Slip trip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere as they can be caused by many different hazards. It is vital that those businesses and organisations that allow members of the public on to their premises provide a safe environment. Supermarkets have a duty of care to their customers as well as their employees prevent avoidable accidents from happening by implementing legislative health and safety and ensuring their premises are free from foreseeable hazards.
This article aims to provide information to those who may have slipped and fell at an Aldi store. If you have slipped while shopping at Aldi or even as an employee and your accident which caused an injury could have been prevented had safety precautions been taken you may be eligible to make a claim. Our solicitors have years of experience in helping people get compensation for accidents causing injuries that weren’t their fault. If there’s anything in this guide that confuses you or there’s anything that you needed to know that wasn’t fully explained then you can chat to one of our claims team advisors about your situation and how you can start a claim.
Select A Section
- A Guide To Claims If You Slipped On A Wet Floor In Aldi
- What Is A Wet Floor Accident In Aldi?
- Retail Slip And Fall Accident At Work Statistics
- Causes Of Supermarket Slips, Trips And Falls
- Injuries Caused By Slips, Trips And Falls At A Supermarket
- Who Is Responsible For Your Safety In A Supermarket?
- Calculating General Damages For Accident Claims
- Special Damages Which Could Be Claimed For
- No Win No Fee Slip And Trip Injury Claims Against Aldi
- Why Select Us To Handle A Claim Against Aldi?
- Start Your Supermarket Slip Injury Claim
- Essential References
A Guide To Claims If You Slipped On A Wet Floor In Aldi
With over 10,000 shops across Europe including the UK Aldi is currently one of the largest supermarket chains in both Britain and Europe. Millions of people shop there every year in Britain. Aldi will be required by the laws of the countries they operate in to provide a safe and hygienic environment so those who choose to shop there are not hurt unnecessarily.
This article will explain how a slip in an Aldi supermarket may lead to a claim for compensation if the accident could have been avoided therefore the injuries suffered prevented. Slip, trip and fall claims are actually one of the most common types of personal injury claims, largely because this type of accident can happen for many different reasons and many causes could have been prevented had the right health and safety procedures been implemented and adhered to.
We’ve written the guide you’re about to read to explain what constitutes a slip and fall injury in Aldi, what kind of hazard can cause it, what responsibilities Aldi has to prevent such incidents and how much compensation you could be awarded for making a successful. One of the most important parts of this guide is the section explaining how no win no fee claims work. If you were wondering how you were going to pay to have a solicitor help you claim against Aldi then that section should alleviate your concerns by explaining how you can avoid having to pay any fees upfront. We have a guide to slip, trip and fall injuries in general for you to read here.
What Is A Wet Floor Accident In Aldi?
Most supermarkets have flooring made out of smooth linoleum. This means the surface will become slippery when wet. If someone, be it a customer or a staff member, unexpectedly steps on a surface such as this while its wet they can lose their footing and fall over. There are a number of ways that a floor can get wet like this causing a person to slip, however with the right policies in place those unfortunate victims can be spared the accident.
Spillages whether from liquids, a mop and bucket, even food items that have spilled on to the floor can make it wet and slippery. The shelves will be stacked with food and drinks which could make a slippery puddle if they fell off and spilled everywhere. It is vital that as soon as a spillage is reported or spotted that action is taken to highlight the problem to customers and staff and have the issued cleared up. In the event action is not taken in a timely manner or warning signs are not used to highlight the danger accidents can be caused.
Another way in which a floor can be wet enough to pose a slipping hazard is if it has recently been mopped. If staff members have not been careful to make sure the floor is dry after cleaning or if they have neglected to place a “wet floor” sign out until it is then a customer or a different member of staff might end up walking onto the wet area and not realise how slippery it is until it’s too late.
If weather hazards are causing the floor to become wet near the entrance of a supermarket then the supermarket has the responsibility to ensure that all is done to mitigate any accidents that may happen. This can be done by placing wet floors signs in view of all customers and staff, and using mats on the floor that would soak up the excess water.
It is vital that supermarkets acts in a way to reduce any foreseeable hazards that could potentially cause employees and staff to become injured. If supermarkets fail to uphold their duty of care they owe to members of the public and staff alike and an injury is caused due to a preventable accident they could be liable to pay the victim compensation.
Retail Slip And Fall Accidents At Work Statistics?
