We’ve got more than 20 years’ experience of helping clients with personal injury claims like this, and we understand that a compensation payment can never truly make up for a painful or debilitating injury. It can mark the fact that you’ve been let down by negligent behaviour, however, as well as making sure that you don’t suffer financially as well as physically and psychologically.

If you’ve been injured in a supermarket accident contact the team at Beacon Law with the details. If you’re eligible to claim compensation, we’ll do everything we can to make it happen and help you start putting your life back on track.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Supermarket Accident?

Every supermarket accident is unique, and the amount of compensation you can claim will vary depending on the injuries you suffered. The final award can range from a thousand pounds to more than a quarter of a million, reflecting the nature, severity and long-term impact of your injuries.

The final amount of any compensation will be made up of amounts, called general damages and special damages. The differences between the two are as follows:

General Damages

General damages are meant to reflect the pain and distress caused by your supermarket accident injury, and the degree to which it has stopped you doing things like pursuing hobbies, pastimes and family life.

The amounts are based on a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which sets out a range of payments for specific injuries. Examples in the latest edition of the JCG include:

• Minor permanent damage to vision in one or both eyes – £7,780 to £17,900
• Moderate Ankle Injury – £16,770 to £32,450
• Serious jaw fracture – £15,320 to £26,010

Special Damages

Special damages are meant to put you into the financial position you would have been in if the supermarket accident had never happened. This involves things like compensating for earnings or pension provision lost because your injuries stopped you working as you did.

Special damages are also paid to cover any money you have to spend as a direct result of the injuries suffered in a supermarket accident which wasn’t your fault. Expenses covered by special damages include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Medical costs now and predicted for the future
• Care costs because of your injuries, now and predicted for the future
• Money to cover the estimated cost of care provided free of charge by friends and family
• Money spent on specialised equipment required because of your injuries, like mobility aids
• Money spent on adapting your home or vehicle to make them accessible following your injuries
• Money spent on injury-related travel such as going to and from medical appointments
• Money spent on counselling or therapy needed to cope with your injuries

We understand that you’ll be busy coping with your injuries and hopefully recovering following a supermarket accident, so we’ll take the time to explain exactly what expenses you can claim compensation for, and how to keep track of the money you’ve had to spend.

Steps to Take if You’ve Been Injured in a Supermarket Accident

The steps you take following a supermarket accident could have a direct impact on the speed and extent of your recovery, and on the strength of any compensation claim. In the immediate aftermath of any kind of accident while shopping you should do the following:

Seek medical attention

Accessing medical help immediately following a supermarket accident will make it more likely that you recover, and will create an official record of when and where the accident happened and the nature and extent of your injuries

Report the accident

Report the accident to the supermarket management as soon as you can to create an official record of what happened. Any delay in reporting your accident could make it easier for them to question the details of the accident and the degree to which they were negligent.

Evidence

If possible, gather evidence in the aftermath of your supermarket accident. This could include taking photographs of where the accident happened and any factors – such as spills or damaged flooring – which caused the accident, as well as photographs of your injuries.

Another way of gathering evidence is to take the contact details of any witnesses who may be able to provide an account of what happened.

Contact Beacon Law

Get in touch with the team at Beacon Law to explain what happened. We’ll listen to the details of your supermarket accident during a free, no obligation consultation, and if you have the grounds to make a compensation claim we’ll explain what the process involves and how we can help.

Our track record of successfully claiming compensation for supermarket accidents speaks for itself, but our legal expertise is combined with support and an understanding of just how distressing it can be to suffer painful injuries doing something as simple as your shopping.

Can I Claim for a Supermarket Injury?

There are three main criteria which you need to meet in order to claim compensation following a supermarket accident. These are as follows:

• You were owed a duty of care by another party – in this case the management of a supermarket
• The other party failed in this duty of care
• You had an accident caused by this failure, which directly led to the injuries you have suffered

In order to successfully claim for compensation you need to be able to prove that the management of the supermarket behaved negligently in some way. Examples could include:

• Failing to clear up a spill that caused you to slip
• Leaving debris and litter in the aisle that you tripped over
• Stacking goods in a dangerous manner so they fell and injured you
• A collision caused by a dangerously driven vehicle such as a fork lift truck

The Process of Making a Supermarket Accident Claim

We understand that taking legal action such as claiming compensation can seem daunting. We also know that gathering evidence and building a claim is probably the last thing you want to think about when you’re recovering from painful and distressing injuries.

That’s why we work in an understanding and empathetic manner, guiding clients through the compensation claim process one simple step at a time and explaining everything in clear, jargon-free language. The process of a supermarket accident compensation claim can be broken down as follows:

Immediate actions – as stated above, immediately following a supermarket accident you should seek medical attention, report the accident to the supermarket management and access legal help. If you contact the team at Beacon Law you’ll be treated as an individual and not just a potential case number – we’ll listen to you, explain the legal position and start the process of claiming the compensation you’re entitled to.

When we take on a claim, we work quickly, because the sooner you get any compensation you deserve the sooner you’ll be able to get on with recovering and living your life.

Statement

We’ll take a detailed statement from you explaining how your supermarket accident happened, how you were injured and the full impact those injuries have had on your life

Medical

We’ll arrange a medical evaluation with a trusted independent expert of our choice. This will help us to build the fullest possible picture of the injuries you’ve suffered and the likely chances of recovery.

