This guide looks at the role of public liability claims lawyers. We discuss how they could assist you in seeking compensation, and when you could be eligible to benefit from their services.
How To Seek Compensation With Public Liability Claims Lawyers
Additionally, we discuss the duty of care owed to you in a public place, and how a breach of this duty could lead to an accident in which you sustain harm.
Furthermore, we examine how a legal professional could assign value to your public liability claim and what could be included in your settlement if successful. We also discuss the evidence you could supply to support your case.
To conclude, this guide outlines the benefits of instructing a lawyer on a No Win No Fee basis.
To find out more, please contact an advisor on the number above. You can do so by:
- Calling us on 0113 460 1216
- Enquiring about making a claim online.
- Speaking with an advisor via the live chat feature below.
Jump To A Section
- How Could Public Liability Claims Lawyers Help?
- Can I Make A Public Liability Claim?
- What Types Of Accidents Do Public Liability Claims Lawyers Help With?
- How To Prove A Claim For An Accident In A Public Place
- Compensation Payouts In Personal Injury Claims
- Do Public Liability Claims Lawyers Work On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Learn More About Claims For Accidents In Public Places
How Could Public Liability Claims Lawyers Help?
If you have valid grounds to proceed with your case, you may wish to instruct one of the public liability claims lawyers from our panel. They can assist in many ways, offering the following services nationwide:
- Helping you to gather evidence and build your case
- Valuing your claim
- Working on your case when you are unable to
- Keeping you updated on the progress of your claim
- Presenting your case in full within the relevant time limit
If you would like to work with one of the experienced lawyers from our panel and benefit from the above services, please contact an advisor. They can assess your case and if they find you have valid grounds to pursue compensation, they could connect you with a lawyer. Find out more by calling the number above.
Can I Make A Public Liability Claim?
To be eligible to start a public liability claim, you must be able to show that:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- A breach of duty occurred.
- Said breach caused you to suffer an injury.
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, any party in control of a public space must take steps to ensure your reasonable safety. Some of the steps they could take to uphold this duty of care can include performing regular risk assessments and addressing any hazards that pose a risk of injury within a reasonable time frame.
If they failed to do so, and this caused you to sustain harm in a public place accident, one of the public liability claims lawyers from our panel may be able to help you seek personal injury compensation.
What Is The Time Limit To Make A Public Liability Claim?
You must also ensure you start legal proceedings within the relevant time limit. For personal injury claims this time limit is typically three years from the date of your accident, as per the Limitation Act 1980.
There can be exceptions to this, however. To learn more about the time limits and eligibility criteria, please contact an advisor on the number above.
What Types Of Accidents Do Public Liability Claims Lawyers Help With?
There are several ways in which an accident in a public place could occur. For example:
- An accident in a pub could occur when reports are made about a spillage and no steps are taken to address the hazard, for example no wet floor signs are displayed. As a result, a customer slips on the wet floor and sustains a head injury.
- A faulty maintenance hole is knowingly left unrepaired, despite several reports being made to the local council over a prolonged period. As a result, a member of the public falls down the hole and sustains a back injury and a broken foot.
- An accident in a shop may result from poor lighting in a stairwell. This could lead to a customer falling down the stairs causing them to sustain a wrist injury and broken knee injury.
To discuss your specific case and find out whether one of the public liability claims lawyers from our panel could assist you in seeking compensation, contact our advisors using the details provided above.
How To Prove A Claim For An Accident In A Public Place
In order to support your case, you should gather evidence that can demonstrate a breach of duty occurred and that this led to you sustaining harm. For example, you could collect:
- Copies of your medical records
- CCTV footage showing the accident
- Photographs of your injuries and the accident
- Witness contact details
One of the public liability claims lawyers from our panel could help you gather evidence as part of the services they offer, provided your case is eligible. For a free consultation, contact one of our advisors today.
Compensation Payouts In Personal Injury Claims
Settlements awarded in successful public liability claims can consist of up to two heads of claim. One of these is general damages, compensating you for the pain and suffering endured due to your injuries. The amount you receive can vary depending on factors, such as:
- The severity of your injuries
- Your recovery time
- The future prognosis
To help assign a value to your injuries, the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) might be used. This document provides guideline compensation brackets for injuries of different types. You can find some of these figures in the table below. Please only use these as a guide, however.
Compensation Table
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm Amputation | Loss of Both Arms | £240,790 to £300,000 | Reducing someone with full awareness to a considerably helpless state. |
| Loss of One Arm (iii) | £96,160 to £109,650 | Amputation below the elbow. | |
| Brain | Moderate (ii) | £90,720 to £150,110 | Moderate to modest intellectual deficit and the person's ability to work is greatly reduced. |
| Foot | Severe | £41,970 to £70,030 | Fractures of both heels or feet with substantially restricted mobility or considerable permanent pain. |
| Moderate | £13,740 to £24,990 | Displaced metatarsal fractures resulting in permanent deformity and continuing symptoms. | |
| Pelvis and Hips | Severe (iii) | £39,170 to £52,500 | Involving injuries such as an acetabulum fracture that leads to leg instability with the likelihood of a hip replacement in the future. |
| Moderate (i) | £26,590 to £39,170 | Significant pelvis or hip injury that doesn't leave any major permanent disability. | |
| Shoulder | Serious | £12,770 to £19,200 | Dislocation of the shoulder alongside lower brachial plexus damage resulting in shoulder and neck pain. |
| Moderate | £7,890 to £12,770 | Frozen shoulder with movement limited and discomfort persisting for about two years. |
The other head of claim is special damages, compensating you for reasonable past and future losses you’ve incurred due to your injuries. This can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel expenses
- Medical costs, such as for prescriptions.
You can prove these losses with evidence such as wage slips, travel tickets and receipts.
Discuss personal injury settlements and how they are calculated in more detail with an advisor from our team.
Do Public Liability Claims Lawyers Work On A No Win No Fee Basis?
The public liability claims lawyers can offer their services, such as those mentioned throughout this guide, on a No Win No Fee basis. As such, they could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement.
Typically, working with a solicitor under the terms of this contract means you won’t be required to pay for their services when your claim begins, as it progresses, or if it does not succeed.
If your case has a positive outcome and you are awarded compensation, a percentage of this will be paid to your solicitor. However, a legal cap applies to the percentage and you will have the opportunity to discuss this with your solicitor before they begin working on your case.
To find out if you can work with a lawyer from our panel under these terms, contact our team of advisors now by:
- Calling us on 0113 460 1216
- Enquiring about making a claim online.
- Speaking with an advisor via the live chat feature below.
Learn More About Claims For Accidents In Public Places
See more of our helpful guides here:
- Learn how to claim for an accident on public transport.
- Find out when you could claim for an accident in a park.
- Read about pothole claims and when you could seek compensation for this type of accident.
For some external resources, look here:
- NHS – Broken bone
- GOV.UK – Statutory sick pay
- Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – Preventing falls
Thank you for reading our helpful guide on how public liability claims lawyers could assist you in seeking compensation. If you have any other questions, call an advisor on the number above.
Writer Will Grey
Editor Meg McConnell