Injured in a Shop? Get Free Legal Advice
Compensation for Slips, Trips & Falls in Shops
Slips, trips and falls are the most common type of accidents that happen in shops and supermarkets. Such accidents usually take place when the normal systems of inspection and cleaning fail to operate properly, usually due to staff shortages or poor store management.
Accidents are most likely to happen at peak times when premises are crowded, and shops need to plan their system of inspection and cleaning accordingly. A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report found that one store achieved a two-thirds reduction in slipping accidents simply by changing the lunch break of their cleaning staff to a non-peak time.
Visitors to shops are broadly protected under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957, which requires that owners take all 'reasonable' measures to ensure their premises are 'reasonably safe' for their 'lawful visitors'. This will involve formulating and enforcing an adequate system of inspection and cleaning.
The basic principle for employees is that spills and similar hazards should be eliminated as soon as they become evident. Where this is not possible, warning signs should be erected to form a barricade to protect visitors. Hourly inspections should take place to minimise the risk of slip and trip accidents.
- Customer Fell Over Pallet in Shop
- Customer Tripped Over Ramp in Shop
- Customer Slipped in Frozen Goods Aisle
- Customer Broke Wrist Falling Down Stairs
- Shop Accident Caused by Christmas Decorations
- Making a Shop Accident Complaint
The companion with whom she was shopping reported the accident to the shop staff, and Mrs T was later taken to hospital, where one of the cuts on her leg required stitches, she was ordered to rest for a week while her strained muscles healed. She subsequently required private physiotherapy treatment, and did not regain full mobility in her upper arm and shoulder for six weeks, while the scar left by the cut on her leg did not fade for months afterwards.
After reading about our experience of claims against the major retail groups, Mrs T instructed us to sue the shop for her fall. The legal basis for Mrs T’s claim was, essentially, that the pallet of products should not have been left lying in the path of customers approaching the store’s checkout, as it was otherwise entirely foreseeable that a shopper would trip over it and injure themselves.
This meant the store was in breach of the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, as it had failed in its duty to keep Mrs T reasonably safe while visiting the premises. Within six months of starting her claim with our firm, the shop’s legal representatives admitted partial liability for Mrs T’s injuries, and she later received a cheque for £3,250 in personal injury compensation.
Mr T was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and severe bruising to his hip and down the right side of his body. He recovered fully within the space of a few weeks, but experienced various difficulties in his everyday life during that time, as well as pain and discomfort from his injuries. Mr T contacted Bartletts Solicitors to discuss his situation, and our firm subsequently represented him in a no win no fee claim against the retail chain.
We argued that the ramp, which had been intended to ease access to the store, had actually created an obvious tripping hazard. The store had breached the duty of care that it owed to Mr T as a visitor by exposing him to the clear risk of being injured in the shop queue. We were able to obtain an admission of liability before starting court proceedings, and Mr T received £4,500 in compensation for his injuries.
Mrs O was taken to hospital where it was found that she had torn ligaments in one knee and had sustained further soft tissue damage in her ankle. She was discharged the following day, but was still experiencing mobility difficulties three months later, and in her doctor’s opinion will have a residual weakness in her knee that is likely to affect her for life.
Mrs O contacted Bartletts Solicitors for legal advice after reading about our experience in suing for slips and falls. We advised her to proceed with a claim on the basis that, whatever the cause of the spillage, the retailer's aisle had been slippery at the time of Mrs O’s visit, and it was reasonably foreseeable that a customer could slip, fall and and injure themselves. Because the accident had been recorded by the shop supervisor there was little doubt as to the circumstances. The retailer accepted liability for the accident, and Mrs O received £6,500 compensation for her injuries.
The bones in Mr F’s wrist took over four months to set properly, and he experienced considerable physical difficulties during that time. Mr F later returned to the shopping centre to complain, however, the frayed carpeting had by then been repaired and the owners of the premises refused to accept responsibility for the accident. Due to the severity of his injuries, and the lack of response to his complaint, Mr F decided to seek legal advice.
