Am I eligible to make hip injury claims for an accident which occurred in a supermarket? I slipped on spilled soup and injured myself, and when I visited my doctor a week later I was diagnosed with a dislocated hip.
Provided that you were the victim of negligence on behalf of the supermarket, you may be eligible to make hip injury claims. However it must be noted that as there was a notable delay in seeking medical attention there may be a reduction in the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled.
Negligence for hip injury claims for an accident that occurred in a supermarket will be determined by the manner in which the accident occurred. This will depend on how long the soup had been present on the floor of the shop. It may be the case where the soup had been present on the floor for a considerable length of time. If this is the case, the supermarket will be held negligent for your accident and injury as action was not taken in order to remove the hazard, or to at least reduce the likelihood of an injury occurring with warning signs. However it is still possible that the supermarket will not be responsible for an injury if the soup had spilled immediately before your accident occurred. If this was the case, the supermarket may not be held liable for an accident occurring as they would not have had the opportunity to remove the hazard.
However hip injury claims may be affected if contributory negligence is determined to be a factor. This may occur as there was a delay of one week in receiving medical attention for your injury. After sustaining an injury, it is recommended that you receive treatment from a medical professional immediately in order to prevent the deterioration of any injuries you have sustained. Failure to do so could be seen as contributory negligence if the supermarket — or their insurance company — arrives at the conclusion that prompt medical attention could have prevented your hip dislocation. You will not necessarily be disqualified from making a claim in this scenario, but your compensation can be reduced to reflect your own carelessness.
As your claim is likely to be challenged with allegations of contributory negligence, you are advised to consult a personal injury* solicitor before initiating a claim. With your solicitor you can discuss the circumstances surrounding your accident, determine the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled and establish whether your claim is worth pursuing. If you have any further questions on making hip injury claims, you are advised to consult a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity.