I tripped over a box at a supermarket – can I make a claim?

If you have suffered a personal injury in a trip at a supermarket, you may be able to make a compensation claim. We at Clearwater Solicitors have the skills and experience you need to succeed in your compensation claim – fill in our online enquiry form or call us on 08000 430 430 to get started.

Many supermarkets offer free boxes to shoppers, and this service is much-appreciated by their customers. However, boxes can create tripping hazards, and must be stored in an appropriate manner and cleaned up should they fall to the floor.Obstacles in walkways and aisles are seen in a huge number of supermarket accident claims, with spilt food, cables and pallet trucks also creating trip hazards and causing personal injuries. Supermarkets must put systems in place to deal with these risks and ensure that nobody suffers a tripping accident as a result of its negligence.

Supermarkets, and all other retailers, have a duty of care towards the public and their staff, and must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure their premises do not contain any trip risks. This could involve developing effective cleaning regimens, regularly checking aisles for tripping hazards, storing cardboard boxes in a safe location and creating suitable waste management systems.
To succeed in a compensation claim after tripping over a box in a supermarket, your case must meet the following criteria:

–          The accident must have been caused by the company’s negligence

This means that the accident must have been reasonably foreseeable and that the company should have been reasonably able to have prevented it. If you drop a box on the floor yourself and trip over it, it could be argued that the accident was not avoidable and supermarket staff would have been able to deal with the problem. However, if the box remained on the floor for a long period of time, a supermarket should have been able to have cleaned up the box before you tripped over it. This will show that it failed in its duty of care and should enable you to make a compensation claim.

–          You must have suffered a personal injury

You can demonstrate that you suffered a personal injury by visiting a doctor after the trip and having your injuries recorded. Some common personal injuries trips in supermarkets can lead to include back injuries, fractures, soft tissue damage, ankle injuries and wrist injuries.You will be compensated for your pain and suffering, as well as any financial losses you faced as a result of the injury. Keep records of lost wages and other expenses and provide these to your personal injury solicitors, so you can recover them in your supermarket accident compensation claim.

Clearwater Solicitors can help you succeed in your accident claim against the supermarket and recover every penny you are entitled to. Call 08000 430 430 to speak with us today, or fill in our online enquiry form to request a call back.