Personal Injury
Public Liability Claims — Injured Through Someone Else's Negligence
Businesses, councils, property owners, and event organisers all have a legal duty to keep visitors and members of the public reasonably safe. If you were injured on someone else's premises or at their event due to their failure to meet that duty, you may be entitled to compensation — and a specialist personal injury lawyer can pursue it for you on a no-win no-fee basis.
⚠ Evidence including CCTV footage and incident reports disappears quickly — submit your request now.
Does This Sound Like You?
Common situations we help with.
Injured at a Shopping Centre
Shopping centre operators have a non-delegable duty to maintain common areas in a reasonably safe condition. If you were injured by a wet floor without adequate warning, a poorly maintained fixture, or a structural defect within the centre, the operator's public liability insurer is the appropriate respondent. Early collection of incident reports and CCTV footage is critical.
Injured at a Council Park or Public Facility
Local councils are responsible for maintaining parks, playgrounds, footpaths, and community facilities in a reasonably safe condition. Claims against local government involve specific procedural requirements — including notice requirements in some states — and councils often have broader defences available under civil liability legislation. A specialist lawyer can navigate these requirements.
Attacked at a Venue That Failed to Provide Adequate Security
Licensed venues, nightclubs, and event organisers can be liable for assaults on patrons if the risk of violence was foreseeable and adequate security measures were not in place. If you were assaulted at a venue where the occupier's failure to address a known risk of violence contributed to your injury, a civil claim against the occupier may succeed alongside any criminal proceedings against the attacker.
Injured at a Sporting Event or Recreation Facility
While participants in sport voluntarily assume risks inherent to the activity, organisers and occupiers still owe a duty of care in relation to the conditions of the venue, equipment, and supervision. If you were injured at a sporting event due to a defective facility, faulty equipment, or inadequate safety management (rather than an inherent risk of the sport itself), a public liability claim may be available.
Contractor Injured on Someone Else's Property
Occupiers owe a duty of care to contractors working on their premises, including an obligation to warn of non-obvious hazards. If you were injured as a contractor due to the unsafe condition of the property or a failure by the occupier to disclose a known risk, a public liability claim against the occupier may be available in addition to any workers compensation entitlements.
Visitor Injured at a Private Home
Homeowners owe a duty of care to visitors — including social guests — to ensure their property does not present unreasonable risks. If you were injured by an unsafe condition at someone's home (such as a broken step, an unmaintained pool area, or a dog attack), a claim may be available against the homeowner's public liability or home contents insurer. A lawyer can advise on the applicable duty and prospects.
How It Works
Your Public Liability Claim, Step by Step
Public liability claims require prompt action to preserve evidence and meet notification requirements. We connect you with a specialist personal injury lawyer who will identify who is liable and pursue full compensation for you.
Submit Your Public Liability RequestSubmit your request
Tell us where and how you were injured, who was responsible for the premises or event, and what harm you suffered. We match you with a personal injury lawyer experienced in public liability claims in your state.
Evidence collection and liability investigation
Your lawyer urgently seeks to preserve CCTV footage and incident reports, obtains your medical records, and investigates the circumstances of the accident to establish who owed you a duty of care and how it was breached.
Claim, negotiation, and resolution
Your lawyer notifies the occupier's insurer, quantifies your full damages, and negotiates a fair settlement. If the insurer disputes liability or the settlement offer is inadequate, your lawyer will represent you through the state's dispute resolution process or in court.
No-Win No-Fee
You pay nothing unless your public liability claim succeeds — legal costs are recovered from the outcome
All 8 States
Requests matched to specialist lawyers across every state and territory in Australia
Free
Initial consultation — understand your rights and options before committing to any action
Act Fast
CCTV footage is typically overwritten within 30 days — early legal intervention is essential to preserve evidence
Before You Claim
Practical questions about public liability claims in Australia.
What duty of care do occupiers of premises owe to visitors? +
Under state civil liability legislation and common law, occupiers owe a duty of care to all visitors to take reasonable precautions against foreseeable risks of harm arising from the condition of their premises. The standard of care required depends on the type of visitor (business invitee, licensee) and the nature of the risk. Occupiers must take reasonable steps to identify and remedy or warn of hazards — but they are not required to guarantee the safety of every person who enters the property.
What must I prove to succeed in a public liability claim? +
To establish a public liability claim you must prove: (1) the defendant owed you a duty of care; (2) the defendant breached that duty by failing to take the precautions a reasonable person in their position would have taken; (3) the breach caused your injury (causation); and (4) you suffered damage as a result. Under civil liability legislation in most states, the court also considers whether the risk was foreseeable, not insignificant, and whether a reasonable person in the defendant's position would have taken precautions.
How does contributory negligence affect my public liability compensation? +
If you contributed to your own injury through inattention or unreasonable conduct, your damages may be reduced by the percentage of fault attributed to you under contributory negligence apportionment. For example, if you were texting while walking and did not notice an obvious hazard, the court may find you partly responsible. In most states, contributory negligence does not completely bar a claim unless it exceeds a very high threshold — but it can significantly reduce the compensation awarded.
How do I notify the occupier's public liability insurer? +
You do not need to identify the specific insurer at the outset — notification is typically made to the business or occupier, who then passes it to their insurer. Most states have a pre-litigation personal injury claims process (often called a "letter of claim" or "pre-filing notice") that must be sent before court proceedings can be commenced. Your lawyer will manage this notification process, ensure the correct pre-litigation procedure is followed, and preserve your legal position throughout.
What are the time limits for making a public liability claim? +
In most Australian states, the limitation period for public liability personal injury claims is 3 years from the date of injury (or from when the injury was or ought reasonably to have been discovered). Special extensions apply to children and to cases of latent injury. Claims against local councils in some states require much earlier notice — some as early as 6 months from the date of injury. Missing a time limit can extinguish your right to claim — seek legal advice as soon as possible after your injury.
What damages can I recover in a public liability claim? +
Damages in a public liability claim include economic loss (lost income, reduced earning capacity, future medical expenses, paid care costs) and non-economic loss (pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, disfigurement). Non-economic loss is subject to a statutory threshold in most states — only injuries that meet a minimum severity threshold attract non-economic loss damages. Your lawyer will assess whether your injuries meet the threshold and calculate the full value of your economic losses.
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