Accident At Work – Frequently Asked Questions
Advice On How To Claim For An Accident At Work
This guide aims to provide answers and information to questions relating to an accident at work.
Following an injury caused by an accident at work, you may be entitled to make a personal injury claim.
We will discuss in more detail who may be eligible to claim for accident at work compensation and provide the criteria for negligence.
According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the body for governing workplace health and safety, workplace injury statistics, those recorded under the Reporting Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrence Regulations 2013 RIDDOR saw 61,713 non-fatal workplace injuries reported by employers in 2021/22.
Proving negligence is vital for a personal injury claim to be successful; therefore, we address what evidence you may be able to collect in support of your claim.
Further on, you will come across our compensation section. This section is dedicated to compensation guidelines for a personal injury claim after an accident at work.
Penultimately, we will discuss the perks of making a claim with a solicitor and how a No Win No Fee agreement could be financially beneficial to you.
If you would like to read more about workplace accidents, please read the guide in full. However, if you believe an employer’s negligence caused your injuries, contact us for free today.
Contact Us
- Speak to our team over the phone on 020 3870 4868
- Contact us online by filling out our claim form.
- Message one of our 24/7 advisors over our live chat feature.
Choose A Section
- Who Could Claim For Injuries Caused By An Accident At Work?
- Examples Of Workplace Accidents
- What Evidence Do I Need For A Workplace Accident Claim?
- How Are Payouts For An Accident At Work Calculated?
- Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Claim Compensation?
- Where Can You Get Further Guidance On Dealing With Personal Injury Claims After An Accident At Work?
Who Could Claim For Injuries Caused By An Accident At Work?
Employees who suffer an injury at work may be entitled to compensation if caused by an employer’s negligence. You may also be able to claim if you sustained injuries as a self employed person, such as a contractor.
Negligence arises from an employer breaching their duty of care, which results in injury.
As outlined by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure their employees are safe from injury in the workplace.
There are criteria in place to determine whether a claimant is eligible to claim; this involves proving the following:
- Firstly, you were owed a duty of care.
- Secondly, there was a breach of duty.
- Finally, this breach has caused your injuries.
Workplace Injury Claim Time Limits
In addition to the eligibility criteria, you must also be within the limitation period set out by the Limitation Act 1980.
A claimant must begin legal proceedings within three years from the date of the accident.
However, if you cannot claim for yourself, the accident at work claim time may be extended beyond the three years. Here are some scenarios where the limitation could be suspended:
- The claimant lacks the mental capacity to claim for themselves.
- A claimant is under the legal age to claim for themselves (18).
Under both circumstances, the claimant could use a litigation friend who can claim on behalf of someone else when the limitation period is suspended.
You can book a call back with one of our advisors if you would like more information regarding whether you are eligible for making an accident at work claim.
Examples Of Workplace Accidents
A wide range of accidents at work can be caused by employer negligence. Below, we will list some examples that may relate to your claim:
- Hurt your back carrying a heavy load without appropriate manual handling training.
- If you have slipped on a wet floor that wasn’t appropriately signed.
- Improper maintenance of the workplace leads to an employee injury from falling down stairs at work.
- If you are involved in a forklift crash at work due to a faulty forklift.
- You may have sustained a hand injury from a slip and fall on ice when that risk wasn’t properly managed.
- You’ve suffered a foot injury due to no safety shoes at work being provided.
- If you have tripped over an obstruction at work and have sustained an arm injury.
- If you injure yourself falling from a height in a ladder accident due to faulty equipment.
What Are The Most Common Accidents At Work?
As mentioned under RIDDOR, there were 61,713 non-fatal workplace injuries reported by employers during 2021/22. According to these statistics, the most common workplace accidents are as follows:
- Slips, trips and falls on the same level (30%).
- Handling, carrying and lifting (18%).
- Struck by a moving object (11%).
- Acts of violence (9%).
- Falls from a height (8%).
If your injury has not been listed, but you believe it occurred due to your employer’s negligence, contact us today for free.
What Evidence Do I Need For A Workplace Accident Claim?
You can use many different types of evidence to prove claims for accidents at work. Evidence that proves an employer’s negligence is essential to a successful claim. In contrast, other evidence will be used to substantiate a part of your claim, such as the extent of your injury.
