Whilst it’s fair to say we have had a fairly snow-free winter this year (or at least we have in the midlands where we’re based), it’s certainly been a wet one. There are more weather warnings on the way for this weekend, and in the colder and wetter months we can normally expect an increase in people making wet floor claims.
You walk in to a shop, pub, restaurant, or other public place and there may well be water that has been walked in from snow or rain outside. So if you slip because of this, what can you do about it?
Your Rights
For most public places you enter, whoever is responsible for the premises has a duty under the Occupiers Liability Act to take all reasonable steps to prevent anyone from being injured on their premises. So there is a duty to make sure that people are not at risk of slipping on a wet floor.
Now, we can’t control the weather of course; but things can be done to take reasonable steps that might be expected in line with the above law. Classic examples might be:
- Regularly inspecting the area and drying it if it is subject to becoming wet – such as an entrance way in times of wet weather.
- Having mats to try and keep the floor dry.
- Deploying signs or other warnings that are displayed clearly to warn of a hazard.
We have loads of experience in representing victims for these types of claims, so the above are the classics that we would expect if the other side is going to try and defend your claim. But if they do not take reasonable steps like those mentioned above, you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation.
What to do
It’s good to report the accident. If you’re reading this and haven’t reported it, do it immediately. There could be vital evidence like CCTV footage that could show if there were mats, signs, or inspections taking place and this could be used to prove your claim. But it’s important to understand that this kind of evidence is normally destroyed after a few short weeks – so acting fast is key!
You should always instruct a specialist personal injury law firm to assist you with the claim. The best piece of advice I can give you is to look for the right lawyer because most of them will charge you up to 25% from your payout due to legal fee reforms last year. But we, for these types of claims, can still offer you a 100% compensation agreement and we work on a No Win, No Fee basis as well.
So always take care when speaking to solicitors as some of the ones who charge will not always tell you immediately about the charges they intend you to pay. Ask upfront to make sure you are instructing the right lawyers who can genuinely maximise your payout by offering you a 100% agreement.