Public Liability Lawyers

What is Public Liability?

If you’ve been injured in a public place such as a shopping centre, carpark or footpath and your accident was caused by someone else not taking enough care, you may be entitled to compensation through a public liability claim.

Unfortunately, many people endure the financial and physical hardships of an injury caused by someone else’s negligence without seeking compensation as they feel partially responsible and can’t foresee the future impact of their injury.

If you’ve been injured, it doesn’t hurt to ask. Slater and Gordon are experts in Public Liability claims and can give you straightforward advice on the best way forward in an obligation free initial appointment.

Check if you have a Public Liability claim

It doesn’t hurt to ask. Find out if you’re eligible for a public liability claim in just 3 minutes.

Free claim check Call us on 1800 444 141

Why do I need a public liability lawyer?

Public liability laws are complex, and the claims process can be overwhelming with strict deadlines, legal hurdles, paperwork, and pressure from insurers to settle quickly. That’s why getting legal advice early is so important:

Without the right legal support, you could miss out on thousands in compensation. A lawyer can provide clear advice on your chances of success and guide you through the process with confidence.
Unlike work or road injuries, there is no immediate support through a no-fault statutory benefits scheme for public liability injuries.
You may unknowingly waive your rights to bring a future claim if you accept an offer from an insurer before seeking legal advice.
Insurer offers often cover only the bare minimum and overlook entitlements like compensation for future care and treatment or pain and suffering.
Public liability lawyers have a deep understanding of insurance policies, duty of care, and how they can impact your claim and settlement amount.

Did you know?

Public liability claims don’t just cover slips and trips in shopping centres. They can also include injuries caused by faulty equipment, unsafe building conditions, or hazards in public areas such as footpaths and car parks.

Common examples of public liability include:

Slips and trips on public or private property, often in places like supermarkets and shopping centres
Balconies, stairs and footpaths that have been poorly maintained
Dog or animal attacks
Physical assaults
Aviation accidents
Defective products or services
Sporting accidents (including recreational and adventure activities)
Boats and water-sports accidents
Injuries on private property including rental properties or Air BnBs.
Health and fitness injuries (such as massage or personal training)

We are the original No Win, No Fee* Public liability lawyers

This means that if you don’t win, you don’t pay the fees for the work we do on your case.

No Win, No Fee Lawyers

Entitlements

If you have a public liability claim, you may be entitled to compensation for:

Medical expenses for treatment and ongoing care
The care and help provided to you by family members and friends that you would otherwise have had to pay for.
Past loss of earnings
Loss of future wages and future ability to earn
Loss of ability to look after anyone dependant on you
Pain and suffering as well as loss of enjoyment of life caused by physical or psychological injury.

Act quickly

There are time limits to a public liability claim!
You have three years to make a claim from the date of injury. For children or a person under disability, a time limit of six years from the date of injury applies.

Step through a Public Liability claim process

You can feel confident that when you choose Slater and Gordon, you can focus on your recovery while we take care of your compensation claim.

Learn more about the process of a Public Liability case

How can Slater and Gordon help?

We’ll make the process easy for you

We’ve been helping Australians with their legal needs for more than 90 years. With one of the largest networks of public liability lawyers in the country, we bring together some of the most experienced legal minds in the field.

Contact Slater and Gordon to get legal advice as soon as possible to discuss your entitlements, and we’ll take it from here so you can focus on moving forward.

Making a public liability claim can seem daunting, but it doesn’t need to be. In your obligation free initial appointment, your lawyer will learn more about your accident from you and then give you the advice you need to choose the best way forward.

Meet the team

As Australia’s largest personal injury law firm we can provide some of the most experienced lawyers and legal support staff to take care of your claim from start to finish – so you can focus on your recovery.

View more Public Liability lawyers

Frequently asked questions

Who can make a public liability claim?

If you were injured in a public place, on someone's property, or at a business, and that injury happened because someone failed to take reasonable care, you may have a public liability claim.

This can include injuries sustained:

On a footpath, road, or in a public park
In a shop, shopping centre, or restaurant
At a sporting event, concert, or community gathering
On a rental property or commercial premises
At a school, hospital, or government facility
Playing sports or recreational activity

The key question is whether the person, business, or organisation responsible for that space took reasonable steps to prevent the accident. If they did not, they may be liable for your injuries.

Who pays the compensation?

In most public liability claims, compensation is typically paid by the insurer of the person, business, government body or organisation responsible for the incident.

Businesses, local councils, and public organisations typically hold public liability insurance to cover exactly these situations. This means your claim is generally made against their insurer, not their personal assets.

What is Duty of Care?

