By Daniel Archer. Last Updated 30th October 2024. Petrol stations can be dangerous places, with cars moving around constantly as well as pedestrians, as they go to the counter to pay for their fuel. It is no wonder therefore, that people are injured in these busy places. This guide about petrol station accident claims will hopefully prove useful to you.
Slips on petrol forecourts can cause a variety of injuries, but you may be able to claim for compensation if the accident you’ve been involved in is not your fault.
If you’d like to enquire about making a claim for a petrol station accident, get in touch. Our free helpline is open 24 hours a day to ensure you get the advice you need.
You can reach us now by:
- Calling 0800 073 8804
- Speak with us now via our live chat box
- Or write to us about your claim online
Select a Section
- A Guide Petrol Station Accident Claims
- Causes Of Fall Injuries In A Petrol Station Forecourt
- What To Do If You Are Involved In A Petrol Station Forecourt Slip, Trip And Fall
- How To Begin A Petrol Station Forecourt Slip, Trip Or Fall Claim
- Petrol Station Accident At Work Claims
- How Much Compensation For Petrol Station Accident Claims?
- Make A No Win No Fee Claim After An Accident At A Petrol Station
A Guide To Petrol Station Accident Claims
With cars and pedestrians constantly coming and going at all hours of the day and night, petrol stations are the site of many accidents. Any place such as this can harbour risk of an accident occurring, but if you have been injured in a petrol station forecourt slip, then it may be possible for you to claim compensation for any injury you have suffered. You may also be able to claim for as essential costs such as medical bills and lost income, to ensure you don’t end up financially worse off due to an accident that was not your fault. Here, our guide to petrol station forecourt slip accidents reveals all you need to know about what to do if you are ever in the unfortunate situation of suffering injury due to a petrol station forecourt slip, whether at work or as a customer.
Causes Of Fall Injuries In A Petrol Station Forecourt
Slip, trip or fall accidents may happen for a variety of reasons at a petrol forecourt. If you were injured whilst going to get petrol, a claim could be made. However, in order to make a valid claim, your fall injury must have been caused due to the negligence of the petrol station’s occupiers or owners.
Under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, property owners or occupiers have a duty of care to ensure their premises are safe to use for lawful visitors. If this duty is breached and you are injured as a result, you may be eligible to claim.
This section looks at how negligence may cause a fall injury in a petrol forecourt. When you visit a petrol station, there may be some risks, including:
- If employees at the petrol station fail to clean any spillages on the forecourt, you might slip or fall.
- The occupiers might be made aware of a pothole but fail to deal with it in a timely manner, allowing for you to trip and sustain an ankle injury.
Our advisors are available 24/7 to check your eligibility. After a free consultation, you could be connected to our expert solicitors.
What To Do If You Are Involved In A Petrol Station Forecourt Slip, Trip or Fall
Whilst you may be in some pain after your accident in a petrol station, it is essential that you take the following action to preserve details of the event and any costs you have had to pay because of your injuries.
- Get witness details – If anyone was around when you had your petrol station forecourt slip, trip or fall, it is a good idea to take down their name, address and contact number. A witness statement can help present a strong case, and whether the witness has seen a petrol spillage prior to your accident, or witnessed the actual fall, this could be crucial evidence of what has occurred.
- Take photos – Most mobile phones have cameras these days, so it should be quite easy for you to take photographs of not only the scene of the accident but also any visible injuries you have incurred as a result. Keeping a photographic record can make for a stronger claim.
- Take vehicle/driver details – If there was another car involved in your petrol station accident claims, it is vital that you take details such as the make and model of the vehicle, and the drivers contact details.
- Keep receipts – Whatever costs you have incurred as a direct result of your petrol station forecourt slip, make sure you keep a record and whatever documentation you receive, such as receipts, appointment cards for medical treatments and medication receipts. This will help you to prove what costs you have had to pay prior to your claim, so it is essential that you do not throw any of this important documentary proof away.
How To Begin A Petrol Station Forecourt Slip, Trip Or Fall Claim
In order to make a petrol station compensation claim, all you really need to do is to call us. Our experienced staff are used to dealing with cases just like yours and we will do all that we can to make the process straightforward and as stress free as possible. Initially, we will take you through a free consultation, where we will listen to your account of what has happened, whether it concerns slips on petrol or any other incident, asking questions to get all the facts surrounding the incident. You may also be required to attend a medical appointment locally, where a doctor will assess your injuries and provide a written report of your condition.
Once we have completed this process, we will have much more of an idea of how strong your case is and be able to advise you accordingly. As part of our No Win No Fee service, you will not have to pay a penny of your own money upfront, as we won’t charge you at all unless your case is successful.
