Have you suffered an injury at work that was caused by employer negligence? You might be wondering, “why is it important to report an accident at work?”.
To be eligible for a work injury claim, you must be able to prove that your employer was at fault and the accident at work resulted in you being injured. Therefore, reporting the incident and as well as key details of employer negligence is a way to generate evidence to support your case.
Why is it important to report an accident at work?
You might also have questions such as:
- When can I sue my employer for negligence?
- How do I make a work injury claim?
- What is the duty of care that employers owe?
This guide will provide all the answers you need as well as look at the duty of care your employer owes you.
Additionally, we will explore the accident at work compensation you might be eligible for and how No Win No Fee accident at work solicitors can benefit claimants.
However, if you would prefer to speak directly to a member of our team, you can do so instantly. To get in touch:
- Call the number at the top of the page,
- Talk to one of our advisors via the live chat
- Start your claim online
Choose A Section
- Why Is It Important To Report An Accident At Work? – A Guide
- Reasons To Report An Accident At Work
- Does Your Employer Owe You A Duty Of Care?
- Potential Evidence For A Work Injury Claim
- What Could I Receive From An Accident At Work Claim?
- Why Make A No Win No Fee Work Injury Claim?
- Learn More About Why It Is Important To Report An Accident At Work
Why Is It Important To Report An Accident At Work? – A Guide
Employers owe their employees a duty of care which is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This means that they need to take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of injury to their workers. As previously stated, if they fail to adhere to this duty of care and you subsequently suffer an accident at work, you may be able to make a work injury claim.
The severity of your injuries, both physical and psychological, will determine how much accident in the workplace compensation you are awarded if your case is successful. Your settlement could also take into account any financial losses incurred due to the accident in which you’re injured.
Not all accidents leading to injuries could entitle you to make an accident at work claim. For instance, you could be at fault for the incident. Alternatively, the accident could have occurred despite your employer fulfilling the duty of care that they owe.
For more information on workplace injuries and when you could be eligible to make a claim, please get in touch with a member of our team.
Reasons To Report An Accident At Work
You may be wondering, “why is it important to report an accident at work?” and “how are accidents at work reported?”. As per The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, all employers with 10 or more employees must provide an accident at work book.
However, it is not a legal obligation to report every incident. There are certain work-related incidents that must be reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, which include:
- The death of any person
- Specified injuries to workers
- Any accidents that result in someone being away from work or unable to perform their duties for 7 days
- Non-fatal accidents to non-workers where the person is taken directly to the hospital for treatment
It’s a requirement to record (but not report) accidents that result in a person being incapacitated for more than three days (but less than seven). However, it’s good practice to make sure that all of
Reporting an injury in an accident at work book may stop another employee from sustaining the same or a similar injury. As previously mentioned, it is also very useful in providing evidence to support your claim.
For more information on why it is important to report an accident at work, get in touch with a member of our team.
Does Your Employer Owe You A Duty Of Care?
As we’ve mentioned previously, your employer needs to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety in the workplace. Below, we have included some examples of how a breach in duty of care could cause an accident in which you’re injured:
- Your employer mightn’t provide you with the necessary heavy manual lifting training to carry out your role. Consequently, you sustain a back injury when moving heavy boxes around the factory.
- You may slip, trip or fall on a wet floor that has not been cleared despite a reasonable time having passed in which to do so. Consequently, you suffer a shoulder injury.
For more information on the types of accidents in the workplace that you can claim for, do not hesitate to speak with an advisor.
Potential Evidence For A Work Injury Claim
As we’ve previously stated, one of the answers to the question “why is it important to report an accident at work?” is the evidence it provides. However, you can collect other forms of evidence alongside an accident report that can help support your claim.
Below, we have provided you with some more examples of how you can gather evidence:
- Acquire witnesses’ contact details for witness statements to be taken at a later date
- Gather any CCTV footage of the incident and/or the scene
- Take pictures of your injuries and/or the scene of the accident
For more information on the evidence you can gather to support your claim, get in touch with one of our advisors.
