Course Overview

This course is designed to help practitioners identify, understand and apply the relevant areas of law when assessing and managing public liability claims.

Public liability claims can involve a complex combination of common law principles, statutes and regulations. The course will provide a practical overview of the key legal frameworks practitioners need to consider when investigating liability, assessing risk and building or defending a claim.

Through a range of common public liability scenarios, the course will explore how to identify the relevant legal issues, apply the appropriate principles and assess the strengths and weaknesses of a claim.

Topics covered will include:

• Occupiers’ liability in claims involving visitors
• Occupiers’ liability in claims involving trespassers
• Highway trips and accidents
• Retail slips, trips and falls
• Falls and injuries in pubs and nightclubs
• Claims arising from fires
• Claims involving children
• Contributory negligence
• Other key issues arising in public liability claims

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, learners should be able to:

• Identify the key areas of law relevant to public liability claims.
• Distinguish between common law principles and relevant statutory and regulatory duties.
• Apply the appropriate legal framework when assessing public liability claims.
• Understand the principles governing occupiers’ liability to visitors and trespassers.
• Assess liability in relation to highway trips, retail slips and trips, and accidents in licensed premises.
• Identify the key legal considerations arising from claims involving fires and injuries to children.
• Understand the role of contributory negligence and how it may affect liability and damages.
• Recognise the importance of gathering and assessing evidence when investigating liability.
• Apply legal principles to common public liability scenarios to support effective risk assessment and claims handling.
• Develop a structured approach to identifying potential liability and evaluating the prospects of a public liability claim.