Thursday, December 31, 2009

Making a Supermarket Accident Claim

By Ayesha Salim

If you tripped over something in an aisle or slipped on some juice in a supermarket, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation. This is not something many customers will think of, however if you obtained injuries through no fault of your won, then it is your personal right to make a claim for compensation.

Many customers may not actually be aware that all of the supermarkets such as Morrisons, Tesco or Sainsbury's owe them a duty of care whenever a customer steps onto their premises. Customers should be safe when they are shopping and the supermarkets are responsible for their well-being. This can also include the supermarket car park.

What to do if you are involved in a work related accident

Employers also own their staff a duty of care in the work place. Many workers are engrossed in various tasks to ensure the smooth operation of the supermarket. These jobs involve cleaning to shelf stacking. Extra care should be taken at all times due to the sometimes risky nature of the work.

For instance working as a check out assistant may seem relatively straight forward and risk-free. Nonetheless many fail to realise that there are many health risks involved in this job. If great care is not taken, check out assistants are at risk from suffering repetitive train injuries in their wrists, shoulders and elbows. They are also at risk from suffering neck and back injuries, if their working area is not set up appropriately. Shelf stackers and cleaners are at risk from spills or other possible obstacles if there are not appropriate warnings set up.

As an employee you may wish to seek action against your employer if you suffered an accident. It is strongly recommended that you seek legal advice before doing so, as you will be better informed about your chances of gaining compensation.

Things you should do as a customer if you are involved in an accident

If you happen to fall or trip over an obstacle in the supermarket that should not have been there, and you sustain injuries as a result, there are some things you should do in order to help your claim later if you decide to make one.

Quite soon after the accident you should report it to the manager or to someone at the customer services desk. You will most likely be given an accident report form to fill In case you are not given a form you can ask for one or make sure that the accident is recorded in the accident book.

You should make note of the contact details of any witnesses around at the time of the accident. You should also use a camera if you can to take photos of the scene of the accident, paying particular attention to important details. A camera on your phone should also be sufficient to do the job. By gathering all of this evidence, you are making your case stronger.

If you have suffered an accident at a supermarket and are unsure on your next steps, our solicitors will assess your case and advise you on your next steps.

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