In this guide, we’ll be discussing the steps involved in beginning a personal injury claim after being injured because of unsafe practices at work. You can find information on the eligibility requirements, the time limit for starting legal proceedings and the evidence you can gather to strengthen your case. 

Every employer owes their employees a duty of care in the workplace and while they are carrying out their work-related tasks. If they breach this duty and you experience a physical or emotional injury as a result, this is negligence. As you move through this guide, you can find examples of unsafe working practices and how this could lead to you sustaining an injury at work.

Furthermore, this guide will discuss the compensation that could be awarded to address the impact your injuries have had on your life, physically, psychologically and financially.

Finally, our guide will provide an insight into the services the solicitors from our panel could provide to help you seek personal injury compensation and when you could be eligible to have them represent your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.

If have any questions pertaining to your potential accident at work claim, please contact an advisor. To reach them, you can:

• Contact us via our form
• Call on the number at the top of the page
• Talk with one of our advisors via the live chat feature below

When Are You Able To Claim For Being Injured Due To Unsafe Practices At Work?

To have valid grounds to begin a personal injury claim for harm caused by unsafe practices at work, you need to prove the following:

1. An employer owed you a duty of care.
2. They breached this duty.
3. You became injured, physically, psychologically, or both, as a result.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the central piece of workplace health and safety legislation that establishes the duty of care employers owe. They need to take reasonable steps that are also practicable as a way to prevent employees from becoming injured while in the workplace or as they perform their tasks.

Examples of how they could uphold this duty can include:

• Providing adequate training
• Conducting regular risk assessments
• Providing necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), such as safety goggles, gloves and a hard hat
• Ensuring any workplace equipment or machinery is safe and fit for purpose

If there is a failure to uphold their duty of care, it could lead to unsafe working practices causing an employee to sustain an injury in an accident at work.

To find out more about your eligibility to make an workplace injury claim, you can use the contact information provided above to talk with our team of advisors.

How To Claim When Injured By Unsafe Practices At Work

There are different steps you could take as part of the injury at work claims process. Firstly, it’s important to be able to prove that an employer breached their duty of care and caused you injury. To do this, you can gather evidence, such as:

• CCTV footage of the accident
• A diary of your treatment and any symptoms you experience as a result of your injuries
• Copies of any medical records produced from you seeking medical attention
• Photographs of your injury and the accident site
• Contact details of witnesses

If you’re struggling to gather evidence to support your claim, you may benefit from working with a personal injury solicitor from our panel. They have experience handling claims for injuries caused by unsafe practices at work and could help you build your case. To find out if you could be eligible to work with them, contact an advisor on the number above.

When Could Unsafe Practices At Work Cause You An Injury?

Below are some examples of how an employer carrying out unsafe practices at work could result in an employer being injured:

• Inadequate training: If an employee is instructed to carry out any manual handling tasks without proper training, it could lead to them sustaining a back injury due to using incorrect lifting techniques.
• Faulty machinery: Workplace machinery should be fit and safe for purpose. If an employer is aware of a fault with a piece of machinery in a factory but instructs their employee to use it anyway, it could lead to them sustaining a traumatic amputation injury to the arm.
• Lack of PPE: Employers should provide any necessary PPE to reduce the risk of injury where this cannot be removed. For example, it may be necessary for an employee to wear a hard hat on a construction site to reduce the risk of a head injury. If there is a failure to do so, it could lead to the employee being struck on the head by an object and sustaining moderate brain damage.
• No risk assessments: Employers should conduct regular risk assessments and take steps to reduce or remove the risk of injury posed by any hazards they become aware of. For example, if there are any wires exposed in an office that pose a risk of employees tripping and falling, these should be covered. If this is not done, it could lead to the employee sustaining a broken arm injury in a trip or fall at work.

Not all accidents at work are caused by an employer carrying out unsafe working practices. As such, it is not always possible to claim for injuries sustained in the workplace.

To discuss your specific case and find out whether you’re eligible to claim, call an advisor on the number above.

