Shopping Accident Compensation
Does your claim qualify? Get free, no obligation advice!
If you’ve suffered an injury or illness as a result of a shopping accident that wasn’t your fault, you could be eligible to make a compensation claim.
Picture the scene – you go shopping, you buy some groceries or new clothes, and you go to head home, but before you leave the shopping centre or the supermarket, you’ve had an accident and you’re badly hurt. Shopping is such an unassuming, simple thing. But what if that run-of-the-mill shopping trip results into a serious injury?
Whether you enter an individual shop or an entire shopping centre, you have the right to enjoy a shopping experience, safely. But a simple trip or fall while out shopping can result in time off work, long-term treatment and – in severe cases – a permanent disability.
The good news is, if you’ve had an accident while out shopping and you’re injured as the result of someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to claim compensation.
To learn more about how to make a compensation claim, or to find out if you’re eligible to make a shopping accident claim, call 0800 234 6438 and speak to a trained legal advisor for free. They’ll listen to your experience and help determine if you have a potential claim to make. If they believe you have a case, they’ll partner you with specialist personal injury solicitors who will work with you on a no win no fee basis.
Shops are busy places, with people rushing around trying to find bargains, so it’s no surprise that accidents will happen. However, every individual shop and centre has a legal duty of care to keep their customers safe.
If they don’t identify potential hazards and take steps to avoid accidents, you could be eligible to claim compensation.
Here are the most common causes of shopping centre accidents:
All employees and management teams are responsible for clearing any obstructions immediately, and placing clear signs so visitors can avoid an accident.
If they fail to do this and you’re injured due to their negligence, you could be eligible to make a compensation claim.
To learn more about how to make a compensation claim, or to find out if you’re eligible to make a shopping accident claim, call 0800 234 6438 and speak to a trained legal advisor for free.
No personal injury claim is the same, and if you’ve had an accident in a shop, your injuries and circumstances will be different to someone else’s. However, as supermarkets and shopping centres are similar in design and premise, some injuries occur frequently.
They include:
You might have suffered a broken leg or hit your head and needed to spend the night in the hospital. Any injury you’ve sustained as the result of someone else’s negligence, could be eligible for compensation; but some are worse than others, resulting in a bigger payout.
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, you have every right to claim compensation. However, the vital thing to remember is that shopping accident compensation claims depend on your ability to prove you weren’t at fault.
For example, if you slipped on a wet floor without a sign, you’re not at fault. But if the store placed a warning and you didn’t notice it, then you won’t be able to make a claim.
The best way to determine if your claim could be successful is by calling 0800 234 6438 and speaking to a trained legal advisor, or filling in the form to request a callback.
If the legal advisor believes you could be eligible to make a shopping accident claim, they’ll partner you with one of the UK’s most reputable no win no fee personal injury solicitors.
The great thing about a no win no fee claim is you won’t pay any legal fees unless your lawyer wins the case. There’s no financial risk for you to pursue compensation down this route, whereas a traditional solicitor will charge upfront, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll win compensation.
Here’s what you can expect from the personal injury claims process:
Successful shop accident claims depend on whether there’s enough evidence to prove negligence on the owner/manager’s behalf.
All individual shops and shopping centres must follow health and safety regulations, and your lawyer must demonstrate they didn’t follow the laws in place.
You can help speed up the case by taking information at the scene of the accident. For example, photos of the incident, such as a wet floor with no sign or poorly maintained shop floors, will help your case.
Asking witnesses of the accident for their contact details is also beneficial, as these people will be able to verify your claims.
Your lawyer will also access any CCTV footage, which could benefit your claim, as it’s visual proof of the accident.
It’s also vital to provide medical evidence for your shop accident claim, as it will help define how much compensation you receive and whether you’ll be successful. Your lawyer will need to look at your medical records, so it’s a good idea to attend an assessment following the accident to document the incident medically.
The negligent party’s insurance company will also want proof of your injuries for the shopping accident compensation claim. If the complications resulting from subsequent injuries are ongoing, the insurance company might ask you to attend a medical evaluation.
The critical thing to remember is that these evaluations assess your current and potential ongoing needs, so you can secure more compensation for severe injuries.
No win no fee shop injury claims don’t have a set amount because your compensation depends on numerous factors. For example, minor shop accidents that cause a broken arm or some cuts and grazes differ from severe injuries that require ongoing treatment.
Your lawyer will take the severity of your injuries, degree of negligence and other factors into account to calculate your personal injury compensation claim and then put it to the negligent party.
Both legal teams will need to negotiate on compensation, which is why the claims process can take longer than you want. In most cases, shopping accident claims go relatively smoothly, but your lawyer wants to secure the maximum compensation possible, which means negotiating a final amount.
Nobody wants to go to court, but your personal injury solicitor might feel it’s the only way to get the correct payment. Once the claim settles, your lawyer will take their fee, and you’ll receive the rest of the money.
To learn more about how to make a compensation claim, or to find out if you’re eligible to make a shopping accident claim, call 0800 234 6438 and speak to a trained legal advisor for free.
The Health and Safety Executive legislation states that shop owners and managers are legally responsible for protecting customers while on their premises, and providing their employees with proper training to maintain those regulations.
So, if a shop owner fails to give their team members proper training, resulting in a customer having an accident, there’s still a negligence case.
It’s the same with shopping centres and supermarkets, as each employee, including retail assistants, cleaners, and caretakers, has to follow the laws put in place.
If you’re the victim of an accident on the shop floor or car park, you can claim compensation – as long as the other party was negligent. However, as with every other personal injury case, there’s a three-year time limit from the initial date of the accident.
Children have three years from the date they turn 18 to make a claim – if the parent hasn’t already done so.
There isn’t a set amount for shop accidents and injuries because each claim is different, and it depends on how – and where – the injuries occurred. For example, if you suffered broken bones as a result of the accident, you’ll be eligible for more compensation than someone with minor cuts.
Also, neck injuries and prolonged damage that requires specialist treatment will result in higher compensation amounts. Your lawyer will work out general and special damages when calculating your shop accident compensation amount.
General damages are for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries and the treatment they require. For example, a broken arm means you’ll need to go to the hospital and wear a cast for at least six weeks.
Anything not covered under general damages falls under special damages. These take into account actual financial loss you’ve endured. For example, losses of earnings, travel costs, financial difficulties resulting from the accident and counselling count as special damages.
Once your solicitor understands your case, they’ll be able to give you a better estimate of how much money you could be owed, but to get a rough estimate, you can also use a compensation calculator to see the standard payments for injuries to specific body parts.
Once you receive your compensation, it’s yours to spend as you please. Whether you choose to pay for private medical care or you need to modify your home, you have complete control over the money and what it’s used for.
If you go straight to a legal firm to seek compensation, you could face upfront legal costs or work with a law firm with no credentials.
Getting free advice first gives you the opportunity to see if you have a strong claim, and if you do, you’ll also receive access to a reputable team of no win no fee solicitors., who work on a conditional fee agreement.
Working on a conditional fee agreement means you don’t pay any upfront fees, so there are zero financial risks for you. There is literally nothing to lose and everything to gain by making a compensation claim if you’ve had an accident in a shop.
Nicola is a dual qualified journalist and non-practising solicitor. She is a legal journalist, editor and author with more than 20 years' experience writing about the law.
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If you win your case, your solicitor's success fee will be taken from the compensation you are awarded - up to a maximum of 25%. Your solicitor will discuss any fees before starting your case.
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