JOHANNESBURG - South Africa must prepare for 2010 personal injury claims from the estimated 10 million visitors to the country, an insurance company said on Wednesday.“Not only are we expecting the promulgation of the consumer protection bill this year, which introduces strict liability for suppliers, but people are coming from countries where litigation is far more common,” said Elton Julies of the company’s Global Loss Control department for the Liabilities Group.
He said hotels, malls and other retail outlets needed to have the appropriate safety precautions in place to mitigate the risk of injury or loss to visitors. Julies said in the US, the average cost for slip and trip accidents ranged from R60 000 to R216 000 in direct costs.
Indirect costs typically increased this amount three to five times.
He added that some recent personal injury settlements in South Africa included R600 000 for a fractured foot and R380 000 for torn knee ligaments, indicating that damages arising from claims in South Africa were just as costly as abroad.
According to Julies, a recent analysis of major retail customers in South Africa found that 40% of all claims were as a direct result of slip and fall incidents, 21% were due to cuts or falling objects, and 17% a result of trolley related incidents such as children falling out of trolleys.
“2010 is a huge opportunity to showcase South Africa… but there is a big reputational risk for our hospitality and retail industries, and for the country as a whole, if we do not ensure the safety of our visitors,” he said. — SAPA