Trapped in Cling Film at a Supermarket — £25,000 Compensation for Fractured Toe and Hand Injuries
WHAT HAPPENED?
Our client was doing an ordinary shop when they became entangled in cling film trailing from a pallet of empty boxes left out on the shop floor. Unable to free their foot, they fell face-first onto the hard floor.
They were later diagnosed with a fractured big toe and injuries to both hands. The effect on everyday life was significant — walking was painful and gripping objects was difficult, and the combination kept them off work for several months.
HOW WE HELPED
A trailing hazard left out during trading hours is exactly the kind of risk an occupier is expected to manage. We investigated how the pallet came to be on the shop floor and what system, if any, was in place for clearing it.
Because injuries to both hands and a foot affect almost every daily task at once, valuing this claim properly meant looking well beyond the fractures themselves. We gathered medical evidence covering the full extent of the injuries and built a schedule of financial losses reflecting the months of earnings our client lost while unable to work.
THE OUTCOME
We secured £25,000 in compensation, reflecting the pain and suffering caused by the injuries and the substantial financial impact of a long period away from work.
COULD YOU MAKE A SIMILAR CLAIM?
Supermarkets and other businesses open to the public owe their visitors a duty to take reasonable care to keep the premises safe. Hazards left out on the shop floor during trading hours — trailing packaging, spillages, stock in walkways — are among the most common causes of injury in retail environments.
If you were injured in a shop because of a hazard that should not have been there, you may have a claim.
COMMON QUESTIONS
CAN I CLAIM IF I TRIPPED OVER SOMETHING LEFT ON A SHOP FLOOR
You may be able to, if the shop failed to take reasonable care to keep the premises safe. That usually turns on whether staff knew or should have known the hazard was there, and whether they had a reasonable system for spotting and clearing it. We can tell you where you stand after a free initial call.
HOW MUCH COMPENSATION CAN I GET FOR A BROKEN TOE?
There's no fixed figure. Compensation reflects the severity of the injury, how long recovery takes and how much it affects your day-to-day life and ability to work. In this case the settlement was £25,000, but that figure reflected multiple injuries and several months of lost earnings. Your own claim would be valued on its own facts.
CAN I CLAIM FOR TIME OFF WORK AFTER AN ACCIDENT IN A SHOP?
Yes. If your injuries stopped you working, lost earnings can form part of your claim alongside compensation for the injuries themselves. Other financial losses — travel to medical appointments, treatment costs, help you needed at home — can also be included.
INJURED IN A SHOP BECAUSE OF A HAZARD THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE?
You shouldn't be left out of pocket because somewhere you had every right to be wasn't kept safe. Call 0330 818 1202 for a free, no-obligation chat, or contact us.