No one expects to hurt themselves at the shops, but slip and falls can happen anywhere, and you may be entitled to compensation for the injuries you have suffered.
Slip and Fall Injuries
A public liability claim for a slip and fall requires that you prove that another person, government authority or business operator failed to take reasonable care for your safety, and as a result, you have suffered injury. Things like a failure to clean a spill, place signs in a wet area, maintain flooring or stairs, and poor lighting, can all form the basis of a public liability claim.
Shopping centres and other public places are required to have a reasonable system of identification in place to protect people from being injured. It is important to be able to determine whether that system of identification was being enforced at the time of your fall, and this means that it is very important that you gather as much evidence as possible immediately after your fall.
I have fallen, what should I do?
So you have fallen, and you are not sure what to do now. You may be in pain, embarrassed, and wanting to get yourself out of there. Before you do, you should take the following steps:
- Ask any witnesses for their contact information;
- Take photos of the area where you fell, before anything is cleaned or moved;
- Check for any CCTV cameras, and ask for a copy of the records as soon as possible;
- Seek medical attention and keep all records;
- Write down what happened in as much detail as possible;
- Take photos of any injuries (if they are visible);
- Speak to one of our personal injury lawyers to obtain advice about your claim.
Don’t forget that time limits apply. It is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible, as there are various pre-action steps that must be taken under the new Uniform Civil Rules 2020, but there is also a very strict time limit of 3 years from the date of your injury to lodge your claim in the court. You should always seek legal advice as early as possible.
If you would like to discuss your individual circumstances, call Turner Freeman Lawyers on 08 8213 1000 to speak to one of our experienced lawyers.