Slip, Trip or Fall in a Public Place? What to do Next

A slip, trip or a fall is a very common accident and can happen to anyone anywhere. Whether it occurs from falling down the stairs at home or tripping over some uneven pavement slabs you may be entitled to claim for compensation.

When involved in a slip, trip or fall our natural reaction is to get up as quickly as possible from this highly embarrassing situation and keep walking with our heads down deeply hoping that no one else witnessed what just happened, sound familiar? We've all most likely done this at some point in our lives but what we never do is stop and assess the situation; why did you fall? This is the one question that you should be thinking as in most slip, trip or fall scenarios you are often not to blame. Some of the main reasons that people end up slipping, tripping or falling in a public place is due to aspects such as uneven paving, wet floor surfaces without the appropriate warning signs and obstructions left on the floor. In all of these situations you will be unaware that there is a potential problem so if you slip, trip or fall in a public place due to aspects such as those previously mentioned the fault of your accident lies with the person responsible for the flooring.

If it happened due to uneven paving then your local council is responsible. If it happened due to an obstruction left in an aisle of a shop then the shop owner is responsible. If your accident happened due to a wet floor with no warning sign in a public building then again the owner of said building is responsible.

The fact that in most cases you are not at fault for a slip, trip or fall accident in a public place means that however embarrassed you are about the situation you should stay at the scene and examine why the accident happened. Speak to witnesses who may have seen what happened and if possible take pictures of the scene; all of these will be vital if you are hoping to make a claim for compensation.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that the flooring of a building or paving area is in a safe condition. Any uneven slabs should be aligned correctly and replaced if necessary. If any spills occur they should be cleaned up immediately and the correct warning signs should be put in place.

If you have suffered a slip, trip or fall accident in the last three years that was caused through no fault of your own then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. As previously mentioned if you are hoping to make a claim for compensation you should collect as much evidence from the scene as you can and also go and see your doctor. This may sound a bit excessive but having a record of any treatment that you may receive is another way of securing your compensation claim.

For more information about making a claim for compensation following a slip, trip or fall accident then contact a team of solicitors today who will be able to handle your claim from start to finish.