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Accidents on Private and Public Property

If you or a member of your family is suffering from a personal injury caused by an accident on public or private property, our specialist personal injury lawyers may be able to help you claim compensation. Contact us today on 0800 032 8511 for claim advice, or by completing a claim enquiry form.

Accidents on Private Property
Accidents on Public Property
Making an Injury Claim
Compensation
Specialist Personal Injury Lawyers

Successful Claims for Accidents on Public or Private Property

Accidents on Private Property

This type of accident could occur in a number of places, be it in someone’s private or council owned home, or another privately owned building or area. 

As with any personal injury matter, it is necessary to establish that the occupier’s negligence caused the injury. Additionally, with this type of accident it is important to find out whether or not the property is covered by an insurance policy. This is because almost all injury claims for damages are made against the liability insurance of the responsible party.

It is possible to claim against an uninsured individual directly in some cases, however this is very difficult as they may not be able to satisfy the judgement made against them.

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Accidents on Public Property

Accidents in places open to the public, such as shops, museums and hospitals are likely to always be covered by public liability insurance. This will generally make a personal injury claim possible if it can be proven that the owner/occupier caused the accident through negligence or breach of duty.

If you suffer an accident in a public place and sustain an injury as a result, you should try to ensure that the incident is recorded in an accident book where possible (for example if the incident occurred in a supermarket, amusement park or school).

Injuries on public property can occur in a number of ways.  You may suffer a slip, trip or fall, come into contact with a hazardous substance, suffer food poisoning or be injured by defective or poorly maintained facilities, for example.

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Making an Injury Claim

Firstly, if an accident occurs, it is important to record as much information as possible. This could include witness information, photographs and general details of the accident. Also remember to keep details of any medical treatment and receipts for any injury related expenses where relevant.

It is always important to obtain specialist legal advice from an experienced personal injury solicitor. In every case, medical evidence will be required, and in any personal injury claim it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.

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Compensation

There are two elements to a compensation award. The first is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and what is known as loss of amenity. This is called general damages and can include an award for your inability to do things after the accident that you used to be able to do before, eg, wash your car, go to work, walk the dog, etc. The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after an accident or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.

The second element of a compensation award is for your losses and expenses and is known as special damages. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the accident, so that these can be reclaimed. The aim is to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred.

Your lawyer will be able to collate all of the evidence and provide advice on the best way to pursue your case.

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Specialist Personal Injury Lawyers

The Legal Line's lawyers are experts in all areas of personal injury, with extensive experience in recovering compensation for the victims of accidents on private or public property.

They can provide specialist accident claim advice, assistance and guidance in helping you to pursue your claim to the best possible outcome.

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Successful Claims for Accidents on Public or Private Property

Our lawyers have assisted many injured people in recovering compensation.  Below are details of some of the cases we have dealt with involving accidents on private property and public property:

• Whilst browsing the aisles of a large DIY store, our client slipped and fell due to a large pool of water on the floor. There were no warning signs in place to alert customers to the hazard, so our client felt that the health and safety measures in place were insufficient and this led to her accident.

  She suffered a personal injury to her foot and ankle, for which she required hospital treatment and had to wear a plaster cast. She later underwent extensive physiotherapy and, during her recovery, required help with most aspects of her day-to-day routine. Our client still has ongoing pain and weakness in her foot, which limits her activities.

  Our specialist lawyers assisted her in making a successful compensation claim for this accident in a public place, and recovered £11,000 damages on her behalf.

• Our client was approaching a public house via its car park, on his way to attend a quiz night there. Suddenly his right foot caught in a pothole in the surface, causing him to trip and fall. There were no signs warning of the hazard and it had not been cordoned off.

  He suffered facial injuries in the accident, including substantial bruising and lacerations above his eye. Our client required hospital treatment for his injuries and was left with some scarring. Our lawyers acted on his behalf in a personal injury claim against the public house and recovered £1,250 compensation in respect of his injuries and related losses.

• After visiting her gym, our client was walking out across the car park provided for members. She had noticed that the surface was quite icy and slippery on her way in, and the ice had still not been cleared by the time she left.

  She slipped on a patch of black ice and fell to the ground, fracturing her ankle. Our client required hospital treatment, time off from work and physiotherapy and needed assistance from family members during her recovery.

  Our specialist personal injury lawyers were able to assist her in recovering compensation for this slipping accident and obtained £12,500 damages on her behalf.

For articles on some of our other cases, visit the news and success stories sections.

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