Public Liability Claim Payouts: Cases Worth 100K+

18 July 2024

Public liability claims allow injured persons to seek financial compensation for damages suffered as a result of another person’s negligence. These claims often hinge on establishing that the party responsible for the injury breached a duty of care owed to the injured person.

A duty of care is a legal obligation that requires individuals to adhere to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others. In other words, all members of the public are required by law to act in a manner that does not put others at unreasonable risk of harm. This could mean ensuring proper maintenance of properties, providing adequate warnings of potential dangers or taking other precautions to prevent foreseeable injuries.

In public liability cases, proving a breach of this duty involves demonstrating that the defendant failed to act as a reasonable person would have in a similar situation. Below are multiple examples of just that: case studies where a person(s) negligence led to a public liability claim worth $100K or more.

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Trip at the mechanic: $190,000 payout
Pub bathroom floor slip: $180,000 payout
Trip over loose pipe at rental home: $180,000 payout
Tiled ramp fall: $177,000 payout
Slippery car park fall: $170,000 payout
Suburban home slip: $170,000 payout
Car park fall: $170,000 payout
Fall at a Sydney hotel: $160,000 payout
Supermarket slip: $150,000 payout

Parking lot slip and fall: $150,000 payout
Commercial garden fall: $150,000 payout
Slip and fall at Coles Liverpool: $125,000 payout
Fall at a fast food chain: $120,000 payout
Fall at a unit block entrance: $100,000 payout
Shopping mall fall: $100,000 payout
Slip at a shopping centre: $100,000 payout
GMP Law: Receive the compensation you’re entitled to

Trip at the mechanic: $190,000 payout

Our 73-year-old client was visiting her Sydney Hills District local mechanic to pick up her serviced vehicle. After settling the bill, she was walking to her car when she tripped over a wrench negligently left on the floor by a staff member. This caused her to fall, resulting in a loss of consciousness and sustaining severe injuries to her arm and hip.

These injuries affected her ability to perform everyday tasks — especially gardening — and necessitated extensive medical treatment. Our firm identified the responsible party and obtained expert medical evaluations. In the end, we achieved a $190,000 settlement that covered her medical expenses, home maintenance and future care — while accounting for the mechanic’s negligence.

Pub bathroom floor slip: $180,000 payout

Our client, a patron at a Sydney inner-city pub, suffered severe injuries after slipping on a wet bathroom floor. He sustained fractures to his left ankle and knee, and injuries to his hip, neck, shoulder and lower back. As a result, he required surgery which led to permanent impairments, including 18% to the neck, 30% to the lower back and significant loss of use in his left arm and leg.

We filed a lawsuit against the pub which failed to substantiate its cleaning and inspection claims. Despite their denial of liability, the court acknowledged their negligence and awarded our client $180,000, including permanent impairment compensation for his extensive injuries and diminished quality of life.

Trip over loose pipe at rental home: $180,000 payout

Our client, a 90-year-old grandmother from Victoria, was visiting her daughter in Sydney when she tripped on a loose drainage pipe hanging from the rental’s roof.

Despite multiple complaints, the property owners and real estate agents failed to secure the pipe, leading to our client’s fall. She required a total hip replacement, extensive rehabilitation and ongoing physiotherapy. Moreover, as she was unable to perform domestic chores or gardening, she incurred significant expenses hiring help. Our personal injury lawyer uncovered that multiple parties, including the real estate agent and builder, shared liability. In the end, we secured a $180,000 settlement through an informal mediation conference.

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Tiled ramp fall: $177,000 payout

Simon Felice received $177,000 after a slip-and-fall incident at St George Masonic Club.

The event occurred on a rainy evening when Felice slipped on a poorly designed, slippery tiled ramp while leaving the club, seriously injuring his left knee. Despite a sign warning that the ramp was slippery when wet, the court determined that the club’s failure to prevent the hazard was negligent. Felice, who was unable to continue his job as a security guard due to the injury, underwent surgery — followed by a 16-week recovery. The personal injury compensation payout covered his medical bills and lost wages, recognising the direct impact of the injuries on his employment.

Slippery car park fall: $170,000 payout

Our client, a member of a club in Sydney’s southwest, received $170,000 after slipping and falling in the club’s car park.

On a rainy evening, she crossed a painted pedestrian crossing line to reach her car and slipped on the smooth surface, falling onto the pavement and sustaining injuries to her right shoulder, neck and lower back. Our work revealed that the painted surface lacked safety granules and didn’t adhere to Australian slip resistance standards.

