Category: Work Place Accidents

When you re-open your office, you may be initially excited because you want to get your staff in and have things back to the way they were before Covid-19 turned the world upside. Right now, there is a major debate about whether or not offices should enforce face-masks, which will be important for you as an employer. The last thing you need on your hands is an employee claiming that they want compensation due to catching Covid-19 in the workplace. That’s why you need to be prepared when you eventually ask for people to return to the office or work-place. Accidents can happen and you need to make sure you are taking the necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s safety. If you don’t do this, it is very likely that your employees could ask you for work accident compensation.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help both you and your employees feel safe when you go back. If not, we can offer advice to guide you both into a settlement agreement. Whether you are feeling nervous about returning to your office, or want to find a way to comfort your employees, our latest blog can give you some tips about what sort of hazards could pose a threat in the work-place.

Is it safe enough to re-open your office?

No matter what situation you are in, you have to put the safety of your employees first. That’s why you may want to consider alternative options to immediately opening up your office. Most offices have taken to remote working permanently as an alternative to re-opening. Did you know that around 91% of workers would actually like to keep working remotely, despite being allowed to return to the office on the 1st August? Think about it this way, not only are you saving on office expenses, travel costs, energy bills, but working remotely has had a significant effect on the UK workers’ mental health. According to one worker, interviewed by the BBC,

“It’s like getting a pay rise without receiving any more money”

You need to also consider whether or not you are in a high-risk area. If you are then it would not be wise to return to the office yet. Consider your individual circumstances and then move forward accordingly. If your workers can do their jobs just as effectively at home then you should consider flexible working as an option even after the pandemic has calmed.

Changes to the work environment before you re-open your office?

Yes, you should. If you desperately need to re-open your office and ask workers to come in, then you will need to make sure that the office is compliant with Covid-19 safety regulations. There is a chance that your employees could get sick if you re-open your office. If this happens, they may well ask for some form of work accident compensation. Consider the following to get started:

• Hand sanitizer stations.
• Screened work areas.
• Staggered work desks and working hours.
• Enforce mask use inside the office.
• Employ cleaners to decontaminate the office frequently throughout the day.
• Virtual meetings with clients rather than inviting them into the office.

Of course, there are still ways that your employees could get hurt if you are negligent when it comes to your work environment. This could be outside of catching Covid-19, so make sure to keep an eye out for any unmarked hazards or warnings about dangerous areas in the office. You should also listen to your employees if they bring something to your attention. It is your responsibility to have it fixed quickly to avoid work accidents.

Are there any other ways workers could suffer from a work accident when you decided to re-open your office?

Of course there are ways your employees could get hurt if you do not take the necessary precautions to ensure their safety. Safety & Covid-19 is one thing, but you need to make sure that all of the workplace is free of hazards and that your staff are trained properly. Acts of negligence in the workplace may include:

• Failing to provide appropriate training.
• Asking workers to take on inappropriate task (i.e. carrying boxes without any manual handling training).
• Requesting workers to do repetitive tasks (i.e. typing that could cause repetitive strain disorder).
• Violence in the workplace.
• Demanding employees work extensive hours without any breaks.
• Refusal to provide appropriate protection gear.

If you do not try to protect your employees in every way possible, it is very likely that they could get hurt. This means that they may try to make a work accident compensation claim against you.

What should you do if employees gets hurt after you re-open your office?

Whether you are an employee or an employer, it someone gets hurt during work-hours, it is important that you make sure that the accident is noted down immediately in the work place’s accident book. You should also contact your insurer. All businesses should invest in employer liability insurance when they first open. That way you can show that you are prepared and ready to deal with any potential accidents.

The safety of your employees should be put above everything else. Make sure that they get medical assistance or go to hospital to get checked out. You should also keep a first-aid kit onsite to ensure that you can help the hurt employee as quickly as possible. From there, you should be prepared to work with the employee to gather their evidence and to accept that there may well be a settlement case directed to you and your insurer. If you are open to admit that you were at fault for the damages, you should sit down with the employee, their solicitor and your insurer to discuss a settlement agreement.

Going to re-open your office? Here’s what you need to look out for.

Now that you know how to handle a work-place accident, you need to understand how your employees could get hurt. Here are the top ten ways that an accident could happen in your office. The more ways you understand the hazards of your workplace, the more likely it is that you can avoid them in the future.

