Accidents at work
Nobody goes to work expecting to be injured. Unfortunately, accidents do happen. Workplace accidents can occur for a range of reasons, including:
- Faulty machinery or equipment
- Unsuitable equipment
- Lifting or moving items without the proper equipment or assistance
- Slipping, tripping or falling
- Falls from height
- Mistakes or carelessness by colleagues
- Hazards in the workplace
- Poorly planned processes or procedures
- Lack of training
- Failure to carry out a proper risk assessment
- Exposure to harmful substances such as asbestos
Compensation can be claimed where it can be shown an accident at work was caused by the fault of the employer. Health & Safety legislation is there to protect people while they are at work. The duty your employer owes you can be described in general as comprising:
- Providing a reasonably safe place of work
- Providing reasonably safe equipment for use at work
- Providing a reasonably safe system of work (processes, procedures etc.)
- Reasonable training and instruction
There is a wide range of regulations which cover an employer’s duty towards its employees. The regulations which feature most commonly in compensation claims include the following:
- Maintenance of work equipment
- Suitability of work equipment
- Manual handing tasks
- Floors within a workplace – keeping them free from any item likely to cause a person to slip or trip
- Proper planning and risk assessment of any job where a worker is required to work at height
- Organisation of any route within a workplace used by workers on foot or in vehicles<
- Carrying out risk assessments of a large variety of tasks at work
- Control of hazardous substances at work
- Provision of personal protective equipment such as gloves, safety shoes/boots, eye protection, masks, hearing protection, head gear or other protective clothing
Our team of personal injury experts can advise you on how your accident and injury may involve one or more of these regulations. And an employer’s duties remain no matter what type of workplace they operate, including:
- Building sites
- Construction sites
- Factories
- Offices
- Offshore wind and oil and gas installations and vessels
- Premises owned or operated by another business or person, in some situations
- Restaurants and cafes
- Shops
- Vehicles being driven in the course of your work
- Vehicles being loaded or unloaded
What compensation can you claim?
What compensation you can claim for will depend partly on how the accident and the injuries have affected you. We will take the time necessary to understand what the accident has meant for you. The most common categories are:
- Compensation for the pain and suffering you have had, and might still have, as a result of your injuries
- Compensation for loss of income if your injuries have meant you were unable to work for a period
- Compensation to reflect any future injury-related difficulties you may have in working
- Compensation for help given to you by family members with care or everyday activities you cannot do because of your injuries
Case studies
Due to workplace bullying and intimidation, our client became ill and was absent from work twice for extended periods, before being redeployed.
During a lengthy court process, we recovered significant documentation, obtained medical evidence, and interviewed witnesses. A few weeks prior to the final hearing and at the pre-trial meeting, we declined an offer of £7,500. Further negotiation brought about an increase to £15,000 and then an ultimate settlement at £20,000.
As there has never been a successful court hearing in an occupational stress case, this was a great result for us. We have gone on to achieve a successful outcome for our client’s colleague who was similarly affected by the bullying and had their case on hold pending this test case.
Our nursing assistant client was assaulted by a patient. Personal alarms provided to staff were not working. While she suffered some physical injuries, the most serious injury was psychiatric.
While pursuing the case, we helped with efforts to assist our client’s recovery. This included sourcing therapists who could provide treatments recommended by a psychiatric expert and securing interim payments to help pay for them.
Despite earlier substantial offers, our client accepted our advice to press ahead with further negotiations. The full final value of the settlement was £133,000, and our client was over the moon with this result.
As a result of long-term exposure to fine metal dusts and cooling agent chemicals in his workplace, our client developed respiratory issues. An appointed medical expert said he was suffering from sarcoidosis, quite a rare respiratory condition. It can be difficult to prove a link between the condition and the person’s employment, and the employer’s appointed medical expert disagreed with the diagnosis. We obtained a court order to gain access to the premises with an expert in occupational chemical exposure. He produced a detailed opinion concluding there had been a breach of duty on the part of the employer.
After lengthy negotiations in what was a long, complex personal injury case, we secured a settlement of £25,000 for our client, who was extremely pleased.
If you are interested in making a compensation claim for an accident at work, please get in touch with us today for a confidential discussion.
Contact us
- Email us
- Call our personal injury claims team free on 0808 560 0872
- Arrange a callback by using our enquiry form
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Allan McDougall
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What our clients say
- Can I take a moment to thank Jackie Raitt, Julie Harris and Steven Blacklaws personally for your persistence, professionalism, and perseverance in handling this claim on my behalf. I can assure you it means a great deal to myself, and I am sure, your other clients.
J.C. - Gordon Milligan was very professional, good at listening, and very calming. He made my journey real and not alone.
D.F. - The service I received from Fiona Fraser was excellent. I couldn't ask for a better solicitor. Fiona knows her stuff.
S.G. - I reached out through Unite six months after I was knocked off my bike. Initially I had been dealing directly with the driver's insurer as liability had been admitted. However, progress was slow and frustrating, which is why I felt it would be best to have a solicitor involved representing me. The support, communication and advice from both Gordon Milligan and Alison Bosshardt was first class throughout and I'm very grateful for everything they did. Thank you.
M.G.
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