Injured in an incident on private or public property?
What You Need to Know If You Have Been Injured in a Public Place in Western Australia
The majority of public liability claims are the result of a fall, slip, or trip in a public place. Like the classic scenario of slipping on a banana peel, many public liability cases occur in places like supermarkets, shopping malls, hotel, pubs or even on council property. Whether you sustained your injury on public or private property, you will still likely be entitled to a claim if you are able to demonstrate legal fault or negligence by another party to prove your case.
If you or a loved one have been injured in a public place, please read through the following information and contact a lawyer as soon as possible to make sure you don’t miss any time limits.
What information do I need to provide?
In order to ensure the smoothest process possible, you should collect some essential information. First of all, you need to inform the potentially liable party of your injury and the circumstances that contributed to it as soon as possible. You should also seek medical attention right away, even if you only consider your injuries to be minor. Many slip and fall injuries result in symptoms that only appear after some time has passed, like spinal injuries and whiplash. By establishing the injury early on via putting it on your medical record, your claim will be more securely supported down the line.
You can also record the following information so that your lawyer is as prepared as possible with all the details of the case and able to move your claim swiftly along:
- if possible, obtain a copy of the accident incident report if one was made;
- make sure to record all of the contact information of witnesses and, if possible, a copy of any statement they made;
- make sure your medical record is up to date and take pictures of your injury, as well as the scene of the accident or the circumstances that caused your injury;
- if your injury impacts your ability to work, make sure to record lost wages or other types of income to help demonstrate your damages.
As with many legal claims, there are strict time limits that apply. In general, you have to file your claim within three years of the date of the accident. If you miss that deadline, you may still be entitled to file a claim and receive compensation if you are able to provide a reasonable excuse for the delay. However, in order to commence court proceedings, you do need to begin the proceedings within three years of the date of the injury or you will forfeit your right to do so.
What amount might I be entitled to receive?
If your injuries have resulted in medical expenses and/or rehabilitation expenses, you may be able to receive compensation for them. Depending upon the facts of your case, you may be entitled to compensation for: past and future medical expenses; past and future economic losses; loss of business profits; care provided by family or friends to help you with your injury; paid care services; travel expenses associated with your medical care; and damages associated with pain and suffering.
How long might my claim take?
In general, a public liability claim will usually take from six to 18 months starting from the time you file your claim. If your claim goes to court, not only will it likely be more expensive at the onset of the claim, but it will take longer. Usually, you can expect to add another six to 12 months on to the length of time between filing and compensation.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury, please contact an experienced Perth public liability lawyer such as Gajic Lawyers today. They will be able to assess the likelihood of your claim’s success, judge the severity of your injury, and make sure that your claim is processed on time.
Why Choose Gajic Lawyers
Our comprehensive understanding of compensation law across Australia, means that we’re able to complete your compensation matter regardless which state you reside in.
We’re a technology-driven law firm. We’re environmentally friendly – with the exception of original signed documents, we are completely paperless.
Regardless of where you reside in Australia, we can help you claim more compensation, more quickly.
At Gajic, we’re a technology-driven law firm. Our technology ensures that your compensation matter is processed in the most effective and efficient manner. We learned a long time ago that relying solely on lawyers to progress legal matters simply does not meet the expectation of clients.
Lawyers cost money, so the less you see them is a good thing. At Gajic, we’ve literally handled thousands of compensation claims, from the most simple to the most complex. We’ve got proven processes and technology to fast-track your compensation without burning money with legal appointments just for the sake of them. That’s not to say you won’t be kept up to speed, you will and if you like, we’re always available.
At Gajic Lawyers, we minimise the risk of you losing your compensation claim by only taking on those claims that we think will be successful. We do this on a No Win No Fee basis.
We also offer a free, no-obligation case assessment.
Call us for an initial chat with one of our Western Australia public liability lawyers
Public Liability cases are not always easy. Insurance companies often put a lot of resources into defending claims. But at Gajic Lawyers our legal team has years of experience in standing up to them and ensuring that our clients receive the best settlements possible.
To get the best possible chance of receiving the compensation you are entitled to, call our Perth personal injury lawyers today on (02) 9890 5885.