1. Covid-19

Although this may seem a little bit dramatic, it is always better to be safe than sorry. There have been over 320,000 cases of Covid-19 in the UK. That’s why it is your duty as an employer to keep your employees safe from this virus when you re-open your office. Covid-19 is spread through particles on surfaces and through the air through coughing and sneezing. You should take safety precautions to keep your environment as clean as possible. You will also want to keep using UK government recommended social-distancing methods to ensure that there is no active transfer of germs. Take a look at the infographic below to get more of an idea of how you can adhere to social-distancing in the workplace.

2. Slips and Trips

Slips and trips are more common than you think. Unmarked spills of water or liquid on the floor can be a disaster if they are not pointed out. For instance, your employee might be carrying a heavy box or something that obstructs their view. That means that it is likely that they won’t see the spill and will fall over. Worse still, if they fall in to the substance and it could cause damage to the skin, it may mean that the employee gets severely injured. Make sure to put out warning signs to ensure that there are no unmarked hazards in the workplace.

3. Falling Objects

A messy work environment can be a source of hazards. After all, if you move a single object from above, you will have no idea what comes tumbling down. If you do not keep up with the housekeeping of your office, you may find that you get hurt more easily. Make sure that everything is stacked neatly away to make sure that you keep safe. Try not to over stack your shelves. That way no one will get hurt if an object is moved slightly. If an object falls down, you could get bruises, bleeding or even broken bones. It is a hazard that can be easily fixed.

4.Repetitive strain

When you work in an office, there are some tasks that happen more than others. For instance, your workers may constantly be at their computers answering emails, typing up reports or generally doing written work that is required from their position. However, if they are constantly typing without any breaks then this may lead them to developing repetitive strain problems. Whilst this may only start with minor injuries, they can get worse if the employee does not go out to actively seek help from a doctor. Make sure to always check up on employees to see if they are doing okay. If they are starting to develop small problems, then you can change their break system to try and incorporate their needs. This will lead them to becoming more productive as employees. So it is a win-win situation

5. Faulty Equipment

Now, an office isn’t exactly like a construction site, you are not going to find heavy machinery left, right and centre. However, you may find large devices like printers, copies and filing cabinets around the room. You may even have specialist computers or electronic devices to help with your daily work. However, if someone gets hurt due to their equipment malfunctioning, this can have dire consequences. In some cases it may just be a small electric shock, but in other cases people could get burns or even lose a limb. Always replace faulty equipment or hire an engineer to try and fix it before it becomes a hazard in the workplace.

6. Toxic Fumes

You have to remember that some offices are more unique than others. There are many different professions that require different types of safety measures put in place to protect employees. For those that work with hazardous chemicals on a daily basis, they will need PPE and certain equipment to protect them. If they do not have this then they could get hurt due to the toxic fumes or burns on their skin. You need to make sure that no matter what type of work environment an employee has, they are protected when they are on duty.

7. Hearing and Eyesight Damage

Again, this depends on the type of environment you and your employees work in, but if you do not supply them with the right equipment then they could get hurt. This could include damage to the eyes, which could affect their sight, or perhaps to their ears that could make them struggle with their hearing. If there are any hazards to eyesight or hearing, make sure to supply them with muffling gear and goggles. That way they can stay protected even during dangerous situations.

8. Cuts, Bleeding and Lacerations

Offices tend to have powerful equipment onsite to help workers with their daily duties. Staff must be properly trained to use them, including knowing the type of protection that can keep them safe throughout the use of the equipment. However, if this does not happen, there is a high chance that they could be wounded with deep cuts, gashes and in some cases lacerations. If you have any type of bladed equipment in your office, make sure you go through proper procedure to ensure that your staff know how to use it without any problems.

9. Vehicle Accidents

In some cases, your employees may be required to operate vehicles (such as forklifts) in a storehouse or perhaps may need to move furniture from one office to another in a van. Unfortunately, if an accident does happen in a hired vehicle, your employee can still ask you for compensation. They may also be inquiring into road traffic accident compensation. Make sure that your employees are trained to operate certain vehicles. This will ensure that the chance of an accident is lessened.

