This guide will explore when you might be eligible to claim for a workplace accident that caused you harm. It will focus on the process of claiming and how accident at work solicitors with experience handling claims similar to your own could help.
Additionally, this guide will provide information on:
- What constitutes employer negligence
- The evidence you can gather to support your claim
- How much compensation for an injury at work may you be eligible to receive.
However, if you have any questions regarding your potential claim, please don’t hesitate to contact our advisors. They can provide free legal advice and help you understand whether you’re eligible to seek compensation for the harm you sustained. To get in touch, you can:
- Call the number at the top of this page
- Use the live chat feature at the bottom of the page
- Contact us online by filling out the form with your details.
Accident at work solicitors guide
How Can Accident at Work Solicitors Help You?
An accident at work is an event in the workplace that results in injury or ill health. However, not all accidents at work mean you’re eligible to make a personal injury claim. You must be able to prove that your employer’s negligence has caused your injuries to be entitled to compensation for an injury at work.
As outlined in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your employer owes you a duty of care whilst at work. They must take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees. Failure to do so would be a breach of their duty of care and may constitute negligence if harm is sustained due to the breach.
Accident at work solicitors could use their knowledge to help you through the claims process as well as helping you take the necessary steps to seek compensation.
If you would like to find out whether you’re eligible to make an injury at work claim, get in touch with our team of advisors who are available 24/7. They can also provide information on the services our panel of solicitors can offer.
How Can I Find Solicitors That Are Right For Me?
There are a number of different ways in which you can find suitable accident at work solicitors to help you with your accident at work claim. For example, you could:
- Ask friends or family for recommendations
- Read reviews online
Or you could get in touch with one of our advisors who can offer free legal advice. If you have a valid claim, they may connect you with one of the accident at work solicitors from our panel to represent your claim. We have provided further guidance on the services they offer in the section below.
Why Use Our Panel of No Win No Fee Accident at Work Solicitors?
Although you could use a local solicitor, they may not have experience handling claims similar to your own. However, if you choose to work with a solicitor from our panel, they have experience representing accident at work claims.
Additionally, they can offer their services under a No Win No Fee arrangement. There are different types of arrangements, including a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This method of hiring legal representation means there are no fees owed to your solicitor for the services they provide if your claim fails.
If your case is won, you will have to pay a legally capped success fee. This will be deducted from your compensation. However, the solicitor assigned to your case will discuss this fee with you before your claim proceeds.
You can find out whether you are eligible to have your claim represented on this basis by getting in touch with one of our advisors today.
What Evidence Do I Need To Claim For an Injury at Work?
You might be thinking, “what should I do if I’ve had an accident at work?”. There are several steps, including gathering as much evidence as possible to support your injury at work claim. For example, you could collect:
- Video footage of the scene of the incident such as CCTV footage.
- Photographs of the scene of the incident and/or your injuries.
- The contact details of any witnesses.
- A copy of the incident report giving details of the accident and your injuries. This can be found in the workplace accident book, which all workplaces with 10 or more employees should have.
As well as acquiring evidence, you should seek medical attention. This allows you to get the necessary care for your injuries and also generates medical records than can be used in support of your claim.
If you would like to know more about the type of evidence you can gather when you sue your employer for negligence, get in touch with a member of our team today.
What is the Accident at Work Claim Time Limit?
In most cases, the time limit to start a personal injury claim is 3 years as per the Limitation Act 1980. Your time limit will start either from the date of the accident or from the date you discovered that your injuries were caused by negligence.
Although, there are some scenarios that could see you exempt from the 3-year limit. They include:
- If the person is under the age of 18, no time limit applies. Once they turn 18, they have three years to begin their claim if no one has already claimed on their behalf. Alternatively, prior to their 18th birthday, a litigation friend claim on their behalf.
- If the person lacks the mental capacity to claim, no time limit applies. The person will have 3 years from when they regain their mental capacity. Or, as previously mentioned, a litigation friend could claim on their behalf before this point.
