fallen over in super market.

My mother fell over in a very large supermarket today.

It was raining outside and the incident was reported but she cant walk very well and its very swollen.

anything she can do?
 

robertt

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Jul 2, 2006
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My mother fell over in a very large supermarket today.

It was raining outside and the incident was reported but she cant walk very well and its very swollen.

anything she can do?

Take pictures of the injuries and note down an account of what has happened.

Fill in a form on something like http://www.claims.co.uk/personal-injury-claims/slips-trips-falls.html who will then pass it on to a solicitor if its deemed claimable.

"Business owners and shopkeepers are responsible for the safety of individuals on their premises, and in public places, laws are in place to protect others from injury. Companies and small businesses pay insurance premiums to cover themselves sufficiently when such situations occur. These claims can not only assist you in getting back on your feet again, but help to ensure that health and safety procedures in all walks of life can be continuously improved."


I agree with some posters above that 'accidents happen' but at the same time accidents can be avoided and if someone has cocked up by not cleaning something up I dont see why people should have to suffer for that?

:eek:
 
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Matt1959

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Sep 8, 2006
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just curious - whats the fact that its raining got to do with it?

Don't think I'd be too chuffed if I went flying on some spillage on a supermarket floor. If I was just bruised and shocked, I'd shrug it off, if I broke something and had time off work, I'd want compensating if it was clear I'd slipped on something that could have been cleaned up. If I'd slipped on some wetness left from customers shoes, I'd scold myself for not being more careful and let it rest. Depends what was spilled and when...
 
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As far as im aware the store made out as if it was the rain from outside. My mother said the security guard saw her slip but then later denied this.

she needed to be helped up by 2 members of the public.

she cant walk at the moment so she will miss work its a physical job.
 
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Matt1959

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Sep 8, 2006
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well you cant expect a busy public thoroughfare in a retail enviroment to be kept bone dry:| I'd have thought we all have a duty of care to walk depending on the conditions so if its wetness from peoples feet, I think its just hard luck - I wouldnt claim for that anyway...
 
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Oh you can put in a claim. A mate of mine had the same incident, old mother slipped right in the entrance of the supermarket and landed on her head. The supermarket accepted responsibility on the grounds that no warning signs were put up, nobody had attempted to mop or dry the area and the doors had been left in the open position (allowing the rain in all day)

They got around 2k but that was a couple of years ago, you may get a bigger sum because they went through a solicitor who took his large sum at the end..probably another 2k.

It's up to you whether you want to pursue it but the option is there. You get an hours free consultation with a solicitor these days too..i think:|
 
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What If

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May 24, 2010
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You mentioned how your Dad feels but what about your Mum, does she think it was the supermarkets fault or hers?

In my experience the person who has the accident is rarely interested in compensation. Its the relatives and friends who see the £'s!

You may have a case, it really depends upon the finer detail e.g. where exactly was the liquid? Was there any wet floor signs? Was there any slip mats as on the entrance to the store?

Remember they can't protect against every eventuallity, they just need to take measures to mitigate the risk. If they haven't done this you might have a claim.
 
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Lol yes she was sober!

She was upset about looking the fool in public and she feels that the supermarket was at thought!

The supermarket in question is the one renowned for selling good quality clothes to the more elderly people in the world.

I think they basically just jumped to there own defence straight away and the 2 members of the public just helped her on her way Im not aware of them admitting seeing anything etc.
 
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sellickbhoy

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Jun 5, 2009
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aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

what do you want done?

should she get free shopping? a few grand? should someone in the shop be sacked? should they change the layout to the shop entrance? construct a device to ensure rain never falls near their store?

Nothing serious has happened - or if it has, your family have shown a very lax attitude in getting her proper medical attention, maybe she should sue you for spending time on the internet seeing what you can get instead of looking after her!

But instead, feed the compensation culture, give the vulture ambulance chasers their pot of gold, drive up insurance claims, make life harder for businesses, drive up costs for consumers and all for a few quid when no harm was actually done.

Even if there WAS a spillage, if the shop was in the process of doing something about it, you'd have next to no case as you'd have to prove they were negligent in addressing the spill, but i think it's more likely the spillage was just a puddle carried in on the feet of otehr shoppers (sorry to doubt your dads word on this)

I hope your mum has nothing hurt more thana wee bit of pride at having fallen in public, but i just wish people wouldnt suddenly blame the world and demand compensation.

It's one of the many things of modern society that utterly depresses me.
 
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movietub

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Nov 6, 2008
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As far as im aware the store made out as if it was the rain from outside. My mother said the security guard saw her slip but then later denied this.

she needed to be helped up by 2 members of the public.

she cant walk at the moment so she will miss work its a physical job.

She was upset about looking the fool in public and she feels that the supermarket was at thought!

She should feel foolish - it was her fault! If it's raining outside and you are entering a busy place with a polished floor then all you need to keep you safe is common sense.

Sure, common sense fails us all occasionally. No one always takes note of the floor surface ahead. But no matter which way you look at this, nothing would have reduced the risk of this happening more than your mother paying more attention.
 
