We know that the experience of being injured while going about your daily life can have an incredible impact on your life. Depending on the severity of the injury, you may have suffered financial loss and ongoing expenses as well as pain and suffering. You may find it hard or impossible to take part in activities you once enjoyed, and you may feel reluctant or unable to go out in public again.

When you are out in public, businesses as well as local councils and other public bodies have a duty to keep you safe. If they fail to do so and you get injured as a result, you could be entitled to compensation.

Get expert help to make an accident in a public place claim

WSP Solicitors’ expert Personal Injury Claims team are highly experienced in pursuing accidents in public places claims for a wide range of clients. We can help you find out if you may be owed compensation, then take decisive action to get you the money you are owed.

Your claim will be run by one of our qualified personal injury lawyers, Demelza Pallant, Lisa Walton or John Davies. They each have over 10 years’ experience in the industry, so you are guaranteed to get someone working for you who is qualified and able to provide you with the very best legal advice.

We have a strong track record of success, regularly securing substantial accident in public place compensation for our clients. With accreditation from APIL – The Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, you can be assured we have the expertise to handle your claim effectively.

Take advantage of our no win no fee accident in public place claim funding

We offer no win, no fee funding for accident in public places claims, so there is no upfront cost or financial risk to you when pursuing a claim with WSP Solicitors.

Alternative funding options, such as legal expenses insurance may also be available depending on your situation.

Find out more about funding your personal injury claim.

Have a free initial consultation with our accident in public places solicitors

We know that the thought of taking legal action can be intimidating and confusing, especially when dealing with the consequences of an injury. That’s why we offer a free initial consultation with our team, so you can ask any questions you have and find out if you may be able to claim before deciding whether to take action.

Request a free initial consultation with our accident in public place lawyers using our simple enquiry form.

Looking for a quick answer to a question about accidents in public places?

Take a look at our personal injury claims FAQs or feel free to ask us what you want to know and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Confused by any terminology you’ve heard? Check out our guide to personal injury claims jargon for clear explanations of all the key terms.

Book your free consultation with our expert accident in public places solicitors

To book your free initial consultation with our accident in public place claims team, please contact your local WSP Solicitors office in Gloucester, Stroud or Dursley, or use our simple enquiry form and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Types of accident in public place claims we can assist with

Our expert accident in public places lawyers can advise on all types of public injury claims, including:

• Claims against local authorities and public bodies for accidents in public places
• Claims against private companies for accidents in public places
• Slips, trips and falls in public places
• Injuries from falling objects
• Injuries from collapsing objects, walkways or stairs etc
• Pavement accident claims
• Sports injury claims
• Gym injury claims
• Swimming pool injury claims
• Supermarket and shop injury claims
• Dog bite claims
• Horse riding injury claims
• Beauty treatment claims
• Tattoo injury claims
• Injuries in restaurant, cafés, pubs and takeaways
• Accidents in private or rented properties
• Children’s accidents in public places (including injuries at school)
• Accidents at train stations and on public transport
• Accidents on holiday in the UK claims

To find out more about our specific expertise in the type of claim you need assistance with, please get in touch.

How accident in public place claims work

Finding out if you are owed accident in public place compensation

During our initial consultation with you, we will talk through your situation and how the accident happened and will provide advice about whether you may be owed compensation.

We understand that reliving the accident may be traumatic for you, so we aim to provide a warm, comfortable and safe environment for you where we hope you feel able to talk openly.

In general, we need to show that:

• You were owed a duty of care. For example, if you were in a shop when the accident happened, the shop owner will owe you a duty of care to keep you safe and not cause you harm.
• They failed in this duty of care leading to your injuries. For example, the shop owner did not clean up or put out a warning sign after a spillage leading to you slip and fall.

Gathering evidence to support your accident in a public place claim

If we agree to take on your case, we will start gathering evidence on your behalf. This evidence could include:

• Your testimony of what happened
• Eyewitness accounts – this can include witnesses who did not see the accident itself, such as the medical team who treated you at the hospital
• Evidence from independent medical experts
• CCTC footage or other documentary evidence of the accident

Our accident in public place solicitors will ensure that all the necessary evidence is brought together to build the strongest possible compensation claim.

Working out how much accident in public place compensation you can claim

You will, of course, be keen to know how much compensation (also called ‘damages’) you could receive for the public place injury.

