In this guide, we’ll look at how to report an accident at work and how the accident at work claim process works. If you’ve been injured as a result of negligence, then you could be entitled to receive compensation.
We’ll discuss what compensation payout you may be entitled to if your personal injury claim is successful. We’ll also look at the potential causes of an accident at work and when one could be attributed to negligence.
Finally, we’ll discuss how No Win No Fee solicitors and how working with one can benefit you when making a personal injury claim.
If you’d like to discuss your claim further or want to begin the process one of the solicitors from our panel, then you can use the below contact information to get in touch with our advisors:
- Call us by using the number on the banner above
- Fill out our contact us form on our website
- Use the live chat feature on your page now
How to report an accident at work- A guide
How To Report An Accident At Work
If you’ve injured yourself whilst at work, then you should report the injury to your employer to ensure that they have an official record of it taking place. If an employer has more than ten employees working for their company, then it’s a legal obligation for them to have an accident book on-site. This is outlined in The Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979.
In contrast, they’re not required by law to report every accident they write about in the book. Specified injuries need to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive by your employer through the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Reportable incidents include amputations, most fractures, any loss of consciousness caused by a head injury, and any serious burns that cover over 10% of the body.
By reporting the accident, the employer will have an official record of the accident taking place. This can be used as valuable evidence when making a claim. Furthermore, this information can be used by your employer to stop accidents from happening in the future.
Now that we’ve outlined exactly how to report an accident at work, the rest of this guide will explain how best to make a personal injury claim. If you have any more questions, however, then please get in touch with our team.
When Are You Eligible To Make A Work Injury Claim?
Every employer will have a duty of care to their employees, regardless of where they work. This means that an employer has a duty of care to provide a safe environment, facilities, and equipment. This is outlined in The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
A breach of this duty of care that directly causes an injury is called negligence. Below are some examples of injuries that could lead to making a successful claim:
- Faulty machinery – If you work in construction, for example, using a faulty ladder could result in you falling and suffering a spinal injury in a construction accident. If your employer knew the ladder was faulty but allowed you to use it anyway, then this is a breach of duty of care.
- Insufficient training – If you work with a forklift and have not been trained sufficiently, you may mishandle equipment and sustain a head injury in a forklift accident as a result. Your employer is responsible for providing you with training.
- Poor housekeeping. Good housekeeping should be maintained. If you sustained a hand injury when tripping over cables that were left on the floor instead of being tidied away, then this could be grounds for a claim.
Evidence is crucial to make a successful workplace injury claim. In the next section we will look at collecting evidence. If you have any more questions, for example about how to report an accident at work, speak with a member of our team today.
Potential Evidence That Could Help In An Accident At Work Claim
In order to make a successful workplace injury claim, you’ll have to provide evidence to prove that your injury was caused by employer negligence.
There are different types of evidence that could support this type of claim. For example:
- CCTV footage of the accident
- A diary of your treatment and symptoms
- Copies of the records from when you sought medical care
- Photographs of your injury and the accident site
- Taking contact details of any witnesses so that they can give a statement
As stated above, you’d only be able to make a successful accident at work claim if you provide sufficient evidence to prove that your injury was caused by employer negligence. A member of our panel of solicitors would be happy to help you collect this evidence, provided you have a valid claim. Speak with our team today to see if you could be put in touch.
What Accident At Work Compensation Could You Recieve?
General damages is one of the heads of claim that can make up compensation. It accounts for the pain and suffering that physical and psychological injuries cause. Below, we have created a table using figures are taken from the Judicial College Guidelines. Solicitors use these to help them value claims.
Compensation Amounts
| Injury | Severity | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brain Damage | Moderately Severe | £219,070 to £282,010 | A very serious disability with the need for constant care. |
| Arm Injuries | Severe | £96,160 to £130,930 | Cases in this bracket include a serious injury that just falls short of amputation. |
| Arm Injuries | Less Severe | £19,200 - £39,170 | Whilst there has been significant disabilities. The claimant will have recovered |
| Back Injuries | Severe (ii) | £74,160 - £88,430 | Cases which have special features taking them outside any of the lower brackets. |
| Wrist Injuries | Severe | £47,620 to £59,860 | Injuries leading to complete loss of function in the wrist |
| Injuries to the Elbow | Severely Disabling | £39,170 to £54,830 | A severely disabling elbow injury |
| Achilles Tendon | Moderate | £12,590 to £21,070 | Significant injury to the tendon. |
| Injuries to the Pelvis and Hips | Lesser Injuries (i) | £3,950 to £12,590 | Cases where despite significant injury, a full/mostly full recovery has been made. |
| Scarring | Noticeable | £2,370 to £7,830 | One noticeable scar or several superficial ones. |
| Damage to Hair | Less Serious | £3,950 to £7,340 | Symptoms are fewer, including cases where hair has been pulled out leaving bald patches. |
Special damages are another head of claim that could make up your overall compensation amount. This head aims to reimburse you for any financial losses that you have experienced due to your injury. Some examples of costs that could be covered include:
- Loss of earnings if you can’t work due to your injury
- Cost of care
- Adjustments to your home whilst recovering
- Medicine you’ve paid for
Similar to general damages, you’ll have to provide evidence to receive special damages; this can come from invoices, receipts, or bank statements. Get in touch with our team for a valuation of your claim today or to have other questions about how to report an accident at work answered.
Our Panel Of Accident At Work Solicitors Can Work Your Case On A No Win No Fee Basis
A No Win No Fee agreement, in particular a form of this called a Conditional Fee agreement, may be offered to you when making a claim with a lawyer. This generally means that:
- There aren’t any upfront payments to make to your lawyer
- As the claim progresses, you won’t be expected to cover their costs
- Nothing to pay for their services if the claim is not a success
If you’re awarded compensation, then you will have a legally-capped percentage of your settlement deducted by your lawyer.
You can contact us for free to get a consultation in regard to your personal injury claim. Providing you have a valid case, one of the experienced solicitors from our panel would be happy to help you and offer guidance on how to report an accident at work.
You can get in contact with us by:
- Call us by using the number on the banner above
- Fill out our contact us form on our website
- Using the live chat feature on this page
Learn More About How To Claim For An Accident At The Workplace
If you’d like to learn more about how to report an accident at work, then you can follow the below links to more guides we’ve produced:
- Making an office accident claim
- How much could I get for slips trips and falls in the workplace?
- I tripped and fell at work – can I claim?
Additionally, you can follow these guides for external links:
Writer Louis Peach
Publisher Fern Summers
