Can I Make An Accident In A Public Place Claim?

An accident in a public place can occur in everyday settings such as supermarkets, shopping centres, and car parks. They happen suddenly, but the physical, psychological, and financial consequences often last long after the initial incident. If you’re experiencing this yourself, you can make an accident in a public place claim if your injuries were caused by a third party’s negligent actions. Our advisors are on hand to help you find out more about the process.

Key Takeaways

• Accidents in public places commonly happen in supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, playgrounds, and on pavements.
• They typically occur due to slips, trips, and falls, as well as from falling objects.
• Common hazards include spillages, inadequate lighting, faulty equipment, and uneven or loose pavement slabs.
• Liability for your injury will typically lie with the party in control of the public space, such as a business or local authority.
• One of the personal injury solicitors on our panel could help you collect evidence, negotiate with other parties, and provide tailored guidance from start to finish.

Here at UK Law, our panel of solicitors see every case as unique, and so always approach a claim with the individual needs of each client in mind. By claiming with one of them, you’ll benefit from this dedication and have peace of mind from the outset that you are represented by someone who truly cares about your situation. You can find out more today by contacting our advisory team.

Jump To A Section

• Can I Make An Accident In A Public Place Claim?
• Examples Of Public Places Where Accidents Could Happen
• The Common Accidents That Occur In Public Places
• What Public Place Injury Compensation Could I Get?
• How Can I Claim Compensation For An Accident In A Public Place?
• No Win No Fee Accident In A Public Place Claims
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Information

Can I Make An Accident In A Public Place Claim?

You could make an accident in a public place claim if you can show that the party in control of the area caused your injuries through their negligent actions or inactions. This party is known as an occupier, and can include local authorities as well as operators of gyms, stores, and other establishments.

Occupiers have a responsibility to implement practical measures to ensure the reasonable safety of visitors to the spaces they control. This is a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. So, for you to have a valid claim for an accident in a public place, you need to show that:

1. You were owed a duty of care by the party in control of the public space.
2. This party breached their duty of care.
3. The breach caused you harm. For example, a defective lift door closes on your hand, crushing your fingers.

To find out if you can claim with one of the personal injury solicitors on our panel, please reach out today.

Examples Of Public Places Where Accidents Could Happen

Shopping centres, car parks, and leisure facilities are among the most common examples of public places where accidents could happen. In this section, we provide several scenarios showing how public place accidents sometimes come about.

Supermarkets And Grocery Stores

Accidents in supermarkets and grocery stores can occur due to trips on broken floors, slips on spills, and falls on damaged stairs.

• Example: A supermarket has failed to maintain its refrigerator, leading to a leak. Staff are alerted to the hazard, but do not clean it or place warning signs in a timely manner. This results in you slipping and breaking your ankle.

Shopping Centres And Retail Parks

Accidents at shopping centres and retail parks can occur in shops and adjacent car parks due to trips and falls, poorly maintained flooring, and faulty equipment.

• Example: Shopping centre management lacks a regular maintenance schedule for upper-floor railings, leading them to fall into disrepair. You later fall and suffer serious head trauma when the railings collapse while you are leaning against them.

Car Parks And Multi-Storey Car Parks

Faulty barriers, poor lighting, and a lack of maintenance are common causes of accidents in car parks.

• Example: Car park management ignores a risk assessment that highlights a fault with a barrier. You are subsequently struck on the head and shoulder, leaving you with a concussion and a clavicle fracture.

Gyms And Sports Facilities

Sports facilities and gyms may become hazardous to visitors if poor maintenance leads to malfunctioning equipment or damaged flooring.

• Example: You suffer a gym injury when a lack of maintenance on a cable resistance machine causes the cable to snap. The incident gives you multiple lacerations and extensive, permanent scarring.

On Public Transport

Accidents can happen on public transport such as buses, trains and taxis, as well as at stations and other facilities. They may occur due to unmarked hazards, vehicle defects, or poor maintenance.

• Example: A bus driver starts moving their vehicle at speed while you are still in the process of boarding, causing you to fall and fracture your elbow.

Schools, Colleges And Public Buildings

Accidents can happen in schools, colleges, and other public buildings because of insufficient maintenance, defective playground equipment, and faulty fixtures or fittings.