10. Staff and Violence

Not every colleague you have is going to be a good fit for your company. In fact, they may be more trouble than they are worth. Some employees may simply be there to start trouble with other employees. They may be violent and start altercations that come out of nowhere. As an employer, it is up to you to recognise when you may have trouble brewing in your office. You have the responsibility to keep the rest of your staff safe. So, make sure to talk to the employee and if they still lash out, you must remove them or give them the appropriate warning. You may also want to consider investing in self-defence lessons for your staff to lower the chance that they get hurt if they are involved in a fight.

Employees: Have you been hurt in a work accident when your employer decided to re-open your office?

If you have then it is up to you to take the appropriate steps forward to help claim compensation. You need to gather evidence to prove that your employer is “at fault” for your wounds. This includes:

• Photographs
• Videos
• CCTV footage
• Medical Records
• Receipts of financial losses
• Witness Statements
• Police Statements
• Diary Entries

The more evidence you have, the more likely that you will have a successful claims case on your hands. You will also need to alert staff to your injuries and request to have it written down in the work accident handbook. From there, you should get a lawyer to help you with your claim. They can start drafting a settlement agreement for you to bring to your employer.

Gowing Law Solicitors are experts in work accident compensation claims!

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that when you reopen your office, it can be a bit of a risk. You don’t know who is going to get hurt and when. That’s why it is up to employers and business owners to provide a safe environment for workers to do their daily jobs. If they do not, then they will be liable for damages. Gowing Law can help you claim compensation for your losses. We can offer free advice and consultations to get you started. If you are happy with what we have to offer, we can work with you on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will not need to pay any hidden fees and will always come out on top.

To get in contact with Gowing Law, all you need to do is call us up on 0800 041 8350, email us at info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our contact page to directly message us. One of our team members will be there to answer any of your questions.

Learn more about work accident claims!

We understand that you want to learn more about work accident claims so you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. That’s why Gowing Law Solicitors has a law blog that can answer all of your questions. We update weekly with new content for you to enjoy. Feel free through scroll through it till you find something that you like. If you cannot find the content that answers your questions, why not let us know? Send in your suggestions for articles to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. One of our content writers will then write up an article that answers your questions.

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

A work accident compensation pay-out is the perfect thing to help you if you have suffered damages and losses due the negligence of your employer. These damages may have been physical, emotional or financial. Either way, you can get a pay-out from your employer to help you recover without any potential burdens hanging over your head. We understand that this can be a scary time for you. After all, you may not be able to go to work or get on with the normal tasks of your life due to your injuries. That’s why you might be considering asking for compensation. But, the main question is, how much could you get from work accident compensation? The amount changes for everyone. But you need to know precise details about what you could be owed.

This is what we are going to explore in our latest blog. In our work accidents interview with Elaine, Gowing Law’s operations director, we talked about compensation and what you could be owed. The overall lesson: You receive high compensation pay-outs if you can prove that you have experienced bad losses due to the accident at work. Learn more by reading our blog below.

How much could I get from a work accident compensation pay-out?

One of the main things that you need to know about any type of compensation claims, whether they are beauty claims, road traffic accident claims or a case of financial mis-selling, the worse the damages, the more likely you will get a bigger pay-out.

For work accident claims in particular, the amount you could claim has quite a large range of pay-outs that you could receive. For an uncomplicated back injury it could be a few thousand pounds. However, for a life changing injury you could receive up to a seven-figure sum. The more evidence you have about your injuries, the more likely that you will have a valid claim. Make sure to keep your evidence carefully organized so it fits with your different damages claims. If you do get a pay-out it will be paid from your employer’s insurance. This is known as “employer liability insurance”. So, if you are hesitating claiming insurance from your employer, don’t worry! You won’t be financially damaging them. Instead, they will be prepared for any claims. Accidents can happen in any place and at any time.

How do I know if I am eligible for a work accident compensation pay-out?

Now, many people may not think they are eligible for a work accident claim because of the extent of their injuries. They may not have suffered only minor damages, and so think that their work accident claim is invalid. However, that certainly is not the case. Whilst you do need to consider the amount of pay-out you receive from a work injury claim, if you have been hurt due to the negligence of an employer, you deserve compensation.

Whether you have a large or small injury, if your accident happened due to the negligence of your employer, this means they are at fault. In legal terms, this means they are “liable” for your damages. All cases are treated on an individual bases. That means that all of the cases are judged by the losses and damages that the claimant has experienced. This is why it is crucial that you get as much evidence as possible to back up your claim.