In Australia, the term duty of care refers to a legal obligation to take reasonable care to avoid causing harm to others, where the harm is reasonably foreseeable.

In some situations, a non-delegable duty of care may arise. This means one person or organisation is legally responsible for another’s safety, even if they’ve asked someone else to carry out the work. This applies in:

An employer and employee
A hospital and patient
A school and pupil

Injured drivers, pedestrians and public transport users are all protected by a duty of care, but these injuries fall under Motor Vehicle Accidents. While your employer is responsible for your safety at work. Injuries sustained in the workplace fall under the Workers Compensation scheme.

What’s the difference between common law and insurance-based compensation?

Public liability claims can involve both statutory insurance entitlements and common law claims for negligence.

Insurance entitlements may cover immediate costs such as medical treatment or income support, but this generally depends on whether you have a relevant insurance policy.

A common law claim is broader. If someone else's negligence caused your injury, you may be able to claim compensation for:

Pain and suffering
Future loss of earnings
Long-term care and support needs

In most successful common law claims, the negligent party's insurer pays the compensation. A public liability lawyer can identify which pathway applies to your situation and make sure you claim everything you are entitled to.

What could constitute a common law claim?

Common law claims typically involve situations where someone else's failure to maintain a safe environment caused a specific injury. Some examples:

A shopper slips on an unmarked wet floor in a supermarket and injures their back
A tenant trips on a broken step at their rental property and fractures their ankle
A child is injured at a community event due to inadequate fencing and crowd control
A pedestrian trips on a damaged footpath and injures their shoulder

If your situation is similar, the best first step is speaking with a public liability lawyer to assess your options.

Feedback from our clients

Until I found myself in the position of seeking help to resolve issues relating to an accident that really should never had happened . I really hadn't ever thought about the " how does this happen " aspect . The value of having representation from a team as supportive and knowledgeable as Oliver Robertson at Slater and Gordon was absolutely amazing I really can't thank Oliver enough for his commitment to helping me . He believed in me and I believe he always did his upmost to not only reach a resolution but also to act with empathy and professionalism at all times . The support team also did a truly wonderful job. Thank you

jennifer Sidgwick

Liat, Sarah and team from Melbourne office, have been an amazing and supportive team, assisting me to achieve an outcome that I am very pleased with. Not only accommodating my distance to specialist appointments, but also happy to work with my last minute rescheduled appointments due to illness. Highly recommend Liat, Sarah and team for the best outcome for you!

Tammy Anderson

Oliver and Rachael got me a settlement that was far beyond what I imagined in absolute best case scenario. It was a few months ago and I still can’t believe it. Their work was incredible and I’m so grateful for what they did. Highly recommend, felt safe and heard through the entire process, and like someone was fighting for me. Thank you so much, Oliver and Rachael.

Angela Smith

My experiences with Tahnee have been amazing. She has guided and supported me seamlessly from the very beginning. I have always been notified of updates and kept abreast of developments. Her professionalism and her expertise was evident with my positive outcome. I can highly recommend Tahnee and Slater and Gordon, Newcastle.

Anne McDonald

As a retired senior citizen, my health is paramount, so when I was injured in a fall I put my trust in S&G to resolve my injury claim. This was resolved in an efficient, effective and seamless way. I owe a debt of gratitude to lawyer Kate Calocouras who, from the 'get go', sought to get the best deal for me. I was most impressed in her keeping me in the loop at every turn and in particular her ability to translate legalise into plain speak. I commend her for her personal reassurances in achieving an equitable settlement.

Martin Pall

I recently had the pleasure of working with Breanna from Slater and Gordon and I can't recommend Breanna highly enough. From start to finish, Breanna’s professionalism and dedication were evident in every interaction. What stood out most was Breanna’s meticulous attention to detail. She took the time to thoroughly understand the nuances of my case, ensuring that no aspect was overlooked. This level of diligence was incredibly reassuring and made me feel confident that my interests were being well-protected. Breanna’s communication skills were equally impressive. She kept me informed every step of the way, explaining complex legal terms in a clear and accessible manner. I never felt left in the dark or unsure about the process, which greatly alleviated the stress often associated with legal matters. Moreover, Breanna demonstrated genuine empathy throughout the process. She was not only a skilled legal professional but also a compassionate advocate who understood the personal impact of the case. Her supportive approach made a challenging situation much more manageable. If you're looking for a solicitor who combines thoroughness, clear communication, and empathy, Breanna is an exceptional choice. Her expertise and client-centred approach truly set Breanna and Slater and Gordon apart.

Claudio Stella

Google Reviews

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Public Liability