• Example: A child fractures their wrists after falling from faulty monkey bars in a school playground. The school had been aware of the issue for some time but hadn’t repaired or removed the equipment.

From school accidents to those at leisure centres and in public buildings, these are just some of the ways accidents in public places can happen. Get in touch to discuss your specific case and find out if you could make an accident in a public place claim.

The Common Accidents That Occur In Public Places

Some of the most common accidents that occur in public places include slips, trips, and falls, as well as incidents caused by defective equipment, falling objects, and burns. Below, we look at scenarios in which personal injury claims could be made against the owner or occupier of a public space.

Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips, trips, and falls are among the most common types of accidents in public places. They may occur due to broken or damaged flooring or unmarked hazards, like slippery surfaces.

• Example: While visiting the library, you trip and fall on a broken staircase, fracturing your hip. The local authority had been informed about the disrepair months before, but had not taken action to fix or mark the hazard.

Falling Objects

There are many reasons why falling objects occur, including improper stacking and inadequately secured heavy items.

• Example: A shop routinely instructs staff to overload shelves, causing racks to become unstable. As a result, you suffer damage to the brachial plexus when an item strikes your shoulder after a shelf gives way.

Defective Equipment Accidents

Defective equipment accidents often result from inadequate maintenance and a failure to conduct regular risk assessments.

• Example: The local council has neglected regular escalator maintenance in its main administrative building, leading to a fault in which the doors suddenly open and close. However, no effort is made to fix this issue, and a visitor suffers a severe arm injury when they get trapped in the door.

Burns and Scalds

Burns and scalds can be caused by exposed pipes and heating, hot liquids (such as drinks), and faulty electrical equipment.

• Example: While ordering a drink at a cafe, the barista spills the cup and leaves you with severe burns to your hand and arm. This resulted from the barista not receiving any training on how to handle hot drinks properly.

If you don’t see your specific situation, don’t worry. We understand every accident is unique, and our advisors are here to listen and help you find out if you can claim compensation.

What Public Place Injury Compensation Could I Get?

You could get public place injury compensation for your physical and mental injuries, as well as any financial losses that result from this harm. Personal injury compensation can be awarded under 2 heads of loss:

• Special damages cover verified financial losses and are discussed in detail in the following section.
• General damages are awarded for your pain and suffering, as well as any impact on your quality of life and ability to perform daily activities.

Payouts for general damages may consider the nature of your injury, how serious it is, and any long-term impact it has on you. In order to help value general damages, personal injury solicitors may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). That is because this document contains guidelines on compensation brackets for different types and severities of injuries.

Below, we have used some of the brackets listed in the JCG to create the following table. We have also included a figure not from the JCG that combines general and special damages. None of the entries guarantees how much compensation you might receive in a public place claim.

Injury	Severity	Compensation
Multiple very severe injuries and special damages (e.g. lost earnings, care costs, and home adaptations)	Very severe	Up to £1,000,000+
Brain injury	(a) Very severe damage where the person could follow some basic instructions	£344,150 to £493,000
Brain injury	(d) Less severe, the person has made a good level of recovery	£18,700 to £52,550
Ankle injury	(a) Very severe, such as a transmalleolar fracture with soft tissue damage	£61,090 to £85,070
Ankle injury	(d) Modest injuries, such as less serious or minor forms of fracture	Up to £16,770
Wrist injuries	(b) Resulting in a permanent and significant disability	£29,900 to £47,810
Achilles tendon injury	(a) Most serious injuries include severing of the tendon.	Around £46,900
Hip or pelvic injuries	(b) Moderate injury which may involve a hip replacement	£15,370 to £32,450
Shoulder injury	(b) Serious injury dislocating the shoulder and damaging the lower brachial plexus	£15,580 to £23,430
Shoulder injury	(e) Fractured clavicle	£6,280 to £14,940

You can have a detailed discussion on compensation any time by reaching out to our 24/7 team of advisors.