What you can claim will depend on factors such as how bad your injuries are and the impact (both financial and non-financial) on your life. Damages fall into two main categories:

General damages – For non-financial losses, such as pain and suffering, losing the ability to carry out normal activities (known as ‘loss of amenity’) and reduced quality of life.

Special damages – For specific financial losses, such as medical fees, rehabilitation costs, care fees, lost income and reduced future earning capacity.

For more information on what you can claim for an injury in a public place, please take a look at our personal injury claims FAQs.

Seeking an out-of-court settlement for your accident in a public place claim

We are able to settle the vast majority of injury in a public place compensation claims out of court. This means we can get our clients the compensation they deserve as quickly and cost effectively as possible.

The legal fees for settling out of court are usually much lower, allowing our clients to avoid the stress of full court proceedings while still getting the maximum compensation available.

Taking an injury in a public place claim to court

Sometimes, it is just not possible to settle out of court. If this is the case for you, we will provide clear, practical advice about making an accident in a public place court claim.

We will provide a high level of support throughout the process with a full understanding of how challenging court proceedings can be. We will always aim to make the process as simple and straightforward as possible for you.

Common questions about accident in public places claims

Is there a time limit for accident in public place claims?

In most cases, you must start your accident in public place claim within three years of the date of the injury. However, there are some exceptions to this rule:

• If you only realise you were injured or that someone else was to blame later on – in this case, you have three years from the date you realised or the date you reasonably could have to realised.
• If you were under 18 years old when the injury happened – you will have three years from your 18^th
• If you need to make a claim on behalf of a child – you can start the claim at any point until they turn 18 years old.
• If the injured person has died – you have three years from the date of death to start the claim.

For a more in-depth explanation of personal injury claim time limits and the various exceptions, please take a look at our personal injury claims FAQs.

Can I claim accident in public place compensation if the accident was partly my fault?

Yes, you can. So long as someone else was partly to blame for your injuries, you can claim compensation. When you are partly to blame, it is called ‘contributory negligence’.

It is also up to the negligent party to prove that you were partly to blame, so you do not need to be put off making a claim if you feel anxious about your role in the situation.

For example, if the negligent party claims that you were under the influence of alcohol when you had an accident in a public place, they would be required to prove it ‘on the balance of probabilities’ – i.e. there is 51% certainty that you were, in fact, drunk when the accident took place.

If the other party can prove contributory negligence, the compensation you receive will be adjusted depending on how responsible you were. For example, if you were 25% at fault, then you can claim 75% of the compensation you would have been able to claim if the other party was 100% at fault.

For a more in-depth explanation of claiming compensation where you were partially at fault, please take a look at our personal injury claims FAQs.

How long does an accident in a public place claim take?

No two accidents are the same, so how long your claim will take will depend on the individual circumstances of your case.

Typically, claiming compensation for an accident in a public place will take a few months to a few years. Factors which affect how long your claim takes could include:

• The type of accident you were involved in
• How serious your injuries are
• How long it takes to gather the necessary evidence – e.g. if witnesses need to be tracked down or CCTV footage obtained
• Whether the other party accepted they were at fault

If you need compensation immediately to cover things like medical expenses or your day-to-day cost, we may be able to secure interim payments while your claim is ongoing if the other party is prepared to accept liability.

What to do if you have an accident in a public place?

If you have an accident in a public place, it is a good idea to document as much as possible. Of course, seeking medical attention is the first most important step, but you could also:

• Take photos
• Record names and testimonials from witnesses
• Report it to the responsible party

Will claiming accident in public place compensation affect my means-tested benefits?

Receiving compensation may affect your right to means-tested benefits due to the change in your financial circumstances. However, you can usually avoid this by setting up a Personal Injury Trust which ringfences your compensation and stops it from being taken into account during means testing.

Setting up a Personal Injury Trust is something our expert trust lawyers can assist with.

Didn’t find the answer you were looking for?

Take a look at our personal injury claims FAQs or feel free to ask us what you want to know and we’ll get back to you promptly.

Book your free consultation with our expert accident in public places solicitors

To book your free initial consultation with our accident in public place claims team, please contact your local WSP Solicitors office in Gloucester, Stroud or Dursley, or use our simple enquiry form and we’ll get back to you promptly.