What are your options for claiming compensation after a slip and fall in a restaurant? An evening out is supposed to be a special occasion, so the last thing you want is to have it ruined by the negligence of a restaurant. A slip on spilt food or drink can cause a nasty accident, so this article will explain how you could seek damages if hurt whilst at a dining establishment.
The guide begins by explaining the duty of care that all parties in control of areas open to the public have. We then explain who might be eligible to start a personal injury claim if this duty of care is breached. We discuss common causes of a slip and fall in a restaurant and look at the evidence you can gather to start building a claim.
The guide will conclude by explaining how a solicitor from our panel could step in and handle your claim using a version of a No Win No Fee contract. There are numerous advantages to this, and we detail them below.
Our advisors can offer an immediate assessment of the strength of your potential claim. If you’d like to know right now if you could seek compensation from the restaurant that caused you injury, you can start by:
- Ask our live chat a question below.
- Ringing us on 0800 408 7825
- Or by going through our website to Contact Us for immediate free help.
Browse Our Guide
- How Much Compensation For A Slip And Fall In A Restaurant?
- Can I Claim For A Restaurant Slip And Fall?
- What Are Common Causes For A Slip And Fall In A Restaurant?
- How Do I Claim For Slip And Fall Accidents In Restaurants?
- What Are The Benefits Of Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor For A Slip And Fall?
- More Resources About Claiming Public Liability Compensation
How Much Compensation For A Slip And Fall In A Restaurant?
If a personal injury claim is successful, two heads of loss can make up the total compensation amount awarded. Firstly, general damages provide an amount for the physical pain itself and psychological injury. Other factors that increase the damages include loss of enjoyment of life and the duration of expected recovery.
Those responsible for calculating general damages often use medical reports and documents like the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to come to a figure. This document provides award bracket amounts for a wide range of injuries based on their severity.
Below, we’ve put together a brief excerpt from the JCG using injuries that you might typically suffer after a slip or fall in a restaurant:
Compensation Guidelines
| Area of Injury | Level of Severity | Award Bracket Compensation Guidelines |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries and Special Damages. | Severe | Up to £500,000 plus. |
| Head | (b) Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 |
| Head | (c) Moderate (iii) | £52,550 to £110,720 |
| Chest | (b) Traumatic Injury | £80,240 to £122,850 |
| Knee | (a) Severe (ii) | £63,610 to £85,100 |
| Neck | (a) Severe (iii) | £55,500 to £68,330 |
| Neck | (b) Moderate (ii) | £16,770 to £30,500 |
| Arm | (b) Injuries Resulting in Substantial and Permanent Disablement | £47,810 to £73,050 |
| Back | (a) Severe (iii) | £47,320 to £85,100 |
| Ankle | (c) Moderate | £16,770 to £32,450 |
| Shoulder | (b) Serious | £15,580 to £23,430 |
Importantly, these amounts are just suggestions, as every personal injury claim will vary, and more serious injuries will attract higher awards. We have also included an amount at the top of the table which has not been taken from the JCG.
You might also qualify to include a claim for special damages. This head of loss reimburses you for the financial harm created by the injury. To include special damages in your claim for fair compensation, you need to put forward documented proof of monetary loss, which can include things such as:
- Any payslips that prove you lost wages and income because of the injury.
- Medical bills for treatment. For example, cosmetic scar treatment if you were burned in a restaurant.
- Receipts for payments to anyone who looked after you.
- Estimates or invoices for any changes needed at home or to your vehicle.
- Tickets and receipts for essential travel.
It can be useful to seek independent advice about your claim to increase your chances of getting the highest amount of compensation possible. Why not take a moment to see if a solicitor from our panel could cast their expert eye over your case? Call the number above.
Can I Claim For A Restaurant Slip And Fall?
You might be able to claim for a fall and slip in a restaurant if you can prove the accident was caused by the negligence of the owners. This requires you to prove there was a breach in the duty of care owed to your safety as outlined in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
This legislation states that a property owner or those in control of public places must ensure the reasonable safety of members of the public using that space for its intended purpose. In other words, they must take reasonable actions to keep their premises safe for visitors. Therefore, a personal injury claim can move ahead if you can show:
- A duty of care was in place at the moment of injury.
