If you have suffered an illness or injury as the result of a workplace accident, you may be entitled to claim compensation, provided your employer’s negligence caused it. Though you don’t need to use the services of a solicitor to claim, the help of accident at work solicitors can prove valuable.
Our advisors are on-hand 24/7 to answer questions and give free legal advice. You’ll be under no obligation to proceed with the services of our panel of solicitors if you get in touch. You can:
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Choose A Section
- How Do I Use Accident At Work Solicitors For A Claim?
- Typical Workplace Accident Scenarios
- Could An Employer Breach Health And Safety Legislation In Work?
- How Do I Place A Value On Compensation For Work Injuries?
- No Win No Fee Agreements For Accident At Work Solicitors
- Extra Resources About Accident At Work Solicitors
How Do I Use Accident at Work Solicitors for a Claim?
Top accident at work solicitors are on hand to help you understand if you have a valid compensation claim if you have been injured at work. If you do, they can support you through the claims process. They can:
- Help you understand the steps you need to take
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- explain the legal jargon
- Help you understand what evidence you can use
- Accurately value your claim
Accidents at work happen. Workplace health and safety legislation exists to keep you safe. Breaching health and safety regulations can result in an injury and even in death. Being injured can incur expenses, including loss of earnings. There could also be medical expenses involved that may not be covered by the NHS.
Your employer has a duty of care to protect the health and safety of employees at work. They can do this by ensuring that health and safety policies are being followed, for example. They can also carry out risk assessments. Should they fail in their duty of care and you suffer an injury or illness as a result, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Breaking Down Work Injury Statistics
Health and safety statistics show that, in 2020/21, 1.7 million people in Great Britain were suffering from a work-related illness. According to the Labour Force survey for 2020/21 441,000 employees suffered a non-fatal injury. In the same period, employers reported 51,211 injuries under The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).
Typical Workplace Accident Scenarios
Workplace health and safety legislation is in place to prevent accidents at work. The correct health and safety training can prevent injuries. Accident at work solicitors are here to help you claim compensation should you suffer a workplace injury caused by employer negligence.
In the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 employers’ general responsibilities are laid out. Employers have a duty of care to their employees. Employers are responsible for ensuring that their employees’ workplace safety and welfare needs are met as far as is reasonably practicable. This is the basic guiding principle of this health and safety legislation.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) At Work
Inadequate and poor quality PPE shouldn’t be provided by employers. PPE ranges from gloves and masks in healthcare to goggles and helmets in labour-intensive jobs, such as construction. What PPE you need depends on what area you work in.
Inadequate PPE can lead to sickness and injury. Think of it like taking a hot pan out of the oven without an oven glove. You wouldn’t do this at home, so why do it at work? At home, you are responsible for providing any additional items that are necessary for carrying out duties safely. At work, it is your employer’s responsibility. Accident at work solicitors could help you get the compensation you deserve when your employer fails in their duty of care.
In healthcare, a lack of appropriate PPE can result in patient risk as well as to the doctors and nurses providing care. NHS health and safety breaches can harm workers and the public.
Construction Health And Safety
Accident at work solicitors can help decide if you have a compensation claim for an illness or injury related to not having safe equipment.
Construction accident solicitors are on hand for employer construction health and safety violations that cause injury. Construction is a labour-intensive field and, as such, the risk of injury is higher than other sectors. Workplace health and safety hazards include working from heights and using heavy machinery.
Other potential causes of accidents include:
- Not carrying out risk assessments where necessary so hazards aren’t accounted for
- Not reducing or removing hazards (or providing PPE) where a hazard is identified
- Failing to train employees in health and safety
Training to work with heavy machinery should be provided by your employer. If they failed to do this they could be breaching workplace health and safety regulations.
Could An Employer Breach Health And Safety Legislation In Work?
An employer could breach health and safety legislation by breaching their duty of care.
Accident at work solicitors are on hand to help if you have been injured as a result of your employer’s negligence. Before you contact a workplace accident solicitor, certain steps need to be followed.