When people think of the term “workplace injury” they probably think of people being injured by machinery or being hurt while working in a manual trade. However the most common ways for a person to injure themselves at work is by simply falling over. The Health and Safety Executive, the government body which regulates workplace health and safety says that slips, trips and falls are the largest category of accidents which cause injuries in the workplace. The RIDDOR report stated that 29% of reported non-fatal injuries were caused by slips, trips and falls. The next closest cause of accidents was the lifting and handling of heavy objects.
These figures demonstrate why it is so important for employers to make sure that health and safety regulations are maintained in their workplaces. They also show that health and safety is as much an issue for staff working in supermarkets as it is for people working in jobs traditionally considered more dangerous than others. We have a separate page on workplace injuries in general if you slipped and hurt yourself at work.
Causes Of Supermarket Slips, Trips And Falls
There are numerous different hazards which could put you at risk of having an accident and falling over while shopping or browsing in shop, both inside and outside the building itself. Please note that if the accident was your fault, for example if you tripped over your own shoe lace, you would not likely have grounds to claim compensation. Causes of slips, trips and falls which a supermarket could be liable for include:
- Things being left on the floor in the aisles, such as stock, packaging or staff members belongings.
- Steps or changes in the height of the floor surface unmarked by “mind your step” signs
- Broken, torn or poorly fitted linoleum, carpets or floor mats.
- Ice or frost on the pavement and near the entrance outside the shop.
- As mentioned earlier wet floors caused by spillages or cleaning with no warning signage.
Injuries Caused By Slips, Trips And Falls At A Supermarket
Most of the time slips, trips and falls may cause only minor injuries, such as cuts and bruises however some accidents of this nature have the ability to cause serious life changing injuries. However a bad fall can just as easily inflict a serious injury such as bone fractures. These injuries can leave the victim with a prolonged and painful recovery period during which their ability to move around or work could be severely impacted. Older people or people with pre-existing medical problems are especially in danger of sustaining a severe injury from falling over.
Some of the injuries which someone who fell in a shop might sustain include:
- Sprains: Falling over can cause the tendons and ligaments in the bodies joints to be suddenly pulled hard and damaged. This happens when the joint is put under too much pressure or is made to bend in a direction it is not meant to turn in. Sprained ankles or knees are not the most medically serious injury that a person can suffer but they can be very painful and leave the affected area swollen and bruised and make walking very difficult. We have a separate page on sprain injury claims for you to read here.
- Head injuries: Depending on how you fall you could injure your head. Your head could land directly on the floor or you could hit your head on something on the way down, such as a railing or a shelf. Any accident in which a person has hit their head is cause for concern and is treated as high priority by emergency services if they are attending the scene. Head injuries can cause anything from minor concussions which will heal on its own after a while, to serious Traumatic Brain Injuries.
- Back injuries: Falling on your back can cause spinal injuries, such as a disc fracture or a slipped disc. Spinal injuries can have very serious impacts on your mobility and can sometimes require surgery to heal.
- Bone fractures: Many bone fracture injuries are caused by falls. One area of particular concern is hip fractures which can often be sustained by elderly people who suffer a fall. In frail elderly people hip fractures can cause a number of medical complications.
Who Is Responsible For Your Safety In A Supermarket?
The operators of public places and public spaces have a duty of care, under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957, to make sure that their premises are safe from any and all foreseeable and preventable hazards to the health and safety of customers. Aldi is no exception. This means that Aldi may be liable for accidents to customers if they are caused due to poor health and safety management. Customers should have the right to go about their business in an Aldi store without having to worry about their safety.
Aldi are also bound under the Health and Safety at Work act 1974 to look out for the safety of their staff, by assessing and anticipating all potential risks to their staff’s health and safety and taking all reasonable steps possible to prevent accident causing injury or illness.
In order to make a successful personal injury claim against Aldi liability must be proven. It must be shown that through a breach in the duty of care an injury that could have been prevented was caused.
This means that having proof is crucial. A personal injury lawyer will help you through the process of collecting evidence to back up your personal injury claim, but you can also take certain steps to gather evidence on your own before you start working with a solicitor.
If you fell in Aldi and hurt yourself the first thing you could try to do at the scene is to take a photograph of what caused the trip or slip as soon as you can if you can and do not need emergency medical treatment, such as a wet patch of floor, a torn carpet or ice near the entrance. Please not that not all falls in a supermarket will qualify for compensation even if you are injured some may just be an accident and the fault of no one.
If you have not already been offered the chance to do so you should request to be allowed to fill in an entry into the shops accident book in order to make an official record of the incident. Don’t say anything which could be construed as an admission of fault or an apology for causing the incident, as this could be used by the defence to undermine the validity of your claim.