Can I get some example of compensation pay-outs?

There are many different types of work accidents that you could experience where you get hurt. Whether your wounds are major or minor will change the amount of compensation. Take a look below to get some rough estimates for different areas of the body:

• Minor Head Injuries: £1000-£10,000
• Severe Head Injuries: £200,000 -£310,000
• Small Neck Injuries: £2,000- £6,000
• Major Neck Injuries: £34,500-£113,000
• Small Hand Injuries: £650-£22,000
• Severe Hand Injuries: £47,000-£153,000
• Minor Leg Injuries: £2,000-£20,000
• Large Leg Injuries: £74,000-£214,300

Of course, there are many more amounts of a work accident compensation pay-out and injury types that you could claim for. We would highly recommend speaking with a work accident solicitor to help come up with an estimate settlement. You can also speak with your employer and come to a settlement agreement before the court date.

Do I need evidence to prove that I am owed a work accident compensation pay-out?

Yes! If you work with a solicitor then they will be able to advise on how much you think your case is worth through your evidence. Your evidence will prove that you have suffered from a number of losses and damages. Most people think that these damages may only be physical injuries. However, there are many other types of losses you could have experienced. These fall under “general” and “special damages”. These may include:

• Emotional damages
• Loss of opportunity/potential
• Financial losses (i.e. wages, travel fees)
• Medical damages
• Broken equipment

Once you have decided on what losses you are going to base your claim around, it’s important that you have the appropriate evidence to back it up. When an accident does happen in the workplace, it is important that you notify your employers immediately. They should write down the accident within their accident handbook. You are legally allowed to get a copy of this statement for your evidence. If the accident is extremely bad, or there has been a violent altercation on the premises, you may also want to get the police involved. They can provide a police statement that should document an unbiased perspective of the events that have taken place.

Additional evidence may include:

• Photographs of the injury and accident’s environment
• Videos of the injury accident’s environment
• CCTV footage
• Witness Statements
• Medical reports
• Diary Entries

Can my colleagues claim for compensation from my accident?

This is where things can get complicated. Of course, if you get hurt, it will always help your claims if you have witnesses to back you up. However, if your injuries were incredibly severe (i.e. you lost a limb or suffered life-changing effects), your colleagues may have been traumatized by what they saw. This is why they may also be considering asking for compensation for their damages, especially if they can prove that they are now struggling with the impact of what happened.

Your colleagues can only get compensation under very specific circumstances. For instance, they are a very close friend or family member and that they were directly involved in the accident. It is important that they seek legal advice before they make any sort of claim, as these types of claims are easily invalidated.

Will anything else change if I make a compensation claim against my employer?

Asides from getting a financial pay-out, one of the good things that can come out of this sort compensation claim are the changes to your work environment. Your employer has breached their duty of care and so will need to make changes for it not to happen again. That way future employees will not need to go through the same problems or injuries that affected you. So, overall, you making a claim is actually doing a good thing for the company!

How long will it take to make a compensation claim?

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to understand that there might be a few delays when it comes to your claim. This is why it is important to make a compensation request as quickly as possible. Your time scale also depends on how complicated your case is. For instance, if a settlement agreement is not reached by both parties, this means that it may have to go to court. This would naturally take longer than an “open and shut” case where responsibility to accepted. Speak to your solicitor for more information about how long your case will take to complete.

Does it Covid-19 count as a work-place accident?

Now, this is a hot topic as of late, namely because most employees are feeling quite nervous about returning to their offices. This is because quite a few people may feel like they could catch Covid-19 from their workplace. Safety measures have been put in place to protect people against getting ill, but if someone has gotten sick and then suddenly other employees start staying off work due to having the same symptoms, it is a high probability that they got ill due to the unsanitary conditions of the workplace.

There is a chance that you could claim compensation for getting ill. However, this will need to be discussed with a trained solicitor. After all, you are going to need solid evidence to prove that you specifically caught Covid-19 from someone in your workplace.

Will Gowing Law Solicitors help me get a work accident compensation pay-out?

Of course! Gowing Law Solicitors would be more than happy to help you get the work accident compensation pay-out that you deserve. We can offer you free advice and consultations to get you started. These can all be done remotely to help you. If you want to work with our trained work accident solicitors in Manchester, we can offer you our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means you will always come out on top.

