A man who was seriously injured when he tripped on a step in a restaurant has received a six-figure compensation settlement.

The man, who had been dining with a friend, was going down to the restaurant's lower floor when the accident happened. He went through a door with a step immediately behind it. The step was difficult to see as its edge was the same colour as the floor below it. No handrail had been installed and there were no warning signs.

He tripped and hit his head on the floor, sustaining a number of serious injuries including a traumatic brain injury. The accident left him with impaired balance, poor concentration, headaches, fatigue and visual symptoms, and had a significant impact on his ability to work.

After he commenced a claim, expert medical evidence was obtained and interim payments were secured to help with the costs of his rehabilitation. The restaurant admitted that the flooring was poorly designed, but its initial offer of compensation was rejected and a substantially higher settlement was negotiated. His damages will help to compensate him for his pain and suffering and his ongoing symptoms, as well as his loss of earnings.