Records

With your permission we’ll access your wider medical records, focussing on your health prior to the accident and the treatment your injuries have required

Evidence

We’ll pull together the evidence to back up your account of the supermarket accident and the negligence which caused it. This evidence could include:

• Statements from any witnesses to the accident
• Photographic evidence of the scene of the accident and the factors which caused it
• CCTV footage of the accident if any is available – in a supermarket this is likely to be the case
• Any evidence indicating that the supermarket management should have been aware of the risk of an accident happening – i.e. previous accidents of a similar nature
• Receipts and other paperwork covering any expenses directly linked to your injuries

Claim

After speaking to you and gathering evidence we’ll contact the other party to tell them that you are making a compensation claim. In our experience, many parties admit liability at this stage and we can start to negotiate an amount of compensation.

We always work to settle compensation claims as quickly as possible, using our experience of mediation and dispute resolution to reach a fair settlement without having to go to court.

Negotiation

If the other party admits liability we’ll negotiate a fair compensation payment. Our expertise and experience means we understand exactly how much you’re entitled to, and we never settle for anything less than the maximum compensation you deserve.

In more complex cases – with serious injuries which will require on-going care and treatment, for example – it could take longer to agree compensation once liability has been admitted. In these cases we will apply for interim payments to cover costs such as medical bills until compensation is agreed.

Any interim payments made will be deducted from the final compensation lump sum.

Court

In a small minority of cases the other party will deny liability, or refuse to negotiate a fair amount of compensation. If this happens the claim will be settled in court, and our experts will be by your side to argue your case and make sure the court understands exactly what has happened to you.

Common Causes of Supermarket Accidents

Generally speaking, supermarket accidents happen because the management of a supermarket has failed to follow health and safety procedures and regulations. The Health and Safety Executive sets out the steps any retail outlet has to follow to comply with the law, and failure to do so can create a dangerous environment.

Common causes of supermarket accidents include the following:

Slips, trips and falls caused by wet floors without warning signs. Floors can be wet because of the following:

• • Cleaning
  • Spills
  • Rain or snow walked in by customers
  • Leaking freezers or chill cabinets

Slips, trips and falls can also be caused by damaged flooring and uneven, dangerous surfaces

• Accidents caused by objects falling from shelves or displays because they have not been stacked safely or the shelves themselves are dangerous
• Accidents in supermarket car parks caused by issues such as poor lighting or inadequate signage
• Collision injuries caused by trollies being shifted around the supermarket or stock being moved using fork lift trucks

No matter what caused your supermarket accident, if it happened because the management of the supermarket was negligent then you have been let down. You could be eligible for compensation to mark the distress caused by your injuries and help you to make a recovery.

No Win No Fee Supermarket Accident Claims

When we make a supermarket accident claim on your behalf, we do so on a no win no fee basis. Sometimes this is called a Conditional Fee Arrangement (CFA) and it means that you pay nothing up front or as we gather evidence and build your claim.

We take out ‘After The Event’ insurance to cover the cost of things like the medical evaluations and our own fees. ATE insurance will also cover costs if your claim is unsuccessful.

If your claim is successful then we’ll take a maximum of 25% to cover our legal fees, leaving you with the other 75% to start rebuilding your life. Our no win no fee approach means that you can seek the compensation you’re entitled to without having to worry about costs, enjoying expert legal advice without having to pay a penny unless we win for you.

Why Choose Us for Your Supermarket Accident Claim?

You should choose Beacon Law for your supermarket accident claim because we have the experience and track record needed to maximise your chances of getting the compensation you’re entitled to. We work quickly and efficiently for every client, but we also take the time to treat you as a person and not just a case number.

This means offering an initial free consultation followed by one to one support and advice offered in a clear, jargon free manner. We understand how upsetting being injured because someone was negligent can be, and we take the stress and work of the claims process out of your hands, giving you the space to concentrate on recovering.

We bring a family run ethos and a combined total of more than 200 years of experience to bear on every single compensation claim we handle, working to build a successful claim and get the maximum compensation you’re entitled to. We do all of this on a no win no fee basis, meaning you pay nothing up front and only have to pay a success fee of 25% if we win your compensation claim.

If you went out to get some shopping and ended up being injured in a supermarket accident that wasn’t your fault then contact us today. We’ll get to work straight away on winning you the compensation that could help you to put your life back on track.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What evidence is needed for a successful supermarket accident claim?

The evidence needed for a successful compensation claim includes the following:

• Your own account of what happened
• Statements from any witnesses to your supermarket accident
• An independent medical evaluation of your injuries
• Photographs of the scene of the accident
• CCTV footage of the accident where possible
• Paperwork such as receipts and bank statements setting out the financial impact of your supermarket accident

How long would it take to resolve a supermarket accident claim?

The time it takes to resolve a supermarket accident claim depends upon factors such as the complexity and severity of your injuries. The simplest cases could be settled in just 6 months, while more complex cases – or those in which the other party denies liability – could take more than 18 months.

When we start working on your claim we’ll provide an estimated timeframe based on our experience of similar cases. If anything changes as the case progresses we’ll keep you fully informed.

A supermarket accident case could take longer if it has to go to court, but we work to avoid this whenever possible using our skill in dispute resolution.

What are the time limits for filing a claim after a supermarket accident?

The time limit for making a supermarket accident claim is 3 years from the date of the accident which caused the injury. When this has passed you can no longer make a claim.

There are a few exceptions to this time limit such as the following:

• You were ‘mentally incapacitated’ for a time, and so were unable to claim during the 3 years
• You were under 18 when the accident happened. In this case, you’ll have three years from your 18th birthday to your 21st in which you can make a claim

Can I claim for emotional distress following a supermarket accident?

Yes, emotional and psychological distress is included in the general damages component of any compensation claim. When we put your claim together we’ll take the time to find out about the emotional impact your injuries have had, particularly if they are serious enough to stop you enjoying family life, working as you used to and living to the full.