Our client’s injuries — as confirmed by independent medical assessments — included 15% permanent impairment of the neck, 20% impairment of the right shoulder and 30% impairment of the lower back. This impacted her ability to engage in normal, day-to-day activities. The court ordered mediation before a full hearing, where the defendant was directed to compensate our client $170,000 for her permanent injuries, losses and damages.

Suburban home slip: $170,000 payout

The District Court awarded our client a significant amount of personal injury compensation following a slip and fall accident at a suburban home.

The steps were surfaced with ceramic tiles that were found to be non-compliant with Australian Standards for slip resistance. Our safety management and building expert determined that the risk could have been largely reduced with the application of grip tape — costing only $20. Moreover, the lack of a handrail — which could have been installed for approximately $120 — was also noted as a safety failure.

Our client received $170,000 in compensation through a lengthy negotiation period, centred on the homeowner’s negligence in failing to ensure safe access to and egress from their property.

Car park fall: $170,000 payout

Our client, a woman in her 50s, received $170,000 in compensation after tripping over a broken car parking block. The incident occurred in a dimly lit car park in Northern Sydney, resulting in significant injuries.

Our investigation revealed significant oversights by the car park’s owners and the property manager, including inadequate lighting and neglected maintenance issues — particularly the unrepaired parking block. Through conducting site visits and gathering eyewitness accounts, we demonstrated the defendants’ failure to maintain safe conditions which, in turn, directly led to our client’s injuries.

Fall at a Sydney hotel: $160,000 payout

Our client, a plumber and sole trader, received compensation following a slip and fall incident at a renowned Sydney hotel.

While attending an educational seminar in September 2018, he slipped on a liquid contaminant in the hotel’s common bathroom — an area where no wet floor signs were posted nor warnings given about alternative restroom facilities.

He suffered a fractured wrist that required surgery, leading to prolonged pain and impacting his ability to work. Our investigation showed that the hotel did not have regular independent cleaning inspections; instead, housekeeping only infrequently attended to the bathrooms. We initiated proceedings in the District Court, asserting the hotel’s failure to implement a proper inspection and cleaning system led to our client’s injury.

To address the significant life and work impacts faced by our client, we secured a supportive report from an orthopaedic surgeon that further substantiated the personal injury claim. We also arranged an informal settlement conference to expedite the legal process — avoiding prolonged litigation and yielding $160,000 in compensation.

Supermarket slip: $150,000 payout

During a visit to his local supermarket, our client suffered a slip and fall injury due to a banana peel left on the floor near the fresh food area. This unfortunate incident resulted in a musculoligamentous strain and contusion of the cervical spine, along with other non-economic loss.

Our firm swiftly gathered all necessary medical and liability evidence, confirming the supermarket’s negligence in maintaining floor safety. The evidence included findings from an orthopaedic surgeon, psychiatrist and occupational therapist — highlighting the severity of our client’s injuries.

During the legal proceedings, our team presented the supermarket’s failure to implement a proper inspection and cleaning system. Without needing a full court trial, we successfully negotiated a $150,000 settlement, ensuring our client received fair compensation for his injuries and altered career path.

Parking lot slip and fall: $150,000 payout

Our client was seriously injured after slipping on a greasy substance — likely originating from a closeby car wash business — in a shopping centre parking lot. Specifically, this incident led to significant back and arm injuries and substantial psychological injury.

Proceedings were initiated against both the parking lot owner and the car wash operation, each of whom denied responsibility for the incident, complicating the attribution of liability. Through the collection of evidence and expert testimonies, our personal injury lawyer was able to demonstrate a failure in maintaining a safe environment in the parking lot.

The case was settled at a court-ordered mediation, where our client was awarded a $150,000 settlement. This compensation addressed the economic loss and emotional damages sustained, ensuring support for her recovery and future care needs.

Commercial garden fall: $150,000 payout

Our client, a 72-year-old woman, visited private gardens in Northern Rivers, NSW, with her family. While walking down a muddy, slippery outdoor path, she slipped and fell, sustaining serious injuries to her left ankle and foot. Despite visible ongoing maintenance, no warnings or barriers had been implemented to alert visitors to the hazardous conditions.

The injuries significantly affected her mobility and daily activities, preventing her from partaking in her favourite hobbies and inhibiting her ability to do household tasks. Our compensation lawyer worked to gather evidence and expert medical opinions to substantiate her claims. We argued that the garden management failed to adequately warn of the dangers, leading to successful negotiations with the defendant. Our efforts resulted in a $150,000 settlement that accounted for our client’s medical expenses, ongoing care needs and other economic damages, as well as her reduced quality of life.

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Slip and fall at Coles Liverpool: $125,000 payout

Our client was doing her weekly grocery shopping at Coles Liverpool when she slipped on a large puddle of water in the fruit and vegetable section, sustaining significant injuries to her left shoulder, arm, neck and lower back. These injuries severely impacted her ability to perform her physically demanding job, forcing her to exhaust all her leave entitlements and subsequently take unpaid leave.

