How much compensation could a person get if they slipped on milk on the floor in a supermarket? My husband slipped on milk last week and broke his hip and we need to pay for a lot of medication.
Eoin P. Campbell, LL.B., Solicitor
Editor in Chief
The amount of compensation someone could receive for an injury they received when they slipped on milk on the floor in a supermarket depends on a number of elements. Each claim made is unique and the compensation awarded to one person may differ greatly from what is awarded to another person with the same injury obtained in a similar accident. However, in order to ensure that you have a viable claim it must be established that the accident was caused due to a breach in the legal “duty of care” that should have been provided by the supermarket.
The question is; when you slipped on the milk on the floor in the supermarket, could it have been prevented by supermarket staff having enough time to remove the hazard? It must be noted that although the supermarket should provide their customers with a safe and clean shopping environment, they do not have an “absolute” duty of care and cannot be blamed for the accident if staff did not have a “reasonable” amount of time to wipe up the milk. For example, the customer directly ahead of your husband spilled the milk and immediately afterwards your husband slipped.
You can be assisted in determining liability and establishing whether or not your husband has a viable claim for compensation by an experienced solicitor. He or she can assess the details of your claim; collect information from witnesses, if possible – or access CCTV footage. Your solicitor can also give you a preliminary estimate of how much compensation your husband may be eligible for.
Since your husband broke his hip when he slipped on milk on the floor in a supermarket, the value of his compensation claim will need to encompass several factors in order to obtain a fair result. Compensation for your husband’s physical injury will be calculated in relation to his age and general state of health prior to the injury. Compensation may also be awarded for “loss of amenity”, i.e. if your husband cannot perform day-to-day tasks without difficulty, or if he can no longer partake in social or leisure activities that he once enjoyed.
In relation to paying for medication, your husband may be able to recover any expenses incurred that are directly attributable to the injury he suffered when he slipped on milk on the floor in a supermarket, along with legal costs and loss of income.
In the event that the supermarket admits liability for your husband’s accident, their insurers may approach you directly with an early offer of slipped on milk on the floor in supermarket compensation. Be aware that these kinds of offers do not generally account for the affect an injury has had on the victim’s life and are often found to be an inadequate amount to cover medical costs or support their family. Any such offer should be referred to a solicitor who can determine whether or not the amount offered is reasonable and fair.
You and your husband would be well advised to engage in the services of a solicitor as soon as practically possible. Since the many elements that are involved in proving negligence can be overwhelming around the time of the accident when your husband should be recuperating and not feeling extra pressure, the presence of an experienced solicitor to handle his case will likely be invaluable.