No Win, No FeeYou’ll probably not worry about being injured when setting out on a shopping trip. Whether you’re buying clothes on the high street or doing a weekly grocery shop, you’ll probably feel safe. However, accidents in shops and supermarkets can happen and they can lead to some pretty serious injuries. Slips, trips and falls when shopping can put you at risk of sprains, fractures and head injuries amongst other things.
You might think that a fall is just one of those things. However, did you know that if your accident happened because of something shop staff did or didn’t do, you could be entitled to claim compensation? For example, if you tripped over boxes that were left on the shop floor, you could sue for any injuries.
Any injury you sustain could have an impact on daily life, your finances and your ability to work. Therefore, if the accident wasn’t your fault, why shouldn’t you claim compensation? In this guide, we’ll show you how.
Our claims advisors can guide you through the process. They will start by examining your claim and providing legal advice during a free case review. You could then be referred to one of our personal injury lawyers. If they are happy to represent you, they’ll do so on a No Win No Fee basis.
If you’re happy to start your claim right away, please get in touch on 0800 652 1345 today. Alternatively, please read the rest of this guide to find out more about shopping accident claims.
When Can Claims Be Made For Slips, Trips and Falls When Shopping?
All shop operators have a duty of care to try and keep their customers, staff and visitors safe while on their premises. This comes from the Occupiers Liability Act 1957. That duty of care gives you grounds to start a claim if you’re injured following a fall in a shop. Specifically, you’ll need to prove that:
- The duty of care was breached by a negligent act.
- An accident happened as a result of that negligence.
- You suffered injuries during the accident.
If a personal injury solicitor is satisfied that all of the above is true in your case, they might agree to help you claim. To see if you could be compensated following a slip, trip or fall while shoppping, please contact us today.
How Slips, Trips and Falls When Shopping Commonly Occur
While shops are usually safe places, accidents can occur. Slips, trips and falls when shopping are quite common incidents, and while such accidents might appear quite funny to onlookers, they can result in serious injuries. They commonly occur because of:
- Wet or slippery floors caused by cleaning where insufficient warning signs are used.
- Spillages or leaks. These should be cleaned up by shop staff promptly.
- Packaging, boxes or stock that have been left or dropped on the shop floor.
- A loose doormat at the front of the store.
- Obstructed stairs, walkways or corridors.
- Defects in the car park including missing drain covers, potholes or raised paving slabs.
- Poorly maintained stairs or escalators.
If you have been involved in a slip, trip or fall while shopping, we could help you to claim damages for any injuries. Please get in touch to find out more.
Injuries That Can Be Caused By Slips, Trips and Falls While Shopping
There are many ways in which you could be injured following a fall. Some examples include:
- Wrist injuries.
- Head injuries including concussions.
- Cuts and lacerations.
- Arm injuries.
- Back injuries.
- Broken or fractured bones.
- Soft tissue damage.
- Neck injuries.
While some of these injuries might take a matter of weeks to recover from, others can affect you for the long term. Any compensation claim would need to consider this. For example, if you need pins, plates or screws fitting to repair a fractured ankle, any ongoing pain and disabilities they cause should be factored into your settlement figure.
Why Claim Compensation Following A Slip, Trip or Fall?
There is no doubt that being injured can cause financial problems. Your injuries could affect your ability to work which might mean you’re only paid Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for a while. You may also have to fork out for alternative transport arrangements if you’re unable to drive while you’re recovering.
You shouldn’t have to suffer if you’ve been hurt in a shopping accident that wasn’t your fault. If you do decide to claim, as well as being compensated for your injuries, you could claim for:
- Lost income.
- Travel expenses.
- Medical costs (including private physiotherapy).
- Any impact on your hobbies or social life.
- Damage to your personal belongings.
- The effect your injuries have on your family.
- Changes to your home or vehicle that help you to cope with any ongoing disability.
It’s important that you consider all of the above before claiming as you can only claim once. If you settle your claim with the shop, you can’t go back and request something that you forgot to include. If you decide to have one of our solicitors work for you, they’ll be thorough and make sure all aspects of your suffering are considered before filing your claim.
What Evidence Will I Need To Support My Personal Injury Claim?
When claiming for slips, trips and falls when shopping, you will need to prove:
- How the accident occurred.
- Who was to blame.
- What injuries you suffered as a result of the accident.
The only way you’ll do this is by supplying evidence. The type of information you could supply to help validate your claim includes:
- CCTV recordings. Most shops and supermarkets use security cameras these days. If your accident was recorded, you’re within your rights to ask for a copy of the footage. However, you should make the request quickly as many security systems delete data each week.
