Injuring yourself in a public space is your worst nightmare, especially if you trip or fall because of the fear of embarrassment. But if you suffer an accident due to someone else’s fault, you can claim compensation for personal injuries. 

Depending on the circumstances leading to the accident, getting a fair amount of compensation may be challenging if you don’t benefit from professional guidance. As with all personal injury claims, public place accident claims depend on the clear evidence you can provide to show that your injuries result from an entity or person’s failure to properly care to prevent an accident like the one you experienced. 

Transport interchanges, public parks, supermarkets, footpaths, schools, shopping centers, and even private properties are defined as public places where the manager or owner can be held liable if they fail to care and maintain the venue to provide a safe space for those who want to use it. Any accident resulting in injuries in a public place as a result of loose materials left on the floor, uneven surfaces, unsafe surroundings, or other similar factors allows you to claim compensation. 

If you get injured in a public space like a shopping center or park, you should know that the operator is required by law to have public liability insurance to cover this kind of accident. In this situation, an insurer will evaluate your compensation claim and determine how much compensation they provide to cover emergency medical treatment, physiotherapy, counseling, rehabilitation, and lost wages due to being unable to work. 

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What should you do if you get injured in a public space?

In order to increase your chances to get compensation for your injuries, you need to follow a couple of steps after the incident to properly document it and prove you weren’t at fault for its occurrence. 

Of course, your top priority is to assess how badly injured you are and seek immediate medical treatment to prevent your injuries from causing severe health issues. Due to your medical state, you may find it impossible to follow some of the steps listed below. Suppose you have to be removed from the accident scene and transported to the hospital to receive care for your injuries. In that case, you shouldn’t refuse assistance only to gather evidence because you may further hurt yourself. You can ask a family member, friend, or colleague to do it for you if they can assist. 

Ideally, when you’re injured in a public space accident, you need to follow these steps:

– Write down details about the location where you got hurt

– Find out the name and details of the owner or manager who should care for the area where you had the accident, and if possible, acquire their insurance details. 

– Report the incident to the owner or operator of the property. If you experienced your injury in a shopping center or another commercial venue, it most likely has a formal accident reporting process in place that requires you to fill out a form to provide details about the accident. 

– If possible, take photos of the place and any evidence that could show how the venue’s owner neglected to care for the space and indirectly caused your injuries. 

– Collect contact information from witnesses because your personal injury solicitor may have to contact them later. 

– Keep all records of the medical treatment you received to document your injuries and the extent of your recovery. The insurance provider may ask for the invoices and receipts to calculate the amount of compensation you deserve. 

Examples of public injury claims

To get compensation for an accident you experienced in a public space, you need to prove that the space owner contributed to your injuries through lack of maintenance. Public place accidents include several injuries and incidents. 

The most common types of public liability claims include:

– Injuries in public spaces like parks

– Falls or slips on wet floors or icy sidewalks

– Injuries experienced in amusement venues

– Accidents occurred in rental properties

– Animal-related incidents

– Injuries experienced during recreational activities in public spaces

– Injuries sustained on school grounds

– Car or bike crash on poorly maintained roads

– Falls due to dimly lit stairs 

– Accidents resulted from a lack of warning signs

– Injuries on construction building sites

– Tripping on uneven surfaces

– Contracting a virus or illness in an inadequately cleaned public space

If you’re not sure if you should claim compensation for an injury you experience in a public place, get in touch with the specialists from Personal Injury Claims UK because they have broad experience in public injury claims and can assist you. 

How to claim compensation for a public place accident

The easiest way to get the right amount of compensation for your injuries is to hire a solicitor to guide your steps. Contact an agency specializing in personal injury claims with a team of skilled solicitors who can answer your questions, document your individual situation, and assist you. Most companies ask for no fees for the initial conversation. 

If you decide to continue with the personal injury claim, you’ll work with an experienced solicitor who assesses your case and gathers evidence required to prove that you suffered an accident in a public place that caused you injuries. Once the personal injury lawyer builds your case, they submit the request for compensation with the insurance provider and wait for their response. At this stage, they may be able to estimate how much you should expect to receive. Depending on the case’s particular circumstances, the insurer may immediately accept the claim and provide compensation or try to negotiate a financial settlement. Your personal injury solicitor can tell you if the settlement is fair or you should ask for a higher one. In case you’re not happy with the financial compensation the insurer offers, you can take action in court. 

As you could read in this article, you can claim compensation for a public place accident, but it’s smart to seek the advice of experienced legal specialists to assist you in the process.