Get in contact today by calling 08000418350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk. or contact us directly through our instant messenger. We will then be in touch to answer all of your questions.

Want to read more of our work accident interview series?

Don’t forget that we have many other blogs in this work accident interview series! Check them out below:

• What sort of accident at work compensation claims are there?
• How can I be sure that I have an accidents at work claim?
• How bad does my work accident injury need to be to make claim?
• Can my work accident claim be for emotional damages?
• How do I make a work accident claim?
• My work-mate caused my accident. Who pays my accident at work compensation?

We update our blog every week with new content that talks about UK legal topics and compensation claims. If you can’t see the article that you want, why not let us know? Send in your suggestions to info@gowinglaw.co.uk. We would be more than happy to upload an article about your questions.

Gowing Law wishes you the best of luck with your claim and look forward to seeing you in our next blog.

Emotional damages can be difficult to calculate when it comes to a work accident claims case. You need to remember that the ultimate object of your compensation claim is to get you back to the position you were in before you suffered from your injury. This includes any financial and physical damages you have suffered. Emotional trauma from an accident can be a bit more difficult to prove. That’s why you will need the help of a trained solicitor to prove that your feelings of distress have reduced your quality of life. It is for this reason that you should be compensated for your losses.

In Gowing Law’s interview with Elaine, we discussed whether or not work accident claims could be made for emotional damages. Learn more below about how you could proceed with this type of claim and start your accident at work claim today with Gowing Law Solicitors:

Emotional Damages: What can be claimed?

The first thing you need to know is that you can definitely claim for emotional damages caused by your work accidents. Whilst you may not have been traumatized by a repetitive strain injury or a smaller wound, if you have suffered from something more severe (such as losing a limb or perhaps an attack from a colleague or customer in a retail store) then this could have left you with emotional repercussions. There is a reason why you will be recommended different types of therapies if you have undergone a life changing injury that could severely damage your quality of life.

Psychological trauma can severely impact your quality of life. Any emotional damages are called “injury to feelings”. So, if you have suffered from these losses, you can claim compensation alongside your physical injuries. After all, these are both examples of general and special damages.

What are general and special damages?

If you are going to claim for an accident at work, it is important that you know exactly what you are claiming for. Damages tend to be split into two categories known as “general damages” and “special damages”. General damages are the most common damages and relate to the direct effects of a work-place accident. This could include:

• The physical suffering or injury of the claimant
• Mental pain or trauma
• Mobility restrictions
• Career damages/ Inability to find a different job
• The death of a worker and the loss of a companion

General damages can be more difficult to calculate than special damages. This is because they have to calculate the amount owed based on the suffering and emotional damages of the client. Special damages, on the other hand, are used to compensate any financial losses you may have made due to the other party’s behaviour. Damages may include:

• Medical expenses
• Physiotherapy sessions
• Transportation funds
• Income/Wage losses
• Damaged goods
• Loss of fiscal capacity (aka. if you can no longer work at your company)

Emotional and Physical injury claims go together

There is one important thing you need to know about emotional damages claims. You cannot claim for them entirely on their own. Instead, they need to be paired with a physical injury that came about due to an accident at work. That way your employer can pay for your damages with their employers’ liability insurance. So, if a workplace accident has caused you stress, upset or anxiety, but not any physical accident, you cannot claim compensation. Instead, you will need a medical expert to show that you have received physical and mental damages due to the accident at work, such as a psychiatric illness like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

A trained solicitor can help you fully understand your emotional damages and what you can do to claim the most out of your work accident case. Take a look below at an example of how an injury can influence emotional damages:

Primary and Secondary Victims

Another thing that you may not know about are the type of victims who can claim for emotional damages and compensation. In very special circumstances, there can be cases where a secondary victim can come forward to claim psychological damages from the event. A primary victim is the claimant who had to suffer physical and emotional damages. They are directly involved in the claim and are a victim of negligence on the part of their employer. However, someone who witnessed the accident may also have the right to make a claim as well. Keep in mind, the guidelines for making this type of compensation claim tend to be a little stricter:

• You must have witnessed the incident or the aftermath of the incident. If you have solely heard of the claim, you cannot ask for psychological damages
• There must be a successful prosecution of the primary victim’s case. That way they can sue for third-party negligence.
• The secondary victim must have close ties with the primary victim. For instance, they could be a parent, partner or child of the original claimant.

