Accidents in Public Places

Accidents in Public Places: What Are Your Rights?

I Had an Accident in a Shop. Is It Even Worth Doing Anything About It?

Most people who contact Carter and Carter Solicitors about a public place accident start with the same thought. It probably was not serious enough. The staff were apologetic. It was embarrassing. It did not seem worth making a fuss.

In almost every case, they are wrong.

The Health and Safety Executive reported 680,000 non-fatal injuries across England and Wales in 2024/25. Slips, trips and falls accounted for 30% of all incidents. The same hazards that injure workers on factory floors injure shoppers on supermarket floors, diners in restaurants, and gym members on wet changing room tiles. The occupier of those premises has a legal duty to prevent foreseeable harm. When they fail, the person who is injured has a right to compensation for both the injury and the financial losses that follow.

That right exists regardless of whether the fall felt embarrassing at the time.

Does My Situation Actually Count? Every Type of Public Place Accident Claim

Public place accidents take many forms. The one thing most clients have in common is the assumption that their particular accident does not qualify.

It almost certainly does.

Carter and Carter Solicitors handles eight specific types of public place accident claim, each covered in detail on a dedicated page. If what happened to you matches one of the situations below, that page explains the law, the evidence, and the process for your exact scenario.

If your situation is not listed here, call 0800 652 0586. The principle is always the same: the occupier had a duty to keep you safe. If they breached it, you have a right to claim.

The Shop Said It Was Not Their Fault. Is That True?

When a shop, supermarket or restaurant tells a customer that an accident was not their responsibility, they are making a legal claim about their own compliance. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 requires every occupier of premises in England and Wales to take reasonable care to keep lawful visitors safe.

Reasonable care is specific. It means identifying hazards before they cause harm. It means running inspection and cleaning systems that actually work. It means warning visitors of dangers that cannot be removed immediately. It means maintaining floors, stairs, lighting, furniture and equipment to a standard that prevents foreseeable injury.

The question is never whether the visitor was being careful enough. The question is whether the occupier met the duty the law places on them.

The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 covers lawful visitors to any premises. The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1984 extends a more limited duty even to people who were not formally invited. The Highways Act 1980 creates a separate duty for local councils maintaining public roads and pavements. If the accident happened on a council pavement or road, that is a different legal route.

The time limit is three years from the date of the accident under the Limitation Act 1980. After three years, the right to claim is permanently lost.

Call 0800 652 0586 for a free assessment.

How Much Is My Public Place Accident Claim Actually Worth?

Compensation depends on the injury, how long recovery takes, and how the accident has affected daily life and the ability to work. The Judicial College Guidelines 17th Edition (April 2024) provide the framework used across England and Wales to assess injury value.

For minor soft tissue injuries, bruising and mild sprains, compensation starts from approximately 1,500 pounds. Moderate injuries including fractures, ligament damage and scarring are typically assessed between 4,000 and 12,000 pounds. Serious injuries requiring surgery, causing chronic pain, or resulting in permanent limitation are assessed from 12,000 pounds upward.

Carter and Carter publishes its fee at 10% of the compensation recovered when claims settle without issuing court proceedings. Full fee details are published at /why-work-with-us/.

I Did Not Report It at the Time. Have I Already Lost My Chance?

No. A late report does not prevent a claim.

Medical records carry evidential weight. Photographs taken days after the accident are still useful. A written account sent to the venue by email creates a dated record even weeks later. Witness recollections, staff names, and the layout of the premises can all be gathered after the event.

But evidence does decay. And it decays faster than most people expect.

A solicitor’s letter of claim, sent promptly, creates a legal obligation on the venue to preserve all footage, records and logs. That single letter protects the evidence that proves the case.

The limitation period under the Limitation Act 1980 is three years from the date of the accident. That is an absolute deadline. But the real deadline is not three years. It is the 14 to 30 days before the CCTV is gone.

What Actually Happens If I Pick Up the Phone?

Most public place accident claims resolve within four to nine months. The process has four steps.

99% of claims do not proceed to a final court hearing. The same senior solicitor handles every stage. The person who takes the first call is the person who negotiates the settlement.

No Win No Fee Sounds Straightforward. But What Do I Actually Pay?

If the claim does not succeed, the claimant pays nothing. No upfront fees. No hidden charges. No financial risk at any stage.

If the claim succeeds, Carter and Carter charges 10% of the compensation when the claim settles without the need to issue court proceedings. If court proceedings are required, the fee is 25%. That is the legal maximum.

These fees are published openly at /why-work-with-us/ before the first phone call. Not after the paperwork is signed. Before.

There Are Hundreds of Solicitors. Why Would I Pick a Small Specialist Firm?

Because small is a choice, not a limitation.

Public Place Accident Solicitors Serving England and Wales

Whether the accident happened in Manchester, Birmingham, London, Leeds, Liverpool or any town across England and Wales, the law is the same. Shops, supermarkets, restaurants and venues must keep visitors safe. Carter and Carter Solicitors handles public place accident claims for clients wherever they are based, managed entirely by phone, email and post.

Chris Carter (qualified 1993) and David Healey (qualified 2005) handle every claim personally. Two senior solicitors with 54 years of combined experience, available on direct phone numbers from day one. No call centres, no departments, no handoffs.

Last updated: April 2026