This article will define what an accident at work helpline is and give examples of workplace accidents. Have you been injured in an accident at work as the result of negligence? Are you interested in making a personal injury claim? We will look at what evidence can be used to support your claim and how compensation settlements are valued.
Injuries sustained in accidents at work can have far-reaching impacts on your quality of life. For example, you may be left with physical or mental injuries, or have lost out on money as you cope with disabilities that the accident has left you with.
Accident at work helplines can help by clarifying your eligibility to claim as well as the claims process. They are able to provide advice on what steps to take next and the evidence you can collect to support your claim.
Contact our advisors today for more information surrounding the accident at work helpline. You can get in touch by:
- Using our contact form
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Choose A Section
- What Is An Accident At Work Helpline?
- Common Workplace Accidents
- Is An Accident Easy To Prove?
- How Do I Calculate Compensation After Using An Accident At Work Helpline?
- Can I Work With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
- Learn More About Accident At Work Helplines
What Is An Accident At Work Helpline?
An accident at work helpline can be a way to receive free legal advice and guidance about the process of claiming for an accident at work. In order to make a claim, you must be able to prove that your injury was sustained because of employer negligence.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is a piece of legislation establishing the duty of care that employers owe those who work for them. It states that they need to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure that the working environment is safe.
There are a number of ways that this duty of care can be breached, resulting in injury. If you have a valid claim for compensation, why not call our helpline today? If you have a valid claim, an advisor could connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
Workplace Injuries Statistics
In 2020/21, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published that, under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), employers reported 51,211 non-fatal injuries sustained by employees in the workplace. Of these, 37,111 resulted in an absence from work of over 7 days.
The most commonly reported injury type was fractures with 15,159 cases reported during 2020/21 compared with 18,850 in 2019/20. However, it is important to note that these statistics relate to accidents overall and not ones caused by negligence.
Common Workplace Accidents
Risks can be present in any kind of workplace. It’s the responsibility of your employer to manage risks to prevent you and your colleagues from being injured in the workplace.
HASAWA establishes the practicable steps an employer can take to provide a safe working environment. Some of these include:
- Conducting risk assessments – All employers, according to the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, must identify, assess, control, record and review their findings of risks in the workplace. If a risk cannot be removed, it should be reduced. Furthermore, employees should be made aware of any risks to their health that are present in the workplace.
- General housekeeping – Walkways should be cleaned of spills and cleared of obstructions. Boxes pose tripping and falling hazards.
- Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) – Free, suitable PPE should be provided where necessary. If an employer fails to provide any PPE, or PPE fit for use, it endangers employees. For example, a lack of safety goggles around hazardous chemicals can risk damage to the eyes or a loss of vision.
These are just some of the responsibilities an employer has towards their workers as part of their duty of care. They should also maintain work systems and provide free, relevant training to employees where necessary. If an employer breaches their duty of care towards you, resulting in your injury, they could be liable for the accident.
Contact our advisor today to find out more about common workplace accidents today.
Is An Accident Easy To Prove?
Contacting an accident at work helpline can give you insight and guidance into the accident at work procedure. After an accident, and determining who is at fault, you can become distracted by your injury and it may seem daunting to collect evidence.
Hiring a No Win No Fee lawyer can make this process easier as they can advise you on the best evidence to collect. This might include:
- CCTV footage – You can request CCTV footage from your employer or ask your colleagues for any recordings they might have made.
- Medical records – Seek the help you need from a medical professional. This ensures your well-being and it creates medical documentation by a medical professional.
- Photographs of the accident area and injury – Take pictures of the accident area and injury as a visual aid to support your claim.
- Witness details – Gather witness detail and a professional can collect statements later on.
- Accident at work book or form – Workplaces with 10 or more employees are legally required to provide an accident at work book. Complete an accident at work form to create a timely record of what happened, or have a colleague fill in if you can’t.
- Legal guidance – Our advisors can offer you free legal advice. They will be able to provide you with advice on what to do to strengthen your claim.
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How Do I Calculate Compensation After Using An Accident At Work Helpline?
After using an accident at work helpline, you may be informed that you have a valid claim for compensation. How much you could receive, however, will depend on your circumstances. Your claim could be made up of two heads of claim, called general and special damages.
The Judicial College Guideline is a publication that establishes guideline compensation brackets for general damages; this is the part of your settlement that covers the pain and suffering caused by your injury.
The following table shows examples of possible compensation for general damages as outlined in the JCG:
| Injury | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Serious (iii) leg injury | £36,790 to £51,460 | Causing instability, prolonged treatment, a long time unable to bear weight and a near certainty that arthritis will occur as a result. |
| Moderate (i) knee injury | £13,920 to £24,580 | Dislocation, torn cartilages/meniscus causing minor instability, wasting or future mild disability. |
| Modest ankle injury (d) | Up to £12,900 | Minor or undisplaced fractures, sprains and ligament injuries. |
| Serious hand injuries (e) | £27,220 to £58,100 | Hand capacity reduced to around 50%. |
| Minor hand, finger and thumb Injuries (v) | Up to £4,461 | Fractures recovered around six months or injuries such as scarring or tenderness where recovery is complete. |
| Moderately severe post-traumatic stress disorder (b) | £21,730 to £56,180 | Significant disability likely for the foreseeable future. |
| Partial hearing loss/tinnitus (iii) | £11,820 to £13,970 | A mild case of tinnitus with some noise-induced hearing loss. |
| Fractures of jaws (iii) | £6,060 to £8,200 | Simple fracture necessitating immobilization with complete recovery. |
| Minor neck injury (iii) | Up to £2,300 | A full recovery in three months. |
| Significant facial disfigurement scarring (e) | £8,550 to £28,240 | Where the worst effects have been or can be reduced by plastic surgery and the resulting psychiatric reaction is not great. |
As part of your claim, you may also be entitled to special damages. These damages cover the financial costs incurred as a result of your injury. For example:
- Loss of income and future earnings
- Travel to and from medical appointments
- Child care costs
- The cost of treatment that you could not get on the NHS
Contact our team of advisors for more information on making a compensation claim today.
Can I Work With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
After accepting advice from the accident at work helpline, you may want to pursue your own personal injury claim. You may find it helpful to hire a No Win No Fee lawyer. A No Win No Fee agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement, is a way of funding legal representation.
With this kind of agreement in place, you won’t pay an upfront or ongoing fee to your solicitor in order for them to work on your claim. You also won’t pay them anything in the event that your claim is unsuccessful.
You will only pay your lawyer if your claim succeeds, also known as a success fee, it is a small, legally-capped percentage of your compensation to cover legal fees.
Learn More About Accident At Work Helplines
Contact our advisors today if you would like more information about the accident at work helpline. Our advisors can offer free legal advice and, if they find you have grounds for a claim, they can pass it to our panel of No Win No Fee lawyers. You can get in touch with them by:
- Using our contact form
- Following the banner below
Please read our other helpful articles:
- How To Gather Evidence For An Accident At Work Claim
- Gathering Evidence For A Foot Injury At Work Claim
- Steps To Take After Suffering A Hand Injury At Work
- Electric Shock At Work Claims
- Accident At Work Due to Faulty Equipment Claims
- What Can We Learn From Accident At Work Statistics?
- How Do I Report My Injury In An Accident At Work Book?
- Inadequate And Poor Quality PPE Claims
- Construction Health and Safety – Accident At Work Claims
We’ve also included these useful links:
- Am I eligible for Statutory Sick Pay?
- HSE – What are the types of reportable incidents?
- When should I call 999?
Contact our accident at work helpline today for free legal advice on claiming.