If you fit into these categories then there is a high chance that you can make a claim. As these secondary claims can get rather complicated, it would be best if you went to a trained solicitor to see how you can proceed. They can let you know if you could receive any compensation or if the case is not worth pursuing.

How do I know if I am a victim of emotional damages?

This is the sort of thing that you can only really tell if you have gone to hospital to tell them about what symptoms you are having. Yes, you may be having physical symptoms from your injury. But your day-to-day life may have been effected by your employer’s lack of safe work-environment.

Psychological symptoms may include:

If you already have a psychological condition, you could also claim for it if it has worsened due to your accident. A medical professional should be able to diagnose whether or not the trauma has worsened your condition. That way it can serve as evidence in your case.

What counts as evidence of emotional damages?

Naturally, emotional damages are not as easy to prove as physical damages. In most cases, you would take pictures of your injuries or the environment. You can’t take physical pictures of your emotions. That’s why you need to find a way to document them as you try to recover from your injuries.

The best way of documenting damages is through diary entries and witness statements. If someone else has watched your struggles and knows what psychological ailments have reduced your quality of life, there is a higher chance that you will have a successful claim. You can also keep diary/ video diary entries of the struggles you endure during the day. Another piece of evidence you can collect is from your medical practitioner. You can ask for a medical report or advice on how to cope with certain issues. They can provide written documentation or medication that can help with your condition. We can use these as evidence.

How much could I get from an emotional damages claim?

Before you consider how much you could get for emotional damages, you need to figure out how much you are going to get for your physical injuries. This will depend on how severe they are. Once you have discussed this with your solicitor, they can estimate how much your damages will be worth. They can add your emotional damages to the amount they have estimated your claim is worth.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with your accident at work claim!

If you think that you have a valid accident at work claim, Gowing Law Solicitors would be happy to help you! Our experienced work accident solicitors can provide you with free advice and consultations. We can also provide these consultations remotely. This includes communication over the phone or video calls. We can also send important documents electronically.

Are you ready to work with us? If you are then we can offer our services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no risk to trying to claim compensation. You will not need to pay us anything if we do not win your case.

Get in contact with our work accident solicitors now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or using our contact page. One of our team members will then get in touch with you as quickly as possible to discuss your claim.

Learn more about work accident claims

If you want to learn more information from our interview with Elaine, our operations director, about accident at work claims, why not check out our other interview blogs? You can find them below:

• The top 10 things you need to do if you have had an accident at work
• The Basics of Accident at Work Claims: Explained by Gowing Law Solicitors
• Work Accident Compensation Claims: Your Questions Answered!
• What sort of accident at work compensation claims are there?
• How can I be sure that I have an accidents at work claim?
• How bad does my work accident injury need to be?

We update our blog weekly! Therefore, you will always find something new to read and enjoy. This includes articles about personal injuries, RTA claims, criminal injury claims, financial mis-selling and cosmetic negligence. If you cannot find what you are looking for, we would be happy to write an article about your topic of choice. Just let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk.

We hope you have enjoyed our article and look forward to seeing you in our next blog!

An accidents at work claim can be quite complicated. The amount of compensation you receive depends on the type of accident you have. The more losses you have experienced during your case, whether they be financial, physical or emotional, the more likely it is that you will get a higher pay-out. Some pay-outs may even come to thousands of pounds! That’s why it’s crucial for you to understand precisely whether or not you actually have a claim. We have already discussed in our interview with Elaine the types of work accident claims that exist. Today we are going to talk about what could make your employer liable for your injuries.

 Could you be due compensation from your accidents at work claim?

One of the main things you need to be certain about when you make your accident at work claim is that you are most certainly not responsible for your incident. For instance, if you were acting irresponsibly in the work place by “messing around” on equipment or in the office, if you get yourself hurt then it is very unlikely that you could sue your employer for compensation. You were in complete control of your actions and knew that there was a chance that you could get hurt.

If you do want to claim for accident at work compensation, you will have to prove that that your employers have been negligent and have not provided an environment that can keep you and your colleagues safe whilst you work. That is their responsibility and the reason why you can claim for compensation in the first place. This is what is known as a “duty of care.”

Will I be financially hurting my employer if I claim?

