This guide will provide you with information about cutting injury at work claims. We explain when you can make a work injury claim, the eligibility criteria you must meet, and what evidence can help you in your claim.
This guide will also explore the duty of care your employer owes you and how this could be breached, potentially entitling you to claim for your cutting injury at work.
Furthermore, we will look at the advantages of using a lawyer in your claim. We’ll look at what No Win No Fee agreements are and how you could benefit from being offered one.
Please continue reading for more information and contact us about your work injury claim:
- Call us on the number at the top of our page or request a callback
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Cutting injury at work claims guide
When Can You Make Cutting Injury At Work Claims? – A Guide
A cut is a kind of break in the skin that is generally caused by a sharp object, and they can vary in depth and severity. A laceration is a kind of break in the skin caused by blunt trauma and is often associated with a jagged or torn wound.
When making a cutting injury at work claim, it must be proven that your accident at work resulted from your employer’ breaching the duty of care that they owe you. We will take a closer look at what this duty of care is in the next section.
In order to claim, you need to show that the following criteria apply:
- Your employer owed you a duty of care at the time and place of your injury.
- Your employer breached this duty.
- This breach was the cause of the accident that led to your injury.
The kinds of accidents that could form the basis of a valid claim can range could range from relatively minor accidents to severe. You will need to show that your injury caused you pain and suffering and impacted your quality of life.
A laceration or cut injury could have a number of different effects on you. For example, it could be painful and may become infected, which could require additional medical attention. Furthermore, a particularly deep laceration might leave a permanent scar.
If you would like to know more about cutting injury at work claims, please get in touch using the contact details at the top and bottom of this guide.
When Are You Eligible To Make Cutting Injury At Work Claims?
You may be wondering when you can make a claim for an accident at work. When making a cutting injury at work claim, you must show that the suffering you experienced was a result of a workplace accident caused by your employer’s negligence.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 details that your employer is required to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety in the workplace. This duty of care applies to work practices as well as the environment.
Below, we have included examples of how an accident at work could occur as a result of negligence:
- Insufficient training- You could potentially slice your hand on machinery you haven’t been trained to use in a factory accident.
- Faulty equipment- For example, you may need to use a saw on a construction site, but the emergency stop button is faulty. You could sustain deep lacerations in the resulting construction accident.
- Slip, trip, or fall– If a wet floor isn’t signposted with a warning, you may suffer cuts or grazes if you slip and fall onto a rough surface. You could also trip on a trailing lead and suffer a laceration if you hit your shoulder on a hard surface as you fall.
Having evidence to prove your employer’s breach of duty will be extremely beneficial to your accident at work claim process. We will look at the evidence you could collect further on in this guide.
However, if you would like free legal advice about cutting injury at work claims from an advisor, speak with an advisor today. They may be able to connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.
What Could You Receive In Accident At Work Compensation?
If you are successful in your cutting injury at work claim, you will be awarded general damages. These cover the pain and suffering caused by physical and mental injuries resulting from the accident.
The Judicial College Guidelines can assist legal professionals in valuing different injuries. However, these figures are not guaranteed because your claim will be based on the specific and personal circumstances of your case.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facial Scarring | Very Severe (a) | The extent of treatment and scarring, age, and impact on their appearance and life will affect the award amount. This bracket may be appropriate for relatively young claimants where the psychiatric impact is substantial. | £29,780 to £97,330 |
| Facial Scarring | Less Severe (b) | Disfigurement and psychological impact are still significant. | £17,960 to £48,420 |
| Facial Scarring | Significant (c) | Effects can be reduced by plastic surgery. Reduced psychological reaction. Scarring is visible at a conversational distance. | £9,110 to £30,090 |
| Facial Scarring | Less Significant (d) | Either one scar or several smaller scars. Doesn't significantly impact the appearance. The reaction is no more than an ordinarily sensitive person. | £3,950 to £13,740 |
| Facial Scarring | Trivial (e) | The effect is minor. | £1,710 to £3,530 |
| Scarring to Other Parts of Body | Disfiguring | A number of laceration scars or one scar on the leg, arm, chest, or back, or one scar causing disfigurement. | £7,830 to £22,730 |
| Scarring to Other Parts of Body | Minor Cosmetic Impact | A single detectable scar with some minor cosmetic effect on the leg, arm, or hand. | £2,370 to £7,830 |
| Knee Injuries | Moderate (b) (ii) | Less severe than dislocations and with shorter periods of exacerbation. Lacerations, twisting and bruising injuries. | Up to £13,740 |
| Foot Injuries | Modest (g) | Lacerations, contusions and puncture wounds. | Up to £13,740 |
| Hand Injuries | Moderate (h) | Crush injuries, penetrating wounds, and deep lacerations. Failed surgeries and permanent disability. Persistent but non-intrusive symptoms would be awarded at the bottom of the bracket. | £5,720 to £13,280 |
Can You Receive Special Damages Compensation In An Accident At Work Claim?
