Pinto Potts Solicitors have learned this week that over 75% of all accidents that happen in Supermarkets involve members of staff.

This shocking revelation could indicate a major problem with safety standards in the supermarket industry as thousands of workers suffer injury every year.

Among the most common accidents in supermarkets where staff end up injured are:

  • Slips and Falls on spillages (liquids, produce, fruit etc’)
  • Injuries after being hit by items falling from height
  • Back strains and muscle injury from heavy lifting
  • Accidents with vehicles (when working in a supermarket car park or delivery area)
  • Falls and trips on uneven floor surfaces or car park potholes
  • Injuries caused when safety clothing hasn’t been provided (gloves, eye goggles, boots etc’)

A member of the supermarket staff may not know what to do if they end up hurt through no fault of their own while they are at work, the first thing should be to seek medical assistance, depending on the severity of the injury this may be with the supermarket first aider or for a more serious injury a trip to hospital or an ambulance may be needed.

Once medical treatment has been administered it is important to have the incident logged in the accident record, all supermarkets are required to keep an accident book to comply with health and safety regulations.

If the accident happened because of a defect (such as uneven flooring or a pot hole in the car park) photographs should be taken as this will help the case for claiming compensation. If details of witnesses to the accident can be obtained this would also be useful.

At this point the victim should speak with an injury claims Solicitor about making a claim for compensation, they do not need to worry about the fact that the claim will be against their employer as the Solicitor will deal with the supermarkets insurance company rather than the supermarket directly.

A specialist Solicitor with experience of handling claims against supermarkets will already have the details of who the insurance company is and will be able to correspond directly with the insurer from the outset of the claim.

By dealing with a Solicitor who has previous experience of making claims against supermarkets it will likely ensure the victim obtains the maximum possible amount of compensation and will take away the danger of a claim being under-settled.

By using a specialist Solicitor the victim will also be safe in the knowledge that their experience will have given them an excellent understanding of the claims process and increase the chances of making a successful claim.

Pinto Potts Solicitors have considerable experience in making claims against supermarkets, both on behalf of staff and customers. If you, a friend, colleague or family member have been injured in a supermarket please get in touch for free advice on what to do next, call freephone: 0800 316 4434.

Who are the UK’s Leading Supermarkets?

  • Tesco
  • Sainsburys
  • Asda
  • Iceland
  • Morrisons
  • Somerfield
  • Lidl
  • Netto

Related article about supermarket accident claims.