We all consider shops and shopping centres fairly safe places to be. But sometimes accidents can occur if the business owners do not correctly follow health and safety procedures. Accidents in shops tend to happen very suddenly and can be traumatic for the injured party. Your gut reaction may be to get up and try and brush it off through embarrassment but it is important to report the incident. Even the most minor injuries can manifest into more serious conditions if not dealt with promptly.
We would also advise you to get a medical examination straight after an accident of any kind, no amount of compensation can make up for a lifelong injury that could have been treated earlier and had a more positive outcome. Your health should always be your number one priority. The supermarket should have an appointed first aider who you can request to take a look at and assess your injuries. We would also suggest getting checked out by your GP or by an A&E doctor depending on the severity of the accident.
What are shop accident claims?
Shop accident claims are personal injury claims that happen in any type of shop or shopping centre, some of the most common causes of shop accidents are:
Slips, trips and falls
Objects falling from height
Badly maintained fixtures and fittings
Manual handling
Poor staff training
Falling from height
It isn’t only customers who can suffer an injury in a shop, the shop employees are at risk too, for example if the staff member has not been trained in manual handling or falling from height and is injured as a result the shop could be found in breach of their duty of care and found negligent of their health and safety processes and failure to provide sufficient training. Similarly, if a staff member slips on a floor that has been recently mopped but no signs are up to warn them, they are also in breach of the HSE safety at work rules.
When you suffer an injury in a shop as either a customer or employee, it’s important to report it as soon as possible and the details of the incident should be recorded in the company accident book. It’s a legal requirement for businesses to have an accident book so if they don’t offer to record it you should insist upon it. As a last resort, if they refuse, write a letter or email that details the accident. It’s vital there is a written paper trail of the event.
You should also where possible take photos of the cause of the accident and your injuries straight afterwards and take down the details of any witnesses. Even if you initially have no intention of making a personal injury claim your circumstances might change later and it’s better to have gathered all the necessary evidence just in case you later decide to pursue a claim.
How does a shop accident claim help me?
Nothing can reverse the suffering you may have endured as a result of your accident. Compensation can help you live a more comfortable life after the incident. This could provide much-needed relief if you have had to take time off following an accident to recover and as a consequence are on a reduced wage or no wage if you have had to quit your job completely.
Any compensation awarded will take into account the pain and suffering caused to you and your family, loss of earnings, medical treatment needed now and in the future and the impact the accident has had on your family life and hobbies.
If you’ve been injured while out shopping or working in a shop, our personal injury specialists will be able to provide you with a no obligation consultation to discuss if you have a case to claim compensation. Call our shop accident claims solicitors now to find out more.