We can help you claim
compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
Call: 0800 10 757 95
Indoor shopping malls are an innovation in the UK which, like much else, came from the United States, with the idea of providing a group of clean and weather-proof shops centre but there are a surprising number of scenarios in these retail centres which could lead to a personal injury compensation claim.
Their very cleanliness could make for a walking surface which may lead to a slip hazard, especially for shoppers who come into the mall from rain, snow or ice and have wet shoe soles, giving a lack of adhesion. Apart from regular mopping arrangements, centre management should ensure there are sufficient mats at the entrances to dry footwear.
Most of the larger shopping centres have at least one cafï, coffee bar or other takeaway food outlet and these can lead to risks from spilt food and drink. Staff at these establishments should be fully aware of the need for fast and thorough cleaning whenever accidents occur.
Being indoors, the shops may not have easy access to stock deliveries and staff should take care not to leave boxes, trolleys or other stock-carrying containers in areas where the public could collide with them, thereby suffering from a personal injury, or put themselves in danger trying to manoeuvre around the obstructions.
Essential maintenance work will need particular care to protect passing customers from being harmed by these operations. Falling paintbrushes, trailing wires, open hatches, scaffolding towers, tools left lying around, all of these could present a risk to someone passing within the close confines of an indoor shopping centre.
Water tanks, air conditioning systems and pipe work must be kept in good order to prevent the possibility of Legionnaire's disease being spread to unsuspecting mall users through ventilation outlets releasing infected droplets into the atmosphere and causing illness.
Lifts and escalators are often used to make access to various levels easier for shoppers. Sometimes, lifts will be enclosed in glass and stairs can be part of the architectural features of a centre with an emphasis on appearance as much as function.
Occasionally, fountains and ponds are installed and these need rigorous attention to ensure any lack of cleanliness does not lead to a breeding ground for bacteria.
In these instances, it is important that they are kept in good repair and all safety precautions taken to prevent customers, and particularly their children, from having an accident when moving around inside the centre.
Most of the larger malls have car parks attached to them where there will be the usual need for users to take care of their own safety and that of any dependents to avoid an injury within its confines.
The best parking areas have bright lighting, well-marked pedestrian paths, safe steps and/or lifts, good signage and sufficient space for cars to manoeuvre easily. Automatic barriers and gates closing or opening unexpectedly have been known to cause accidents, especially to children.
If other services, such as public toilets and seating, are available, they should be kept in a hygienic condition because in an area where so many people pass through each day and in an air-conditioned environment bacteria will be rife and likely to multiple rapidly without methods used to combat them.
YouClaim for personal injury compensation
If you have been involved in an accident in an indoor shopping centre which was not your fault, you may wish to make a personal injury compensation claim for your pain, suffering and loss of earnings.
The solicitors at YouClaim have an excellent track record in helping people who have been injured in a variety of situations through no fault of their own.
Thanks to the internet, you can access their services wherever you live in the UK and you can be assured of the same high standard of professionalism, as overseen by the Law Society's regulators.
To find out more about our specialist personal injury compensation service, you can speak to one of our friendly legal advisers on the freephone number 0800 10 757 95 or send us a few details by email and we'll get back to you.
