QUICK ANSWER Public place accident compensation in Scotland ranges from £2,000 for minor sprains to £40,000+ for serious fractures, plus lost earnings and medical costs. The Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 requires occupiers of shops, supermarkets, car parks and public areas to keep visitors reasonably safe. You have 3 years to claim under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973. Scottish Claims Helpline works on a no win no fee basis — complete the short form for a free assessment.
Injured in a Public Place? You Could Be Owed Thousands.
Slips on wet supermarket floors, trips over uneven paving, falls in car parks, injuries from falling stock on shelves, and accidents in restaurants, pubs and leisure centres — if you have been injured in a public place because the occupier failed in their duty of care, you have the right to claim compensation.
Scottish Claims Helpline handles public place accident claims across Scotland on a no win no fee basis. Under the Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960, the occupier of any premises — shops, supermarkets, councils, restaurants, hotels, leisure centres — must take reasonable care for the safety of visitors. When they fail, they are liable.
How Much Could You Receive?
| Injury Type | Typical Award |
|---|
| Minor sprains and bruising | £2,000 - £5,000 |
| Ligament damage or soft tissue | £5,000 - £15,000 |
| Wrist, ankle or arm fractures | £8,000 - £25,000 |
| Hip fracture or head injury | £25,000 - £40,000+ |
Based on Judicial College Guidelines for pain and suffering only.
That’s not all. Public place accident claimants also receive payments for lost earnings, private physiotherapy, medication, travel costs and any ongoing care. Hip fractures in older adults can require months of rehabilitation and may result in permanent reduced mobility — increasing the total settlement significantly.
Types of Public Place Accident We Handle
Who Can Claim?
Anyone injured in a public place due to the occupier’s failure to take reasonable care. This includes customers in shops and supermarkets, visitors to restaurants, pubs and hotels, members of the public on council-maintained pavements and roads, users of car parks, leisure centres and swimming pools, and visitors to parks and public buildings. You can claim even if partly at fault — contributory negligence reduces the award but does not prevent a claim.
Slip and Trip Claims in Scotland
Slips and trips are the most common public place claims Scottish Claims Helpline handles, and they turn on one question: what did the occupier do to prevent it? Under the Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 a shop, supermarket, pub, landlord or council must take reasonable care that visitors are not injured by the state of the premises. A wet floor with no sign and no record of when it was last checked, a spillage left for twenty minutes, a raised paving slab that residents had already reported, or an unlit stairwell in a close are the typical facts of a successful slip claim or trip claim. The occupier’s own cleaning rota, inspection log and CCTV usually decide it — and CCTV is overwritten within weeks, so an early request from your solicitor matters. Slip and trip compensation is valued on the injury: £2,000 to £5,000 for a sprain, £8,000 to £25,000 for a wrist or ankle fracture, and £25,000 or more for a hip fracture, with lost earnings and treatment on top. See slips in shops, pavement trips and slips and trips at work for the specific rules that apply to each.
Public Place Accident Claims — Frequently Asked Questions
Minor sprains: £2,000-£5,000. Ligament damage: £5,000-£15,000. Fractures: £8,000-£25,000. Hip fractures or head injuries: £25,000-£40,000+. Lost earnings and medical costs on top.
Under the Occupiers’ Liability (Scotland) Act 1960, the occupier (shop owner, supermarket, council, landlord) must take reasonable care for visitors’ safety. If they fail, they are liable.
Yes. Local councils must maintain pavements and roads. Raised paving slabs, potholes, tree root damage and uneven surfaces can all give rise to claims against the council.
Yes. Supermarkets must maintain clean, dry floors and use warning signs when cleaning. Spills must be cleaned promptly. Failure to do so breaches their duty under the 1960 Act.
Photographs of the hazard and your injuries, incident reports, witness contact details and medical records. Your solicitor will gather additional evidence including CCTV and maintenance records.
3 years from the accident date under the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973.
How Do I Start My Claim?
It takes 2 minutes. Fill in our short form and one of our specialist Scottish solicitors will call you back — all completely free and with no obligation. You pay nothing unless you win.
About this page: Written by
David Gildea, Scottish Claims Helpline. Last reviewed: September 2026. Scottish Claims Helpline is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (
FRN 830381).