Personal Injury Solicitors

With the festive period looming most of us are probably looking forward to a well-earned break and some time with family and friends, but before any of us can put our feet up in front of the fire, there’s one more hurdle to cross: Black Friday.

Black Friday falls on 23rd November, when most major high street retailers slash their prices in the last major sale before Christmas. Although it originated in America, recent years have seen a momentous rise in the UK.

For the uninitiated, this may sound like a pleasant, pre-Christmas shopping spree but the words “Black Friday” alone are enough to send shivers down the spine of even the most experienced shopper. The influx of shoppers descending on the high street has made Black Friday a day of chaos, confusion and calamity for both customers and retailers.

Under no circumstances should a shop or store fall below the standard of care in its health and safety and they should have measures in place to correctly and safely deal with the larger than usual number of customers entering the store. Injuries amongst customers are not uncommon. Below are just some of the ways retail establishments are often negligent during Black Friday proceedings:

• Lack of warning signs –items can break, leaving a hazard in their wake, whether it is shattered glass, sharp objects or liquids creating a slippery surface. Retailers should clearly sign to customers where these hazards are until the risk has been dealt with.


• Electrical threats – many stores, in particular hardware or electrical outlets, will plug in a number of their electrical products to give customers a demonstration of the item. If left running for long periods of time unattended, the products can overheat and potentially catch fire.


• Overloaded shelves and displays – in an attempt to sell as much stock as possible, some shops may overload their displays and shelving which compromises the structural integrity of the apparatus in question. This means there is a risk of displays collapsing or products falling from shelves.

There are precautions you can take to keep safe when shopping during Black Friday and the busy festive period.

• Be aware of your surroundings - this means you can spot a danger or threat before an injury occurs.


• Report any hazards or potential hazards to a member of staff.


• If you cannot access something you want (perhaps it is too heavy or too high up) don’t try and access it yourself – ask a member of staff for assistance.


• Stay home, put your feet up and embrace the world of online shopping!

Injured in a Public Place?

If you are injured in a public place on Black Friday, or any other day of the year, our expert team of personal injury solicitors at Duncan Lewis have the expertise and experience to help you. We are specialist no win, no fee accident lawyers and will help you understand the process of making a claim as well as keeping you informed of your claim’s progress at all times.

You may be entitled to compensation and so, due to time constraints, you should get in touch with our team as soon as possible so that we can assess your situation and begin proceedings.

Personal injury claimants usually have three years from the date of the injury to make a claim for compensation. Because of the limitation period for personal injury claims, it is important to seek legal advice from Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors as soon as possible if you are injured by a faulty product.

Nilma Shah is a Solicitor in the Personal Injury/ Clinical Negligence and Litigation departments at Duncan Lewis. She regularly handles different types of serious injury claims, providing legal representation to clients who have suffered negligence- and have sustained serious injuries, from birth injury claims to misdiagnosis claims.

Contact Nilma on 020 3114 1274 or via email on nilmap@duncanlewis.com.

Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors

Our personal injury team have extensive experience representing clients who have sustained injuries as a result of faulty products, or accidents at work, in the home or in a public place.

Family members can call Duncan Lewis for advice on making a claim if someone close to them has been injured and is still recovering in hospital.

For expert legal advice call one of our experienced Personal Injury solicitors on 0333 772 0409.