How To Sue A Supermarket

Last updated 29th November 2024. Are you wondering how to sue a supermarket following an injury? If so, this guide on the personal injury claims process should provide you with the information you need.

We aim to explain how you may sustain an injury while at a supermarket and when a claim for compensation could be justified. Additionally, we will share how much compensation you could potentially receive for your injuries and how these claims are valued.

However, we understand that you may want to talk to someone about the specific circumstances of your case. If so, our friendly team of advisors are available 24/7 to answer your questions. They can also offer you free legal advice and may be able to connect you with a lawyer from our panel.

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How To Sue A Supermarket For Personal Injury

To understand how to sue a supermarket, you will first need to understand duties of care. A duty of care is a legal obligation to meet a certain standard of care. Lots of people and organisations have duties of care, including parents, teachers, doctors, road users, and many more. We will discuss the specific duty of care supermarkets have in the next section.

A breach is when a person or organisation with a duty of care falls below standards that are reasonably expected of them.

If you were injured in an accident in a supermarket due to a breach of duty of care, you may be eligible to make a claim for negligence. This is the basis of many supermarket accident claims.

In order to make a valid claim, there are certain criteria you must prove:

  • A third-party had a duty of care over you.
  • They breached this duty of care, causing a preventable incident.
  • You were harmed as a direct result of this incident.

If you can show these three conditions, you can make a claim for negligence, at which point the third-party will have to show that they did all they reasonably could to keep you safe.

Contact us today for more information on how this works. You can also keep reading for more information and examples.

Examples Of Accidents In A Supermarket

The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 states that anyone in control of a public place must ensure they are doing all they reasonably can to keep members of the public safe whilst they are using that space for the purpose intended. This piece of legislation also covers supermarkets.

The legislation uses the term “occupier” to describe a person in control of a public space, although they do not actually need to occupy the premises. An occupier could prevent accidents by performing regular risk assessments and ensuring that the space they are in control of is free of hazards, for example.

If they fail to adhere to this duty of care, then this could result in an accident that causes injury. For example:

  • A supermarket has not properly installed a heavy wall display. This display falls from the wall and hits you, causing you to suffer from a broken rib and broken forearm.
  • There is a cracked floor tile near the entrance of the shop that the occupier is aware of but has not taken steps to repair or alert members of the public of the hazard.  You trip over on the loose tile and suffer from a broken cheekbone and broken thumb in the fall.

You may be wondering what evidence you need to prove liability if you want to sue a supermarket. Some evidence you could use to support your claim is:

  • CCTV footage of the accident. You may be able to request CCTV footage that you appear in.
  • The contact details of any eyewitnesses (this is so that a legal professional can collect a statement from them).
  • Any photographs of the accident scene or your injuries.
  • A copy of your medical records stating your injuries and what treatments you may have received.

You may want to receive free advice on how to sue a supermarket if you have suffered a personal injury that they could have prevented. If so, you can call one of our advisors today.

How To Sue A Supermarket For Slips And Trips

One kind of accident that could occur in a supermarket is a slip or trip accident. Some examples of how you could suffer a slip or trip accident include:

  • A spillage or mopped floor that is not signposted by a “wet floor” sign. You slip and suffer a broken ankle.
  • You trip over on packaging from stock left on the shop floor. This causes you to suffer a broken foot.

As we have stated previously, you must prove that the supermarket breached their duty of care to you and, as a result of this, you were injured in an avoidable accident. If the person in control of the space did all that they could to ensure your safety, but you were injured despite this, you’d be unable to claim.

Call us today for more information on how to sue a supermarket for a slip or trip.

How Much Compensation Could I Get In A Claim Against A Supermarket?

If you decide to pursue a personal injury claim against a supermarket, your compensation settlement could be made up of special and general damages.

Special damages aim to compensate you for the financial losses accrued as a result of your injuries. This can include lost wages and paying for care while you recover, for example. You must provide sufficient evidence in order to claim special damages, such as invoices or bank statements.

General damages compensate you for how your injuries have affected your physical and mental well-being and how they have impacted your quality of life. Just like with special damages, you will need to provide sufficient evidence of your injuries, such as a copy of your medical reports. You may also be asked to attend an independent medical assessment.

Taking this into consideration, we have created the following compensation table with figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The reason we have used the JCG is because legal professionals use this document to assist them when valuing claims for general damages. Please remember that how much you could receive in compensation will depend on your specific circumstances, so only use this table as a guide.

InjurySeverityAmount
Multiple Injuries plus Special DamagesSevereUp to £1,000,000 or more
ArmSevere Injuries£117,360 to £159,770
Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement£47,810 to £73,050
AnkleVery Severe£61,090 to £85,070
Severe£38,210 to £61,090
Pelvis and HipSevere (i)£95,680 to £159,770
Moderate (i)£32,450 to £47.810
FootVery Severe£102,470 to £133,810
Severe£51,220 to £85,460
WristComplete Loss of Function (a)£58,710 to £73,050

Call us today for further guidance on how to sue a supermarket for your injuries.

Could I Start A No Win No Fee Agreement Straight Away?

If you are worried about the costs of funding legal representation when making a personal injury claim, then a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) might be beneficial to you. A CFA is a type of No Win No Fee Agreement, and it allows you access to the representation of a solicitor without the upfront fees this can entail.

With this kind of agreement in place, you will generally only be required to pay your solicitor for their services if they win your claim. This will be a success fee taken from your compensation that is legally capped. If your claim is not a success, you usually won’t need to pay your lawyer for the work that they have done.

Contact our advisors today if you would like more information on how our panel of personal injury solicitors could help you make a claim. They can provide you with further information on how to sue a supermarket.

Speak To Us About How To Sue A Supermarket

If you are still unsure about how to sue a supermarket for your injuries, you can speak with us today. Our team of advisors are on-hand 24/7 to offer your free advice and answer any questions regarding your claim.

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Learn More About How To Sue A Supermarket

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