But is there anything you can do about a slip, trip or fall? The answer really depends on the circumstances of the accident.

All areas open to the public must be kept reasonably safe. This includes supermarkets, restaurants, sports centres, car parks – and so the list goes on. Those responsible for the premises have a legal obligation to protect the health and safety of visitors. Often, this is the owner of the building, or the business owner. Sometimes, it is the local authority.

When a slip, trip or fall happens in a public place, it is necessary to assess whether the right safety precautions were taken. If not, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. This is because you have been injured through no fault of your own.

Causes of slip, trip and fall claims include –

• Slipping on spillages in a supermarket or at work
• Slipping on wet or polished floors
• Tripping over uneven flooring, loose cables or loose carpet
• Tripping over unexpected obstacles
• Falling due to poor lighting
• Falling from a height

One particularly common example is a slip in a supermarket. Spillages are bound to happen in supermarkets. If it is raining outside, the floor may also become slippery. A supermarket cannot prevent this from happening. But it can put systems in place to ensure spillages are quickly identified and cleared away. It can also put warning signs out, letting shoppers know the floor is wet. With these actions, it should be possible to prevent a supermarket slip. If a customer does have an accident, then the right safety measures may not have been in place or may not have been put in place properly.

You should also try to get the names and contact details of anyone who saw the accident happen. If you have a camera or smartphone to hand, take photos of the area. This can help to establish who was to blame, if anyone. If you do make a claim, it can be used as evidence.

When you feel able, the next step is to contact us at Serious Accident Solicitors Ltd. We offer a free initial enquiry, so you can get free legal advice from an experienced personal injury solicitor. We can tell you whether anyone is likely to be held responsible for your slip, trip or fall. If so, we can help you make a claim.

We will never pressure you into make a claim. But if you want to claim compensation for a slip, trip or fall in a public place, we are happy to help you.