I am considering a claim for an accident in a supermarket car park but am unsure if I qualify. A few weeks ago I slipped and fell on a frozen surface outside my local supermarket, breaking my collarbone and leaving me needing surgery. I have since had the surgery and am on the mend, however I am still aggrieved by what happened and feel I deserve to be compensated.
It is understandable that you still fell aggrieved by what happened, and that you want to claim for an accident in a supermarket car park. In order to be able to pursue a settlement you must be able to prove that someone other than yourself was at fault for your accident. In your case, this means the supermarket’s management. Slipping on ice is common, and unfortunately so are injuries caused by such incidents. Despite this fact however, supermarkets and other businesses have a duty of care towards their visitors, meaning that they can be held responsible for accidents that happen on their premises.
In order to be able to claim against the supermarket you must be able to prove that it was responsible for your injury – if you can do this you may be able to recoup any costs incurred as a result of your injury, including the price of your surgery. Producing the medical report that was issued to you when you visited the hospital, as well as any other witness statements, CCTV evidence and other accounts of the accident – perhaps a note logged in the supermarket’s Accident Report Book – should also be utilised to add strength to your claim.
As well as the possibility of being able to retrieve the cost of your surgery and other quantifiable expenses derived from your accident, you may also be entitled to claim for general damages, including any loss of amenity – inability to perform day-to-day activities and enjoy leisure time as you would have wished, psychological damages, and the pain and suffering inflicted on you by the fall. Your solicitor will be able to provide you with an initial estimate based on the nature and severity of your injury, its permanency and a number of other factors such as your age, gender and state of health prior to the accident.
In order to find out more about how to claim for an accident in a supermarket car park, speak with a solicitor at the first available opportunity.