If I Slip or Trip in an Independent Shop, Can I Make a Claim?
A slip, trip or fall may seem trivial on the surface but if you get injured it can have big consequences for your life. As an experienced personal injury legal team, we often see people who have suffered injuries because of serious falls in areas like shops or shopping precincts.
You may walk into a shop and slip on a wet floor, for example. Perhaps you get caught in the crush of Black Friday sale and trip over stock that isn’t stored properly, or you hurt yourself in a DIY store.
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, the person or organisation running the shop has a duty of care to ensure that you stay safe while using their premises.
The same principle applies whether it’s a private shop or a large shopping precinct. Of course, the shop owner or precinct manager needs to have some responsibility in your accident for there to be a valid claim.
What Kind of Injuries Happen in Shops?
- A common example would be if there was a wet floor and it wasn’t indicated properly to warn customers that they might slip.
- If the shop owner hadn’t repaired shelving and it fell on you and caused injury, then you may be able to make a claim.
- If the stock is not displayed properly and you trip over it because you didn’t see it and incurred an injury, then they might also be at fault.
It’s not always the fault of the shop owner if you fall or trip over. Perhaps they have a contractor or builder carrying out work in the store and this party hasn’t put in the right safety measures to protect you as a store customer as you pass by.
What Should I Do if Injured in a Shop?
While you might be rightly concerned with your injury at the time and getting help, the more evidence you can collect the better it will assist any future claim.
If you have a smartphone on you, take images of the area where the accident occurred. Note down the contact details of anyone who was involved or who witnessed the event. There may also be video footage of the incident that you can get access to.
The first step is, of course, to make sure you get proper medical support. The accident may be so bad initially that you need to go to A&E but you should at least need to make certain you get yourself checked out by your GP.
You should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident while details of the incident are still fresh in your mind. We offer a free initial consultation which means you can discuss your fall or trip and have an immediate assessment whether a claim is possible.
If there is a case for a claim, we also provide a no win no fee service. This means we can take on your case without charging upfront fees. You only pay if the claim is successful and you receive compensation.
If you have recently suffered a fall or trip in an independent shop, a chain store or shopping precinct, contact our team today to find out how we can help.
By: Accinet
Title: If I Slip or Trip in an Independent Shop, Can I Make a Claim?
Sourced From: www.accinet.co.uk/if-i-slip-or-trip-in-an-independent-shop-can-i-make-a-claim/
Published Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2020 10:38:59 +0000