Can You Sue A Supermarket For Slipping?

While most trips to the supermarket pass without incident, sometimes accidents do occur. Perhaps one of the most common is where a customer slips on spillages, leaks or wet floors. A common question asked is, “Can you sue a supermarket for slipping?”. As such, we’ve written this article to explain the types of accidents and injuries that could lead to a personal injury claim against a supermarket for injuries caused by slipping.

You can get free legal advice about your options if you call our team for a no-obligation initial consultation. During your call, we’ll try to work out the likelihood that you’ll be compensated. If your case appears to be strong enough, a personal injury lawyer on our panel may agree to support you. If they do, you won’t need to pay any legal fees whatsoever as you’ll be represented on a No Win, No Fee basis.

To find out more about claiming compensation if you slipped in a supermarket, please read on.  Alternatively, call us on 0800 652 1345 to review your options right away.

Can I claim compensation for slipping in a supermarket?

Supermarkets owe all customers and visitors a legal duty of care. This means they must take reasonable steps to try and prevent slipping accidents on their premises. One of the laws that establishes this duty is the Occupiers Liability Act 1984.

As such you could sue a supermarket for slipping where:

• The supermarket’s duty of care was breached by an act of negligence; and
• That caused you to slip in the supermarket; and
• As a result, you sustained injuries.

It’s crucial that all of the above can be proven if you’re to sue a supermarket for compensation successfully.

Types of injuries a supermarket might be sued for

If you see someone slip on a floor in a supermarket, the incident might seem amusing initially. However, all of the humour will disappear when you think about the consequences of the accident. In some cases, slips and falls can lead to fairly minor injuries that heal within days. However, some can be a lot more serious or life-changing injuries.

We won’t list every potential injury that you could sustain from slipping in a supermarket here but some of the most common include:

• Strains and sprains.
• Back injuries.
• Head injuries.
• Excessive bruising.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Fractures.
• Dislocations.

In many cases, the arms, wrists, fingers and thumb injuries are common because you’ll use them to try and break your fall. That said, our solicitors could help you to claim for any type of injury sustained from a slip and fall in a supermarket.

What can cause slipping injuries in a supermarket?

When it comes to accidents in supermarkets, there can be various causes for slipping injuries that may be attributed to the supermarket owner’s negligence including:

• Wet or recently cleaned floors. Failing to promptly clean up spills or not allowing sufficient time for wet floors to dry after cleaning can result in slippery surfaces.
• Leaky refrigeration units or freezers. If refrigeration units or freezers are not properly maintained, repaired or replaced, they can leak water onto the floor, creating a slip hazard.
• Poorly maintained entrances. Entrances to the supermarket can become slippery due to rainwater, melted snow, or ice being traipsed in from outside. Neglecting to provide adequate matting or failing to promptly address these conditions can lead to slipping injuries.
• Improper use of floor cleaning products. Using excessive amounts of floor cleaning solutions or using the wrong type of cleaning product can leave a residue that makes the floor dangerously slippery.
• Greasy or oily surfaces. In areas where food is prepared or cooked such as a restaurant in the supermarket, spills of oil or grease can occur. Again, failing to promptly clean up these spills or not providing proper anti-slip measures could lead to slips and falls.
• Lack of slip-resistant flooring. Supermarkets should ideally have flooring materials that offer slip-resistant properties to minimise the risk of slips and falls in certain areas such as the toilets and cafeteria.
• Inadequate warning signs. Not putting out warning signs near wet areas, spills, or recently cleaned floors can prevent customers and supermarket staff from being aware of potential slip hazards.
• Lack of employee training. Insufficiently trained staff may not be aware of proper cleaning techniques or fail to take appropriate actions to address and prevent slippery supermarket floors.

There are, of course, other reasons why you could have slipped over in a supermarket so don’t worry if we’ve not described your accident here. You can still call us and see if you’re entitled to sue a supermarket for slipping.

Can I claim if I slipped in a supermarket as an employee?

Supermarket employees are protected by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This means that if you work in a supermarket, your employer must take steps to negate the risk of you being injured. If you have slipped at work because of your employer you may be entitled to claim compensation for any resultant injuries.

For example, you could claim if your accident was caused by:

• Inadequate training.
• A poorly maintained warehouse or storage area where spillages and leaks were not dealt with.
• Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as anti-slip footwear.
• Being forced to work faster than you’re able to and resulting in you slipping.

We can help if you’d like to claim compensation for an accident at work in a supermarket. Even if we’ve not described the reason why you slipped in a supermarket and hurt yourself, please call and we’ll review your case for free.

