Accidents in Public Places Claim FAQs

An accident in a public place refers to any incident that occurs in a location accessible to the general public without them needing specific permission to be there. Some examples are parks, footpaths, shopping centres, gyms, supermarkets, and train stations. You may have grounds to claim if you were injured while on someone else’s premises.

If you are looking for a legal definition, you’ll find differing interpretations in the Highways Act, the Road Traffic Act, and the Public Order Act.

S9 of the Public Order Act 1936 probably provides as clear meaning as any, stating:

“Public place” includes any highway ……. and any other premises or place to which at the material time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise.”

This page is your gateway to finding out about the different types of accidents in public places and what to do if you’ve been injured in such an accident ( and it wasn’t your fault).

If we haven’t answered any of the questions you want to know the answer to, please call us at Mooneerams on 029 2199 1927, and one of our experienced personal injury team will be pleased to help you.

To make a successful claim for compensation, you need to establish three key factors:

• Duty of care
• Negligence
• Injury

To succeed in a personal injury claim, you must prove the party responsible for your accident, whether a business or a local authority, owed you a duty of care to keep you safe whilst you were on their property.

You must prove they have been negligent in fulfilling this duty and their negligence was why you had the accident.

Finally, to have reasonable prospects of claiming, you must have sustained an injury in, or as a result of, the accident.

Accidents in public places take various forms, but some of the most common include slip, trip, and fall incidents on uneven surfaces, wet floors, or poorly maintained pavements. Other examples include accidents caused by spills in cafes and restaurants, escalator or lift-related injuries, and injuries from coming into contact with broken glass in parks or beaches.

In general, you have three years from the date of the accident to claim compensation. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

For example, if the injured party is a child, the three-year time limit starts from their 18th birthday. Similarly, if the accident resulted in a loss of mental capacity, there may be no time limit for making a claim.

In our Guide to Limitation in Personal Injury Claims, you can learn more about the time limits of bringing a personal injury claim.

If you prefer to talk to a legal expert, call us at Mooneerams Solicitors on 029 2199 1927, and we’ll be pleased to answer any questions you want to ask about the time limit for bringing a claim or any other aspect of claiming for an injury caused by an accident in a public place.

The amount of compensation awarded for injuries sustained in an accident in a public place will vary depending on various factors, such as the following:

• The type of injuries you sustained,
• The severity of your injuries,
• The impact the injuries have had on your daily life.

Don’t forget the financial losses you have incurred due to the accident or have yet to incur can also be claimed. They may add up to a significant account, too, in some cases. Financial compensation or special damages may be awarded to cover the following:

• loss of earnings,
• medical bill expenses,
• cost of medical treatment,
• rehabilitation costs,
• the cost of making necessary adaptations to your home or motor vehicle vehicle