We advise people injured in shops, supermarkets, workplaces, car parks, pavements and communal areas. We will explain what needs to be proved, help preserve the evidence quickly, and set out the funding options including whether a no win no fee arrangement may be available.
Can I Make a Claim?
- You slipped, tripped or fell because of a hazard on premises or a public highway.
- The occupier or highway authority knew, or ought to have known, about the hazard and failed to deal with it reasonably.
- You were lawfully present — as a customer, employee, tenant or member of the public.
- The claim is brought within three years of the fall.
Situations We Are Instructed On
- Spillages left unattended in supermarket aisles
- Wet floors cleaned without warning signage
- Raised or sunken paving slabs and defective kerbs
- Poorly lit stairways and missing or loose handrails
- Trailing cables, unsecured mats and cluttered walkways
- Ice and snow left untreated on commercial premises
What Compensation Could I Claim?
- Damages for fractures, soft tissue injury, head injury and any loss of confidence
- Loss of earnings while unable to work
- Care and assistance, particularly for older claimants who lose independence
- Private treatment, physiotherapy and mobility aids
- Damaged clothing, glasses and personal items
What can be recovered in any individual case depends on the medical evidence and on the losses that can be proved. We do not estimate figures before that evidence is available.
Evidence That Helps
- Photographs of the hazard taken immediately, before it is cleaned or repaired
- CCTV — request it in writing quickly, as retention periods are often short
- The incident report completed by the shop or premises manager
- Cleaning schedules, inspection records and highway maintenance logs
- Witness details and medical records from the day of the fall
How Long Could the Claim Take?
Where CCTV clearly shows the hazard and the occupier's response, these claims can settle relatively quickly. Where inspection records are disputed or the highway authority relies on its statutory defence, the case takes longer and may need proceedings.
No Win No Fee Funding for This Type of Claim
A No Win No Fee agreement — known in law as a conditional fee agreement — is a written contract between you and your solicitor. Under it, our fee for the legal work becomes payable only if your claim is successful. It is a way of funding a claim without paying our costs up front. It is not a promise about the outcome of your case, and it is not available in every matter.
How a No Win No Fee agreement works
- Assessment first. We review the facts, the likely evidence and your prospects before deciding whether we can offer this type of funding.
- If the claim succeeds. The opponent is usually ordered or agrees to pay a substantial part of your legal costs. A success fee — a percentage uplift on our charges, capped by law in personal injury work — is deducted from your compensation. The percentage will be stated in your agreement before you sign it.
- If the claim does not succeed. You would not pay our fee for the legal work covered by the agreement. You may still be responsible for certain disbursements and, in some circumstances, the opponent’s costs, which is why insurance arrangements are discussed with you at the outset.
- Deductions and other costs. Expenses such as medical reports, court fees, expert evidence and any insurance premium are dealt with separately. We will explain which of these may be deducted from your damages and how they are calculated.
- Alternatives. You may already have legal expenses cover through a household, motor or credit card policy, or through a trade union. We will ask about this because it may be a better option for you.
Who may be eligible
Eligibility depends on the individual case, including whether another party appears to be legally responsible, whether the injury and losses can be evidenced, and whether the claim is brought in time. Some claims are not suitable for this form of funding. We will tell you honestly if we cannot act on this basis, and explain the alternatives that may be open to you.
The exact terms — including the success fee percentage, the disbursements involved and what would happen if the claim were unsuccessful — are set out in writing and explained to you before you decide whether to proceed. Nothing on this page is a guarantee about the outcome of a claim or a statement that any particular funding arrangement will be available. Please take advice about your own circumstances.
Speaking to a No Win No Fee Solicitor
The first conversation is an assessment, not a commitment. A solicitor will listen to what happened, identify who may be legally responsible and consider what evidence is likely to be available. In the context of slip and trip claims, that usually means looking closely at how the incident occurred, what records exist and how your injury has affected your work and daily life.
Once we understand the case, we can discuss funding. Where a conditional fee arrangement is appropriate, we will explain the terms, the deductions and the risks in writing so that you can make an informed decision. Where it is not appropriate, we will say so and set out any alternative route available to you, including existing insurance cover or union support. Either way, you will know where you stand before any work begins.
Slip and Trip Claims FAQs
- Nobody saw me fall. Does that matter?
- It makes the claim harder, but not impossible. CCTV, photographs, the state of your clothing and prompt medical attendance can all support your account.
- How big does a pavement defect need to be?
- There is no fixed threshold, although defects of around an inch or more are more likely to be considered actionable. Location, lighting and foreseeable use all matter.
- The shop says it had just cleaned the floor. Is that a defence?
- Only if the cleaning was reasonably carried out with adequate warning. A wet floor with no signage frequently supports a claim rather than defeating it.
- I fell in a communal area of my building. Who is liable?
- Usually the landlord or management company responsible for maintaining the common parts, depending on the terms of the lease and the management arrangements.
Speak to our team
Tell us what happened and we will assess the claim and explain the funding options that may be available to you, in writing, before you decide how to proceed.