No! You actually won’t. Companies are legally required to have employer liability insurance as soon as they employ people in their company. The only way that they may not need it is if they employ someone who is a member of their family or if the employee is based abroad. This insurance will pay an employee if they become sick or injured due to an accident. Overall, it means that if you ask for this compensation, they will not be paying it from their own finances.

There will not be any hard feelings if you return to work after you have been paid compensation. It’s important to know that if you do make an accidents at work claim, no one needs to know about it apart from your manager. It will be kept completely confidential unless you wish to share it. That means things should not get awkward between you and any other employees.

If any discrimination does happen in the workplace then you could ask for an employer tribunal. If this has happened to you during the Covid-19 pandemic, make sure to check out our worker’s rights blog to learn more.

How do I establish if an employer has been negligent?

So, if you have suffered from any sort of accidents at work, one of the first things you need to do is prove that your employer is “at fault” for your injuries and losses. Your losses can include:

• Physical injures
• Emotional damages (aka. trauma)
• Financial losses (aka. wages)
• Broken appliances/equipment

You need to prove that your employer actually failed in providing a safe work environment for you and your colleagues. So for instance, if you work in an office, you may have found that there was no safety training about moving around every few hours to avoid repetitive strain. Another example is if you work in a construction site, you may not have been given appropriate training on how to lift heavy items or use certain equipment. The type of injuries you suffer does greatly depend on the type of work place you are at. Each work environment is completely different, however they may include:

• Slips and trips
• Falling down with heavy objects
• Repetitive strain injuries
• Injuries with malfunctioning equipment
• Electronic bodily harm
• Strained muscles and broken bones

If your employer has not provided training to help you carry out your daily activities, or perhaps has asked you to do something out of the ordinary, if you get hurt then it is their responsibility to look after you through compensation or sick pay (SSP).

The main elements of accidents at work claims

Your main goal is to prove that the responsibilities of an employer-employee relationship have been breached. In other words, they have breached the duty of care towards you. Make sure to write out what expectations and responsibilities they had to ensure your safety in the office. That way you can find out which they breached and what arrangements they should be making to ensure that the workplace becomes safer.

Once you have established what types of “care” has been breached, your employer will have the chance to respond to you. If they accept negligence then they may be happy to enter into a settlement with you. If you have a work accident lawyer on your side, they can help you negotiate any terms and conditions before you even get to court.

How long should I wait to make a claim?

Now, normally we would recommend that you meet with a solicitor as quickly as possible to discuss your injuries. This is because they can analyse the types of damages you have suffered and how much you could be owed in your pay-out. However, as you will need to understand your own injuries, and perhaps receive medical treatment, we would suggest that you wait at least 2 weeks before you start your claim. With that said, try not to leave your claim for too long. Covid-19 has caused the UK court system to back up with unresolved cases. That means if you leave it for a while, it will take a long time for you to receive the compensation that you deserve.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help with your accidents at work claim

Here at Gowing Law, we understand that any type of injury can leave you feeling vulnerable. That’s why you can put your faith in our trained solicitors to help you get the compensation that you deserve. Not only can we work with you remotely, but we can also offer you free advice and consultations about your claim. If you decide you are interested in working with us further, we always offer our services on a no win-no fee basis. That means there is no risk if you want to claim against your employer. If we do not win your case, you will not need to pay any fees. So, why not get in contact today?

Call 0800 041 8350, email info@gowinglaw.co.uk or use our direct messaging feature located on our contact page. A member of our team will then get in contact with you as quickly as possible to help you with your claim.

Want to read more from our interview with our operations director?

We understand that work claims can be complicated. That’s why you may want to learn more from our recent interview with Elaine. Check out more about accidents at work claims below:

• Work Accident Compensation Claims: Your Questions Answered!
• The Basics of Accident at Work Claims: Explained by Gowing Law Solicitors
• The top 10 things you need to do if you have had an accident at work

Our blog is updated every week with new content and interesting law articles. So make sure to come back to check out some of our latest articles. If you have an article topic you would like to suggest, feel free to let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk. You can also let us know if you are interested in being signed up to our weekly newsletter.

We hope you enjoyed our blog and look forward to seeing you in our next article!

