An accountant from North London who took retail giants Marks & Spencer to court after slipping in the car park of his local M&S store has lost his case. The incident happened in June 2004 and resulted in Alexander Martin-Sklan tearing a tendon in his right leg.
Following his fall he discovered a grape stuck to the sole of his shoe which he believed was responsible for his accident. He maintained that he must have picked the grape up on his sandal either within the store or in the store’s car park.
Mr Martin-Sklan, who represented himself, was claiming £300,000 in general damages for his injuries and for loss of earnings due to “adverse psychological effects and depression” arising from the injury and having lost his case Mr Martin-Sklan is now liable to pay around £15,000 towards Marks & Spencer’s costs.
Whilst ruling for the defendant, Deputy Judge John Leighton Williams QC expressed sympathy for the claimant but added that in his judgment “it is one of those accidents that could happen to any one of us”.
If you, like Mr Martin-Sklan, have been injured in a slipping accident in a supermarket it is worth seeking the advice of an experienced solicitor to see if you have a valid case to make a claim and determine the likelihood of a successful outcome.
Macks Solicitors have acted for many clients who have slipped and suffered injury in slipping accidents. Supermarkets have a duty of care to customers using their premises and anything spilt or dropped on the floor, such as a grape, should be cleaned up as soon as possible. A system of regular inspections should be in place so that any such hazards are quickly spotted and acted upon straight away.
If you have been injured in a slipping accident you should take the time to seek expert advice on bringing a claim. Having an experienced solicitor on your side will ensure that any legal requirements, such as time limits etc, are met and that all the damages you are entitled to receive are claimed. You can call Macks Solicitors on 01642 252 828 without obligation and a specialist solicitor will be happy to give you the advice you need.
