Had an accident at a DIY store?

If you’ve been injured while shopping at a DIY store, you could be eligible for compensation by making a DIY store accident claim.

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DIY Store Accident Claims

If you were injured in a DIY store due to a slip, trip or fall, a falling object, forklift accident, or any other hazard, you may be entitled to make a DIY store accident claim.

DIY stores owe customers, visitors, and employees a duty of care to prevent foreseeable risks of injury and may be liable for accidents resulting from negligence. This can include unmarked wet floors, poorly stacked items, poor staff training, and defective equipment.

Compensation can help cover the pain and suffering caused by your DIY store injury, as well as related financial losses and expenses like medical care, loss of earnings and prescription costs.

To discuss your claim with an experienced legal adviser, call 0800 470 0474 today for a free case assessment or use our online claim form to request a call back.

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Table of Contents

What is a DIY store accident claim?

A DIY store accident claim is a type of personal injury claim made by someone who was injured because a DIY store failed to keep them reasonably safe.

Claims can arise from accidents in stores such as B&Q, Wickes, Homebase, or independent hardware retailers. These may involve customers, visitors or employees suffering injuries such as sprains, strains, broken bones, lacerations and head injuries.

To succeed in a claim, it must be shown that the store breached its duty of care and that this directly caused the injury. Compensation can cover pain and suffering, and financial losses, aiming to restore you to the position you would have been in had the accident not occurred.

Am I eligible to make a DIY store accident claim?

You may be eligible to claim compensation if you suffered an injury in a DIY store, and the following can be proven:

The store owner or occupier owed you a legal duty of care
They were negligent and breached this duty
The breach directly caused your accident
You suffered injuries, harm and loss as a result

It’s still possible to make a claim even if you were partly at fault for the accident, such as by ignoring a warning sign or failing to wear your work equipment. In such cases, any compensation awarded to you will likely be reduced to reflect your contributory negligence.

A specialist personal injury solicitor can confirm whether you have a valid claim and advise you on your next steps.

Do DIY stores owe customers a duty of care?

DIY stores owe customers and visitors a legal duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This means they must take reasonable steps to keep the premises safe, including:

Keeping aisles clear of obstructions and free from hazards
Ensuring all shelves and displays are stable and secure
Having a system in place to promptly address hazards like spillages
Making sure that heavy items and materials are safely stored
Providing warning signs for hazards that cannot be immediately removed
Maintaining safe lighting and flooring in all areas

If failure to comply with these duties results in an accident and injury, it may be possible to make an occupier’s liability claim against the DIY store.

Can I claim if I was injured while working at a DIY store?

Yes, you may be able to make a compensation claim if you were injured in the course of your job as a DIY store employee. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must protect the health, safety and welfare of employees and could be liable for:

Manual handling injuries from lifting heavy items
Accidents resulting from inadequate training or faulty machinery
Injuries resulting from inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE)
Falls from ladders, platforms or cherry pickers
Forklift accidents caused by unsafe working practices
A lack of regular risk assessments to identify hazards

If your employer has failed to protect your health and safety, you can make a DIY store accident at work claim without fearing for your job. It would be unlawful for your employer to dismiss you or treat you unfairly simply for making a genuine claim.

What are the most common DIY store accidents and injuries?

A variety of hazards can lead to accidents and injuries in DIY stores when adequate safety measures are not in place, such as heavy stock, spillages, unsafe shelving and faulty machinery.

DIY shop accident claims most commonly arise from:

Slips, trips and falls resulting in ankle sprains, broken wrists or back injuries
Head injuries from being hit by items falling from poorly stacked shelves or displays
Falls from ladders resulting in broken bones, spinal injuries or brain injuries
Crush injuries and amputations from accidents involving forklifts and trolleys
Cuts and lacerations from damaged shelves, sharp products or impact trauma
Manual handling accidents from lifting heavy items without proper aids or training

This list is not exhaustive. You could make a claim for compensation following another accident and injury in a DIY store, as long as someone else’s negligence caused it. The steps of the claims process are explained below.

What should I do after an accident in a DIY store?

