As with any other type of business, supermarkets have a duty of care to keep customers and staff as safe as possible. While it’s impossible to prevent every single accident, they must take steps to try and prevent as many as possible. That means that if you fall in a supermarket, and the accident was caused by negligence in some way, you could seek damages for any injuries.
Whether you’ve fallen in a supermarket after slipping on a spillage in the aisles, or you’ve tripped over piles of stock in the warehouse, this guide will help. As well as reviewing how much compensation for a fall in a supermarket might be paid, we’ll look at what evidence you need to support your claim.
If you decide to claim compensation for a fall in a supermarket, we are here to help. Initially, we’ll review your claim on a no-obligation basis. During the call, we’ll provide free advice about your chances of being compensated. If your case appears to be viable, we could appoint one of our personal injury solicitors to represent you. If you’re happy for them to proceed, they’ll do so on a No Win No Fee basis. That means you will only need to cover the cost of their work if your case is won.
To learn more about claiming for a fall in a supermarket, please read on. Alternatively, please call 0800 6524 881 if you’d like to begin a claim right away.
Table of contents
- Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Supermarket Fall?
- What Might Cause A Fall In A Supermarket
- Evidence To Prove How You Fell In A Supermarket
- Injuries That Can Result From Falls In Supermarkets
- How Much Compensation For A Fall In A Supermarket Could I Claim?
- What’s The Average Payout For A Supermarket Fall?
- How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?
- Why Use A Solicitor To Claim Compensation For A Fall In A Supermarket?
Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Supermarket Fall?
It’s important to note that not all supermarket falls will allow you to claim compensation. We’ve already mentioned that you’ll need to establish a duty of care. This is quite straightforward as the operator (Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, etc) is legally obliged to try and keep supermarket customers and staff as safe as possible. So, once you’ve established a duty of care was owed, to be eligible to claim, you’ll need to show that:
- The supermarket operator breached their duty of care in some way and caused an accident; and
- You fell and injured yourself because of that breach of duty of care.
You can’t rely on an apology from staff or the manager at the time of the accident if you want to pursue a compensation claim for falling in a supermarket. Instead, you must provide evidence to explain what happened, who was to blame, and what injuries you suffered. We’ll show you how to do this shortly.
What Might Cause A Fall In A Supermarket
Let’s now take a look at a few examples of how falls in supermarkets can lead to compensation claims. They include:
- If you trip over the doormat at the entrance of the supermarket because it’s not in the right place.
- Where you slip and fall because of a spillage or leak that’s not been cleared up quickly enough.
- If you’re hit by a warehouse cage and fall because the member of staff could not see where they were going.
- If you fall over a security chain because it hasn’t been secured properly.
- Where you fall in the supermarket car park because a manhole cover was missing.
- If you fall over a cable from a cleaning machine that was trailed across an aisle.
As you can see, there are many potential hazards in a supermarket that could lead you to fall over and injure yourself. If you can prove that the incident was caused by negligence, we could help you claim. Call today to find out more.
Evidence To Prove How You Fell In A Supermarket
Any personal injury claim for a supermarket fall should be backed up by evidence. It’s not enough to accuse the supermarket of negligence – you must be able to corroborate your version of events. Some evidence that could help you to win your compensation claim includes:
- CCTV footage. Many supermarkets use security cameras to protect their staff and stock. If your accident was caught on camera, you are entitled to request a copy of the footage. Act quickly here as the evidence could be deleted quite quickly.
- Witness information. To help establish liability, your solicitor might ask any witnesses to provide a statement of what they saw. At the time of the accident, therefore, you should ask for any supermarket staff or shoppers who witnessed your fall for their contact details.
- Accident reports. A supermarket is legally obliged to keep an accident report book. After you’ve reported your accident, you should receive a copy of the report. This would make it difficult for the supermarket to deny when and where the accident took place.
- Medical notes. After falling in a supermarket, any injuries should be treated properly (rather than relying on first aid). If you attended A&E, a GP surgery or a minor injuries unit, you could request a copy of your medical records. These could be used to establish the severity of your injuries.
- Photographic evidence. If you’re able to, it’s advisable to take photographs of the accident scene with your phone. You should attempt to capture the cause of the accident from various angles.
After you’ve collected evidence, please get in touch and we’ll review it with you for free. If there’s a chance you could receive compensation, we’ll ask one of our personal injury solicitors to review your case in more detail.
Injuries That Can Result From Falls In Supermarkets
While we couldn’t possibly list each and every injury you could sustain in a supermarket fall here, we have included some of the most common below. They include:
- Hand, arm and wrist injuries. These are particularly prevalent when you put your hands out to break your fall.
- Head injuries. This can include a concussion as well as cuts and bruises.
- Cuts or lacerations. These injuries might happen if you fall in a supermarket and hit shelving or land on glass bottles or jars.
- Sprains and strains. These can occur when ligaments are stretched and damaged during the fall.
- Back injuries. These can result in short term pain or long-term permanent disabilities.
- Broken or fractured bones. Broken bones could be sustained during a fall especially when you land awkwardly or at speed.
Whatever injury you’ve sustained from your fall in the supermarket, call us on 0800 6524 881 to see if you could be compensated.
How Much Compensation For A Fall In A Supermarket Could I Claim?
The amount of compensation for a fall in a supermarket you could get will typically be split into two different elements and calculated individually by your solicitor:
- General damages can be claimed to cover any pain, suffering and/or loss of amenity caused by your injuries.
