How Much Compensation Could I Get For An Office Accident Claim?
Many of us work in offices up and down the country. While largely a low-risk working environment, the risk of accidents can go up when employers fail to fulfil their legal obligations to protect workers. That is why we have prepared this guide on who might be eligible to begin an office accident claim and how much could be awarded if you succeed.
We examine the duty of care owed by employers to their workers, and how failing to meet that standard can result in an accident at work and subsequent injury. You will also see an explanation of how personal injury compensation is calculated to address the different impacts of the harm you suffered.
Evidence is a key part of any personal injury claim, and our guide addresses some of the evidence that could be available to you to show that your employer’s negligent conduct was the cause of your office accident. Finally, we explain the No Win No fee agreement offered by the dedicated and highly experienced personal injury solicitors from our panel.
To find out more about your eligibility to claim compensation for office accidents, or to get free advice, speak to our advisors today. Our team are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the contact information provided here:
- Call an advisor on 020 3870 4868.
- Begin asking about your claim online by completing this form.
- Use the live chat feature at the bottom of the screen for a fast response to any queries.
Select A Section
- How Much Could I Get For An Office Accident Claim?
- Can I Make An Office Accident Claim Against My Employer?
- Types Of Office Accident Claims
- What Proof Do I Need For A Personal Injury Claim?
- Claim Compensation For A Workplace Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Discover More About Claiming For Workplace Accidents
How Much Could I Get For An Office Accident Claim?
A compensation payout following a successful office accident claim can be made up of two different heads of loss. Compensation for the pain and suffering your injuries cause is awarded under general damages. Monetary losses that result from those injuries can be reimbursed as a special damages payment.
Those handling your claim can make reference to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) when calculating a potential compensation figure for your injuries. The JCG publication lists compensation guidelines for an array of different injuries. A relevant selection of these guidelines, with the exception of the “Multiple Injuries” entry, were used to create this compensation table.
Compensation Table
Please be advised that this table is intended to serve as guidance, not guarantee an office accident compensation value. How much compensation you actually receive will differ depending on different factors unique to your case, such as how severe your office injury is.
| Injury | Severity | Guideline Compensation Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Serious Injuries as well as Special Damages | Very Serious | Up to £500,000 and above | The injured person will have sustained multiple very serious injuries and incurred significant financial losses such as lost income, medical bills and other special damages. |
| Injuries Involving Paralysis | Paraplegia (b) | £219,070 to £284,260 | Paralysis from the waist down. Factors influencing awards for paraplegia can include the level of pain, the injured person's age and life expectancy, and their degree of independence. |
| Brain Damage | Moderate (c)(i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | A brain injury that results in a moderate to severe deficit of intellect, sensory impairment, personality change and presents a substantial epilepsy risk. |
| Epilepsy | Established Grand Mal (a) | £102,000 to £150,110 | Compensation for epilepsy is dependent on a number of factors including the effectiveness of medication, the impact on daily life, and the prognosis of the condition. |
| Neck Injuries | Severe (a)(ii) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Serious cervical spine fractures or disc damage resulting in disabilities such as a substantial loss of neck movement or permanent brachial plexus damage. |
| Back Injuries | Severe (a)(iii) | £38,780 to £69,730 | Soft tissue injuries, disc lesions or fractures resulting in chronic conditions where disabilities remain despite treatment. |
| Other Arm Injuries | Substantial and Permanent Disablement (b) | £39,170 to £59,860 | Serious fractures in one or both forearms giving rise to significant and permanent functional or cosmetic disabilities. |
| Leg Injuries | Severe (b)(iv) | £27,760 to £39,200 | Injuries such as a severe crush injury, or complex or multiple fractures to a single limb. |
| Wrist Injuries | Less Severe (c) | £12,590 to £24,500 | Cases where the injury is less severe but some permanent disability remains such as persisting pain and stiffness. |
Special Damages
Awards for financial losses in an office accident compensation claim are paid out under special damages. Examples of such losses could include:
- Loss of earnings from the time taken off work to recover from your injuries.
- The cost of public transport if you have been medically advised to not drive or cycle.
- Prescriptions, physiotherapy or other out-of-pocket medical expenses.
- Domestic care and support, such as with food preparation, maintenance or cleaning if you are unable to safely carry out such tasks by yourself.
- Accessibility modifications to your home if your mobility has been affected.
Being compensated for monetary losses under the special damages head of loss will require the submission of supporting evidence. Keep hold of your payslips, as well as any receipts, tickets or invoices, as proof you incurred losses.
This section is intended to provide guidance only. As office accident claims are assessed on an individual basis, we cannot guarantee a compensation figure. However, you can get a more detailed estimate of the possible value of a claim in your particular circumstances by speaking to our advisors. You can inquire further about your potential office accident claim today via the contact information provided above.
Can I Make An Office Accident Claim Against My Employer?
Employers are required to take reasonable steps to ensure their workers are safe at work and as they carry out work-related tasks. This duty of care is set out by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
You could be eligible to claim compensation following an office accident if you meet the following criteria:
- Your employer owed you a duty of care in the office.