Petrol Station Accident At Work Claims
Whether you work behind the counter of a petrol station, or work on the forecourt itself, it is still possible for you to make a petrol station injury compensation claim if you have suffered an injury/injuries as a result of a petrol slips, trips or falls. If someone else has failed in their duty to clear up a petrol spillage, or if your employers have failed to ensure your health and safety are taken care of with proper risk assessments and risk management procedures, then you may wish to pursue a claim for compensation.
If you are worried about whether this would affect your job, it is important that you understand that your employer, by law, cannot discriminate against you or treat you differently because of your claim. In addition, your employer will have insurance in place to cover the costs of any successful claim. We have dealt with thousands of claims against employers and can talk you through the process so that you are comfortable with the course of action you are taking. Don’t forget too, your employer has a legal duty to keep you safe at work, and taking action may mean accidents are reduced, making the workplace a safer place to be for everyone.
How Much Compensation For A Petrol Station Accident Claim?
Compensation in petrol station accident claims can be made up of two heads of loss, which are called general and special damages. General damages compensate for the injuries suffered, whilst special damages are for the financial impact that the injuries have had on you.
Dealing first with general damages, several factors will determine the level of compensation. These can include:
- Severity of injury
- Length of symptoms
- Future prognosis
- The wider impact of the injuries on your life
When determining the likely level of injury compensation for a petrol station accident, a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can be relied upon. The JCG gives guideline compensation brackets for a wide range of injuries.
Below is a table of injuries and their JCG bracket. These are not guaranteed figures, as every injury has its own unique characteristics and impact. Please note that the first row does not come from the JCG.
| Injury | Severity | Compensation Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries and Financial Losses | Serious | Up to £1,000,000 + |
| Brain Injury | Very Severe | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Neck | Severe (ii) | £80,240 to £159,770 |
| Moderate (i) | £30,500 to £46,970 | |
| Back | Severe (ii) | £90,510 to £107,910 |
| Moderate (ii) | £15,260 to £33,880 | |
| Elbow | A Severely Disabling Injury | £47,810 to £66,920 |
| Less Severe Injuries | £19,100 to £39,070 | |
| Ankle | Moderate | £16,770 to £32,450 |
| Hand | Fracture of Index Finger | £11,120 to £14,930 |
If your injury has caused you financial losses, these can potentially be added to your claim as special damages. You will need to provide proof in support of these losses, for example, wage slips showing how you were absent from work and lost income.
In addition to past loss of earnings, some other forms of special damages are:
- Future loss of earnings
- Missed bonus payments
- Loss of pension entitlements
- Domestic care and assistance (From friends, family or even paid professionals)
- Travel expenses
- Rehabilitation costs.
This list is not exhaustive, and there are other out of pocket expenses that could be sought as part of a petrol station accident claim. To find out more, call a friendly advisor today.
Make A No Win No Fee Claim After An Accident At A Petrol Station
If you are eligible to seek personal injury compensation, you may wish to do so with legal support. One of our personal injury solicitors could help with your slip, trip and fall claim, or any other type of injury claim caused by a petrol station. Typically, they provide their services under a type of No Win No Fee arrangement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When your solicitor works on your case under a CFA, you typically won’t be expected to meet any upfront or ongoing costs towards their services. However, if the outcome of your claim is positive, your solicitor will subtract a success fee from your award. The amount that can be taken is a legally limited percentage. Should your claim not have a successful outcome, you won’t be expected to pay this fee.
If you would like to talk about injuries you suffered in an accident at a petrol station and to find out if you are eligible for compensation, speak to one of the advisors from the Legal Expert team. If it seems like you have a feasible case, you could be connected with one of our solicitors.
To discuss your petrol station forecourt accident:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Fill in our ‘claim online’ form for a call back.
- Connect using our live chat.
Helpful Links On Claiming For An Accident At A Petrol Station
Below, you can find some more resources on claiming compensation for a petrol station accident.
- Health & Safety Exectutive – The HSE has put together a guide for petrol station workers and owners in order to help them keep those using their premises safe.
- HSE legislation for petrol station owners – The HSE’s current legislation for petrol station owners concerning petrol forecourt safety including changes is found here.
- LegalExpert.co.uk slip, trip, fall claims guide – If you have suffered a slip, trip or fall outside of a petrol station, or would like to know more about slips, trips and falls and what can be claimed for, our guide contains all you need to know.
- LegalExpert.co.uk wet floor slip compensation guide – If a wet floor has caused your slip, and you’d like more in depth information about this type of injury and compensation claim, then read our informative guide.
- Advice on toe amputation claims. Learn about the toe amputation claims process with this helpful guide.
- Learn about making a toilet accident injury claim and get more information on claiming or an injury in a public place.
Thank you for considering our guide about petrol station accident claims.
