If you have recently suffered an injury at work in an accident due to your employer breaching their duty of care, you may be eligible to make a claim. This guide will explore how work accident solicitors could help you through the personal injury claims process to seek compensation.
A guide on work accident solicitors
We will also discuss the duty of care that employers owe you and the responsibilities they have to uphold.
Furthermore, this guide will explain how an injury at work could happen and what you can do after an accident. For example, we will look at the evidence needed to support a valid claim.
Additionally, our guide aims to explore how our panel of workplace injury solicitors may be able to help you by offering their services as part of a No Win No Fee arrangement.
Speak with one of our advisors today for free legal advice regarding your claim. To get in touch:
- Call us on 0800 073 8805
- Fill out our ‘Start Your Claim’ online form
- Interact with an advisor via our live chat below
Choose A Section
- Work Accident Solicitors
- Compensation Amounts For Injury At Work Claims
- How Could Work Injuries Happen?
- Evidence You Can Use To Support A Claim
- Do Work Accident Solicitors Offer No Win No Fee Agreements?
- Further Information On Work Accident Solicitors
Work Accident Solicitors
Work accident solicitors are a type of personal injury solicitor that specialises in handling claims for injuries that have occurred due to an accident at work. They can help you through the process of seeking compensation for your injury.
They could help you claim for injuries sustained in various work-related accidents, such as:
- A slip or trip due to an untidy work floor at your supermarket job.
- A severe injury due to malfunctioning machinery at your factory job.
However, in order to launch a valid claim for compensation, you must prove that you suffered physically or mentally due to your employer’s negligence. Negligence involves your employer breaching the duty of care they owed you.
For more advice on whether a solicitor from our panel could help you with your specific claim, speak to a member of our team today.
2022 Stats For Work Injuries
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collects self-reports made by employees to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) as well as employer reports made under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) and provides statistics on injuries at work.
In 20201/21, they reported that 441,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work according to the LFS.
Additionally, the most common non-fatal accident kinds reported under RIDDOR were slips, falls or trips on the same level (33%). The least common was acts of violence and falls from a height (both at 8%).
Compensation Amounts For Injury At Work Claims
Any physical or mental pain and suffering caused by your injuries are compensated under general damages. When valuing this head of claim, several factors are considered such as the impact on your quality of life and the severity of your injuries. Solicitors can use resources such as your medical reports, as they can provide crucial information about your diagnosis, treatment and future prognosis.
Additionally, work accident solicitors can use a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is because the JCG provide compensation brackets for various types of injuries. Inserted below, we have included a table of figures that aligns with the 16th edition of the JCG. The following amounts should only be used as a guideline as they are not necessarily reflective of what you will receive in your settlement.
| Injury | Notes | Amounts |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) | (a) SEVERE - There will be lasting effects that impact all aspects of the person’s life and how they function. | £59,860 - £100,670 |
| Deafness/Tinnitus | (c) Total Loss of Hearing in One Ear - Tinnitus, headaches and dizziness will impact the amount awarded. | £31,310 - £45,540 |
| Back Injuries | (b) MODERATE (i) - Includes crush and compression fractures that cause constant discomfort and pain. | £27,760 - £38,780 |
| Leg Injuries | (c) LESS SERIOUS (i) - A fracture that hasn't fully recovered causing issues such as impaired mobility, a limp and sensory loss. | £17,960 - £27,760 |
| Knee Injuries | (b) MODERATE (i) - A dislocated knee or torn cartilage in the knee. It can cause weakness and instability. | £14,840 - £26,190 |
| Foot Injuries | (f) MODERATE - Metatarsal fractures that are displaced, causing a permanent deformity with ongoing issues. | £13,740 - £24,990 |
| Wrist Injuries | (c) Less severe injuries causing a permanent disability such as ongoing pain and stiffness. | £12,590 - £24,500 |
| Other Arm Injuries | (d) A simple fracture in the forearm. | £6,610 - £19,200 |
| Ankle Injuries | (d) MODEST - Includes sprains and fractures that are less serious. The amount awarded will depend on the recovery and other factors. | Up to £13,740 |
| Shoulder Injuries | (c) MODERATE - Limited shoulder movement and discomfort due to a frozen shoulder. Symptoms will continue for around 2 years. | £7,890 - £12,770 |
Additionally, you may also be awarded special damages in your settlement. Special damages seek to compensate for the financial losses accrued due to your injury. This can include travel expenses, lost wages and private care costs. Again, providing evidence of these losses is important.
