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Who can make a public liability claim?
Anyone who has been injured or suffered damage because someone else was negligent in a public place may be able to make a public liability claim. This can include shoppers, visitors, passers-by, customers, cyclists, and sometimes employees or contractors who are not covered by other types of claim.
These claims are usually made against the person, business, or organisation responsible for the area where the incident happened. The key question is whether they owed you a duty of care and failed to keep you reasonably safe.
Common situations where a claim may apply
Public liability claims often arise from slips, trips, and falls in places such as shops, restaurants, car parks, pavements, leisure centres, and public buildings. They can also involve accidents caused by broken steps, wet floors, uneven surfaces, poor lighting, or unsafe crowd control.
You may also have a claim if you were injured by falling objects, defective equipment, or poorly maintained premises. In some cases, damage to personal property can also be claimed, such as a broken phone, bike, or glasses.
Do you need to be a visitor or member of the public?
No. Despite the name, public liability claims are not limited to strangers or casual visitors. You may still be able to claim if you were invited onto premises, attending an event, or using a service in a public-facing setting.
Children can also make a claim through a parent or guardian if they are injured in a public place. If the injured person cannot manage their own claim, someone else may be able to act on their behalf.
Who may be responsible?
Responsibility may lie with a business, local council, private landowner, event organiser, or contractor. For example, a supermarket may be liable for a spill that was left unattended, while a council may be responsible for a badly maintained pavement.
Sometimes more than one party could share responsibility. It is not always obvious who should be approached at first, which is why gathering evidence early can be important.
What do you need to prove?
To make a successful public liability claim, you usually need to show that the other party was negligent and that their negligence caused your injury or loss. This might involve proving they failed to inspect, repair, clean, or warn about a hazard.
Useful evidence can include photos, witness details, medical records, accident reports, and receipts for expenses. The stronger the evidence, the easier it may be to prove what happened and how it affected you.
When to get advice
If you have been injured in a public place, it is sensible to get legal advice as soon as possible. Limitation rules normally mean you have three years to bring a claim, although there are exceptions.
A solicitor can help assess whether you are eligible and identify who should be held responsible. They can also explain what compensation may cover, including pain and suffering, lost earnings, and medical costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
A person who was injured or suffered loss because a business, property owner, council, or other party failed to take reasonable care may be able to make a public liability claim.
Yes. Visitors, customers, guests, and other lawful entrants can usually make a claim if they are injured due to negligence in a public or private place.
Yes. Pedestrians injured on footpaths, roads, shopping areas, or other public spaces may be able to claim if someone else was responsible for the hazard.
Yes. A child can usually make a claim through a parent, guardian, or litigation representative if they are injured because of another party's negligence.
Yes. Tenants may be able to claim if they are injured by a dangerous condition in common areas or by a landlord's failure to maintain the property.
Yes. Customers injured in a store, restaurant, or other business premises may claim if the business failed to keep the area reasonably safe.
Yes. If a council, contractor, or another responsible party failed to address a hazard in a park, an injured person may be able to claim.
Yes. Tourists can generally make a claim if they are injured in a public place, business, or venue because of negligence.
Sometimes. Employees are usually covered by workers' compensation, but they may have a public liability claim if a non-employer third party caused the injury.
Yes, in some cases. Contractors may claim if they were injured by another party's negligence in a place accessible to the public.
Yes. A pre-existing condition does not automatically prevent a claim, but the injury and its impact must be linked to the incident.
Yes, often. They may still claim, although any compensation may be reduced depending on their share of responsibility.
Yes. Residents may be able to claim if they are injured in shared areas, public spaces, or on property controlled by someone else who was negligent.
In some cases, yes. A claim may be possible for psychological injury or emotional distress if it was caused by a negligent incident and meets legal requirements.
Yes, possibly. In fatal cases, certain family members or the deceased person's estate may be able to pursue a claim depending on the law.
Yes. A business owner can make a claim if they were injured as an individual due to another party's negligence, even if the incident happened at work.
Yes, if the property was open to visitors or the injury was caused by a hazard that the occupier or owner should have addressed.
Yes. Slip and fall injuries are common in public liability claims when a wet floor, uneven surface, or other hazard was not properly managed.
Yes, sometimes. A claim may be possible if the animal's owner or another responsible party failed to control the animal properly.
Not necessarily. A claim usually must be made by someone who was owed a duty of care, suffered injury or loss, and can show that negligence caused the harm.
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