Public Liability Injury Claims – How Much Compensation Can You Claim?

Places open to the public, such as parks, shopping centres, restaurants and train stations, should be reasonably safe for visitors. When those responsible for maintaining these areas fail to keep them safe, accidents can happen. Importantly, if you’ve been injured in a public place due to somebody else’s negligence, you may be eligible to make a public liability injury claim for compensation.

We are here to help if you’ve been injured in a public place. Our advisors offer a no-obligation, free assessment of any case. They’ll also provide advice on your options. Should your claim be strong enough, we could pass it to one of our solicitors who will file your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.

To find out if you could claim compensation for an accident in a public place, call us today on 0800 6524 881.

Am I Eligible To Make A Public Liability Injury Claim?

Under laws such as the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, businesses, organisations, local authorities and other occupiers have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to keep visitors safe while using their premises.

Therefore, you may be eligible to make a public liability claim, where:

• The defendant owed you a legal duty of care; and
• They breached their duty, causing an accident; and
• Due to the accident, you sustained an injury.

If you’re unsure whether a duty of care existed or whether it was breached, our advisors can review what happened and explain whether you may have grounds to claim.

What Types Of Accidents In Public Places Could Lead To A Claim?

Many types of accidents in public places could potentially lead to a claim. While we can’t list them all, here are a few common examples:

• Slipping on a wet floor in a shop, restaurant or supermarket where no warning signs were displayed.
• Tripping over loose flooring, torn carpet or another avoidable hazard on business premises.
• Being injured in a supermarket because an item fell from damaged or overloaded shelving.
• Falling on poorly maintained stairs in a hotel, pub, cinema or shopping centre.
• Accidents involving children in public places, such as being hurt in a local park by damaged playground equipment.
• Being injured in a leisure centre, gym or similar venue because equipment or facilities were unsafe.

These examples illustrate scenarios that might result in a public liability injury claim. If you’re unsure whether you have grounds for a claim or who to hold responsible, feel free to contact us. We’ll review your case for free, and if it’s strong enough, we can pass it on to one of our solicitors.

How Much Compensation For An Accident In A Public Place?

When you seek compensation for an accident in a public place, it’s important to understand that claims typically include two categories of damages: general damages and special damages. These factors are considered to calculate how much compensation you could receive.

As each claim is unique, we won’t be able to determine the exact value until we’ve reviewed it in detail. However, we can outline what might be included:

• General damages. This covers compensation for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries, including both physical and psychiatric harm. It also considers the impact the injury has had on your quality of life.
• Special damages. This covers financial losses caused by the public place accident, such as lost income if you were unable to work, prescription costs, private medical treatment, or care expenses. It can also include the cost of repairing or replacing personal property damaged in the accident.

To help prove the extent of your injuries, you may need to undergo an independent medical assessment. Our solicitors can usually arrange this locally if your public liability claim is taken on. To find out what could be included in your claim, contact a claims advisor on our team.

Public Place Injury Compensation Calculator

When insurers or solicitors assess personal injury claims, they can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). That’s because it lists compensation ranges for different types of injuries. Therefore, we’ve used figures from the JCG in the compensation calculator below. As mentioned in the last section, various elements make up the value of a claim, and the figures in our table make up just one part.

We haven’t included every injury that could be sustained in our compensation calculator. Therefore, please get in touch if yours isn’t listed.

Please note that these figures aren’t guaranteed. Even if you make a successful claim, you may receive a different level of compensation based on your injuries.

Evidence To Support A Public Liability Injury Claim

To give your public liability claim the best chance of success, you should provide evidence of exactly what happened. Here are our suggestions on how to collect evidence to support any such claim:

• Take photographs or video of the accident scene before it is cleared. Make sure to include any hazards, such as damaged stair nosings, spills, or broken equipment that contributed to your injury.
• Report the accident to the relevant authority, such as the business, local council, or venue. If possible, request a copy of the accident report to confirm the date, time, and location.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Rather than relying solely on first aid, visit a GP, minor injuries unit, or A&E department. Medical records will show the severity of your injuries and can be used as evidence.
• Collect witness details from those who saw the public place accident happen. Your solicitor may contact them for a statement to help corroborate your version of events.
• Check for CCTV footage of the accident. If a camera does cover the area, obtain a copy of the footage. You can usually find details of the camera operator on nearby signage.
• Keep a record of expenses related to your injury, such as medical costs, travel costs, lost earnings, or the cost of care. These can be included in your compensation claim.
• Keep a diary detailing your symptoms, pain levels, and how your injury has affected your daily life. This can help prove the ongoing impact of the accident.

We can look at any evidence you already have when you call our team. Your advisor will let you know whether there’s enough to proceed or whether further evidence is needed.

Time Limits For Public Place Accident Claims

There are usually strict time limits for making a public liability injury claim. In most cases, this is a 3-year period starting on the date of the accident in a public place, although exceptions can apply in some circumstances.

For example, one exception to this rule applies when a child is injured. In such cases, the 3-year time limit doesn’t usually begin until the child turns 18. However, a responsible adult, acting as a litigation friend, can claim on their behalf at any time before their 18^th birthday. If no claim is made before then, the injured person will usually have until their 21^st birthday to start their own claim.

We can assist with the process of becoming a litigation friend. Essentially, you’ll act in the child’s best interests throughout the claim.

The litigation friend process can also be used for adults who lack the mental capacity to make a claim themselves.

Do I Need A Solicitor To File A Public Liability Injury Claim?

When you file a claim for an accident in a public place against a business or a council/local authority, it is likely to end up on the desk of an insurance company. That’s because, in many cases, a public liability insurance policy will be in place to protect the defendant against such claims.

What’s important here is that an insurer will usually want to minimise how much compensation they pay. Where possible, they’ll usually try not to pay at all if there isn’t the evidence to show how their defendant was responsible for the accident or your injuries. We believe the best way to achieve compensation is by having a personal injury solicitor on your side.

If your public liability claim is accepted, we’ll provide a No Win No Fee solicitor for you. They’ll listen to how you’ve suffered before submitting the claim. Importantly, they’ll do everything on your behalf so you won’t be overwhelmed by complex legal questions. Throughout the claims process, you’ll get regular updates about how things are progressing. You’ll also be able to ask any questions that you think of. Importantly, your solicitor will fight to achieve the highest amount of compensation possible for your suffering.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below, we’ve answered some common questions about road traffic accident claims.

Starting The Public Place Accident Claims Process

If you’re ready to start a public liability injury claim, we’re here to help. All accepted claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning you won’t need to worry about any upfront costs. Additionally, you’ll only pay a set percentage of your compensation as a fee if your claim is successful, and nothing at all if it’s not.

For immediate free legal advice, call our team on 0800 6524 881. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a callback at a time that suits you, simply fill in our callback form. Our advisors are also available via live chat 24/7 to answer any questions or provide free advice.

Thank you for visiting today and reading our guide to public liability injury claims. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for free, no-obligation advice about your options.