Have you been injured in an accident in a pub? If so, and the accident occurred because the third party responsible for your health and safety failed to meet their legal duty of care, compensation could be owed to you. However, there are certain criteria that need to be met in order for a personal injury claim to be valid. As we move through this guide, you can find guidance on these as well as the responsibilities an occupier in control of a public space have with regard to your safety.
Later, we discuss how an accident in a pub could happen and what you can do after you have been injured, including gathering evidence and seeking legal representation.
Furthermore, we look at compensation payouts and how they’re calculated to address the different impacts of your injuries, including the financial, emotional, and physical effects.
Our final section lays out the many benefits of working with a solicitor to start a personal injury claim. If eligible, we can connect you to a personal injury solicitor from our panel to help you claim compensation through a type of No Win No Fee contract that means no upfront costs are needed to begin your case.
Read on to learn more, or if you prefer, you can discuss your potential claim with our team now by:
- Calling our dedicated advisors on 0800 408 7825 for free.
- Contact us in writing about your specific circumstances.
- Speak with an advisor immediately through the dialogue box below.
Choose A Section
- Can You Make A Pub Or Bar Injury Claim?
- How Could An Accident In A Pub Happen?
- What Should You Do After An Accident In A Pub?
- How Much Compensation From A Pub Injury Claim?
- How Can We Help You Claim Pub Accident Compensation?
- Learn More About Claiming For Pub Or Bar Accidents
Can You Make A Pub Or Bar Injury Claim?
The duty of care those in charge of a public space owe is outlined in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This law states that those in charge of areas accessible to the general public must take steps and implement measures to ensure the reasonable safety of those using the space for the purpose it was intended.
With regards to a pub, there are several risks that an occupier may need to consider. For example, spillages from drinks creating slip or fall hazards or broken glass causing a risk of cuts and lacerations. As such, one of the steps they could take to uphold their duty of care for the health and safety of their customers is carrying out regular risk assessments. This can allow them to implement any measures to reduce the risk of injury to customers, such as providing their staff with adequate health and safety training.
If there has been a failure to do so and this causes an injury to a customer, the occupier could be held liable for any harm caused. However, there are essential criteria that need to be met to have a valid public liability claim for personal injury:
- A duty of care was owed to you by a relevant third party. In this instance, the third party is the occupier.
- The occupier breached this duty of care.
- You suffered an injury as a result of the breach.
If you meet all three points, you could have grounds to start a compensation claim. Talk to our advisors about your options to learn more about claiming for an accident in a pub.
How Could An Accident In A Pub Happen?
There are several ways an accident in a pub could happen and result in injury to a customer. For example:
- A spillage is left unattended without any wet floor sign to indicate the hazard causing a customer to slip and fall and suffer a bone fracture to their leg and arm.
- Low beams or ceilings are not clearly indicated leading a customer to suffer a serious head injury after colliding with it.
- Poor hygiene and food standards mean a customer contracts food poisoning. Or a customer is provided with the wrong allergen information and suffers a severe allergic reaction.
For guidance after an injury in a pub accident, call our advisors now. They can run through a quick assessment of your potential to claim compensation for free.
What Should You Do After An Accident In A Pub?
To have a valid compensation claim, you need to put forward documented proof that verifies your injuries and shows how a breach of duty caused them. Some examples of supporting evidence you could gather for your claim include the following:
- Medical records, such as copies of X-rays or scans.
- CCTV footage of the accident from the pub.
- The phone numbers or other contact details of any witnesses who can provide supporting statements at a later date.
- A copy of an incident report from an on-site accident book in the pub, if there is one.
- Photos of your visible injuries and any hazards that caused the accident, such as broken glass, food you have eaten, or unmarked spillages on the floor.
If you instruct a solicitor from our panel to represent you and help you claim compensation, they could assist with gathering evidence to strengthen your case. Additionally, they can ensure your case is presented in full within the relevant time limit.
What Is The Time Limit For A Pub Or Bar Accident?
As per the Limitation Act 1980, there is usually a three-year time limit for starting a public liability claim for personal injury. This starts from the date of the accident. However, the time limit can vary in different circumstances. For example:
- The time limit is paused for injured people under 18 years of age. Instead, the three-year limitation period can start from the date of their 18th birthday. Alternatively, a claim can be made for someone under 18 by a litigation friend appointed by the courts.
