Compensation for an Accident in Aldi

A client who tripped in an Aldi supermarket injuring her wrist and knees received a £5,000 compensation award when our personal injury solicitors settled her case out of court.

The defendant, Aldi Stores Limited, accepted liability in the case and we were able to turn this around in a matter of months. Our client, a 66-year-old lady, claimed she was reaching for some fruit and vegetables when she tripped over part of the display cabinet which had become detached from the rest of the counter.

She fell onto her knees and had to be assisted by staff from Aldi and her husband.

Trip and Fall Injuries in Supermarkets

Our client did decline an ambulance at the time as she felt able to return home assisted by her husband but stated that she was in bed taking painkillers for three days and as well as injuring her knees, she also had pain in her wrist.

She reported the incident to her GP and saw a physiotherapist.  As her right wrist was still painful, they advised her to go to Accident and Emergency at Tameside General Hospital.  A follow-up x-ray reported a distal radius fracture, and she was in a splint for a few weeks.  As our client is right-handed this did impede her daily activities and she had to have assistance from her husband.  She also had continued pain in her knees.

Accident CCTV Footage

The manager at the Aldi store in Chadderton, where the incident occurred, telephoned our client to say they had reviewed the CCTV footage and it was obvious that the plastic cover had come off and caused her to trip.  They offered her vouchers by way of an apology, which she refused.  A member of staff had commented at the time of the incident that the cover had come off previously when it was hit by a customer trolley.

When our client asked for a copy of the CCTV footage the matter was referred to the Aldi Insurance Department.

“This case was an obvious breach in the duty of care that companies such as supermarkets have to their clients, they must at all times make sure they take reasonable steps to ensure shoppers are safe when visiting their premises,” said Personal Injury Solicitor, Mike Talbot.

“As Aldi quite rightly admitted liability, we were able to settle this case in a couple of months, but the time limit for supermarket accident claims is 3 years, although I would always urge clients to act sooner rather than later when the facts are fresh in their minds.”

“You do however need to prove that the accident was caused by negligence, as was the case here,” he added.

What to do if you have an accident in a supermarket?

• Speak immediately to a member of staff, report the incident to the store manager and ask for a report to be filed.
• Take pictures of the scene preferably at the time of the incident and log these.
• Speak to any witnesses and if possible, get their contact details. In some cases, there may also be CCTV of the area.
• Seek treatment for your injuries and ask for copies of any treatment plan, keep receipts of any care or prescriptions that are needed.

How can we help

Our personal injury solicitors regularly act for clients who have had an accident in a supermarket or in the workplace including slips, trips and falls. For expert legal advice or to see if you have a supermarket accident claim contact us on 0161 785 3500 or email enquiries@pearsonlegal.co.uk

Subscribe to our newsletter

Please note that the information and opinions contained in this article are not intended to be comprehensive, nor to provide legal advice. No responsibility for its accuracy or correctness is assumed by Pearson Solicitors and Financial Advisers Ltd or any of its members or employees. Professional legal advice should be obtained before taking, or refraining from taking, any action as a result of this article.

This blog was posted some time ago and its contents may now be out of date. For the latest legal position relating to these issues, get in touch with the author - or make an enquiry now.