Below, we have provided some examples of evidence that you may be able to use in your claim and what they may be used for:
- CCTV footage can be used to prove employer liability.
- Medical records can be used to highlight the extent of damage.
- A diary can be used to exhibit the psychological damage caused by the accident.
- Contact details of eyewitnesses who can give an account of the accident can be used to prove employer negligence.
- Reporting an accident in the accident book can give another account of the accident, proving an accident at work.
One of the services our panel of solicitors provides is helping clients collect evidence supporting their cases. You might find the claim process a little daunting and need help figuring out where to start collecting evidence. If this is the case, or you just want advice, contact our advisors today; they may connect you to a solicitor who can help with your claim.
How Are Payouts For An Accident At Work Calculated?
Following a successful personal injury claim for an accident at work, your compensation may comprise two heads of claim known as general and special damages.
General damages account for the pain and suffering caused by the injury, whereas special damages aim to recover financial losses.
In this section, we have provided a compensation table that you can find below. The table shows examples of compensation brackets taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), a document used to value general damages.
Compensation Table
| Injury | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Back Injury (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | Damage to spinal cord and nerve roots causing consequences that are considered severe. |
| Moderate Brain Injury (ii) | £90,720 to £150,110 | Ability to work is greatly reduced if not removed with some intellectual deficit. |
| Severe Hip/Pelvis Injuries (i) | £78,400 to £130,930 | Extensive fractures of pelvis or spinal fusion due to spondylolisthesis of a low back joint. |
| Loss Of One Arm (iii) | £96,160 to £109,650 | Below-elbow amputation. |
| Severe Knee Injuries (i) | £69,730 to £96,210 | Gross ligamentous damage alongside loss of function. |
| Wrist Injuries (a) | £47,620 to £59,860 | Injury resulting in loss of fucntion. |
| Elbow Injuries (a) | £39,170 to £54,830 | Injury to elbow causing severe disablement. |
| Severe Shoulder Injuries | £19,200 to £48,030 | Neck injuries and involving damage to the brachial plexus |
| Hand Injuries (s) | £19,600 to £35,010 | Very serious injury to the thumb. |
| Moderate Neck Injuries (ii) | £13,740 to £24,990 | Serious limitation of movement with permanent/recurring pain. |
You must be aware that the figures in this table are guidelines; they are not guaranteed payouts. Each claim is unique, and as a result, each claim will command a different compensation amount.
If you believe you have a legitimate claim but want to know what it might be worth, contact us today for free. One of our advisors may connect you with a solicitor from our panel who can accurately evaluate your claim.
What Special Damages May Be Awarded?
To reiterate, special damages are awarded for financial losses. The aim is to reimburse the claimant for any financial losses that have been caused by the injury; this could include:
- Travel costs.
- Medical expenses.
- Loss of earnings.
- Future loss of earnings.
Could A No Win No Fee Solicitor Help Me Claim Compensation?
Feeling a little hesitant towards beginning legal proceedings against your employer is natural. However, you may not have considered making a claim with No Win No Fee solicitors.
These solicitors can provide a range of financial benefits alongside their expertise in claims for accidents at work.
First, you will not be required to make an upfront payment to begin proceedings, and your solicitor will not charge you any fees for their service as the case moves forward.
In fact, only following a successful claim would you normally be charged anything from your solicitor, which is a success fee.
Success fees amount to a small percentage of your compensation, which has a limit placed on it by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.
Here at UK Law, we have a panel of experienced lawyers who have adept knowledge of accidents at work claims.
Furthermore, all the solicitors on our panel work under No Win No Fee agreements, something that only some solicitors are willing to do.
Contact Us
If you would like to discuss the facts of your case and inquire about our panel of solicitors services, you can speak to one of our advisors for free today. Contact us by:
- Speak to our team over the phone on 020 3870 4868
- Contact us online by filling out our claim form.
- Message one of our 24/7 advisors over our live chat feature.
Where Can You Get Further Guidance On Dealing With A Personal Injury Claim After An Accident At Work?
This section offers further advice and guidance regarding personal injury claims after an accident at work.
Internal links:
- What percentage do solicitors take for No Win No Fee claims?
- Will suing an employer create problems?
- Can you sue a former employer?
External links:
- GOV.UK – Request CCTV footage of yourself.
- NHS – Get your medical records.
- HSE – Accident Book.