- This duty was breached due to your employer’s failure to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of you and other workers.
- Because of this breach, an accident occurred in which you were injured.
What Is The Time Limit For Making An Office Accident Claim?
In general terms, there is a 3-year limitation period counted from the date of the accident, to begin an accident at work claim. This is established by the Limitation Act 1980. There are certain circumstances where the standard 3-year limit may be extended.
For example, if the injured person was a minor when the accident took place, the 3 years will be counted from their 18th birthday. Injured persons who do not have sufficient mental capacity will have the limitation period frozen indefinitely. A litigation friend could be appointed to pursue the office accident claim on the injured person’s behalf in both of these instances.
Our advisors can offer more guidance on the relevant time limits when claiming for office accidents. They can also advise as to whether or not any exceptions apply in your particular case. Get in touch with the team today using the contact information provided above.
Types Of Office Accident Claims
There are various situations where an office accident could occur due to an employer’s breach of their duty of care. We have highlighted a few possible scenarios where an accident could arise here:
- A loose carpet tile at the top of the office stairs had been reported by a number of office workers. Your employer had not removed the hazard or organised a repair. You trip and fall down the stairs, sustaining an injury to your back as well as fractures in your arm and leg.
- You received a major electric shock from faulty electrical equipment after plugging your work laptop into a faulty socket. Your employer had not organised the latest round of office maintenance checks to ensure the safety of office facilities.
- A light fitting fell when the damaged mountings gave way. The light caused a serious head injury when it hit you.
You could make an office accident claim in a number of different circumstances. However, you need to prove an employer didn’t uphold their duty of care and this caused you to suffer an injury as a result.
To find out if you are eligible to claim work injury compensation for your particular accident, speak to an advisor today.
What Proof Do I Need For A Personal Injury Claim?
Making an office accident claim will require the submission of supporting evidence. Your evidence can be used to highlight what injuries you sustained, as well as how your employer’s breach of their duty caused the accident to occur.
Some examples of steps you could take to collect evidence include:
- Seeking proper medical attention after an accident is always our first recommendation. This is not only for your well-being but the medical reports produced by this treatment can be used as medical evidence.
- Employers are required to keep a record of accidents on the premises. A company with 10 or more employees must keep an accident book, from which you can take a copy of your incident report.
- Other workplace documents, such as training or maintenance records, could be used to show that health and safety regulations were not followed.
- If available, you can acquire CCTV footage of the accident taking place.
- Take photographs of your injuries, the scene of the accident and what caused it.
- Gather proof of any financial losses stemming from your injuries.
- Collect the contact details of anyone who saw the accident so witness statements can be collected at a later date.
It may be beneficial to work with a solicitor when collecting evidence for your claim. Talk to our advisors to receive a free consultation concerning your eligibility to claim for an office accident. If eligible, a specialist personal injury solicitor from our panel could take on your case. A solicitor could not only assist you with assembling a body of evidence but also ensure your claim is made within the relevant time limit.
Claim Compensation For A Workplace Accident On A No Win No Fee Basis
Find out if you’re eligible to begin an office accident claim by speaking to our advisory team. Once our advisors have decided you have a valid claim, a solicitor from our panel could offer you a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Instructing a solicitor to represent you under a CFA offers you some notable benefits. So, in the vast majority of cases, you will not have to pay any fee upfront for the solicitor to start working on your claim. You will also not pay for this work during the case or if the claim fails.
Personal injury compensation will be awarded in the event of a successful claim. The solicitor will deduct a pre-agreed success fee from this compensation if they win the claim. Success fee percentages are subject to a legally binding cap set by The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013. So you will keep the majority of any compensation awarded.
To find out more about potentially claiming compensation for an office accident or for a no-cost, no-obligation assessment of your eligibility to claim, talk to an advisor today. Our friendly and dedicated team are available 24/7 via the contact information provided here:
- Call an advisor on 020 3870 4868.
- Begin asking about your claim online by completing this form.
- Use the live chat feature at the bottom of the screen for a fast response to any queries.
Discover More About Claiming For Workplace Accidents
You can read some more of our workplace accident claims guides by following these links:
- Learn about the eligibility criteria for manual handling claims following workplace accidents.
- A fall from a ladder could result in serious injuries. Find out more about making ladder accident claims with this guide.
- Find out about claiming personal injury compensation for a broken ankle at work and how this compensation is calculated.
We have also included some external resources for additional information:
- The Health and Safety Executive has published this guidance on manual handling and what constitutes safe manual handling practice.
- Following injuries sustained in a workplace accident, you may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay. You can find out more via this resource on the Government website.
- The provision of first aid can be critical to preserving the life of an injured person. The NHS has provided this detailed resource on first aid.
Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on making an office accident claim. For free advice or an assessment on your eligibility to begin a claim, contact our advisors today. You can reach a team member at any time of day using the contact information given above.
