Robert James Solicitors | Accidents in Public Places Claims

About

Public liability claims usually involve an accident in a public place, whether this is a highway or street maintained at public expense, or privately owned premises such as a shop, office, gym or private home.

There are many causes of injury, with those on public highways usually being caused by poorly maintained roads and pathways, and those on private premises being caused by a multitude of factors, which include spillages, tripping hazards, exposed electrical cables, slippery surfaces or the negligence of the defendant’s employees or agents.

When dealing with the public, local authorities and private organisations must ensure that there are systems in place to avoid accidents arising from the use of their highways and/or their premises. If you have suffered an accident on a local highway or on the premises of an individual or organisation, it is likely that this is because they failed to implement appropriate systems to avoid your accident or failed to follow their systems.

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Robert James Solicitors have over 25 years’ experience and an excellent track record of supporting clients in making Accidents in Public Places claims. If you or your loved ones require legal advice and support on how best to proceed with a Accidents in Public Places claim, call one of our specialist solicitors on 0151 559 0120 or complete our online claim form and one of our solicitors will call you back.

Good to Know

Frequently asked questions related to Accidents in Public Places are answered below. If you have any other questions about Serious Injury Claims, contact us for further information and advice.

How long do I have to claim if I have been in a Public Liability Accident?

In most injury claims the timescale to bring a claim is either 3 years from the date of the accident or 3 years from the date of knowledge that another person/organisation caused your injuries. In cases involving minors they have until 3 years from the day they turn 18 years of age, or from the date of knowledge.

If a person was killed in an accident or died at a later date, the timescale to bring a claim is 3 years from the date of death or 3 years from the date of knowledge of their personal representative, whichever is the later.

A person may not have capacity to conduct the litigation and therefore the time limit to bring a claim would not begin until they regain capacity. Such persons would normally be represented by a litigation friend or professional deputy in proceedings.

If you, your family or friends require advice regarding the timescales to bring a claim, please contact one of our specialist solicitors on 0151 559 0120.

How long will it take to settle my personal injury claim?

The short answer is that each case is different; however, in the most straightforward of cases, we would expect your case to be settled within 9 to 12 months from the date we receive your initial instructions.

In more complex cases the timescales taken to resolve the case will often be dictated by the liability status of the case and your personal needs. In cases where you require substantial rehabilitation over periods of many years, naturally this will mean that your case may take longer to settle.

It is not uncommon for complex cases to take between 2 to 3 years and up to 5 years to settle. If a prolonged delay causes you financial hardship, we can advise you on the merits of seeking an interim payment from the defendant. If you would like more information on average case lengths or interim payments, please consider the blog below or call one of our specialist solicitors on 0151 559 0120.