For further information on how our panel of solicitors could help you receive a fair settlement, speak with our advisors today.
How Could Work Injuries Happen?
As we mentioned at the beginning of this guide, all employers owe their employees a duty of care. This duty of care is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). If your employer were to breach this duty of care to you, it could cause an accident that sees you becoming harmed.
Some examples of how an injury at work could occur include:
- Your employer is aware of a leak from the ceiling at your salon job. However, they have done nothing to fix this issue. You slip on the puddle formed by the leak and suffer a foot injury.
- Your employer is aware of a faulty ladder at your warehouse job but has failed to fix or replace it. You must use this ladder in order to retrieve stock from higher shelves. As you are using the ladder, it breaks, and you fall, causing you to suffer from a back injury.
- Your employer has failed to perform regular maintenance checks on the machinery at your factory job. A machine malfunctions and you suffer from a shoulder injury.
Remember, to make a successful work injury claim, you must prove that you suffered an injury in an accident directly caused by your employer’s negligence.
To see how our panel of work accident solicitors could help you with your potential claim, speak with one of our advisors.
Evidence You Can Use To Support Your Claim
Following an accident at work, there are certain steps you can take to help you towards making a successful claim. These are:
- Receive appropriate medical attention. – If you have sustained a work injury, you may want to receive medical attention, either from your local A&E or GP. Additionally, you can request a copy of your medical report, as this will provide information on the diagnosis you received and what treatments you were given, which could be used as evidence.
- Fill out the accident report book. – If your workplace has one, it could be beneficial to fill this out as it will provide important information on when the accident occurred and what exactly happened.
- Collect evidence. – Evidence can include any CCTV footage of the accident and the contact details of witnesses. Your solicitor can receive a statement from them when one may be required.
- Get some legal advice. – Following an accident at work, you may be at a loss of what steps you can take next. Our advisors can offer you the free legal advice you are looking for regarding your potential claim. They could also connect you with work accident solicitors from our panel if your claim is valid and has a chance of succeeding.
Get in touch for more information.
Do Work Accident Solicitors Offer No Win No Fee Agreements?
If you are considering being represented by a solicitor when pursuing your accident at work claim, you might want to consider a type of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). A CFA has many financial benefits, such as having no fees to pay for your solicitor’s services upfront or if your claim fails.
Additionally, cases that succeed are subject to a small percentage out of your compensation, known as a success fee. This is legally capped.
For more information on whether our panel of work accident solicitors may be able to help you with this type of arrangement, speak with an advisor today.
Discuss Work Accident Solicitors
If you are still wondering how work accident solicitors could help you seek compensation, you can speak with one of our advisors. They are available to help you with any questions regarding your personal injury claim.
To get in touch:
-
- Call us on 0800 073 8805
- Fill out our ‘Start Your Claim’ online form
- Interact with an advisor via our live chat below
Further Information On Work Accident Solicitors
Further information:
- UK GOV. – Statutory sick pay
- NHS – First Aid
- HSE – Employer Responsibilities
Other Injury At Work Claims Guides
- Injury At Work Claims – Compensation Examples
- How Long Does A Work Injury Claim Take?
- Can I Make A Foot Injury At Work Claim?
- How Much Could I Get For A Back Injury At Work?
- How To Claim Compensation For A Shoulder Injury At Work
- How To Find Workplace Injury Solicitors
- How to Make a Successful Work Injury Claim
- How To Prove A Back Injury At Work Claim
- Injury At Work Claim Calculator
- Is There an Average Payout for Back Injury at Work Claims?
- The Work Injury Claim Process Explained
- What Is The Injury At Work Claim Time Limit?
- Where Can I Find Injury at Work Solicitors?
Contact our advisors today to see how our panel of work accident solicitors could help you with your claim.
Writer Megan Rack
Editor Meg Matthews