Slips, trips, and falls at a supermarket are extremely common and happen quite frequently. If you are a customer, stakeholder, or a member of staff and you have slipped in a supermarket, you can make a personal injury compensation claim.

A fall in a supermarket can result in long-term physical and psychological injuries along with emotional distress due to loss of earnings. They are usually caused by slipping on a wet floor with inadequate warning signs which causes trip hazards.

Typically, accidents occur due to a third-party negligence because an employee failed to follow the correct protective measures. Therefore, if you have been injured in a supermarket that was not your fault, you may be eligible to claim for compensation. The information below should answer any questions you might have about legal advice and your rights.

What are common causes of fall in supermarket claims?

According to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and The Workplace Regulations 1992, supermarkets have a duty of care to ensure that there are no hazards on the floor or elsewhere that could cause an injury while people are on the premises. As a result, they are obliged to conduct risk assessments regularly and remove hazards which pose a threat. Accidents occur when:

·        The floor has not been dried up quickly after a spill

·        After a spill is cleaned, adequate warning signs have not been placed to warn customers and colleagues

·        Faulty equipment

·        Broken flooring or loose nail

·        Falling items or obstruction of shop isles

What injuries can you sustain from a fall in a supermarket?

If you have suffered from an injury at a supermarket, potential injuries you may sustain are, but not limited to:

·        Spinal/back injuries caused by a forceful impact onto a hard surface which leads to herniated discs

·        Neck injuries

·        Fractured or broken bones as well as damage to the surrounding soft tissue and tendons, leading to chronic conditions

·: left;”>·        Cuts and lacerations

·        Strains and sprains

What should you do after an injury?

If you have suffered an injury, it is important to do several things to prove your injury which could help with your claims process. Gathering evidence is important so try to take photographs of where the accident took place along with the reason for the accident. For instance, images of the spillage on the floor and the injuries you sustained.

You should also try to obtain CCTV footage of the accident, contact details of witnesses, and evidence that you reported it to an employee at the supermarket. The proof should be recorded in the accident book so try and request a copy of the report. This will help determine whether employees have dealt with the slip within the designated time limits and will also help solicitors later acting on your behalf to pursue your compensation claim successfully.

As soon as the accident has occurred, you should seek medical attention from a doctor/GP because an official medical report will strengthen your claim case to make sure you receive maximum compensation.

Due to their legal expertise, speaking to a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible after the accident is imperative because they can discuss your options going forward.

What compensation can you get for fall in supermarket claims?

Compensation for fall in supermarket claims is usually divided into two categories: general damages and special damages.

General Damages – This refers to the amount of compensation you receive for your physical pain, suffering and loss of amenity.

Special Damages – These are any direct financial losses that you may have suffered because of your injuries. Typically, these may include loss of earnings up to the settlement, loss of earnings in the future, medical costs, travel costs or the costs of care provided to you.

Although no amount of money can make up for the physical injuries you have suffered, the physical effects can lead to permanent restricted mobility, and you may need ongoing care or move to a more suitable property for your needs.

We can make sure that you receive interim payments of compensation as your case is being settled for any immediate care or rehabilitation needs. Personal injury compensation claims are aimed to minimise the impact of your injury and to get you back to the position you were in before the accident happened.

Your compensation can help cover any expenses caused by your injury and sets out to:

–         Reimburse general damages to the injured one and their loved ones for any pain and suffering endured

–         Repay any physical therapy costs and psychological care

–         Cover any ongoing or past medical assessments and costs incurred such as prescription costs, taxi fares and parking costs

–         Cover any loss of earnings for both the carer and the sufferer

–         Cover any welfare costs to make alterations to the person’s home, or (if applicable) the cost of moving to a new home, including vehicle adaptations needed to enhance independent living or equipment costs such as wheelchairs

–         Cover the cost of any adaptations required to be made to the injured person’s workplace

–         Covers any support, for either family or professional care costs. This includes mileage driven and time spent to provide that support

–         Pay the injured towards the reduction in their quality of life and any loss of amenity such as playing sport

–         Any future hindrance in future job opportunities due to disabilities

How much compensation can you receive?

The amount of compensation that can be awarded in a personal injury claim is determined by different factors. Each case differs depending on the severity of your injuries.

If an injury is particularly severe, the compensation award would generally be higher. Although some injuries may not appear to be severe initially, it may worsen later in life so this will be considered.

Severe neck injuries can be awarded anywhere between £50,000 – £99,500. Alternatively, if your fall caused a simple arm fracture, you may be owed between £5,280 – £15,300.

If you are still unsure about how much compensation you can receive, there are compensation calculators which provide an estimate for different injuries.

Claiming against a supermarket can be quite daunting, so our legal representatives can discuss the appropriate funding methods for your claim. At Beacon Law, we operate on a “no win, no fee” basis so you don’t have to face any financial risk to give you the best chance of being successful with your supermarket accident claim.

How long do you have to make a supermarket accident claim?

There is a time limit of three years after becoming aware of the injury to make a claim for falling in a supermarket. It is best to contact us at your earliest convenience to maximise your chases of securing a successful claim.

How can Beacon Law assist with fall in supermarket claims?

At Beacon Law, regulated by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority (SRA), we have developed a team of experienced legal experts. Our founder set up the original firm in 2002 and prior to this, she had handled a large amount of injury claims in other law firms. Due to our extensive years in the industry, we have been able to develop great client relationships and extend our legal knowledge massively.

Alongside supermarket injury claims, we regularly handle matters involving slips, trips and falls, road traffic accidents, medical negligence and animal attacks.

We can take care of your claim from the first step to successful settlement. When considering the appropriate amount of damages for settlement of your claim we will assess the magnitude of the loss that you have experienced, including loss of income. We understand that a loss of income can be catastrophic. So, we endeavour to provide our expert skills when claiming loss of earnings back. Whether these are past or future earnings, we can employ our skills to achieve the maximum compensation for our clients.

Please contact us on 0330 1332 857 if you have any questions or would like to proceed with a loss of income due to injury claim.