In cutting injury at work claims, special damages could be awarded. These cover the monetary losses you have suffered as a result of the injury.
These could include:
- Transportation costs to medical appointments
- The cost of any medication/antibiotics you had to purchase for pain relief or to avoid infection of your laceration
- Any loss of earnings from not being able to return to work due to the injury
In order to claim for these losses, evidence could be useful. Without it, you might not be fully compensated for the losses you have experienced.
Examples of evidence could include:
- Bus or train tickets to show proof of travel
- Prescriptions or receipts to show your
- Payslips and bank statements to show a reduction in earnings
All of these things will strengthen your case and show the effect that the injury has had. If you would like guidance on the process of collecting evidence in your claim, speak with an advisor today.
Cutting Injury At Work Claims – Evidence That Could Help You Claim
When you are thinking about how to make a work injury claim, evidence will be crucial in proving your employer’s breach of duty.
Before anything, you should ensure you receive the medical attention you need for your cutting injury. For example, you may require stitches depending on the depth and width of your laceration.
Examples of this include-
- Requesting CCTV footage and taking photographs
- Keeping a diary which shows the effects of the aftermath
- Requesting copies of medical records
- Contact details of witnesses who could give a statement
Our solicitors can assist you in collating these documents, so you don’t need to feel any pressure about acquiring these yourself.
Is There A Work Injury Claim Time Limit?
You should be aware of the time limit that applies to starting a personal injury claim. The Limitation Act 1980 states that you have three years in which to begin your case. This can be from the date of the accident or from the date that you became aware of your employer’s negligence causing your injuries.
If someone is under eighteen at the time of the accident, the limit is suspended. It restarts again once they turn 18, at which point they have 3 years in which to start their own claim.
Similar conditions apply to an individual lacking the mental capacity to claim. The limit is suspended while they lack the capacity, and restarts again in the event that they become capable of claiming.
A litigation friend could claim on behalf of someone who isn’t able to claim for themselves at any point. If a litigation friend has already claimed on behalf of someone who was unable to, then they would not be able to make a second claim themselves.
If you would like to know more about cutting injury at work claims, speak with an advisor today.
Use Our Panel Of Solicitors To Make A No Win No Fee Claim For An Accident At Work
If you choose to hire an accident at work solicitor, you could be offered a No Win No Fee agreement. They can offer you a form of this kind of agreement, referred to as a Conditional Fee Agreement, which generally gives you access to their services without paying any upfront fees.
As a part of this agreement, you typically will not have to pay them for the work they have done if your claim isn’t a success, which is a huge benefit. You also won’t usually be asked to pay them as the claim progresses.
If your claim is successful, your solicitor will take a success fee that is capped by law, so you won’t be overcharged.
You can get in contact with our advisors, available 24/7, about cutting injury at work claims. Our panel of solicitors can use their expertise to assist you with the process.
Please contact us by-
- Calling the number at the top of the page
- Using our online form to tell us about your claim
- Writing to us on our website using the live chat feature
Learn More About How To Claim For A Workplace Accident
If you want further information, we have linked some external resources below-
- Statutory Sick Pay- Government information
- Manual Handling At Work– Health and Safety Executive information
- Caring for Stitches– Information from the NHS
If you would like further guidance on cutting injury at work claims, speak with an advisor today.
Writer Fern Summers
Publisher Emily Marrow