How much compensation do you get for slipping in a supermarket?

There isn’t a set figure for slipping on a floor in a supermarket as each claimant will have suffered differently. As such, if you do end up suing for compensation, your physical, financial and emotional suffering will need to be assessed.

As a result, you could receive compensation for:

• The pain and discomfort caused by physical injuries.
• Medical costs including private treatment and physiotherapy.
• Distress, anxiety and other types of psychological injuries.
• Care costs if you were supported by someone else while you were recovering.
• Lost wages (present and future).
• Travel expenses.
• Loss of amenities for any normal activities affected by your injuries.
• Any vehicle or home modifications necessary to help you cope with your slipping injuries.
• Mobility aids.
• The cost of replacing personal property damaged during your accident.

Please call us on 0800 652 1345 if you’d like to know more about how personal injury compensation is calculated.

Providing proof for slip in supermarket claims

After slipping and hurting yourself in a supermarket, having your wits about you could improve your chances of being compensated if you later decide to start a claim. One of the most important things you can do following a supermarket accident is to try and make sure there’s enough proof to show how the accident occurred and how you were injured. To obtain proof, you could:

• Report the accident. It’s important the supermarket in question knows you have slipped on a floor as soon as possible. Doing so will mean an accident report will be logged and you’ll be able to use this to help prove when and where you were injured.
• Maintenance and inspection records. If possible, obtain maintenance and inspection records of the supermarket premises. These records can help establish whether the supermarket owner or staff adhered to proper maintenance procedures, regular inspections, and corrective actions for slipping hazards.
• Photographic proof. Before the scene of the accident is cleared up, try to take pictures to help piece together what caused you to slip.
• Speak to any witnesses. If you slipped on a supermarket floor in front of others, ask them to give you their contact details. If you do decide to claim and your version of events is questioned by the supermarket, your solicitor could collect witness statements to verify what happened.
• Go to a hospital. You should seek professional medical advice about your injuries at a hospital, GP practice or minor injuries unit. Medical records and X-rays could be obtained to help verify the extent of your injuries.
• Collect CCTV footage. Another way to prove how your accident occurred is to provide video footage. So, if slipped in front of a supermarket CCTV camera, ask for a copy of the relevant data.

Your solicitor will review any proof you’ve got as part of their initial checks and, if your claim is accepted, will work hard to secure any further information needed.

How long do I have to sue a supermarket for slipping?

You typically have a three-year time limit to sue a supermarket for personal injury compensation. This will usually start either from the date of the injury or from when you reasonably became aware that your injury resulted from you slipping over in the supermarket. However, if your child was injured, their time limit will not start until they are 18 years of age. Before then, parents, guardians or adults can claim at any point on behalf of the child.

There are quite a few tasks your solicitor will need to carry out before your claim is filed so it’s often a good idea to begin the claims process as quickly as you can. If you leave things too long, your claim could be refused and you might be denied any compensation that is due.

No Win, No Fee claims

Taking on a personal injury claim alone may mean that you need to answer fairly complex legal and medical questions. We believe it’s better, therefore, to hire a solicitor who has the specialist training to deal with those sorts of queries. The solicitor’s on our panel offer a No Win, No Fee service for any slip in supermarket claims they take on.

If you decide to sue a supermarket after slipping and a solicitor from our panel offers to help, they’ll forward you a contract to sign. The Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), once signed, allows your solicitor to begin work without being paid in advance. Also, if you use a CFA to fund your work, your solicitor does not get paid if the claim fails.

Once work on your claim begins, your solicitor will:

• Collect and collate as much proof as possible to present a strong case.
• Inform the supermarket that you intend to sue them for your injuries.
• Answer any queries raised by the supermarket’s insurers and try to counter any objections they raise.
• Send you updates throughout the claims process.
• Fight to try and secure as much compensation as possible on your behalf.

If a settlement offer is received and you accept it, your solicitor will deduct an agreed percentage to cover the cost of their work. This is called a success fee. When using a CFA, the maximum success fee you will pay is 25 per cent.

To see if one of our No Win, No Fee solicitors could help you to claim, please speak to us today.

Start a slip in surpermarket claim today

If you’ve injured yourself after slipping in a supermarket, call us on 0800 652 1345 to discuss your chances of being compensated. After listening to what’s happened, your advisor will explain your legal options and provide answers to any questions you think of.

If your case against the supermarket appears strong enough, a personal injury lawyer on our panel may offer to represent you. If they do, you’ll receive their expertise and legal skills on a No Win, No Fee basis.

Please use live chat to connect with us to find out if you can sue a supermarket for slipping, or claim your free consultation here.