If a cinema injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Cinema accident injuries often include tripping in dark corridors, injuries from falling seats, or crowd-related accidents during emergencies.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a cinema accident, we can help. Whether your injuries were caused by a slip, trip, fall or other incident, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for an accident in a public place with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
With a third of injuries caused by slips and trips, you are not alone
According to the UK Cinema Association, there were approximately 176 million admissions to film screenings in 2019. This number fell drastically during COVID, but is expected to rise again in 2022 with the lifting of all restrictions. It is estimated that around 21,000 people work in cinemas.
Due to inherent hazards of the cinema environment, including inadequate lighting or low-light conditions, steep steps and crowds, cinemas must maintain particularly high safety standards to reduce the risk of accidents. Where these standards have not been observed, and someone is injured as a result, it may be possible to claim compensation.
Slips and trips (which are common in food and drink service environments) are responsible for over 1/3 of all reported major injuries hse.co.uk.
If you decide to make a cinema accident claim, your personal injury solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.
How much compensation can I claim for a cinema accident?
How much you can claim for an accident in a cinema is based on:
- the extent of your injury,
- the extent to which your injury limits your daily life and working ability,
- any financial burdens or costs arising from the accident.
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General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.
Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include pain medication and psychological support.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average cinema accident general damages compensation table
The following cinema accident payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Ankle injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Minor fractures, sprains, and ligament injuries with full recovery | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | A fracture or ligament injury with mild ongoing symptoms | £15,250 to £29,500 |
| Severe | Lengthy treatment required, and your ability to walk has been permanently affected | £34,740 to £55,540 |
Elbow injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Recovery within 18 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £3,920 |
| Recovery between 18 to 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms | Up to £7,210 |
| Recovery after 36 months | Simple fractures, cuts or injuries (e.g. tennis elbow) with no permanent symptoms or damage | Up to £13,970 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Serious injury | to ring or middle finger | £11,450 to £18,130 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
Leg injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simple femur fracture | Simple femur fracture with no damage to articular surfaces | £10,110 to £15,620 |
| More serious fractures | Incomplete fracture recovery with ongoing symptoms | £19,930 to £30,800 |
Pelvis and hip injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Injury with no residual disability and complete recovery in under 2 years | £4,380 to £13,970 |
| Moderate | Ongoing symptoms but no major disability | £13,970 to £43,460 |
| Serious | Including fracture of acetabulum and injuries with a risk of future hip replacement surgery or leg instability | £43,460 to £58,250 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
The impact of psychological injuries
If you have suffered psychological harm in addition to a physical injury or illness, you are not alone.
Our 2025 Public Place Injury Claimant Survey highlights that 29.03% of claimants reported they had suffered a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.
A traumatic injury in a cinema can trigger anxiety in enclosed, crowded spaces (enochlophobia), affecting an individual's work and lifestyle choices.
Compensation for psychological harm can help you access mental health support and therapies not always available through the NHS.
Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.
Do I qualify for cinema accident compensation?
You will usually be eligible to claim compensation if you have been injured in the following circumstances:
- in the last 3 years, and;
- another person or organisation was to blame, and;
- they owed you duty of care.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.
Can I claim if I feel I was partly to blame?
Identifying who is legally responsible for a claimant's injuries is not always obvious.
In our 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.
Claims are possible even when your actions partially caused the accident. In instances of 'contributory negligence', claims are usually settled with a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long after a cinema accident do I have to start a claim?
For most injury claims, you have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start the claims process.
The 3 year limitation period does not apply to minors (under 18s). A parent, guardian or litigation friend can start a claim on a child's behalf up to their 18th birthday and the child has until their 21st birthday to claim for themselves.
Common cinema accident claims
The most frequent types of accident in a cinema result in slip and trip claims. These claims often involve one of the following hazards, and both customers and staff may be affected:
- Wet floors
- Obstructions on the stairs
- Poor lighting
- Damaged seating
Injuries arising from this type of accident can range from cuts and bruises to hand, wrist and ankle sprains, broken bones and concussion.
See also:
Injuries affecting cinema staff
Burns and scalding injuries can be caused by the hot catering equipment used to prepare hotdogs, popcorn and other snacks and drinks. Hearing loss and tinnitus can also arise due to sudden or prolonged exposure to high-decibel sound.
See also:
Burn injury compensation claims
Health and safety legislation
Like any public venue or workplace, cinemas are required to follow UK health and safety legislation, ensuring that the premises are safe for both customers and staff.
If applicable regulations are not followed, and someone is injured as a result, the owner or operator of the cinema could be held liable for the accident. In such a case, the owner or occupier of the venue has breached the duty of care' owed to the injured employee or visitor.
For customers this duty of care is imposed by the Occupier's Liability Act 1984. For employees, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 may apply. Legislation requires that cinema owners undertake a full risk assessment of the cinema and then implement measures to remove or minimise any hazards identified during this assessment.
The cinema management may also be liable for an accident if it can be proved that the accident resulted from the management's failure to:
- Carry out routine sweeps to identify wet floor and spillages (or to use appropriate warning signs if it was not cleaned up immediately)
- Carry out routine checks of corridors and stairs to identify potential trip hazards
- Install and maintain adequate floor lighting for visibility in dark screening rooms
- Provide staff with sufficient health and safety training, including the use of hot catering equipment
Useful evidence to prove negligence in a cinema accident
A member of the cinema staff, or the management, should be informed of the accident as soon as possible. The incident should then be recorded in the cinema's accident book.
If possible, it is recommended that photographs are taken of the scene and of the injuries. The names and contact details of any witnesses should also be noted.
Your solicitor can advise on other potential sources of evidence, such as CCTV footage from the cinema or the venue's health and safety records.
CCTV footage is often quickly erased for storage reasons. Solicitors recommend that you start a claim as soon as possible, to ensure as much evidence as possible can be gathered in support of your claim.
What caused your cinema injury?
Cinema accident claims are usually referred to as public or occupiers' liability claims. Click on the icons below to learn more:
Can I make a no win, no fee cinema accident injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim cinema accident injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
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Why does it matter - Slips and trips - HSE (reviewed: 01/08/2024)
Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.