Is it possible to claim compensation for falling in a pub? I slipped on broken glass on the floor and broke my wrist and badly cut my leg on the glass.
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
Your eligibility to claim compensation for falling in a pub is likely to be determined by how long the glass had been on the floor. Inasmuch as the broken glass represented a hazard, if it had only just materialised as the result of the actions of another customer and the pub staff had not had a “reasonable” amount of time in which to identify the hazard and have it cleared away, it will be considered that the pub has not breached its duty of care to provide you with a safe environment.
Public liability claims – such as a claim for falling in a pub – can often become complicated in these circumstances, and a solicitor would attempt to demonstrate that the pub did not have an adequate cleaning system in place to check for such hazards. You might also benefit from using the services of a solicitor to speak with other customers at the pub to establish whether they were aware of glass being on the floor and had witnessed your accident.
If you are able, due to the nature of your injuries, you should return to the pub and make a record of your slip and fall accident in the pub´s “Accident Report Book”. This might give you an indication of whether the pub is willing to accept liability for your pub fall claim and may even initiate an offer of compensation for falling in a pub from the pub´s public liability insurers.
If the latter scenario happens, you are again advised to speak with a solicitor to determine whether the offer of pub fall compensation is adequate in relation to the nature of your injuries and the consequences they have on your quality of life. The solicitor will advise you whether you should accept the offer of compensation for falling in a pub, attempt to negotiate for more or submit an application for assessment of your claim for falling in a pub to the Injuries Board.