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Accident At Work Claims
Every year, millions of people in Britain suffer from ill health as a direct result of their employment. A large majority of those people will have suffered personal injury due to an accident in the workplace. But it's not just construction sites and chemical plants that can be dangerous - many office workers are also hurt in work accidents.
Employers have a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment for their employees, and to keep their workers from harm. Obviously accidents can happen, and some are unavoidable, but employers must take the appropriate measures to minimise or eliminate the risk of injury to their workforce.
Common workplace accidents include:-
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) - This injury is most commonly caused by repetitive hand/wrist movements like writing and typing.
- Electrical accidents - Employees can suffer electric shocks and burns from things like malfunctioning machinery and faulty wiring.
- Slips, trips and falls - These types of accidents can be caused by all sorts of factors; spillages that have not been cleaned up, trailing electrical wires, and ladders not being used correctly.
- Manual handling accidents - Many of these accidents can be attributed to inadequate training from the employer, and can cause severe back injuries to the employee.
- Head injuries - These can result from accidents like collapsing shelves, falling objects, or even a particularly nasty fall.
- Traffic accidents - Employees could be involved in collisions with workplace vehicles like forklift trucks, for example.
- Hazardous substances - Employees working with hazardous substances can be at great risk of injuries like chemical burns and chronic industrial diseases.
Many other injuries can also be associated with workplace accidents. If you have suffered any type of personal injury due to an accident at work that wasn't your fault, then you could be entitled to make a no win no fee compensation claim.
This compensation can be a great help if your injury has left you unable to work, or with long-term health problems. You should not feel guilty for making a claim; your employer should have the appropriate liability insurance to cover such claims. And besides, they really should have made sure you were safe from harm.
If you are concerned about the repercussions of your accident claim, such as victimisation in the workplace, or the possibility of losing your job because of the claim, then do not worry. There are strict employment laws to prevent this type of discrimination from happening to you during the claiming process.
Claiming Compensation for Accidents at Work
In order to claim compensation successfully, you will need to prove that the accident was the fault of another employee, or due to the negligence of your employer. You will also need to provide proof of the injuries you sustained as a result the accident.
You will need to hire an injury lawyer as soon after the accident as possible, so that you know exactly what evidence you will need to provide for the lawyer to begin building your case. Evidence needed to support your case can include:-
- Employer's Log - You should have reported your accident immediately so that it could be recorded in the log.
- Witness Statements - Statements from other employees/members of the public who may have witnessed your accident. Try to get these statements as soon as possible, while the incident is still fresh in the witnesses' minds.
- Medical Records - Files like ambulance attendance reports, and medical records of your injuries from your GP or the hospital, can be crucial in supporting your case.
- Evidence of Other Accidents in the Workplace - Have there been any accidents similar to your own in your workplace previously? If so, get statements from those involved; this will help prove the negligence of your employer as they have not learned from previous experience.
- Expert Evidence - If your accident was caused by machinery that was faulty or poorly maintained, a statement of its malfunction from a professional engineer could prove vital to your case.
- Evidence of Expenses/Losses Incurred - This could include prescription charges, private medical bills, past pay slips to show the earnings you have lost out on during your recovery, and any out-of-pocket expense receipts.
All of this information will help your personal injury lawyer to build a strong case on your behalf, especially if your injury is not a particularly common one; these types of injuries are usually much easier to claim for.
Many injury lawyers will work on a "no win, no fee" basis, which reduces the risk of claiming compensation as you have nothing to lose. Make sure you choose an experienced personal injury solicitor to handle your case; this will give you a greater chance of success in gaining the compensation you are entitled to.