An 11-year-old boy who was struck by a trolley whilst trying on trainers in a sportswear shop has been awarded £1,800 in damages.

The accident occurred after the boy sat down to try on some trainers but found he couldn’t get his heel into the shoes. In order to do so, he stood up, turned around and bent down. As he did so, a member of staff opened a drawer on a stock trolley and it struck the boy in the back. His shirt was torn and he suffered a cut which has left him with a scar.

The boy’s mother brought a case against the owner of the sportswear shop, JJB Sports, claiming that it had a duty to members of the public to prevent such accidents.

In court, JJB Sports argued that the accident had been the boy’s fault because he had been careless. The judge decided, however, that the shop assistant should have taken more care when working in an area where customers were present. In addition, the employee had not been given training in the safe use of the stock trolley.

The owners of premises such as shops can be held liable for accidents which occur on their property that are the result of unsafe working conditions or practices. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault and are uncertain whether or not you have a right to compensation, contact riffat.yaqub@edwardsduthieshamash.co.uk to discuss your claim.