Most of the time, most of us don't think twice about popping into our nearest supermarket or mini-mart, but doing so can be fraught with danger.

Outside, common hazards include potholes in the carpark leading to trips and falls, ice and snow (and a lack of gritting) leading to slips, ramps, slopes and unexpected steps leading to mis-steps and inattentive drivers running down passing shoppers.

Once inside, the most common accidents are slipping and tripping. On wet days, the transition from a tarmac car park onto wet tiles can often pose a hazard, and where the store has provided mats to soak up the rain, feet can often be caught on curling edges or ridges in loose coverings.

In most supermarkets, the first area to greet the shopper is the fruit and vegetable section. Watch out for that banana skin – which might still have a banana in it, and don't miss the grapes, raspberries, blueberries and others, all lurking in wait to send a shopper flying. Even the flower displays can shed petals and leaves, making floors as slippery as ice rinks.

Phew! You've made it through fruit and veg, now on to meat and dairy, location of one of the landmark cases in personal injury litigation, Ward v Tesco Stores Ltd [1976] 1 WLR 810, where Ms Ward slipped on some spilt yoghurt. The case set an important precedent in shifting the burden of proof, normally on the Claimant, to the Defendant, Tesco in this case.

Ms Ward didn't have to prove that the yoghurt had been negligently spilt, or who had spilt it; the fact of its presence on the floor, where it shouldn't have been, was enough. It was then up to Tesco to show that they had taken all reasonable care to identify and promptly clean up any spillages. This means that your solicitor may be circumspect at first about your prospects of success in any such claim, because if your store can demonstrate a pro-active system for spotting and cleaning spillages quickly, then your case may not succeed.

You've made it this far, watching your feet the whole time, but what other hazards await you? Freezer doors falling on heads, fridge doors trapping hands, tins and bottles falling off shelves onto heads, arms and feet and don't forget other shoppers, especially those on mobility scooters, crashing into you.

Finally, you think you can relax, with a trip to the loo and café, but watch out for the handbasins falling off the walls or the coffee being served at well over 100 degrees centigrade.

If you have been unfortunate to sustain injuries in a shop, please contact our personal injury team at Malcolm C Foy and Co Ltd. You can also get in touch with us directly for advice.

Personal Injury Solicitor

Diane Parker

Blog Author