There are instances where you’re owed a duty of care to prevent you from sustaining harm. In this guide, we will explore the options you have after sustaining harm in an accident in a shop caused by someone else breaching the duty of care they owed you.
Accident in a shop claims guide
In addition, this guide will explore the different ways shop accidents can be caused by someone else’s negligence. This can help you understand whether you’re eligible to seek compensation.
We will also provide information on the steps you can take following an accident in a public place and the evidence you can gather to support your potential case.
If you wish to hire legal representation, you may benefit from getting in touch with our expert panel of No Win No Fee solicitors. The benefits of working with a solicitor from our panel include them being able to offer their services without you having to pay a cost upfront.
We understand your injuries may have had an impact on different aspects of your life, including physically, emotionally and financially. For more information on whether you could claim compensation for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries, please get in touch by:
- Calling the number at the top of the page
- Using our live chat feature below
- Completing our online contact form
Choose A Section
- Guidance On Making A Claim After An Accident In A Shop
- Determining Compensation For Your Shop Accident
- How Could An Accident In A Shop Happen?
- Understanding Shop Accident Claims
- What Happens If I Work With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
- More Information On Claiming After An Accident In A Shop
Guidance On Making A Claim After An Accident In A Shop
An accident in a shop can occur for various reasons. However, in order to make a personal injury claim you must be able to prove that:
- Someone breached the duty of care they owed you
- You were caused physical or psychological harm as a result
In some cases, the person in control of the shop may have owed you a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA). This means they must have taken reasonable steps to ensure that visitors are kept safe. The steps they must take could include carrying out regular risk assessments to ensure any hazards that pose the risk of causing harm are reduced or removed.
If there has been a failure on the part of the person in control of the space to uphold the duty of care they owed you, call our team to find out more. Alternatively, continue reading to find out how compensation is often calculated following a successful claim.
Determining Compensation For Your Shop Accident
If your accident in a shop claim succeeds you could receive compensation for two heads of claim, special and general damages. The latter seeks to award compensation for the pain and suffering experienced due to your injuries.
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) publishes bracket compensation amounts relating to different injuries. These are based on past cases and are often used by solicitors to help them when valuing your claim. We have included these figures in the table below, they are from the April 2022 edition.
However, other factors will be considered so the figures listed in the table below should only be used as a guide.
Injury Compensation Notes
Less severe brain damage (d) £15,320 to £43,060 The person will have made a good recovery with some issues continuing such as poor concentration and memory.
Minor eye injuries (h) £3,950 to £8,730 Injuries in this bracket might include being struck in the eye and exposure to fumes such as smoke.
Moderate hand injuries (h) £5,720 to £13,280 This bracket includes crush injuries, penetrating wounds and deep lacerations.
Chest injury (g) Up to £3,950 Injuries might include a rib fracture or injuries to the soft tissues that cause serious pain among other issues.
Less serious leg injuries (c) (ii) £9,110 to £14,080 A simple femur fracture that doesn't cause damage to the articular surfaces.
Moderate back injury (b) (i) £27,760 to £38,780 Injuries in this bracket might include compression or crush fractures to the lumbar vertebrae.
Minor shoulder injury (c) (i) £4,350 to £7,890 A shoulder injury affecting the soft tissues that causes considerable pain but a mostly full recovery is made in less than two years.
Arm injuries (d) £6,610 to £19,200 A simple forearm fracture.
Moderate or minor elbow injury (c) (i) In the region of £3,530 An amount in this region is awarded for injuries that are full resolved after around a year.
Wrist injury (d) £6,080 to £10,350 The fracture or soft tissue injury recovery period takes longer than 12 months but is nearly complete with minor symptoms persisting.
As part of your compensation, you may also receive a payout for special damages. These seek to compensate you for any financial losses incurred due to your injuries. Some examples of what you could claim under special damages can include:
- Loss of earnings and loss of future income
- Child care costs
- Travel expenses
- Property adaptations
- Medical costs
It’s important to keep proof of expenditure, such as receipts and payslips to support your claim.
For more information on what compensation you may be eligible to receive as part of your accident in a shop claim, contact our advisors today.
How Could An Accident In A Shop Happen?
There can be many present risks in a public place that could cause someone harm. In some cases, you may not be able to claim if the person in control has done everything they reasonably could. However, sustaining an injury due to unaddressed risks may mean you’re eligible to seek compensation.
The person in control of the public space has several responsibilities to ensure they’re upholding their duty of care as per the OLA. This could include:
- Carrying out regular risk assessments to ensure any hazards are removed or the risk of the hazards is reduced.
- Providing staff with adequate health and safety training on taking practical steps to keep customers safe.
If they fail to do so, it could result in the following accidents:
- Slips, trips and falls: You may have slipped on a wet floor that wasn’t properly sign posted causing you to sustain a broken arm.
- Falls from a height: You may have fallen down customer stairs that were cluttered with stock causing you to sustain a broken leg.
Contact our advisors for more information on whether you’re eligible to claim compensation for an accident in a shop.
Understanding Shop Accident Claims
To make a claim following an accident in a shop we encourage you to get in touch with our advisors as they can offer free legal advice. They may also connect you with an experienced solicitor from our panel to guide you through the different stages of your claim.
A solicitor from our panel can help you gather evidence needed for a personal injury claim, such as:
- Medical records – You should ensure you seek immediate medical attention for your injuries. In doing so, it can create records of the treatment and diagnosis you received.
- CCTV footage – You may request CCTV footage of the accident if there is any.
- Photographs – This could include pictures of your injury and the accident site.
- Witness contact details – You could collect contact details from any witnesses so a legal professional can take statements later on.
What Happens If I Work With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
A No Win No Fee arrangement is an option you could consider when hiring a solicitor for their services. The option carries many benefits such as no upfront costs or ongoing costs while your claim proceeds.
Our panel of solicitors can offer to represent your claim under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement. This means that no success fee will be taken if your claim fails. If your claim succeeds, a success fee will be taken in the form of a small, legally-capped percentage of your compensation.
For more information on whether a solicitor from our panel can represent your case on this basis, get in touch using the contact details listed in the section below.
Get Advice On Claiming Compensation For An Accident In A Shop
If you would like to determine whether you have a valid case, get in touch with our advisors today and they may pass you to a solicitor from our panel.
Alternatively, they can answer any other questions you may have about making a claim after an accident in a shop caused by someone else’s negligence.
Get in touch by:
- Calling the number at the top of the page
- Using our live chat feature below
- Completing our online contact form
More Information On Claiming After An Accident In A Shop
Below, you can find some other useful resources:
- NHS- When To Visit A Walk-In Centre
- GOV- Statutory Sick Pay
- HSE- Statistics
You can also view other guides on our website, such as the following:
- Can I Claim for a Pub Accident?
- Claiming Compensation For A Swimming Pool Accident Claim
- Compensation Claims Against The Council For Personal Injury
- I Had An Accident At A Train Station – Can I Claim?
- Pavement Accident Claims Explained
- Compensation For Theme Park Accident Claims
- Advice For Making An Accident At School Claim
- Top Tips for Making a Gym Accident Claim
- A Guide To Restaurant Accident Claims
- Compensation Payout For A Nursery Accident
- How To Claim Accident In A Supermarket Compensation
- Making A Claim For An Accident In A Nursery
We hope this guide on making a claim after an accident in a shop has helped. However, if you have any other questions, call our team.