- First and foremost, seek medical attention. Depending upon the nature of your injuries you may require immediate medical help. X-rays and other documents can serve as evidence in your case.
- Make sure you keep all evidence, even receipts for taxis to attend hospital appointments can be claimed for, but only if you have them.
- Get witness contact details. they could supply a statement if you make a claim.
- Make sure the accident is in the workplace accident logbook.
- Ask your employer for CCTV footage of the incident.
- Take photographs of the injuries and the hazard, if possible.
Gather and save whatever evidence you can. When these steps have been completed, you could contact accident at work solicitors. If you want to know more, why not contact our advisors? They can explain how accident claims work for employees.
How Do I Place A Value On Compensation For Work Injuries?
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is a publication that provides examples of injuries and potential compensation brackets. Accident at work solicitors may use these figures to help when valuing claims.
| Injury/illness | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Very severe brain injury | £264,650 to £379,100 | A vegative state requiring 24 hour care. There might be some ability to follow basic commands and a sleeping cycle. |
| Total blindness | In the region of £252,180 | Loss of sight in both eyes. |
| Simple chest injury (d) | £11,820 to £16,860 | Some permanent damage to tissue but no long-term damage to lungs. |
| Asbestos-Related Disease (a) | £65,710 to £118,150 | Severe pain and impairment to quality of life. |
| Asthma (b) Chronic asthma | £24,680 to £40,370 | Breathing difficulties requiring an inhaler and limiting employment prospects with an uncertain outcome. |
| Impotence (ii) | £40,370 to £73,580 | Likely to be permanent. The man already has children. |
| Reproductive System: Female. Infertility (c) | £16,860 to £34,480 | Without complications, already has children. |
| Kidney (c) Loss of one kidney with no damage to the other. | £28,880 to £42,110 | Loss of one kidney without damage to the other. |
| Spleen (a) | £19,510 to £24,680 | Total loss resulting in infection risk due to immune system damage |
| Above-elbow amputation | £102,890 to £122,860 | Above-elbow amputation |
Compensation for your injuries (mental or physical) is called general damages.
Special damages can be awarded for financial losses associated with injuries. This can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Mobility supports such as a wheelchair
- Travel costs to appointments related to your injury or illness
- Medical expenses not covered by the NHS.
Keep proof of special damages (such as receipts or invoices).
No Win No Fee Agreements For Accident At Work Solicitors
Our panel of solicitors offer a No Win No Fee agreement for every claim they accept. Under such an agreement, you do not pay any solicitor fees unless your claim wins.
If it does win, you’d pay the solicitor a success fee. The percentage of this fee is capped by law and you’ll know what it is before the agreement is made. What’s more, the success fee is only taken after the compensation comes through.
If workplace health and safety procedures weren’t followed and you suffered an illness or accident as a result you may be entitled to compensation. Accident at work solicitors can explain how this process works.
Speak With Our Accident At Work Solicitors Today
Getting in contact with work-related injury solicitors has never been easier. Our advisors could connect you. Why not get in touch?:
- Contact us today via our website.
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Extra Resources About Accident At Work Solicitors
Learn about Health and Safety Solutions – products and services to help workplaces become health and safety compliant.
A breakdown of criminal and civil law surrounding health and safety.
Liability Insurance – most employers must have a liability insurance policy. This covers costs towards compensation claims.
We also have additional guides, including the following:
- How Do I Make a Successful Broken Leg at Work Claim?
- Could I Include Emotional Distress as Part of My Accident at Work Claim?
- Will I Get Paid For An Accident At Work?
- Make A No Win No Fee Workplace Accident Claim
- What Is The Maximum Settlement For A Work Accident?
- Slip, Trip And Fall At Work Claims
- Accident At Work Claims Time Limit
- How Could I Make A Claim For An Accident At Work?
- Broken Ankle At Work Claims
Accident at work solicitors could help you file your claim so you can get back to rebuilding your life.