There are a few steps you should take following an accident in a DIY store. These will help protect your health and legal rights and may improve your chances of securing compensation for your injuries:

Seek medical care immediately, even if your injuries appear minor, as symptoms may worsen within the next few hours or days.
Report the accident to a manager or staff member and ask for it to be recorded in the store’s official accident report book.
Document the scene and gather evidence, such as photos of hazards and your injuries, witness contact details and CCTV footage from security cameras.
Keep all records related to the accident, including prescriptions, receipts, bank statements, and a diary of your symptoms and the impact on your life.
Seek legal advice by getting in touch with an experienced public liability solicitor to have your case assessed and understand your legal options.
A letter of claim will be sent to the defendant, who usually has up to 3 months to investigate the claim and provide a response on liability.
Many claims are settled through negotiations with the defendant’s insurer, but your solicitor may issue court proceedings if a fair settlement cannot be reached.

Acting quickly can help preserve important evidence and may improve your chances of a successful claim.

What evidence do I need to support a DIY store accident claim?

You will need various types of evidence to support your claim for an accident in a DIY store. This must be able to prove a breach of duty and the impact on your life, and could include:

Medical records confirming your injury and its link to the DIY store accident
A copy of a signed accident report confirming the date, time and location of the incident
Clear photographs of the hazard, the surrounding area and your injuries
CCTV footage of the accident, if available
Witness statements confirming the unsafe conditions and how the accident occurred
Financial records, such as receipts and payslips to prove related losses

Your solicitor will help you gather everything you need to prove how the accident happened and support your DIY store injury compensation claim.

How much compensation can I get for a DIY store injury?

Compensation for a DIY store accident claim can range from a few hundred pounds to £493,000, depending on the extent of your injuries and the financial impact on your life.

Each claim is unique, but compensation can cover two types of damages:

General damages – the subjective impact on your life, including physical pain, emotional distress, scarring, disability, and loss of amenity.
Special damages – the financial impact on your life, such as loss of earnings, medical treatment, rehabilitation, travel expenses, care and assistance.

According to the Judicial College Guidelines, the following amounts of compensation could be awarded for a DIY store injury claim:

Type of injury	Severity	Guideline compensation
Back injury	Minor to moderate soft tissue injury with recovery within 2 years	£5,310 to £15,260
Shoulder injury	Serious shoulder damage resulting in ongoing pain and limited mobility	£16,870 to £25,370
Wrist injury	Fractures or soft tissue injuries causing permanent stiffness and reduced function	£16,640 to £32,370
Leg injury	Severe fractures or crush injuries resulting in reduced mobility and some disability	£36,680 to £51,790
Ankle injury	Significant injuries to the Achilles tendon resulting in difficulty walking or standing	£18,150 to £35,130
Head injury	Moderate brain injuries resulting in fatigue, memory issues and impact on work capacity	£56,890 to £119,860

An experienced solicitor can give you a more accurate estimate of your compensation prospects during a free case assessment.

What is the time limit to make a DIY store injury claim?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, you generally have 3 years from the date of the accident to claim DIY store injury compensation. If you miss this deadline, your case may become statute-barred.

There are a few exceptions:

If your injury developed gradually due to repetitive strain or unsafe conditions at work, the 3 years begin on the date of knowledge (when your injury was diagnosed and linked to negligence).
If a child is injured in a DIY store, a parent or legal guardian can make a child injury claim on their behalf at any time before their 18th birthday. The 3-year time limit only begins on a person’s 18th birthday, after which they usually have until age 21 to start a claim themselves.
If the claimant is mentally incapacitated, the limitation period is suspended and the 3 years begin to run only if they recover capacity. If not, a litigation friend could represent them at any time.

Can I make a no win no fee DIY store accident claim?

If you’re eligible to claim compensation for an accident in a DIY store, our panel of solicitors will represent you on a no win no fee basis. This means you won’t have to pay any legal fees upfront, and:

You do not pay your solicitor’s success fee if the claim is unsuccessful.
If you make a successful claim, a capped success fee is deducted from your compensation.

This allows you to pursue a claim regardless of your financial situation and without the added financial stress.

Start your claim today

Do not hesitate to call us on 0800 470 0474 or request a call back if you had an accident in a DIY store and want to make a personal injury claim.

A specialist solicitor will review your case, assess liability, gather supporting evidence and negotiate compensation on your behalf.

Last edited on 15th May 2026

With over 15 years’ experience in the legal sector, Nicholas Tate (LLB Hons, LLM in Health Law) has extensive experience across all areas of personal injury and medical negligence claims.