I have been offered compensation for slipping in a bar toilet due to a leaking tap by the bar’s insurance company. Does this mean I cannot make a claim for injury compensation?
It is good news that you have been offered compensation for slipping in a bar toilet due to a leaking tap as this means that the insurance company is accepting that the bar manager is liable for your injuries. You should not feel obliged to accept the offer that has been made. You are within your rights to reject the offer and make a legal claim for a slip and fall in a bar toilet instead.
From your question it would appear that you are not happy with the amount of compensation that has been offered. It is not uncommon for insurance companies to offer compensation to an accident victim directly, as the insurance company stands to make a considerable saving by doing so. Not only will the costs of defending a claim be avoided, but the insurer will also not need to pay for your own legal costs if your claim is successful. In the USA, the losing party in a compensation claim is liable to pay the legal costs of the winner.
In addition to this, the first offer made by an insurance company is typically low and offers of settlement rarely factor in all aspects of an injury. If an accident victim can be convinced to accept a low offer of compensation, insurance company losses can be further reduced.
However, it is important to have the offer assessed by an independent personal injury lawyer, as while it may appear to be low it does not necessarily mean that you will be able to substantially increase compensation amounts. You should find out your maximum entitlement to compensation and what can be gained from making a claim for a slip on a wet floor in a bar toilet. If you are unlikely to be able to increase the compensation amounts by a significant degree, it may actually be in your best interests to accept the offer.
When you speak with a personal injury lawyer about your case you will be advised of the probability of success and the amount of compensation you can claim. Even though you have been offered compensation it does not mean that the insurance company will not defend a legal claim for compensation for slipping in a bar toilet due to a leaking tap.
It is therefore important that you are made aware of the likelihood of recovering compensation and the costs of taking legal action before you make any decision about the offer you have received, although the fact that you have received an offer is certainly a good sign that a claim will be successful.
Should you decide to make a legal claim for a slip on a wet floor in a bar toilet you will be entitled to compensation for the pain, suffering and the inconvenience of your injury. A claim for a slip and fall in a bar toilet can also include any costs that have been incurred as a result of the accident, such as medical treatment, loss of income and the cost of replacing personal property damaged in the accident. Your offer will not have factored in all of these aspects of your injury, so it is probable that it will be worth your while to make a legal claim.