- Accident report forms. It’s important to let shop staff know about your accident. By law, they should complete an accident report form. You should be given a copy. If you’re not, ask for one as it will make it difficult for the shop to deny that the accident took place.
- Witness information. Another way of proving what happened is to ask witnesses for a statement of what they saw. Therefore, you should ask anybody else who was present for their contact details. Your solicitor might then contact them at a later date.
- Medical information. You should never rely on first aid following an accident in a shop. Instead, your injuries should be assessed and treated by a medical professional. Medical records from a GP surgery, hospital or minor injuries unit could then be used to prove the severity of your injuries.
- If you’re able to, it’s good practice to take photographs of the accident scene. Where possible, take shots from various angles to try and make it clear what caused you to fall.
- A diary. To help show the impact of your injuries, you could keep a diary during your recovery. This could help to confirm when you had medical appointments when you couldn’t work and any social events you were unable to attend.
- Your claim could include any expenses your injuries have caused. Therefore, you should retain any invoices or receipts to confirm how much you’ve spent.
After you have collected as much evidence as possible, why not call us on 0800 652 1345 and let us review it with you?
How To Prove What Injuries You’ve Suffered
To receive the correct level of compensation, you’ll need to demonstrate the severity of any injuries you’ve suffered from the accident. Therefore, all claimants should have a medical assessment when making personal injury claims.
You will meet with an independent medical specialist. During your appointment, they’ll examine the current state of your injuries. They’ll also review your medical files and discuss how your injuries have affected you.
When they’ve finished, the specialist will prepare a report for all parties involved in the claim. This will provide a list of injuries and offer a prognosis for the future as well.
If you claim with us, your solicitor will usually be able to book your medical assessment locally.
Claim Time Limits For Slips, Trips and Falls When Shopping
As you may already know, personal injury claims have a 3-year time limit in the UK. If you fail to start your claim on time, it is likely to be statute-barred meaning you won’t be compensated.
We would usually suggest that you start the claims process quickly. If you do:
- You’ll give your solicitor enough time to collect evidence and medical reports.
- It will be easier to recall what happened.
- Your solicitor may be able to arrange private medical treatment to help with your rehabilitation (where liability has already been proven).
Claiming On Behalf Of A Child
If your child has slipped, tripped, or fallen while shopping and hurt themselves, the 3-year time limit will not apply. Parents and other responsible adults can represent the child during a claim (as their litigation friend) as long as it’s started before their 18th birthday. If you don’t claim, your child will have 3-years to claim themselves once they turn 18.
No Win No Fee Claims For Slips, Trips and Falls When Shopping
We understand that you probably wouldn’t use our solicitors to claim for a shopping accident if you had to pay them upfront. That’s why they offer a No Win No Fee service. But what does that really mean?
Well, it means you don’t have to pay any solicitor’s fees unless you are paid compensation. This does need to be formalised, though, so you’ll be sent a contract if your claim is accepted. This is called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When using a CFA, your solicitor can deduct up to 25% of your compensation if your claim is won. This is called a success fee and you don’t have to pay it if your claim fails.
In our experience, the claims process is a lot less stressful when using a No Win No Fee agreement to fund your solicitors work. Why not call today to see if you could claim on this basis?
Using A Personal Injury Solicitor To Make A Claim
If you decide to start a personal injury claim for a slip, trip or fall while shopping, you won’t usually be dealing with the shop’s owner directly. It’s more likely that they’ll pass the claim on to their insurance company.
Insurers won’t simply accept your claim or admit their client was liable for your accident. Before they’ll pay any compensation, they’ll want evidence that clearly shows how your accident happened and the level of injuries you sustained.
Our solicitors have plenty of experience with slip, trip and fall claims and understand what evidence is required to prove liability. We believe, therefore, that your chances of winning your case could be improved by working with us.
If your case is taken on, your solicitor will:
- Handle everything for you.
- Collect evidence to support your claim.
- Manage communication with the shop’s insurers and keep you updated on how the claim is progressing.
- Fight your corner to try and ensure you’re fairly compensated for your injuries.
Are you ready to start a personal injury claim today? If so, please call our advice centre on 0800 652 1345 today. Whatever you decide to do, we’ll offer free legal advice about your options. Remember, any claim that’s accepted will be managed by a No Win No Fee solicitor.
Thank you for reading our guide on how to claim compensation for slips, trips and falls when shopping.