Potential Compensation Amounts For Accident At Work Claims

After making a successful claim, you could be entitled to receive two separate heads of claim. The first of these is general damages which aims to compensate you for any pain or suffering that you have experienced as a result of your injuries.  

We have created a table as a guide to general damages using guideline compensation brackets from the Judicial College Guidelines. This is a document solicitors can use to help them value your injuries. Please only use these figures as a guide, though, because your actual settlement will vary. 

Injury	Severity	Compensation	Notes
Head Injuries	(a) Very Severe	£282,010 to £403,990	The person will demonstrate little, if any, meaningful response to their environment and will have little or no language function. They will require full-time nursing care.
Injuries to the Pelvis and Hips	(a) Severe (i)	£78,400 to £130,930	Extensive fractures of the pelvis which involve a low back joint dislocation and a ruptured bladder.
Leg Injuries	(b) Severe (ii)	£54,830 to £87,890	Very serious injuries that lead to permanent problems with mobility.
Hand Injuries	(b) Serious Damage To Both Hands	£55,820 to £84,570	Injuries that have given rise to a permanent and cosmetic disability and cause loss of function of a significant nature.
Arm Injuries	(b) Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement	£39,170 to £59,860	Serious fractures of one or both forearms involving a permanent and significant residual disability.
Ankle Injuries	(b) Severe	£31,310 to £50,060	Injuries that require extensive treatment and a lengthy period in plaster.
Knee Injuries	(b) Moderate (i)	£14,840 to £26,190	Injuries involving dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus which results in mild disability.
Foot Injuries	(g) Modest	Up to £13,740	Simple fractures, ruptured ligaments and wounds that result in ongoing symptoms including pain and a permanent limp.
Toe Injuries	(d) Serious	£9,600 to £13,740	Crush or multiple fractures affecting two or more toes.
Shoulder Injuries	(c) Moderate	£7,890 to £12,770	Injuries involving limitation of movement as well as discomfort that persists for about two years.

Special Damages In A Work Injury Claim

The second head of claim you could be awarded is called special damages. This aims to reimburse you for any financial losses that you have experienced as a result of your injuries. This can include:

• Care costs
• Price of medication
• Loss of earnings
• The cost of renovations to a home 
• Travel expenses

Evidence in the form of wage slips, invoices, travel tickets and receipts can help prove any losses.

To find out more about accident at work compensation payouts, call an advisor. They can offer a free personalised estimate of your claim to give you insight into the settlement you could potentially receive following a successful claim.

Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors To Claim For A Work Injury

If you have valid grounds to begin a workplace accident claim, you may benefit from working with one of the accident at work solicitors from our panel. They can offer services such as help with gathering evidence, building your case and valuing your claim.

They can also offer to represent your claim in a No Win No Fee capacity. As such, they could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under the terms of this contract, you won’t be expected to pay for your solicitor’s work at the beginning of your claim, while it is ongoing or if it completes unsuccessfully.

If your claim is a success, your solicitor will take a percentage of your compensation. However, the amount they can take is restricted by the law. Also, you can discuss this with them before they begin working on your case.

For more information on working with a solicitor on this basis or to discuss your claim for injuries caused by unsafe practices at work, please contact an advisor. They can answer any questions you might have after reading this guide. To reach them, you can:

You can contact us by:

• Contact us via our form
• Call on the number at the top of the page
• Talk with one of our advisors via the live chat feature below

Learn More About How To Claim For An Injury At Work

For more of our helpful guides:

• What is the average compensation for a fall at work?
• Warehouse accident claims guide
• Construction accident compensation claims guide

For more helpful resources:

• GOV.UK – Statutory sick pay
• NHS – When to call 111
• Health and Safety Executive – Managing risks and risk assessment at work

Thank you for reading our guide on when you could claim for injuries caused by unsafe practices at work. If you have any other questions, please contact an advisor on the number above.

Writer Louis Peach

Editor Meg Martin