- That duty was breached in some manner.
- You can prove you were injured as a direct result of this.
All three points need to be proved to have a valid personal injury claim. If you would like to discuss the strength of your claim against the at-fault party, please speak to our advisors for free guidance.
Common Injuries Caused By A Slip, Trip or Fall In A Restaurant
Potentially, there is quite a wide range of injuries that might occur in a restaurant or fast-food outlet accident, such as:
- Twisted ankles.
- Ligament tears.
- Soft tissue injuries.
- Back injuries (including the acceleration of pre-existing conditions)
- Fractures and spinal cord injuries.
- A concussion or other more serious head injury.
- Multiple injuries involving any of the above.
If you sustained an injury after a slip and fall in a restaurant, get in touch. We could connect with a solicitor from our panel to commence a claim for compensation. Or, if you just have other questions about the personal injury claims process, speak to us now.
What Are Common Causes For A Slip And Fall In A Restaurant?
After looking at the injuries, we now turn to some examples of slip and fall accidents caused by the fault of the restaurant:
- A staff member is alerted to a spillage. They do not put a warning sign out or attempt to clean up the spillage, and someone slips over it, injuring their back.
- An employee is cleaning the floor of the restaurant, and they fail to put out a wet floor sign. This causes a customer to slip over and break their ankle.
- No lighting in a restaurant stairwell causes a customer to fall down some steps and suffer cuts or bruises.
These represent some general examples of slip and fall accidents in restaurants, and your case may differ. Why not chat with our team about your public liability claim and how a No Win No Fee solicitor might be able to help you?
How I Claim For Slip And Fall Accidents In Restaurants?
An important part of every personal injury claim is evidence. Therefore, you need to gather together as much proof as you can that your injuries were caused by the restaurant’s failure to keep you reasonably safe. Some examples of evidence that might help your claim for a slip and fall in a restaurant include the following:
- Photos of the area (which you can take on a phone).
- The contact information for other diners who saw what happened. At a later point, a solicitor (if you choose to use one) can obtain a supporting statement from these people.
- Copies of your medical records if you sought medical attention.
- Any CCTV footage that you can request from the restaurant.
- Also, if an accident book is kept on the restaurant premises, ensure a copy of the entry is obtained.
What Are The Benefits Of Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor For A Slip And Fall?
The solicitors on our panel might be able to help you gather vital proof for your restaurant slip and fall claim. If they accept your claim, they’ll use their decades of expertise to present it in the most organised way. They can also attend to all the essential court paperwork and deadlines that might arise. In addition to this, the solicitors work diligently to get you the maximum compensation settlement possible for your case.
If you have worries about the expense of hiring a solicitor, there is a possible solution. The panel of highly skilled personal injury solicitors we work with can offer eligible claimants a type of No Win No Fee agreement to launch their personal injury claim.
They will likely recommend a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which has numerous advantages. Typically, it means no upfront solicitors’ fees apply to hire them, and no fees are requested for solicitors’ services going forward. What’s more, if the claim is unsuccessful, under a CFA, there are no fees that need to be paid for the solicitor’s completed services.
Furthermore, in the event of a successful claim outcome, a ‘success fee’, a percentage of the compensation set to a legal limit, is taken, guaranteeing that you, the claimant, always keep the bulk of your compensation.
So why not see if you qualify to launch your personal injury claim after a slip and fall accident in a restaurant? Start by:
- Asking our live chat a question below.
- Ringing us on 0800 408 7825
- Visiting our website to Contact Us for immediate free help.
More Resources About Claiming Public Liability Compensation
Also, in addition to this guide about claiming compensation for a slip and fall in a restaurant, you might find these other resources helpful:
- Here is a guide on public liability insurance that may help.
- This guide discusses a £14,000 payout for a prolapsed disc in a public place.
- Also, this article looks at a £22,000 payout for a dislocated kneecap injury in public.
External help on the subject:
- Read advice from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) about preventing injuries.
- Also, here you can check your symptoms with this NHS guide.
- Information about claiming statutory sick pay (SSP) if you miss work while recovering from your injuries.
In conclusion, we appreciate your interest in our guide about a compensation claim for a slip and fall in a restaurant. If advisors can answer other questions, please get in touch on the contact options above.