Having discussed his case with Bartletts Solicitors, Mr F instructed our firm to begin a no win no fee personal injury claim against the owners of the shopping centre. We were able to obtain CCTV footage of the accident, and this showed our client tripping on a section of carpeting that was clearly in a defective and hazardous state. We also presented the shopping centre’s insurers with two witness statements.
By failing to ensure that the carpeting at the top of the stairs was in a safe state, the shopping centre had failed in the duty of care they owed Mr F as a lawful visitor to their premises, and this amounted to negligence. After a few months of correspondence, we were able to gain an admission of liability from the shopping centre’s owners and negotiate a compensation settlement with their insurers totalling £3,500.
Ms H received basic medical attention at the scene and was driven to hospital for an X-ray, after which a wrist brace with splint was applied. Ms H worked as a school dinner lady and was unable to return to work for two weeks following her injury. She continued to experience aching and weakness in the joint over three months later.
Ms H got in touch with Bartletts on the recommendation of a friend, and we advised her that she had a legitimate claim against the department store where the accident took place. We agreed to represent her on a no win no fee basis, and wrote to the store’s parent company, pointing out that it was its legal responsibility to keep public areas of shops free from obstacles and obstructions which could cause accidents.
In this instance, staff at the store had acted negligently by leaving the power cable directly in the path of Ms H, and this had directly caused her to trip, fall and injure herself. After a few months of correspondence, we won an admission of liability from the store and their insurers, and Ms later received £3,000 in compensation.
The first step to take following an accident at a retailer is to report the details to staff at the store, and make sure that the details are recorded in their accident book. They may subsequently get in touch to apologise, offer shopping vouchers, or send flowers, but often this will seem inadequate if an injury is relatively serious, and the blame appears to lie squarely with the store or its staff. In these circumstances, the injured party should seek a specialist legal opinion from a solicitor at the earliest opportunity.
Often a retailer will deny responsibility for an accident at the outset, and it will be the role of the solicitor to produce enough evidence to win an admission of liability. This may include witness statements, medical reports and photographs, all of which can be of assistance in verifying the facts surrounding an accident. It will be up to your solicitor to demonstrate that the shop or its staff were directly to blame for causing an accident due to their action or inaction and errors or omissions. Where this is the case they will have acted negligently, and will be liable to pay compensation.
Why Choose Bartletts Solicitors?
Solid Traditional Values Delivered
in a Modern Convenient Manner
Every year we help over a thousand injured people make claims for compensation on a no win no fee basis. Many of these claims are for accidents in shops.
Our service is designed to be easy to use: meetings by phone & email, local medical appointments, sign documents online, or visit our city centre offices.
Our solicitors are very experienced having worked at the firm for an average of 18 years.
Bartletts Solicitors was managed by John Bartlett for over 40 years, the last 25 of which he was assisted by Trevor Morris. Trevor is now the managing director, representing continuity for the firm’s traditional values and customer satisfaction ethos.
How Can Bartletts Solicitors Help You?
A free no obligation quick case assessment, followed by a No Win No Fee claim.
We help you recover whatever you have lost financially whilst injured.
Get back on your feet as quickly as possible with expert medical care.
We take all the stress out of the claim and ensure you recover everything you are entitled to.
Send Our Shop Accident Team an Enquiry:
Shop Accident Team:
Call now for your free consultation. We guarantee you a warm welcome and a lawyer with the expertise that you would expect from a leading personal injury firm.
Further Information:
Related Trustpilot Reviews:
Bartletts is proud to support a number of public bodies and charities, including Liverpool Cathedral, National Museums Liverpool, the Walker Art Gallery and Zoë’s Place Baby Hospice. You can find out more on our blog or on social media.
“I was delighted Bartletts Solicitors continued their tradition of philanthropy with Liverpool Cathedral this year. Thank you so much for your generous gift.” - The Dean of Liverpool, The Very Revd Dr. Sue Jones (Dec 2020)