Whether you’re watching the latest blockbuster or taking the kids to see their favourite cartoon stars on a Sunday morning, a trip to the cinema should always be fun. The last thing you’d probably expect is to be injured in a cinema but, as with other public places, accidents in cinemas do happen. Importantly, if you are injured in a cinema in an accident caused by the operator’s negligence, you may be eligible to make a cinema accident claim for compensation for your suffering.

Our specialists provide support and free legal advice about personal injury claims. They’ll offer you an initial consultation when you call and, after reviewing your claim, will explain your options. If your claim looks strong enough, they’ll connect you with one of our personal injury solicitors. If they decide to act on your behalf, you’ll be represented on a No Win No Fee basis meaning no legal fees unless you are compensated.

Ready to claim compensation for an accident in a cinema right away? If so, please call our team on 0800 6524 881 today. Otherwise, please continue reading to learn more.

Am I Eligible To Make A Cinema Accident Compensation Claim?

Cinemas owe a duty of care toward the well-being of their customers and their staff. Legally, this comes from the Occupiers Liability Act 1984 and the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (other legislation may also apply).

There are several inherent risks in cinemas. They can include large crowds of people, inadequate lighting and steep steps amongst other things. Part of the cinema operator’s duty of care is to manage these risks by conducting regular risk assessments and removing any dangers that they identify. Failure to do so may entitle you to compensation for an accident in a cinema.

Before one of our personal injury solicitors takes on a cinema accident claim, they will check whether:

• The cinema breached its duty of care towards you; and
• That led to an accident in the cinema; and
• You sustained injuries in that accident.

If you have been injured in a cinema and believe all three statements above are true, we could help you to start a cinema accident claim. If you were injured whilst working in a cinema, you could be entitled to make an accident at work claim.

Types of Accidents In Cinemas That Can Lead To A Compensation Claim

Let’s take a look at some examples of accidents in cinemas that could lead to a personal injury claim. They include:

• Slips, trips and falls. You may be able to claim for a slip, trip or fall injury if it was caused by a recently cleaned floor or a spillage where warning signs weren’t used to cordon off the area. You might also have ground to claim if you tripped on a torn carpet, wiring or a raised floor light when climbing the steps to your seat. Cinema falls could result in head or back injuries, cuts and bruises, soft tissue injuries or even broken bones.
• Damaged seats. All parts of the cinema should be maintained to a safe standard. Therefore, if you’re injured by a damaged chair or fall and hurt yourself when you sit down, a claim might be possible.
• Scalds and burns. You could claim compensation if you are burned by a hot drink because a member of staff had not put the lid on properly.
• Lift or escalator accidents. Many modern cinemas have lifts or escalators as they are located at the top of shopping centres or entertainment complexes. As well as claiming for any physical injuries, if you’re trapped or injured in a poorly maintained lift accident, you could claim for any mental harm caused as well.
• Food poisoning. Many cinemas offer hot food in addition to the usual snacks these days. If you’re made ill from food that has not been stored, handled or cooked correctly, you may be able to claim compensation for food poisoning.
• Hearing problems. Finally, if your hearing is damaged (even if only temporarily) by faulty speakers at the cinema, you could claim for tinnitus or similar conditions.

We haven’t listed every type of cinema accident here of course so please let us know if you’ve suffered in a different way and we’ll assess your options for free.

How Much Compensation For A Cinema Accident Could I Claim?

For a cinema accident claim, a personal injury solicitor will always try to secure the maximum compensation to cover your pain and suffering (general damages) and also any costs resulting from your accident (special damages).

Each claim will vary from case to case but if you sue a cinema, you could request compensation for:

• The physical pain suffered at the time of the accident at the cinema and during your recovery.
• Any psychological suffering such as anxiety, depression or stress caused by your injuries.
• Loss of earnings if your symptoms prevented you from working.
• The impact your injuries had on your usual activities (social life, family activities, hobbies etc).
• Care costs to cover the time of somebody who looked after you while you were recovering.
• The cost of repairing or replacing items damaged during your cinema accident.
• Medical expenses such as physiotherapy or private hospital treatment.
• Travel expenses like fuel costs to get to medical appointments.
• Future loss of earnings for longer-term injuries.
• The cost of mobility aids, or installing ramps and safety rails at your home to help you cope with an ongoing disability.

The list above shows that there is a lot to consider if you do decide to claim compensation against a cinema. If one of our solicitors represents you, they’ll work with you to fully understand how you’ve been affected before trying to secure the highest compensation amount possible.

Cinema Accident Claims Compensation Calculator

The following compensation calculator provides some potential payouts for injuries that might be sustained in a cinema accident:

To understand the severity of your injuries, you will need an independent medical assessment as part of the cinema accident claims process. This will involve an appointment (usually arranged for you locally) with a medical expert who’ll try to determine your prognosis by assessing your injuries and discussing how you’ve been affected. Their report will be used by your solicitor and the cinema’s insurers to calculate your settlement (if the claim is successful).

Evidence To Support A Cinema Accident Compensation Claim

When you file your claim, the cinema (or its insurers) is likely to turn you away if you don’t have any evidence to prove what happened. Therefore, it’s important to gather as much as you can. With the help of your solicitor, you should try to get as much of the evidence listed below as possible:

• An accident report form. You should report the accident to the cinema and ask them for a copy of their accident report form.
• Medical records. Following treatment for your injuries, your solicitor can ask the hospital or GP surgery that treated you for a copy of any x-rays or medical notes. These can go some way to proving the severity of your injuries.
• Witness details. Note the contact details of anybody else who saw the accident occur. They may be asked to provide a statement by your solicitor later on.
• CCTV footage. If your accident happened in a part of the cinema that was covered by a security camera, ask for a copy of the footage.
• Photographs. Where possible, take as many photographs of the accident scene as possible. If the accident happened during the screening, you may need to wait till the lights go up at the end of the film to try and capture the root cause of the accident.

We’ll review any evidence you’ve already collected and provide advice on how to get hold of evidence you’re struggling to obtain.

Cinema Accident Claims Time Limits

As with any other type of personal injury claim, you’ll need to make your claim against a cinema within a 3-year limitation period. Usually, this will start from the date of the accident. Importantly, this time limit does not apply if your child was hurt in the cinema as you can claim at any time before their 18^th birthday.

We would always advise that it’s best to start your cinema accident claim as soon as you can rather than waiting. This will allow your solicitor time to arrange for medical reports and to collect any evidence necessary to support your case.

Starting A Cinema Accident Claim

Have you decided to sue following an accident in a cinema that wasn’t your fault? If so, please call our team today on 0800 6524 881 to get the ball rolling. We’ll assess your chances of being compensated for free and could connect you with one of our specialist injury solicitors.

If your claim is taken on, your solicitor will handle all communications and negotiations on your behalf on a No Win No Fee basis. You’ll only have to pay for their work if you receive a compensation payout.

If you have any immediate questions on making a cinema accident compensation claim, please use our live chat service to contact us.