Calculating General Damages For Accident Claims
When you first start out your claim it won’t be possible to tell you what amount of compensation you will receive. This is because compensation is tailored to the situation of each individual claimant rather than a fixed amount being awarded to all claimants. Each claimant is affected differently by their injuries and the severity of the injury can be different from person to person. What impact an injury may have on one person maybe entirely different on another.
Nevertheless you may be able to get a broad idea of what you may be awarded for a successful claim by reading through the figures in the table below, it outlines the range of compensation that claimants maybe awarded for various different types of injuries as per the guidelines laid out by the Judicial College Guidelines.
| Location of injury | Compensation Guideline | Injury Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries inclusive of special damages. | Up to £300,000+ | A combination of serious injuries resulting in pain, suffering and financial loss, including care costs and loss of income. |
| Hand Injuries | £140,660 to £201,490 | (a) Total or effective loss of both hands. |
| Hand Injuries | £55,820 to £84,570 | (b) Serious damage to both hands. |
| Hand Injuries | £29,000 to £61,910 | (e) Serious hand injuries. |
| Leg Injuries | £97,980 to £132,990 | Amputation (i) Below the knee amputation of both legs. |
| Leg injuries | £54,830 to £87,890 | Severe (ii) Injuries leading to permanent issues with mobility. |
| Knee Injuries | £69,730 to £96,210 | Severe (i) Serious knee injury with disruption of the joint. |
| Knee Injuries | £14,840 to £26,190 | Moderate (i) Dislocation, torn cartilage, or meniscus causing mild future disability. |
| Ankle Injuries | £50,060 to £69,700 | (a) Very Severe – Cases of a bilateral ankle fracture. |
| Ankle Injuries | £13,740 to £26,590 | (c) Moderate – Fractures or ligamentous tears causing less serious disabilities. |
Special Damages Which Could Be Claimed For
In the above section we described how much compensation may be awarded for the injury, here we are going to discuss how you can be compensated for financial losses. When you suffer an injury the injury itself is rarely the only effect that you suffer except for the most minor cases. In addition to the physical effects of being hurt you will also likely suffer financial effects of the injury, losing out on earnings from being unable to work for example. This could be temporary sick leave, but in worse cases you may be forced to take on a new occupation because the injury prevents you from ever working in your old job again. You can be compensated for the money that you would have earned that you missed out on because of your injury.
That’s not all, you can also be compensated for money that you had to spend as a result of your injury. Medical expenses, such as buying painkillers or receiving private physiotherapy sessions for example. The travel expenses you incur while travelling to and from your doctor for your treatment can be included in special damages. This is why it is very important that you hold onto all the proof of your expenses, such as receipts and contracts.
No Win No Fee Slip And Trip Injury Claims Against Aldi
If you fell over in Aldi and suffered an injury that could have been avoided you could be entitled to receive compensation, but you may find the prospect of making a legal claim to receive compensation intimidating. This is understandable, the claims process can take several months and legal fees can be expensive. We can offer you a no win no fee agreement. By making a no win no fee claim you will receive less than the entire value of your compensation as your solicitor will be entitled to receive up to 25% of it in the form of a “success fee”, but on the other hand if the claim fails you won’t be asked to pay anything to your solicitor.
Why Select Us To Handle A Claim Against Aldi?
When you make a claim you will want a solicitor you can put your trust in. You can do that with our solicitors. They have been winning compensation cases for their clients for years so they will be bringing plenty of experience into your case. You can take advantage of the experience and expertise of our legal team by consulting them for free advice using the contact details in the section below.
Start Your Supermarket Slip Injury Claim
To start your Aldi accident claim you just need to speak to our team about it. They will discuss with you the circumstances of your accident and advise you about whether or not your claim will have a valid basis. If it does they can refer you on to one of our personal injury solicitors to begin making your claim.
Our team can also be consulted for free advice on matters concerning accident claims if you are not yet sure that you want to make an accident claim.
The number to call is 0800 073 8801, or you can have our team call you by requesting a call back here. If you want to communicate via email you can reach us at office@accidentclaims.co.uk.
Essential References
NHS Information On Falls
ROSPA Slip Trip And Fall Accidents
Accident At Sainsbury’s Compensation Guide
Accident At Lidl Compensation Guide
Retail Health And Safety
HSE Health And Safety
HSE Slip, Trip And Fall Statistics
Article by JY
Edited by CK