Novum Law recognised in prestigious Chambers & Partners Guide 2024
The team at Novum Law are delighted to be once again recognised as one of the best personal injury law firms in the South West by the leading, independent legal...
Serious accidents can happen anywhere and have a massive impact on your life. If someone else is to blame, it can make living with the consequences even harder.
You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one have been injured in a public place. Making a personal injury claim will ensure you have all the support you need, including access to the best medical care and rehabilitation services and replacing lost income and other costs.
At Novum Law, our specialist personal injury lawyers are experts in helping people to claim compensation for accidents in public. We can advise you on whether you will get compensation and how much you might be entitled to.
If you decide to pursue a claim, we can guide you through the process, keeping things as straightforward and stress-free as possible. And, as we support our clients on a No Win No Fee basis, you do not need to worry about funding your claim or any financial risks.
For a free, no-obligation chat with our experts, please call us on Freephone 0345 357 9645, complete our online form or email customersupport@simpsonmillar.co.uk.
Our expertise in compensation for accidents in a public place
Types of accidents in a public place claims we can help with
We can help with all types of accidents in public place claims, including :
- Accidents in public recreational areas such as parks and playgrounds
- Accidents in public buildings such as libraries, museums, bus or railway stations or colleges and schools
- Accidents in business premises such as supermarkets, shops, restaurants, cafes or pubs and caravan parks
- Sports accidents in sports centres, gyms, training grounds or swimming pools
Our experience
Across our team, we have many decades of experience acting for clients with severe injuries in the most complicated and high-value claims.
We have successfully secured millions of pounds in compensation for our clients. Our goal is to get maximum compensation, and often we do this without the need for court proceedings.
Independent recognition of our expertise
Our public accident solicitors’ expertise has been independently recognised, including the following:
- Ranked as one of the leading personal injury law firms in the South West by the legal guide Chambers & Partners
- Many of our team are members of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
- APIL Senior Litigator status is held by a number of our team
Our serious personal injury team has particular expertise in brain and head injuries, spinal injuries, limb loss and amputation and fatal injuries.
How claiming compensation for accidents in public works
Free initial consultation with our team
Making the first step and speaking to an expert about your injury is often the most challenging part. We understand this, so we want to make things as easy as possible for you.
Our team offers a free initial consultation for anyone who thinks they might have grounds to claim compensation for an accident in public. This is your chance to find out if we believe you are likely to be owed compensation and, if so, how much. We can then explain the claims process, including how No Win No Fee works, with no hidden costs or financial risks to you.
After this free chat, there will be no pressure from us to take things further. But if you do wish to start a claim, we will be here to support you every step of the way.
Funding your claim
Most claims we take on are funded on a No Win No Fee basis. No Win, No Fee funding is more formally known as a ‘conditional fee agreement’ or CFA. This means our fees will only apply if we secure compensation for you. The defendant may meet some or all of the costs, allowing you to keep more of your compensation. In the unlikely event we do not succeed, then you will not owe us anything.
Calculating the value of your claim
To ensure you receive the maximum compensation possible, we carefully assess how your injuries or your loved one’s injuries have impacted your lives.
The compensation that may be available for accidents in a public place claims falls into 2 broad categories:
- General damages – covers your pain, suffering and the impact on your lifestyle. This includes ‘loss of amenity’, which means no longer being able to carry out activities you previously could.
- Special damages – covers any specific financial costs you have incurred due to your injuries. This might include costs associated with medical treatment, care support, rehabilitation services, buying special equipment and lost income. Special damages also include expected future costs.
Working out how much compensation you are entitled to is known as ‘assessing the quantum of damages’ or ‘assessing quantum’.
Time limits to claim
You usually have 3 years to make a claim for an accident in a public place. This will be counted either from the ‘date of knowledge’, which is the date when you were first aware that you had been injured and that someone else’s negligence may have been to blame.
There are exceptions where you may have longer to bring accidents in a public place claims, including if the injured person was under the age of 18, they lack the mental capacity to bring a claim themselves, or they have passed away due to their injuries.
We always recommend speaking to our experts as soon as possible to ensure you do not miss out on the chance to claim.
Please book your free initial consultation with our claims team
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident in a public place, our experts in Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Swindon are here to help.
To start making your compensation claim, call us on Freephone 0345 357 9645, complete our online form or email customersupport@simpsonmillar.co.uk.
Frequently Asked Questions
A public place is an indoor or outdoor area to which the public has access. Some examples of public places include supermarkets, playgrounds, schools and streets.
If your accident occurred in a public place, you might be able to make a claim. Our specialist team for accidents in public places will be able to advise you on the next steps to take.
Just because you were injured in an accident in a public place does not mean you will automatically receive compensation. Your specialist lawyer will have to prove that someone else’s negligence was responsible for your injuries.
A public authority, business or other organisation responsible for a public place has a legal duty to make the area safe. If they have breached this duty, for example, by poor maintenance of surfaces or failing to address other hazards, then this could be considered negligence. If you or a loved one were injured, you might be able to make a compensation claim.
The first step in getting legal advice on accidents in public places is to speak to us and arrange a free, no-obligation consultation. We can then assess the circumstances surrounding your accident and advise on whether we think you have a claim.
Yes, it is often possible to make a claim on behalf of someone else if they cannot do so themselves.
If the injured person was a child, their parent or guardian could bring a claim until the young person turns 18, at which point they will have a further 3 years to bring a claim themselves, should they need to do so.
If the injured person lacks the mental capacity to make a claim, a parent or guardian can act as a ‘litigation friend’ to pursue the claim on their behalf. We can advise on who can act as a litigation friend. There are no time limits when there is a lack of mental capacity. Where someone has sadly died following an accident in a public place, a representative of their estate can make a claim. They will have 3 years from the date of death to do so.
Yes, at Novum Law, we can take on accidents in a public place claims on a No Win No Fee basis. This means you can get legal advice on accidents in public places without worrying about the costs involved.
We often hear from clients who have started a claim with another law firm only to feel disappointed with the results. Common complaints are that the other firm is not making progress or that they have negotiated a settlement the client feels is too low.
Our public accident solicitors will be happy to give a second opinion, and if we think we can do better, we can take over your claim. We will always be honest and will never recommend moving your claim to us if we do not genuinely believe we can get a better outcome for you.
Experience shows us that when we take over claims from other firms, we can often secure compensation faster and negotiate substantially higher settlements.
If you have a question that is not listed above, please visit our FAQs page. Alternatively, please call our specialist team on Freephone 0345 357 9645 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation chat.
