How To Claim For An Accident In A Supermarket

By Danielle Nicholson. Last Updated 9th November 2023. In this article, we look at whether you could seek personal injury compensation for an accident in a supermarket. We’ll explain what eligibility requirements you must satisfy in order to have good grounds to make a personal injury claim. 

We also explore a few examples of evidence that could be submitted when making a supermarket accident claim. Additionally, we provide a section on how compensation could be awarded when a claim is successful.  

To conclude, this article will look at how having the support of a No Win No Fee solicitor during the claims process could benefit you. 

If you have any questions about supermarket accident claims you can ask them for free. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer any advice you need. 

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Accident in supermarket claims guide

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Can I Claim Compensation After An Accident In A Supermarket?

You might be wondering when you could claim for an accident in a supermarket. To have good grounds for a personal injury claim, you will need to prove that:

  • The person in control of the space owed you a duty of care.
  • They breached this duty.
  • As a result, you suffered an injury.

When you are in a public place, such as a supermarket, the person in control of that space owes you a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA). This means that they have to take steps to ensure your reasonable safety while using the space for its intended purpose. If they fail to do so, and this causes you to suffer an injury, then you may be able to make a claim.

Our team of advisors are here to help if you’d like to learn more about supermarket accident claims. Get in touch today to find out if you could be eligible to claim, or read on to learn more about the personal injury claims process.

Time Limits For Supermarket Accident Claims

If you are eligible to claim compensation for your supermarket accident, you must begin your claim within the time limit. The Limitation Act 1980 sets this as three years from the date you suffered your injuries. 

However, there are some exceptions to the three-year limit. For example, minors under the age of eighteen cannot claim for themselves until their eighteenth birthday. Then, they will have until their twenty-first birthday to start their claim. Otherwise, a litigation friend can begin legal proceedings on their behalf.

The time limit will also freeze for those who do not have the mental capacity to make their own claim. In these cases, a litigation friend can claim on their behalf. The limitation period will only reinstate if a claim has not already been made and the claimant recovers the needed capacity.

Speak with one of our advisors regarding any questions about the limitation period for supermarket accident claims. 

Common Types Of Accidents In A Supermarket

There are various types of injuries you could suffer in an accident in a supermarket. These include:

  • Slipping on a wet floor. If the supermarket was aware of a spillage and did not take any steps to ensure your reasonable safety, such as putting up a wet floor sign in a timely manner, this could result in a broken ankle.
  • Poor housekeeping. Walkways should be clear of clutter and obstructions. If they aren’t, you could trip over items left on the floor, such as packaging, and suffer an arm injury. 
  • Objects falling from a height could result in a head injury. Shelves should be stacked safely. If the supermarket is aware that the shelving is unsafe and has not taken any steps to fix it, this could result in a collapse that causes injuries.

To further discuss supermarket accident claims, connect with one of the advisors from our team. 

Gathering Evidence To Support A Supermarket Accident Claim

In order to be eligible to make a personal injury claim following an accident in a supermarket, you must be able to prove that your injuries occurred due to a breach of a duty of care owed to you. This is known as negligence.

Collecting sufficient evidence could help prove the injuries you suffered along with liability. Some examples of evidence that could help support your supermarket accident claim include:

  • Videos of the incident, such as from CCTV.
  • The contact details of anyone who saw the accident so they can give a statement later into the claiming process.
  • A copy of your medical records, which illustrate the nature of the injuries you suffered along with what treatment you required.
  • Photographs of the accident scene and any visible injuries you suffered.

If you need any help with how to claim compensation, please get in touch with our advisors. They can give you free advice about how to gather evidence.

Examples Of Compensation Payouts For An Accident In A Supermarket

Settlements for successful supermarket accident claims could consist of two parts: general and special damages. 

General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your injuries. Those responsible for valuing this part of your claim may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) for guidance. These guidelines provide a list of compensation brackets for different types of injuries. 

Our table below looks at a few figures for injuries that could be relevant to an accident in a supermarket. As every claim is different, these values are only to be used as a guide. 

The top entry in this table has not been taken from the JCG.

Type of Injury/ Body PartLevel of SeverityHow Much Could You Claim?Further Comments
Multiple Injuries With Financial LossesSevereUp to £1,000,000+Compensation for multiple injuries that are severe plus special damages such as a loss of earnings.
Brain/Head Injury Very Severe Brain Damage £282,010 to £403,990Little or no response to environment, little or no language function and double incontinence. There may be some ability to follow basic commands and recovery of sleep and waking patterns.
Arm Injury Severe £96,160 to £130,930The injuries will fall short of amputation but will still be incredibly serious and leave the claimant little better off than if the arm had been lost.
Hand Injury(B)£55,820 to £84,570Serious damage to both hands. There will be a significant loss of function and permanent cosmetic issues.
Knee Injury Severe (ii)£52,120 to £69,730Leg fractures that extend into the knee joint. This will cause permanent pain alongside other issues.
Back Injury Moderate (ii)£12,510 to £27,760Could include disturbance of muscles and ligaments. It could also involve the exacerbation of a pre-existing condition.
Foot Injury Serious£24,990 to £39,200Injuries leading to the risk of future arthritis or continuous pain from traumatic arthritis. There will also be a need for prolonged treatment and risk of fusion surgery.
Wrist Injury (C)£12,590 to £24,500Less severe injuries where the result is still some form of permanent disability.

You may also be awarded special damages. Special damages are awarded to compensate for the financial losses caused by your injuries. Here are a few examples of expenses you could be compensated for:

  • Medical costs, including prescriptions, mobility aids and therapy
  • Expenses for adaptations made to your home, such as installing a stairlift
  • Loss of earnings for time spent off work to recover. This could include pension contributions. 
  • Care and nursing costs

You should submit proof of your expenditure, such as receipts, invoices, wage slips or bank statements otherwise you may not get compensated for them.

If you have any questions about how a personal injury claim could be valued, speak with one of our team members. 

How Advice Can Help You Claim For An Accident In A Supermarket With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

Supermarket injury claims can be made with the support of supermarket accident solicitors, though you are not obliged to hire legal help. If you are worried about not having the money for a large upfront solicitor’s fee, there is another way. In No Win No Fee personal injury claims, you could be offered what is known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

A CFA is a type of funding arrangement. When supermarket injury claims are funded this way, claimants are not asked to pay an upfront solicitor’s fee. However, when a claim is successful, and compensation is awarded, what is known as a success fee will be taken from the award. This is capped by law to avoid you being overcharged. If no compensation is awarded, the claimant will not be required to pay their solicitor.

If you have been injured in a public place accident, such as an accident in a supermarket, you could be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries.

Call Advice for your free personal injury claims consultation and if you are entitled to claim, we will provide you with an excellent personal injury lawyer to handle your claim.

The personal injury claims solicitors that we work with have years of experience handling claims for compensation for injuries in shops, and will always fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation that you could be awarded.

Contact Our Team Today

If you believe you are entitled to claim compensation for an accident in a supermarket call us for free today. We’re looking forward to receiving your call.

  • Get all your evidence and make a note of what happened to you.
  • Contact one of our experts via calling on 0161 696 9685, message our live chat or fill out our online contact form.
  • Our advisors will assess the potential success of your claim and will potentially connect you with a solicitor from our panel so you can start your claim today.

Further Advice And Support

We hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any further queries about claiming compensation after an accident in a supermarket, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.