Have you ever questioned whether you are eligible to submit a claim after suffering an injury at a supermarket? Perhaps you have slipped on liquid coming from a broken fridge or freezer after no wet floor sign was displayed? Or slipped on fruit left in an aisle? Supermarket injuries can leave you at a physical and financial disadvantage. If you have been the victim of a serious injury and cannot go to work for a long period of time your suffering may extend financially resulting in a potential loss of earnings and a lot of hardship.
Under the Occupiers Liability Act, supermarkets are under an obligation to provide a duty of care to the public when using their stores. A supermarket must take reasonable steps under the “common law duty of care” to ensure you are prevented from being injured. Injuries can vary from soft tissue damage to broken bones; some of which can be very painful and take a long time to heal. Accidents don’t have to have taken place inside the supermarket they can also be external such as slipping on ice outside the main entrance of a store after a staff member has failed to grit the floor. All that needs to be proven is that the supermarket did not take the reasonable steps necessary to prevent the injury from occurring.
Hazards must be prevented and levels of care taken into account based on the needs of the individual. For example an elderly person is more likely to suffer a greater injury if they are to have a fall. Likewise it is reasonable to expect children to be running around and climbing on supermarket equipment therefore steps must be put in place to protect them from such a risk. A supermarket must also protect contractors when they are working on site who may be working in an area where people would not usually access.
Reasonable steps to limit liability include:
- Preventing access to a potentially hazardous area i.e. with use of a cordon.
- Placing warning signs within a reasonable distance from a hazard.
- Keeping a staff record to prove regular cleaning checks have been carried out on the supermarket aisles or staff have gritted the area at regular intervals.
- The use of CCTV evidence.
There are a numerous steps involved in pursuing a claim. After your initial contact you should be guided through a step by step claims process. Here at The Injury Lawyers we only take on claims which we believe we have a chance of winning. We give FREE advice and offer a competitive 100% compensation for occupier’s liability claims. We also provide you will comprehensive medical treatment which is chargeable to the other side! We believe we are the best personal injury law firm, so you can expect nothing less than the best from the best! Call us now on 01246 474 487 to discuss your claim!
