Have you sustained a needlestick injury at work? If it was caused by your employer’s negligence and you suffered physical or psychological injuries as a result, you could be eligible to make an accident at work claim.
Needlestick injury at work claims guide
You could be wondering:
- How do I make a work injury claim?
- How much compensation for a needlestick injury could I receive?
- What is employer negligence, and what laws outline an employer’s duty of care?
We will answer all of those questions while also looking at how this kind of injury could be sustained. In addition, we will look at the evidence you should gather to strengthen your case.
You might be interested in pursuing a claim with the guidance and support of a personal injury lawyer. If this is the case, then you may be interested in reading about No Win No Fee solicitors, which we will look at further on in this guide.
If you would prefer to speak directly to an advisor, they can offer free legal advice 24/7. To get in touch:
- Call 0800 073 8805
- Use the live chat
- Start your claim online
Choose A Section
- A Guide To Claiming For A Needlestick Injury At Work
- Top Tips For Making A Needlestick Injury At Work Claim
- Can I Claim For An Injury At Work?
- Potential Compensation Payouts For A Work Injury Claim
- Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Accident At Work Solicitors
- Learn More About Making A Work Injury Claim
A Guide To Claiming For A Needlestick Injury At Work
If you suffer a needlestick injury in the workplace, you might be entitled to make a personal injury claim. However, you will need to show that the injury happened as a result of negligence/ This is because your employer owes you a duty of care.
This duty of care is outlined by law and, if breached, could see you becoming injured. As a result, you could be entitled to claim compensation for the physical, mental and psychiatric harm this has caused.
The severity of your injuries will be a major factor when determining how much compensation you are awarded. Furthermore, any financial losses incurred due to the incident in which you were injured could also be reimbursed to you.
For an assessment of the validity and value of your potential needlestick injury at work claim, why not get in touch? If your case is valid, you could be connected with one of our solicitors.
Top Tips For Making A Needlestick Injury At Work Claim
Gathering as much evidence as possible is essential to building a successful work injury claim. This is because, as previously stated, you must be able to prove that the duty of care that you were owed was breached and you were injured as a result.
A needlestick injury could become infected, causing a worsening of your health. In some circumstances, you could sustain a blood-borne infection as the result of a needlestick injury. For example. if you work in a medical facility and used needles were not disposed of properly, and you injured yourself on one, you could contract a condition such as Hepatitis or HIV.
The first thing you should always do after being injured in an accident is to seek medical attention. Not only does this allow you to receive treatment for your injuries, but it also generates medical records that you can use as evidence.
Other forms of evidence you could provide include:
- Documents – Fill out the accident at work book. Any workplace with 10 or more employees must have an accident book on site.
- Photographs – take pictures of the scene of the accident as well as your injuries, if it’s possible to do so
- CCTV – gather any CCTV footage of the incident and/or the scene. You can request CCTV footage that shows you.
You may wish to seek legal advice. As previously mentioned, our advisors are available 24/7 to offer free legal advice and might be able to provide more information on the evidence you can gather to strengthen your case.
Can I Claim For An Injury At Work?
Your employer has a duty of care they must adhere to, which means that they have a responsibility towards your safety. This is outlined in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This central piece of legislation outlines that employers must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees.
If this duty of care is breached and you are injured as a result, you could be entitled to claim for your injuries. You have to be able to prove that all of these conditions are met. For example, you cannot claim if your employer breached their duty of care, but you were not injured. Furthermore, if you were injured in an accident that was not caused by negligence, you would not have a valid claim.
An example of how an employer may breach their duty of care is if they do not conduct the necessary heavy manual lifting training when transporting heavy boxes in a factory. Due to the lack of proper training, you trip and fall and suffer a back injury.
For greater detail regarding an employer’s duty of care, please get in touch with a member of our team.
Potential Compensation Payouts For A Work Injury Claim
If you receive a payout for your needlestick injury at work, it could comprise two heads of claim. They are called general damages and special damages.
You may receive general damages for any pain and suffering endured due to your injuries. You can be compensated for both physical and mental injuries.
For instance, you might receive compensation for a needlestick injury in the workplace. You may have experienced stress while waiting for test results, and the injury itself may become infected, which means you’re unable to use the finger in question.
We have compiled a table of compensation amounts from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG is a document that legal professionals use to aid them when valuing claims.
These figures should only be used as guidance. This is because each accident in the workplace case is unique, and the figure you may be awarded could be different.
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Details |
|---|---|---|
| General mental harm | £54,830 to £115,730 | Marked problems with factors such as the extent that treatment will be a success and the impact on relationships, for example. Poor prognosis for recovery or improvement. |
| General mental harm | £19,070 to £54,830 | Significant problems with factors such as the extent that treatment will be a success and the impact on relationships, for example. More optimistic prognosis for recovery or improvement. |
| General mental harm | £5,860 to £19,070 | Despite some of the kinds of problems with factors such as the extent that treatment will be a success and the impact on relationships, an improvement will have been made and the prognosis for recovery or improvement will be good. |
| General mental harm | £1,540 to £5,860 | The amount of compensation that will be awarded will depend on factors such as how badly daily life was impacted and how long the injured person was disabled by their condition. |
| Loss of thumb | £35,520 to £54,830 | Where the thumb has been totally lost |
| Total or partial loss of index finger | £12,170 to £18,740 | If the digit has been fully lost, then this could entail an award at the top of this bracket. |
| Very serious injury to thumb | £19,600 to £35,010 | Where the thumb has been amputated through the joint. |
| Moderate thumb injuries | £9,670 to £12,590 | Where tendons and nerves are damaged and sensation is impaired. |
| Minor hand, finger and thumb | Up to £4,750 | Injuries such as scarring and tenderness from which a full recovery is made |
| Mental anguish | £4,670 | Fear of death or that your life expectancy will be reduced. |
Can I Receive Compensation For Special Damages?
Additionally, you may receive special damages for financial losses sustained due to your injuries. For instance, you may experience a loss of earnings because you had to take time off work as you recovered from your injuries.
Special damages may also cover:
- Care costs
- Home adaptations
- Medical expenses
For a more in-depth view of how much needlestick injury at work compensation you might be owed, do not hesitate to get in touch with an advisor. If you have a valid case, you could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Accident At Work Solicitors
Being represented with a No Win No Fee agreement in place is a popular choice amongst claimants. One kind of No Win No Fee agreement is a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
A CFA means that you do not usually have to pay any legal fees if your case is unsuccessful. Furthermore, there will often not be any legal fees to be paid upfront or whilst your case is ongoing.
That being said, if your case is won, a legally capped success fee will generally be deducted from your compensation by your solicitor.
Find out whether you are eligible to be represented on this basis by getting in touch with a member of our team. They can also offer you more guidance on the work injury claims process overall.
Contact Us For Free Legal Advice Today
If you still have questions about claiming for harm caused by a needlestick injury, speak with one of our advisors for free legal advice. If they feel that you have a valid case, they could connect you with one of the lawyers from our panel.
To get in touch:
- Call 0800 073 8805
- Use the live chat
- Start your claim online
Learn More About Making A Work Injury Claim
We have included additional reading that might be helpful if you have been involved in a workplace accident:
- Health and Safety Executive (HSE) – Report accidents and illness.
- UK GOV. – Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
- UK GOV. – Request CCTV footage of yourself
Furthermore, we have provided you with several of our own guides related to claiming for harm caused by the negligence of an employer:
- A guide on vibration white finger claims
- Can you claim if you slipped on a wet floor?
- A guide to forklift accident claims
Thank you for reading our guide on a needlestick injury at work.
Writer Beck Pratt
Publisher Fern Scott