- Special damages may be claimable if your fall has caused you to incur costs or expenses. For example, you could claim back the cost of replacing or repairing your phone if it was damaged during the fall.
To help demonstrate the severity of your injuries, you’ll need a medical assessment. This is mandatory in all personal injury claims. Usually, No Win No Fee solicitors will book an appointment with a local medical specialist. They’ll provide a report after examining you and discussing your injuries with you.
What’s The Average Payout For A Supermarket Fall?
We can’t say exactly what payout you might be paid for a supermarket fall because each claim has its own merits. However, the compensation amounts below should give you some idea of what might be paid for your injuries:
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head Injury | Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 | Brain damage, loss of limb feeling, personality change, and/or mental incapacity have left severe disability. |
| Head Injury | Extremely Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 | Victims who have become unresponsive as a result of serious brain damage, or who have entered a vegetative condition. |
| Head Injury | Moderate | £52,550 to £267,340 | Situations where memory is harmed, resulting in a reduced ability to work, to more severe cases where there is no likelihood of being able to work, personality changes, and a high risk of epilepsy. |
| Head Injury | Less Severe | £18,700 to £52,550 | There may still be some difficulties, such as affected memory or a small risk of epilepsy, but overall, the patient has made a good recovery. Any impairment, as well as the severity of the original injury, are taken into account. |
| Head Injury | Mild | £2,690 to £15,580 | Head injuries that haven't resulted in brain damage or only minor brain damage but may nonetheless have long-term consequences. |
| Shoulder Injury | Severe | £15,580 to £58,610 | Where there's an injury to the neck and shoulder, you might have paralysis, limb numbness, and movement restrictions. |
| Shoulder Injury | Moderate | £9,630 to £15,580 | Frozen shoulder with limitation of movement and symptoms that are not permanent but have been persistent for more than two years. |
| Shoulder Injury | Mild | Up to £9,630 | Soft tissue damage that should heal in a year or somewhat longer and causes or has caused considerable pain. |
| Back Injury | Severe | £47,320 to £196,450 | Severe injury to the upper or lower back, which may result in paralysis or other problems with the lower body's organs. |
| Back Injury | Moderate | £15,260 to £47,320 | This range of compensation amounts could apply to a variety of back injuries, including lumbar vertebrae compression, ligament or soft tissue injury, ongoing pain, and/or discomfort. |
| Back Injury | Mild | Up to £15,260 | Strains and sprains, soft tissue injuries, a slipped disc, and muscle soreness are all examples of less serious back injuries. Recovery time and treatment would also be taken into account. |
| Wrist Injury | Very Severe | £58,110 to £73,050 | Complete loss of function due to a wrist injury. |
| Wrist Injury | Significant | £29,900 to £47,810 | Despite the fact that a wrist injury has resulted in considerable and lifelong impairment, there is still some usable movement available. |
| Wrist Injury | Less Severe | £15,370 to £29,900 | A broken wrist that results in long-term impairment, such as pain and stiffness. |
| Wrist Injury | Moderate | £7,420 to £12,630 | Wrist fractures and soft tissue injuries that are fully recovered or expected to be fully recovered but may take more than a year. |
| Wrist Injury | Minor | £4,310 to £5,790 | Minor wrist fractures and an uncomplicated Colles' fracture. |
| Ankle Injury | Extremely Severe | £61,090 to £85,070 | The most serious ankle injuries can result in deformity, joint deterioration, and even amputation. |
| Ankle Injury | Moderate to Severe | £16,770 to £61,090 | When evaluating the degree of compensation for ankle injuries in this group, fractures, intensive treatment, and disability are just a few of the elements that will be taken into account. |
| Ankle Injury | Mild | Up to £16,770 | Ankle fractures and sprains that are classed less serious ankle injuries. Amount of recuperation time, pain, scars, and other factors would be evaluated. |
Please note that any payout amounts we’ve listed may vary depending upon how severe the injuries are. To find out more, please contact an advisor today.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?
Generally, following a fall in a supermarket, you’ll usually need to start court proceedings within 3-years of the accident. Exceptions can sometimes apply, for example, if you wasn’t immediately aware you suffered a significant injury caused by the supermarket fall, or the injured party is a child.
We would suggest that you start the claims process as soon as possible. There are a couple of reasons for this including:
- It will allow your solicitor time to complete all of the necessary tasks before filing your claim.
- The supermarket might negotiate interim payments for private medical care before the claim is finalised if they admit liability for the accident early on.
Please call today if you’d like to begin a claim.
Why Use A Solicitor To Claim Compensation For A Fall In A Supermarket?
If you can’t explain why your fall in a supermarket was caused by negligence, their insurance company might refuse your compensation claim. We believe personal injury claims have a better chance of success if you have a specialist solicitor on your side.
If your case is accepted, your solicitor will do everything they can to make the process as easy as possible for you. They’ll take on all enquiries from the supermarket so you won’t have to answer any tricky medical or legal questions. They’ll also try to deal with any arguments about liability for you. Also, they could negotiate a better settlement amount if they believe a compensation offer is unfair.
If you’d like to find out if one of our solicitors could help you, call today on 0800 6524 881. We’ll check whether you have the grounds to proceed and, if you do, provide free legal advice on how much compensation for a fall in a supermarket you may be entitled to.