- The time limit for people who lack mental capacity to make a claim themselves is also paused indefinitely. A litigation friend can make a claim on the injured persons behalf while the pause is in place. If the person regains their mental capacity, they will have three years from the recovery date to start legal proceedings themselves.
You can get in touch with an advisor from our team to determine whether you’re eligible to claim compensation for an accident in a pub, the evidence you can gather to support your case, and how long you have to begin legal proceedings.
How Much Compensation From A Pub Injury Claim?
Compensation payouts awarded in a successful claim can be made up of two heads of loss. General damages awards compensation to address the pain and suffering caused by the injuries suffered, whilst special damages awards compensation to address the financial losses caused by the injuries.
In order to calculate general damages, different resources can be consulted, including the medical report generated from an independent medical assessment that you might be required to attend as part of the claims process.
The findings from the medical report are compared with injuries listed in a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines. This document contains guideline award brackets for each injury type. We have used figures from the 17th edition, which is the most recent publication, to create the following table. The top entry is not from the JCG.
Compensation Guidelines
Please use this table as a guide as each claim for an accident in a pub will differ depending on your specific case.
| Injury | Severity | Award Guideline Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries with Special Damages | Severe | Up to £1 million plus. |
| Head | (a) Very Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Neck | (a) Severe (i) | In the region of £181,020 |
| Hand | (c) Total or Effective Loss of One Hand | £117,360 to £133,810 |
| Back | (a) Severe (iii) | £47,320 to £85,100 |
| Pelvis | (b) Moderate (i) | £32,450 to £47,810 |
| Arm | (c) Less Severe | £23,430 to £47,810 |
| Leg | (c) Less Serious (i) | £21,920 to £33,880 |
| Ankle | (c) Moderate | £16,770 to £32,450 |
| Shoulder | (b) Serious | £15,580 to £23,430 |
In addition, the settlement of your personal injury claim may include a head of loss called special damages. This acknowledges any financial harm caused by your injuries. Examples of the costs you could claim back include:
- Medical expenses.
- The cost of travel.
- Care expenses.
- Loss of earnings for time taken off work.
Evidence of these losses is required so you should keep hold of any receipts, invoices, and payslips to prove any financial costs.
How Long Do Bar Injury Claims Take To Settle?
As each personal injury claim is different, the time they take to settle can vary. Some factors that could influence how long it takes for your pub accident claim to settle include:
- The complexity of your case.
- Whether you need further treatment for any injuries.
- How long your recovery period will be.
- Whether liability has been admitted or not.
Call an advisor to find out more about how compensation is calculated and how long it could take for you to receive a payout following a successful case.
How Can We Help You Claim Pub Accident Compensation?
Our knowledgeable panel of personal injury solicitors have years of expertise in confidently handling every aspect of your claim, including negotiating a fair settlement, handling correspondence on your behalf, and ensuring your case is submitted on time.
If our advisor determines that your claim qualifies, and you decide to use our services, a solicitor can offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a kind of No Win No Fee arrangement. Generally speaking, this offers the following benefits:
- There won’t be any upfront fees for them to start work on your claim.
- There won’t be any solicitors fees for services provided as the claim is moving forward.
- Lastly, there is no solicitor fee for completed work if the claim is not successful.
If your case is successful and you are awarded compensation, the solicitor deducts a small percentage as a success fee. This sum is capped by law meaning you will always receive the majority of the award.
Get in contact if you would like more information about how a solicitor on our panel could handle your claim for an accident in a pub. To do so, you can use the contact details below:
- Call our helpline on 0800 408 7825
- Contact us via our website.
- Try the Live Support feature below.
Learn More About Claiming For Pub Or Bar Accidents
You may find these other resources from our website helpful:
- Read about claims for a slip and fall in a restaurant in this guide.
- More information on claims for accidents on public transport and how to claim compensation.
- Find out about when claims against the council for personal injury could be valid.
External resources to help:
- Guidance on preventing slips and falls in a catering and hospitality establishment from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
- Information on how to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from Gov.UK.
- Advice on using first aid after an incident from the NHS.
Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on claiming after an accident in a pub. Our dedicated advisors are available to answer any other questions you may have.