Slips, trips and falls

You may be able to bring a claim if the accident happened within the relevant time limits and there is evidence that the business, occupier, local authority, contractor or other responsible party failed to take reasonable care to keep the area safe. Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, lawful visitors are owed a common duty of care.

Premier Legal Assist is a FCA regulated claims management firm that works with experienced solicitors specialising in personal injury claims, including accidents in public places.

The first priority is to get medical attention and report the incident. If possible, you should also take photographs of the hazard, note the exact location, keep witness details and ask whether CCTV captured what happened.

If you later decide to pursue a claim, this early evidence can be important in showing how the accident happened and who may have been responsible.

The first step is to complete a short online form setting out what happened and the injuries you suffered. Once your enquiry has been reviewed, you will be contacted for a free, no-obligation consultation.

If your case is eligible, you may be referred to one of our panel solicitors who specialises in public liability and personal injury claims. If they agree to act for you, they will handle the legal process, including gathering evidence, contacting the responsible party and their insurers, and working to recover compensation on a no win, no fee basis.

The level of compensation awarded will depend on how serious your injuries are and the effect they have had on your everyday life, your ability to work and your recovery.

Compensation is usually divided into two parts: General Damages, which compensate for pain, suffering and loss of amenity, and Special Damages, which relate to financial losses caused by the accident. This can include lost earnings, medical expenses, travel costs, rehabilitation costs and care needs.

Some claims may be worth a few thousand pounds, while more serious injuries can result in significantly higher compensation. If your claim is eligible, your solicitor will usually rely on medical and financial evidence to value the case properly.

These accidents can lead to a wide range of injuries depending on how the fall happened, the surface involved and the way the person landed. Examples include:

• Fractures
• Sprains and strains
• Head injuries
• Back and neck injuries
• Knee and ankle injuries
• Soft tissue damage
• Cuts and bruising
• Scarring
• Psychological injuries including anxiety, PTSD and depression

In some cases, what first appears to be a straightforward fall can cause significant ongoing symptoms, particularly where mobility, confidence or ability to work has been affected. If a solicitor takes on your case, they will normally arrange medical evidence to assess the full impact of your injuries.

Yes. Public place accident claims are often brought by shoppers, diners, gym members, cinema-goers, hotel guests, event visitors and other lawful visitors. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 applies to lawful visitors to premises.

If you were injured because the premises or public area was not reasonably safe, you may still have grounds to bring a claim.

Potentially, yes. A missing warning sign can be relevant if there was a hazard that should have been identified and visitors should have been warned about. That said, the wider issue is usually whether reasonable care was taken overall, for example whether the hazard should have been cleaned up, repaired, blocked off or otherwise dealt with more effectively.

That may still give rise to a claim, but the legal route can be different. If the accident was caused by a hazard on a road or pavement, responsibility may fall on the local council or highway authority rather than a shop or venue.

You may be able to bring a claim if there is evidence that the relevant authority failed to meet its legal duty to maintain the highway. These claims can be evidence-specific, so photographs, measurements, location details and any previous reports of the defect can be important.

In most cases, an adult has three years from the date of the accident to begin a personal injury claim. Where the injured person was under 18 at the time of the accident, the usual three-year limitation period generally starts from their 18th birthday.

Good evidence can be very important in showing how the accident happened and why the responsible party may be at fault. The exact evidence will depend on the case, but often includes:

• Incident report entries
• Photographs of the hazard or area involved
• CCTV footage
• Medical records and reports
• Witness details and statements
• Cleaning or inspection records
• Maintenance records
• Correspondence or complaint records
• Evidence of financial losses

A solicitor acting for you would normally help obtain the evidence needed to support both liability and the value of your claim. 

Usually not. Most public liability claims are settled without a full Court hearing, often through negotiations between the injured person’s solicitor and the insurer for the responsible party.

If liability or the value of the claim cannot be agreed, Court proceedings may become necessary. If that happens, the Court will consider the available evidence, decide who was responsible and, where appropriate, determine the compensation payable. A solicitor acting for you will manage that process on your behalf.

In many cases, no. Our panel solicitors commonly deal with eligible personal injury claims on a no win, no fee basis. That means there is usually nothing to pay at the outset, and if the claim does not succeed, you would not usually be responsible for your solicitor’s fees.

It is important to note that if your claim is successful and you receive compensation, your solicitor will take a pre-agreed "success fee" from your compensation. This percentage is legally capped (currently at 25% of your general and past special damages) to ensure you keep the majority of your payout.

You may be charged cancellation fees by the legal service we introduce you to if you cancel your agreement after any applicable cooling-off period and before the claim is concluded.