Accident at work compensation claims can be difficult to handle on your own. Not only are you injured and are trying to recover from your wounds, but you will have to gather evidence from your work environment. This is where an experienced Gowing Law Solicitor can help you. We can handle your claim whilst you recover. However, before you get in contact with us, you may have some questions about work accident claims in general. Today is your lucky day! Gowing Law has recently interviewed our operations director, Elaine, about work accident compensation claims. Today we start with one of the most common questions: ”What sort of work accident claims are there?”

The different types of work accident claims

As you can see from our interview with Elaine, there are many different types of accident at work claims. This is due to the fact that there are a wide variety of different kinds of workplace. For instance, the accidents that could happen in a retail store and an office space are different. Before, work accident claims would mainly depend on the environment and whether there were any potential hazards that could cause accidents.

A construction site may have had faulty wiring and machines laying around, whilst an office may just have had a spill on the floor. But nowadays, Covid-19 may have ushered in a new type of accident at work claim. If someone got sick with Covid-19 due to an unsafe work environment, could the liability fall on the employer? It depends on the amount of evidence you have and whether you are remotely working. Speak to our solicitors today if you think that you have a claim.

Common Work accidents

Some of the most common accidents are normally things that have not had specific training set out for them. They can cause minor and major injuries that may even require time off work with SSP (aka. sick pay). Here are some examples of the most common injuries that you may be forced to endure if you are involved in an accident:

A lack of manual training

One of the most common accidents comes from a lack of manual training. When you get a certain job, there are expectations that come along with it. You know what duties you are going to fulfill and you should receive training to help you achieve your daily goals. However, sometimes you may be asked to help out with activities that you may not have any training in. This includes manual tasks like lifting up heavy objects and loading/unloading different objects before carrying them to your workspace. Now, most workplaces will not provide training about how to handle this sort of thing. It’s not a part of your normal duties, so why would you ever need to know safety measures about it? This is why you may end up getting hurt.

If it does happen then it is the responsibility of your employer to pay compensation for your injuries, especially if you are forced to take time away from work to recover from lifting something that was too heavy.

The lack of help for manual jobs

Everyone should know their rights when it comes to being safe at work. However, in some cases, it is impossible to maintain safety. This is because equipment in the workplace may not be in the best condition. If it does present a danger, this could injure someone. For instance, if there is a spill on the floor and no one has marked it as a danger, someone could slip over and hurt themselves. Another example is that a store front may have had its stock irregularly put away by customers. That means there is a high chance they could fall down and hit someone.

It is important that the workplace has protective measures in place to protect employees when they are injured. Different work environment present different hazards. That means that they need to identify these hazards and make them obvious to employees that they must be avoided. That way businesses can avoid liability.

Are there any other types of work accident claims?

Of course there are! Each work accident claim is extremely different as they depend on the circumstances behind the accident. Any sort of big or small injury could have an effect on your life. Your compensation depends on the extent of your losses. This could include:

• Physical injuries
• Emotional damages
• Financial losses
• Medical expenses
• Broken products/ personal items

Claiming compensation should build you back up to the position you were originally in before you experienced these losses. That’s why you should wait around 2 weeks before you get in touch with your solicitor about your injury. That way you can make notes on what losses you have suffered and bring these to your solicitor. The more evidence you have to back up these losses, the better.

Gowing Law Solicitors can help you with any accident at work claims!

If you have suffered an accident at work, contact Gowing Law Solicitors to help you with your compensation claim. We would be happy to work with you to get the pay-out that you deserve. Gowing Law offers free advice and consultations to help you get started. These can be done remotely to ensure that you are protected against Covid-19 whilst you pursue your claim. Should you decide to work with us, we can offer you services on a “no win-no fee” basis. That means there is no risk when you make your claim. You will only need to pay us a fee if we win your case. Therefore, you will always come out on top.

Contact us now by calling 0800 041 8350, emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk or by using our direct message feature on our contact page. Our friendly staff team will get in contact as quickly possible and will help you.

Read more about an accident at work claims

Want to learn more about our interview with Elaine, make sure to check out our additional interview blogs. These are all about accident at work claims. You will find links to them below:

• The Top 5 questions about accident at work claims
• The Basics of Accident at Work Claims: Explained by Gowing Law Solicitors
• Work Accident Compensation Claims: Your Questions Answered!

Our blog also contains lots of information about personal injuries, road traffic accidents and financial mis-selling. Make sure to keep an eye on it as we update it every week. If you have any ideas about blog content you want to read, let us know by emailing info@gowinglaw.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you in our next blog.