Public liability law covers a range of situations where a person has been injured due to the negligence of someone else in private projects or in public places. Individuals and businesses alike all have a duty to take care of the safety of others. At Zaparas Lawyers, our team are expert public liability lawyers with extensive knowledge in this area of law.
Public liability insurance covers businesses that occupy the property (and in some instances may also include private residences). If you are injured due to the negligence of someone else in a public place, or in someone else’s property, you may be able to claim lump-sum compensation. Some public places include:
Injuries can include slips, trips and falls, neck injuries, back injuries, muscle injuries, food poisoning, sexual and physical assaults or psychological injuries.
In a public liability claim, you will need to prove that your injury suffered was caused by a breach in the duty of care owed to you by the entity responsible for the area in which you were injured. Our expert public liability lawyers in Melbourne and Victoria can help assess your claim and advise whether it meets all the elements needed to have a successful liability claim. At Zaparas Lawyers, we work on a No Win No Charge policy to ensure that you don’t have to pay any legal fees if we don’t win your case.
Examples of successful public liability claims won by Zaparas Lawyers include slips and trips in supermarkets, shopping centres, private businesses, aquatic centres and sporting arenas. Even injuries at private residences, public places, school yards and parks could result in a successful claim.
Immediately after your injury, make sure you contact the relevant authority and lodge an incident report, take photos of the accident scene and gather details of any witnesses who saw the incident.
Your entitlement to compensation depends on the severity of your injury and whether it occurred as a result of the fault of another person. If established, you may be entitled to claim past and future medical and like expenses, and your loss of wages.
You will only be compensated once your injury is considered permanent and stable, which is generally one year from when the injury occurred. After approximately one year from the date of your injury we will pay for you to be assessed by doctors who will make an assessment as to the permanency and stability of your injury.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may also be able to make a claim for a lump sum payment for pain and suffering. You will also have to establish that your injury occurred due to the negligence of another entity. We will advise you as to whether or not negligence can be established in your case.
You have three (3) years from the date of injury to commence a proceeding in public liability. If you are not sure if you would like to pursue a claim, continue to attend your doctor and hospital appointments and re-evaluate your decision once you have received some treatment and have a better idea of your prognosis.
Zaparas Lawyers operates on a ‘No win, no charge’ basis. This means we will pay for all costs and disbursements in relation to your claim. Put simply, there is no cost to you at all unless you are successful in your claim.
You should bring all relevant documentation you have such as medical reports, radiological investigations and any other documents that may be relevant to your appointment. Clear photographs of the place where you were injured are also beneficial. These photographs should be taken close to your date of injury, especially when an accident has occurred on a footpath or other public area as the area may be repaired by the time you attend our office for an appointment.
Our firm has a diverse and multicultural team comprising of lawyers and law clerks who speak different languages including: Greek, Cantonese, Mandarin, Serbian, Croation, Bosnian, Macedonian, Turkish and Singhalese. We also have a network of the very best interpreters who can attend interviews and appointments free of charge to our clients.