What Could I Receive From An Accident At Work Claim?
If you are successful in your accident at work claim, the compensation you will receive may consist of two heads. These are called general and special damages.
General damages reimburse you for the pain and suffering that results from any physical or psychological injuries. For example, you might receive compensation for a back injury. If that back injury leaves you bedridden and has a majorly negative impact on your mental health via stress, you may also be compensated for that.
We have compiled figures from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help you gauge how much compensation you could be owed. Legal professionals use the JCG to aid them when valuing claims.
However, these figures should only be used as a guideline. This is because each personal injury claim is different, and the payout you could receive may differ.
| Body Part | Severity | Compensation Bracket | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Moderate (i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | Injuries result in negative intellectual effects, a change in personality and a lack of employment prospects. |
| Arm | (A) | £96,160 to £130,930 | Injuries shy of amputation but the seriousness of the injury leaves the person little better off than if the arm had been amputated. |
| Back | Severe (i) | £91,090 to £160,980 | Injuries that involves damages to the spinal cord and nerve roots causing severe consequences that are uncommon in typical back injuries. |
| Back | Minor (i) | £7,890 to £12,510 | When a full/ nuisance level recovery is made within 2-5 years. |
| Knee | Severe (i) | £69,730 to £96,210 | Significant pain and loss of function that requires treatment over a long period of time. |
| Knee | Moderate (i) | £14,840 to £26,190 | Injuries such as dislocations, torn cartilages which lead to symptoms like wasting and minor instability. |
| Toe | (B) | In the region of £31,310 | Amputation of the big toe. |
| Elbow | Less severe | £15,650 to £32,010 | Injuries that do not require major survey or lead to severe disabilities but hinder functionality. |
| Hand | Less serious | £14,450 to £29,000 | A serious crush injury that majorly hinders the function of the hand despite being operated on. |
| Leg | Less serious (ii) | £9,110 to £14,080 | Simple femur fracture with no articular surfaces damage. |
When Can You Claim For Special Damages?
Furthermore, you could also receive special damages. This head of claim reimburses you for any financial losses sustained due to your injuries. For instance, you may have to make home adaptations after sustaining a disabling leg injury.
Other areas that special damages may cover include:
- Medical expenses
- Care costs
- Loss of earning
- Travel costs
For a more detailed analysis of how much compensation you could be owed, please get in touch with an advisor.
Why Make A No Win No Fee Work Injury Claim?
Being represented on a No Win No Fee basis is extremely popular amongst many claimants. In particular, a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) is a popular form of this kind of agreement. Being covered under a CFA means that you generally only pay for your workplace injury solicitor’s services if your case is won. Moreover, if your case is lost, there are usually no legal fees to be paid for your lawyre’s time.
Additionally, there are no legal fees to pay upfront or whilst your case is ongoing. That being said, if your work injury claim is successful and you are awarded compensation for your claim for an accident at work, you will have to pay a success fee. This legally capped fee is deducted from the compensation that you receive.
One of our No Win No Fee accident at work solicitors may be able to use their experience to cover all bases of your claim. To find out whether you are eligible to be represented on this basis, please get in touch with a member of our team.
Want Free Legal Advice? See If You Can Claim Today
Our advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer you free legal advice. They may be able to connect you with one of the accident at work solicitors from our panel provided you have a valid claim.
To get in touch:
- Call the number at the top of the page,
- Talk to one of our advisors via the live chat
- Start your claim online
Learn More About Why It Is Important To Report An Accident At Work
We have included some further reading relative to workplace accidents:
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – Report accidents and illness.
- UK GOV. – Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
- NHS – When to visit A&E
Furthermore, we have provided you with links to some of our own guides:
- The work injury claim time limit
- Can you claim if you slip on ice at work?
- Making a claim for vibration white finger
Thank you for reading our guide. Hopefully, you now know the answer to the question, “why is it important to report an accident at work?”.
Writer Beck Pill
Publisher Fern Strauss