An application can be made to act as a litigation friend and they are often appointed by the courts. A litigation friend can be a:
- Parent
- Guardian
- Other relative
The accident at work solicitors from our panel can provide you with further information on this as part of the services they offer. If you would like more information on the personal injury claims time limit or litigation friends, please get in touch with one of our advisors.
Compensation Calculator For an Accident at Work – What Could I Receive?
If you win your accident at work claim, your compensation for a workplace accident could include general damages and special damages.
General damages offer compensation for any pain and suffering that arises as a result of the injuries you sustain. This head takes into account both physical and mental harm that impacts your quality of life. For example, if you slip, trip or fall on a wet floor at work, you could be compensated for a broken wrist. Additionally, your broken wrist might stop you from going to the gym or partaking in other activities you usually enjoy, causing your mental health to suffer.
The table below contains compensation amounts from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a document that legal professionals, such as accident at work solicitors, use to help them when valuing the general damages portion of claims.
Despite these amounts being taken from previous court cases, each personal injury claim is unique, so it is important to use the following table only as guidance.
| Body Part | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neck | (a) Severe (i) | In the region of £148,330 | Resulting in incomplete paraplegia or resulting in permanent spastic quadriparesis. |
| Back | (a) Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | The most severe form of back injury which involves damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots. This leads to several symptoms not often found in back injury cases. |
| Shoulder | (c) Moderate | £7,890 to £12,770 | The person will have limited movement and discomfort from frozen shoulder for around two years. |
| Pelvis/ Hip | (a) Severe (i) | £78,400 to £130,930 | Fractures of the pelvis that are extensive such as a dislocated lower back joint or a ruptured bladder. |
| Pelvis/ Hip | (b) Moderate (i) | £26,590 to £39,170 | A pelvis or hip injury that is significant but any permanent disability isn't major. |
| Knee | (a) Severe (ii) | £52,120 to £69,730 | Leg fracture impacting the knee causing constant effects such as pain and limitation of movement. |
| Arm | (b) Injuries causing a substantial and permanent disability | £39,170 to £59,860 | Fractures of one or both forearms that are serious. |
| Arm | (c) Less severe | £19,200 to £39,170 | Considerable disability has been sustained but a good level of recovery has occurred or is expected. |
| Elbow | (b) Less severe | £15,650 to £32,010 | Elbow injuries that cause function to be impaired but there is no major surgery. |
| Leg | (c) Less serious (iii) | Up to £11,840 | A simple tibia or fibula fracture as well as soft tissue injuries. |
What Else Could I Receive From an Accident at Work Claim?
Special damages may also be included in your work injury compensation. This head seeks to reimburse you for any financial losses incurred because of your injuries. For instance, you may have to pay for private care because you tripped and fell on trailing leads at work. In these cases, you could claim the cost of care back under special damages.
Other financial losses that could be covered under special damages include:
- Loss of pay, both past and future
- Medical expenses
- Home adaptations
It is important to keep evidence of all financial losses. You can do this by keeping records of receipts, invoices or bank statements, for example.
If you would like the question, “how much compensation for an accident at work?” answered in greater detail, do not hesitate to get in touch with one of our advisors.
Contact Us For a Free Consultation
If you would like a free consultation from one of our advisors, please get in touch. They may be able to connect you with one of our accident at work solicitors who can use their experience to help you get the compensation you deserve. To get in touch, you can:
- Call the number at the top of this page
- Use the live chat feature at the bottom of the page
- Contact us online by filling out our form with your details
More Information On How To Use Accident at Work Solicitors
Here we have included some additional reading relative to accidents at work that might help:
- GOV – Statutory Sick Pay
- NHS – First Aid
- NHS – Broken arm or wrist
Thank you for reading our guide on how accident at work solicitors could help you. Get in touch if you need any other information.
Writer Beck Pickering
Editor Meg Martin
