Public Injury Compensation Claims
The aftermath of an accident can be hugely distressing for you and your family. Depending on the severity of your injury, it can impact your ability to work, look after yourself and live a normal day-to-day life.
You should be able to live your life without the risk of injury. If you’ve suffered an injury in a public place, from tripping on a loose pavement to being hurt by falling signage in a shop, you could be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
At Hodge Jones & Allen, our personal injury solicitors are experts in helping clients bring claims for compensation for an injury in a public place.
“A very impressive claimant Personal Injury practice. From my experience of them, the team are very experienced, knowledgeable and highly professional.” “Excellent understanding of a claimant’s needs when running a case. Good strength in depth.” – Legal 500, 2025
Our Personal Injury team has been ranked in the Chambers & Partners 2025 legal directory. The team was praised for being “knowledgeable, experienced and responsive to queries.”
What is a public accident?
Personal injuries in public can, in legal terms, happen anywhere the general public is allowed to access. For example, a personal injury in public might occur in:
- A retail park or shopping centre
- Restaurants, cafés, fast-food outlets
- Public car parks, roads, and streets
- Supermarkets and their facilities, including toilets
- Public parks and recreational areas
- Public buildings including hospitals, libraries, etc.
" I never felt I was just a client number, I always felt Sarah was personally looking out for myself and my family... I have no hesitation in recommending this company and its team(s) to anybody thinking of engaging them."
How do you make a claim for an accident in a public place?
An accident in a public place can take many forms, including:
- Sports injuries
- Slips, trips & falls
- Accidents in places governed by local councils.
Public places can be anywhere from a pavement owned by a local authority, to a business premises. In these instances, the business or council is responsible for any accidents that take place.
If you have been hurt in an accident, the first thing you should do is seek medical attention for your public injury. As long as you’re well enough to do so, try to note down any details of the accident, including what happened and who was involved. It can also help to speak to any witnesses and get their contact details.
Once you’ve recovered from the initial shock of the event, it’s important to contact a solicitor as soon as possible. At Hodge Jones & Allen, our expert personal injury lawyers will speak to you to learn more about what happened and the injuries you have sustained.
We will then gather evidence that will help us get you the compensation you deserve, whether that’s gathering CCTV footage, speaking to witnesses, or asking independent experts to assess your condition.
Afterwards, we will speak to those responsible for the accident, whether that’s a local authority or a private business, to see if they accept blame. If they do, we will try to negotiate a settlement out of court to get you the compensation you need.
What is the public injury claim process?
The first step is to get in touch with our team for a free consultation so that we can learn more about your injury and circumstances.
If we’re able to help, your lawyer will explain how we use No Win No Fee agreements to fund your case. They will also explain the steps and guide you throughout.
The next stages of your claim will involve negotiations between your lawyer and the party at fault, or their insurers. We can help you to gather supporting evidence, including expert medical evidence and witness statements that can potentially support your case.
Our lawyers will help you to access specialist rehabilitation or care, where necessary, whilst also fighting to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. For an estimate of how much your claim could be worth, please see our online personal injury compensation calculator or talk to one of the team if you’re ready to start your claim.
Why choose Hodge Jones & Allen?
At Hodge Jones & Allen, our personal injury lawyers have decades of experience in getting clients the compensation they deserve for accidents that weren’t their fault. We’re widely recognised as industry leaders in the field, so when you instruct Hodge Jones & Allen, you know you’re getting access to a personal injury expert you can rely on.
We offer a free consultation when you call to help us learn more about your injury and how it has impacted your life. We then operate on a No Win No Fee basis, which means you can make a claim for compensation without any financial risk.
If you’ve been injured in a public place and it wasn’t your fault, we want to help you get back on your feet by getting you access to the compensation you deserve.
We’ll fight your corner every step of the way, building a case for your compensation while looking after you and ensuring you get the care and medical attention you need. Rehabilitation is our number one concern. That’s why we always look to ensure we can secure an interim payment at an early stage, to cover any medical expenses you accrue, without leaving you out of pocket.
"I WAS PARTICULARLY IMPRESSED WITH THE PERSONAL SERVICE YOU PROVIDED, AND OF COURSE, YOU WINNING MY CLAIM!"
What should I do after a personal accident in a public place?
Whilst accidents in public may be painful, embarrassing or disorientating, what you do following the accident can be instrumental in being awarded compensation.
First and foremost, you should seek medical attention and make sure that you’re safe. It’s also important to take down as many details as you can about the accident, whilst it’s fresh in your memory. Evidence such as photos and videos can also prove crucial.
What details do I need to collect at the scene?
Whilst at the scene, it’s helpful if you can collect information such as:
- The names of those present, including witnesses (it helps to obtain contact details too)
- The address where the incident took place
- Insurance details, if applicable
- The date and time of the incident
- Weather conditions and lighting details
- Pictures of damaged or dangerous equipment or structures
- Evidence of any injuries (photos and videos)
- CCTV camera locations
How long does a public injury claim take?
Each individual case is different, so our lawyers will be able to advise you after we learn more about your injuries and circumstances. The timeframe depends on factors such as the extent of the injuries and how long it takes the other party to respond productively to the claim. If you’re unsure if you were at fault or not, it might take your solicitor a little bit longer to work through this process.
How soon should I make a claim?
Whilst in most circumstances you’ll have up to three years from the date of the accident to make a claim, it’s in your best interests to do so as soon as possible. This can make it easier to obtain key evidence and it helps that the accident is still fresh in your memory.
Learn more about the 3 year limitation period and exceptions here.
How much will I pay my solicitor if I win?
The general rule in a No Win No Fee personal injury claims is that the ‘losing’ party pays the ‘winning’ party’s costs. So, if you bring a personal injury claim and are awarded compensation then you can expect some of your legal costs to be paid by the other party.
In the vast majority of No Win No Fee cases the amount a lawyer receives in costs from the other party does not cover the amount of work they have done in order to bring the claim to a successful conclusion however this is taken into account with the No Win No Fee Agreement.
Entering into a No Win No Fee Agreement means that your solicitor will only get paid if you win your claim. The shortfall in costs as well as the insurance premium and the solicitors success fee will generally be covered from a deduction from a client’s compensation which will be agreed at the start of a claim
Learn more about No Win No Fee agreements here.
How much compensation could I get for my personal injury claim?
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Every claim for an injury in a public place is unique, so the compensation amount you may be entitled to will be personal to you based on the circumstances of your injuries. Personal injury compensation comes in two forms:
- General damages – This is compensation paid in relation to your suffering, specifically to your pain, the consequences of your injuries, and the impact these have had on you and your family. We always use the most recent edition of the Judicial Guidelines when assessing how much compensation you could receive for general damages.
- Special damages – Compensation paid for financial losses you have incurred, including medical bills, loss of income and rehabilitation.
You can use our personal injury compensation calculator to see an estimate of how much your claim could be worth. As your case develops, speak to your solicitor to find out how much compensation you may be able to win through your personal accident in public claim.