Special Damages For An Accident In A Public Place Claim

Special damages for an accident in a public place claim can include lost income, medical bills, and care costs directly resulting from the injury sustained. In order for any such losses to be taken into consideration, you must provide payslips, bank statements, or other financial documents to prove them. Provided that you do have this evidence, you can claim for:

• Lost income, encompassing future earnings, workplace benefits, overtime, and pension contributions. Provable with payslips and bank statements.
• Medical costs, including private consultations, treatments, and medications. Provable with invoices and receipts.
• Care expenses, such as support from a loved one or professional care with cleaning, cooking, and other tasks. Proven with receipts and invoices, etc.
• Adaptations to your vehicle or home to accommodate a disability. Provable with estimates and invoices.

A solicitor from our panel could help obtain evidence of the losses you want to seek public accident compensation for. You can talk with an advisor to learn more about this and find out if you can claim for an accident in a public place.

How Can I Claim Compensation For An Accident In A Public Place?

To claim compensation for an accident in a public place, you must have evidence proving how someone else was at fault for the injuries you suffered. What evidence you may need may depend on the specifics of your case, but common examples include:

• CCTV, photos and videos: This visual evidence can show how the accident happened.
• Official accident reports: Public spaces should have an accident report book in which incidents are logged.
• Medical evidence: Your patient records can show what injury you sustained, the treatment you needed, and the impact it had on you.
• Witness contact details: You should request the contact information of those who witnessed the incident, as your solicitor can use this to gather statements on your behalf.

Additionally, you’ll need to make sure that you file your claim within 3 years of the accident, as established by the Limitation Act 1980. However, this act does pause the time limit in situations where the person has reduced mental capacity or is under 18, as neither can claim for themselves. Instead, the 3 years are counted if and when a claimant turns 18 or regains mental capacity.

In either case, a litigation friend may bring a claim on behalf of someone else during the freeze on time limit. You can talk to an advisor to learn more about proving claims for public liability accidents and acting within the time limit.

No Win No Fee Accident In A Public Place Claims

Here at Legal Helpline, our advisory team can help you start the No Win No Fee accident in a public place claims process by offering a free consultation service. This allows them to carefully assess your circumstances and help you to find out if you can make a claim. If you have a valid case, you could pursue compensation with one of the specialist solicitors from our panel under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

CFAs offer plenty of benefits for clients, as it means our panel of solicitors can get started on a claim without charging any service fees for their work. In fact, as their client, you also wouldn’t pay these fees during the claims process or if you don’t receive compensation.

Instead, your solicitor would charge a success fee if you win. This is a legally capped percentage of your compensation, agreed in advance. There are many other benefits to claiming with one of the solicitors from our panel, including:

• Access to a wealth of expertise and experience, built on combined decades of supporting clients.
• Tailored support at every step of the claims process, prioritising your health and well-being throughout.
• Active help with gathering witness statements and other evidence to strengthen your claim.
• Regular updates on your case, so you are always informed and kept at the heart of the process.
• Expert representation when negotiating a settlement with the opposing party.

Contact Our Advisors

Contact one of our advisors for further help, an explanation of how legal fees work, and to find out how much compensation you could claim for an accident.

• Call 020 3870 4868.
• Click to begin a claim online.
• Talk to an advisor online.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below, we answer some frequently asked questions about compensation claims for accidents in public places.

What Is Classed As An Accident In Public?

Any incident that occurs in a publicly accessible area, such as a street or supermarket, may be classed as an accident in public.

Is A Public Place Accident Different To A Public Liability Claim?

No, a public place accident is not different from a public liability claim, as the former refers to the incident itself, while the latter term applies to the claim made.

What Are The Common Types Of Accidents In Public Places?

Trips and falls on pavements and in parks, slips on spills in shops and restaurants, and injuries from faulty equipment are common types of accidents in public places.

Can A Public Place Accident Claim Cover Incidents On The Street?

A public place accident claim can cover incidents on the street if you are injured as a result of a negligent third party, such as a local council.

Who Will Pay For Public Place Accident Compensation?

Typically, the insurer of the occupier liable for your injuries will be responsible for paying public accident compensation.

More Information

Find more information on accident in a public place claims here:

• Read about neck injury claims.
• Check how broken wrist claims work.
• Find out if you could claim if you were injured because no wet floor sign was displayed.

Resources:

• View the government’s guide on Statutory Sick Pay.
• See this NHS guide on First Aid.
• Find out how to report a problem with a pavement.

Please contact our advisory team to learn more about making an accident in a public place claim.