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Well like somebody said earlier while she was in the shop its their responsibility to ensure she is safe etc.

She will lose out due to missing work and theres a cost to this.

No it's not, it's their responsibility to ensure they are not negligent over the condition of their floor. If a customer carelessly enters a shop wearing wet smooth soled shoes onto a smooth dry surface and ends slipping over, common sense would suggest that the customer is negligent not the shop?!

If it's really that bad, I don't understand why no trip to A&E? At best it sounds like a bad sprain so maybe some anti inflammatories to reduce the swelling could help but if it's broken, I'd be wanting some serious pain relief if it was me!

Chris
 
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movietub

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Nov 6, 2008
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Well like somebody said earlier while she was in the shop its their responsibility to ensure she is safe etc.

She will lose out due to missing work and theres a cost to this.

Nope, thats not worded quite right. It is her responsibility to ensure she is safe.

It is the shops responsibility to make sure the shop is a safe as can be, which means employing reasonable measures and policies and sticking to them.

The fact there is a cost doesn't mean she is more entitled to claim. If she fell over, hurt nothing and lost no income she would not be less entitled to claim either.

The bottom line is she could claim if the shop created the dangerous situation, or did not take reasonable action to do something about it. And what exactly could they have done about people with wet shoes dragging water in? No amount of matting will last long in a busy shop foyer in the wet. No amount of signs will make people notice them.

If she loses money as a result it;s unfortunate sure, but these things do happen.
 
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movietub

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Nov 6, 2008
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Wouldnt happen to be the same mum or the same supermarket by any chance?

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=170237&highlight=supermarket

Lol - the mat that the person in that thread tripped on was probably put down after the lady on this thread slipped on the wet floor...

Now the supermarket will have to give people a quick IQ test before being allowed to enter. Anyone 'a bit fick' will be bound to find some way of injuring themselves and will have to be turned away.

Another problem solved :rolleyes:
 
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movietub

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shl090202l.jpg



Most relevant I could find - sorry.
 
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Why can't people just accept they had an accident. Makes my blood boil these lowlife that want to claim compensation just because they happen to slip up. If it's raining shop floors get slippery thats life. What are shops supposed to do - close when it rains, follow every customer drying the floor as they walk?

It's the OP's Mother I feel sorry for, more concerned with his wealth than her health.

Sorry nothing constructive added here, just a rant at these fools :mad:
 
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As mentioned by many others, it seems for your mother bad luck was on her side. And this is an accident.

IF this is a big IF, there was actually spillage from some liquid bar rain and this was noted and written down then yes you may well have a claim.

But if its just rain, then maybe she should have just walked slower, or gone with yourself shopping.

It seems you are wanting some money for an accident that was unfortunate?
 
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robertt

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Jul 2, 2006
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Most on here are saying "get over yourself its an accident"

then "but if it wasnt, then make a claim"

We dont know the facts, so the OP ought to contact someone who can establish if there is a claim to be made.

Wouldnt you want the best if it was your family / mother?!
 
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Most on here are saying "get over yourself its an accident"

then "but if it wasnt, then make a claim"

We dont know the facts, so the OP ought to contact someone who can establish if there is a claim to be made.

Wouldnt you want the best if it was your family / mother?!

I fail to see how slipping can be anything but an accident. If you are looking where you are going and walking according to the situation it can only be an accident. Even if there was something on the floor it's still an accident, just happens you didn't see the obstacle - that's how accidents happen.

Now if someone had pushed her, deliberately tripped her, threw a can on Heinz 57 at her that would be different :)
 
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movietub

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We dont know the facts, so the OP ought to contact someone who can establish if there is a claim to be made.

Wouldnt you want the best if it was your family / mother?!

There is a difference between whether a claim can be made, and whether one should morally be made. Contact a claims line and they will often say there is sufficient to make a claim, when I would say that it's still wrong to do so.

And what on earth has making a claim go to do with whats best for the mother? A claim is just money, and it 'compensates' for the fall... which is another way of saying that rather than learn from the experience, the Mother is simply financially put back into shape!

Thats great fun when the claim can be spent on a new tellie or whatever, but not so much fun when she slips on ice and goes under a car... It hurts when we fall, it's supposed to. It teaches us, at whatever age, to not assume the ground ahead is always safe and grippy.
 
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robertt

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Jul 2, 2006
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I fail to see how slipping can be anything but an accident.

The OP says there was 'spilt liquid on the floor' - what if that should have been cleaned up days ago? We just dont know.

To say it is 100% an accident without the facts is nonsense :eek:

And what on earth has making a claim go to do with whats best for the mother? A claim is just money, and it 'compensates' for the fall... which is another way of saying that rather than learn from the experience, the Mother is simply financially put back into shape!

As above there may be a fault somewhere - the mother or the supermarket, or there may not be.

If there is a fault by the supermarket, why should the mother lose out?

Who should pay her wages when off work? Taking the kids to school?


Sadly I am not that amazed by the advice on here, however to question peoples morality for seeking proper advice is a new low :rolleyes:
 
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