies, depending on the level of injury sustained.”