Property owners and occupiers have a legal duty to keep all public premises safe for visitors. If you were injured in a public place due…
Shopping centre injury claims
Been injured in a shopping centre? If somebody else was at fault, you could be eligible to make a shopping centre accident claim for personal injury compensation.
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Shopping Centre Accident Claims
Shopping centre operators and occupiers owe visitors a legal duty of care under UK law to keep premises reasonably safe. If this duty is breached and you suffer an injury in a shopping centre accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, as well as any related financial losses.
Shopping centre accident claims include slips on wet floors, trips over uneven surfaces, falling objects, faulty escalators and car park hazards. These can result in injuries ranging from minor sprains and strains to life-changing brain trauma and spinal injuries.
If you were injured at a shopping centre, you should seek legal advice as soon as possible to check whether you have a valid claim. For a free case assessment, you can call 0800 470 0474 today or use our online claim form to request a call back.
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Table of Contents
Can I claim compensation for a shopping centre accident?
You may be able to make a personal injury claim for a shopping centre accident if the following can be proven:
- Another party owed you a legal duty of care.
- There was a breach of duty, and this led to your accident.
- You suffered an injury as a direct result.
- You are within the legal time limit for starting a claim (usually 3 years).
The easiest way to determine whether you have a valid occupiers liability claim against a shopping centre is a free consultation with a personal injury solicitor. This is conducted over the phone, with no obligation to proceed.
Who is responsible for accidents in shopping centres?
Liability for an accident at a shopping centre depends on where the incident took place:
- The shopping centre operator is generally responsible for maintaining common areas, such as entrances, corridors, lifts, escalators, toilets and car parks.
- Some accidents may be the responsibility of an individual retailer operating inside the shopping centre.
They may owe a legal duty under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 to take reasonable steps to ensure that visitors and customers are safe while using the premises, including:
- Carrying out regular inspections and maintenance
- Addressing hazards promptly
- Providing clear warnings of dangers
- Taking extra care where children may be present
Other parties could also be responsible in certain situations, such as:
- A cleaning company that failed to address hazards properly.
- A maintenance company responsible for lifts and escalators.
In most cases, compensation is paid by the defendant’s public liability insurer, rather than the shopping centre or retailer directly.
What types of accidents can happen in shopping centres?
Without adequate maintenance and safety measures, various types of shopping centre accidents could lead to a compensation claim, including:
- Slips, trips and falls due to uneven floors, spills or cluttered walkways
- Being hit by falling stock, displays or fixtures
- Shopping centre car park accidents due to potholes or poor lighting
- Faulty lift and escalator accidents, such as sudden stops and entrapment
- Injuries caused by defective seating, handrails or stairs
- Food poisoning and allergic reactions in shopping centre food courts
Is there a time limit to start a shopping centre injury claim?
The Limitation Act 1980 sets a 3-year limitation period to claim compensation for an accident that wasn’t your fault. It also provides a few exceptions:
- Child injury claims can be made by a parent or legal guardian at any time before the child turns 18.
- If the claimant lacks mental capacity and cannot handle a claim, the limitation period is suspended unless they recover capacity.
No matter your situation, seeking legal advice early helps preserve evidence and strengthen your case.
How do I make a shopping centre accident claim?
If you’ve been injured at a shopping centre, you should seek treatment promptly. This helps ensure that your injuries are correctly diagnosed and treated and that you have medical records to support your claim.
If possible, report the accident to staff immediately and request that it be recorded in the shopping centre’s accident book. Take photos of the accident scene and ask for the contact details of witnesses.
To start a shopping centre compensation claim, get in touch with a solicitor as soon as possible. They will assess your case for free, and if you are eligible to proceed, they will secure further evidence and send a letter of claim to the defendant.
If liability is admitted, your solicitor can negotiate a fair settlement in most cases. If liability is denied, your solicitor may issue court proceedings and prepare your case for trial.
Our experienced panel of solicitors has successfully settled shopping centre claims across the UK and can represent you on a no win no fee basis.
How much compensation could I claim for an accident in a shopping centre?
The amount of compensation you could receive will be calculated based on the severity of your injury and the impact on your life. Personal injury compensation generally includes two types of damages:
Special damages cover all the financial losses and expenses resulting from the accident. These could be:
- Private medical treatment
- Travel expenses
- Loss of earnings
- Care costs
- Home adaptations
General damages cover the subjective impact of the accident and injury on your life. Examples include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of amenity and enjoyment of life
According to our online compensation calculator, which is based on the Judicial College Guidelines, you could receive the following amounts for general damages:
- Minor soft tissue injuries, such as bruising, sprains or strains – £2,000 to £5,000
- Simple wrist fractures with complete recovery – £3,500 to £4,700
- Simple forearm fractures with some long-term symptoms – £8,000 to £23,000
- Moderate ankle fractures or ligament damage with ongoing symptoms – £12,900 to £24,950
- Pelvis or hip injuries with lasting disability – £95,680 to £159,770
- Severe brain injuries with impact on senses and no employment prospects – £183,190 to £267,340
Can I make a claim on a no win no fee basis?
If you have a valid claim for compensation, our panel of solicitors will happily represent you under a conditional fee agreement. You do not have to pay any legal fees upfront or during the claims process.
If you win the shopping accident compensation claim, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your award. This is capped at 25% of your compensation for general damages and past financial losses and is agreed upon from the beginning. If you lose the claim, you do not have to pay your solicitor a fee.
What evidence do I need to support my claim?
You need various types of evidence to start a personal injury claim and support the compensation you seek, including:
- Photographs or videos of the accident scene and the contributing hazards.
- Photos of your injuries, immediately after and during recovery.
- CCTV footage, if available, can help prove what happened.
- Witness statements can strengthen your claim and help prove liability.
- Medical records confirming your injuries and prognosis.
- Independent medical reports describing the long-term impact on your life.
- Cleaning and maintenance schedules from the shopping centre.
- Proof of financial losses, such as receipts for treatments and payslips for lost wages.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You may be able to make an accident at work claim if your employer breached their duty towards you under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Examples include a lack of risk assessments, poor training, inadequate PPE, faulty machinery and a failure to address hazards.
Yes, you can potentially claim against a shopping centre if you slipped on a wet floor and this was due to negligence, such as:
- The floor was recently mopped, and there were no warning signs.
- A hazard sign was present, but not in a reasonable location.
- A spillage was not cleaned up within a reasonable timeframe.
- Ice, snow or rainwater at the entrance had not been cleared within a reasonable timeframe.
Yes. If your child was injured in a shopping centre, you can be appointed as their litigation friend and make a compensation claim on their behalf. The compensation awarded to a child is usually kept in a court-controlled account until they turn 18.
Yes, you could still make a shopping accident claim even if you were partially at fault for it. This could be due to ignoring warning signs, distracted driving in the car park or other types of carelessness. In such cases, compensation may be reduced according to your level of contributory negligence.
A shopping centre injury compensation claim may take 6-9 months to settle if the case is straightforward and the injuries are not serious. More complex claims could take 12-24 months or even more, especially if liability is denied.
If you were injured in a shopping centre accident, speak to a specialist solicitor today. Call 0800 470 0474 or request a free, no-obligation case review using our online contact form to find out how much compensation you could claim.