We collated evidence supporting the extent of her injuries and the impact on her life: Our investigation focused on Coles’ failure to maintain an adequate system for cleaning and inspection, which we identified as a direct cause of the accident. Through our efforts, we successfully negotiated a $125,000 settlement without the need for a lengthy court battle, resolving the matter efficiently within just over a year.

Fall at a fast food chain: $120,000 payout

Our client, a mother visiting a fast-food restaurant in Central Northern NSW with her children, experienced a severe trip and fall injury. This incident took place at the entrance of the fast food chain where she stepped on a poorly placed plastic caution sign. The fall resulted in extensive injuries, including head trauma, cuts, fractures in both elbows and injuries to both knees and hands — all of which were captured on CCTV. The event also resulted in general damages.

Our compensation lawyer promptly initiated proceedings against the fast-food chain, arguing that the caution sign — designed for indoor use and susceptible to toppling in external conditions — was inadequately secured. Our liability expert highlighted that the dry ceramic tiled floor negated the need for the sign, posing an unnecessary risk.

Despite the defendant denying liability, our work led to a court-ordered mediation where we demonstrated the foreseeable risk posed by the improperly secured sign. The court acknowledged our client’s careful conduct and the defendant’s negligence, awarding her $120,000 in damages. This compensation covers her medical treatments, ongoing rehabilitation and the care needed for her and her children due to her lasting impairments.

Fall at a unit block entrance: $100,000 payout

Our client slipped and fell on wet ceramic tiles at the entrance of a unit block — an accident caused by inclement weather. This mishap resulted in medial meniscus tears in both knees and led to a diagnosis of general damages, including Chronic Adjustment Disorder.

We promptly compiled all necessary medical and liability documentation and had our client evaluated by both an orthopaedic surgeon and a psychiatrist to confirm the extent of the physical and psychological injuries. Legal proceedings were initiated against the building and strata manager based on the premise that the entrance tiles did not comply with Australian standards for slip resistance. Our liability expert asserted that there had been no adequate risk assessment of the external surfaces to ensure safety during wet conditions. Through an informal settlement conference, we reached a settlement of $100,000, effectively compensating our client for her injuries without the need for a full-court hearing.

Shopping mall fall: $100,000 payout

Our client, a 66-year-old woman, suffered significant injuries after slipping on an organic substance on the floor of a large Souther Sydney shopping centre.

The fall caused her to collide with a store window and fall to the ground, resulting in serious hip and back injuries. These injuries led to considerable pain, stiffness, and limited mobility. They also impacted her ability to perform physical tasks and forced her to hire additional staff for her business, negatively affecting its profitability. Our experts in compensation law obtained assessments from an Orthopaedic Surgeon and an Occupational Therapist, detailing the level of impairment and ongoing disabilities. We initiated legal proceedings against the shopping centre and its cleaning contractors, citing a breach of duty to maintain a safe environment.

Following negotiations, we achieved a $100,000 settlement at an informal settlement conference. This compensation was a significant relief for our client, addressing her injuries and financial losses due to the accident.

Slip at a shopping centre: $100,000 payout

Our client was grocery shopping with her family at a shopping centre in the Hills region when she slipped on water that had seeped into the common area. She fell heavily on her right side, resulting in a significant shoulder injury.

After the incident, our client reported the fall to centre management, who identified the faulty fridge but denied liability. Unsure of what to do next, she sought legal advice and us. During the initial consultation, we gathered comprehensive information about the incident and determined that the shopping centre, cleaners and shop owners could all be responsible. We initiated court proceedings after none of the parties admitted liability. Our experts in personal injury law collected strong medical evidence to support our client’s injury claims and identified that cleaners should have been present to address the spill. Ultimately, all parties agreed to mediation where the matter was resolved for over $100,000, covering our client’s time off work, future surgery costs and potential lost wages.

GMP Law: Receive the compensation you’re entitled to

If you’ve suffered due to another person’s negligence, know that legal help is available. We’re Australia’s leading personal injury law firm, meaning we have the experience and expertise needed to ensure that the person responsible for your injury is held accountable. It also means that we can work with you to make sure that you receive the compensation you’re entitled to.

The process begins with a free consultation with one of our public liability compensation claim specialists. It’s here that you can learn about our no-win, no-fee policy, gain answers to any questions you may have and receive insight into the best legal pathways forward based on your unique circumstances.

Click here to book a free consultation with our experts in public liability compensation claims. Or, to learn more about public liability claims and how GMP Law can help you, click here.

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