By looking at accident at work examples, the aim of this guide is to give you the information and resources you might need if you’re deciding to make a claim for compensation. In addition to this, we look at how to report an accident at work and what supporting evidence any claim for compensation you make might need.
You may be ready to start a claim now? Anyone is free to launch a compensation claim against their employer after an injury at work that’s caused by their negligence – you don’t have to use legal representation to do so. But if you are interested in finding out more about how a panel of personal injury solicitors would calculate compensation, please get in touch. You can:
- Call our team on the contact number at the top of this page
- Contact us via our website
- Access instant help by using the ‘live support’ option bottom right
Can I Make A Compensation Claim For A Workplace Accident?
The simple answer is yes, depending on certain criteria. Under UK law, all employers have a duty to protect the health and safety of their employees as far as is reasonably practical. This means they must regularly assess their premises and procedures and do everything they can reasonably do to limit unnecessary hazards for employees.
This duty of care is outlined in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and compliance with its interpretation in the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance is important for employers. With this in mind, the foundation of a successful personal injury claim after an accident at work needs to rest on three main points:
- Did your employer have a legal duty of care to you?
- Did they breach it through something they did or failed to do?
- Were you injured as a result?
With evidence to substantiate these points, it can be possible to hold your employer liable for the associated costs to your health or finances. But it’s important to note that there are realistic limits to what an employer can be blamed for. Speak to our team for guidance.
Also, there are expectations on employees to take as much care as reasonably possible in the workplace to avoid accidents. However, if the accident was unavoidable and should not have happened, you could have an eligible claim.
How Often Do Accidents Happen At Work?
According to data from the HSE, the prevalence of work-related injury in 2020/21 was as follows:
- 1.7 million working people were suffering from a work-related illness
- 441,000 working people sustained an injury at work according to the Labour Force Survey
- 822,000 workers reported suffering from work-related stress, anxiety, or depression
- 470,000 workers had some type of work-related musculoskeletal disorder
- 142 workers died
- 51,211 injuries to employees were reported under Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
You can report an accident at work by following this brief guide.
Accident At Work Examples
Section 2 of the Health and Safety At Work etc. Act 1974 requires employers to take a proactive approach to employee safety, as well as that of any contractors or visitors to their business. This means ensuring that all staff is adequately trained, health and safety guidance is clear and accessible, and regular risk assessments spot potential hazards before they hurt someone, rather than after.
Despite this, workplace accidents can still happen. Some general examples of an accident at work include:
- Poorly maintained or serviced machinery that may trap or tear fingers or limbs
- Being required to work without correct or sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) where it’s necessary
- Objects such as badly stored heavy boxes that can fall and cause head injuries
- Lack of safety procedure training can mean an employee panics in an emergency and injures themselves or others
- Repetitive strains from doing the same activity without necessary breaks
- Lack of supervision where needed
- Unregulated handling of hazardous materials can pose a risk
- Exposure to loud noise can damage hearing
- Employees could trip over loose cables or badly stored materials in walkways or exits
What To Do If You Suffer A Workplace Injury
The accident at work examples listed above are just a few. A poorly run workplace can present all manner of other health risks to its employees such as exposure to extremes of temperature, inhalation of smoke and chemical fumes or exposure to substances that can cause cancer. With this in mind, your injuries may not present themselves immediately and take longer to manifest.
Firstly, it’s essential to get medical treatment after an accident at work. If you plan to take legal action, it’s important to gather as much detail as possible about the circumstances or causes of the incident. For a personal injury claim to succeed, you may need to:
- Request witness contact details (for statements at a later date)
- Report the incident to the designated Safety Representative
- Obtain a copy of the accident log report (legally required in all workplaces where there are 10 employees or more)
- Collect CCTV images if possible
- Access your medical records
You could sart to construct a claim for damages by keeping proof of costs to you, either independently or with the help of a personal injury solicitor to explain accident at work claims.
Accident At Work Compensation Examples
Personal injury compensation is split into 2 heads of claim. The first is general damages, which compensate you for the psychological and physical suffering you’ve endured because of third-party negligence.
Your injuries may be compared with those detailed in a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). which provides guideline compensation brackets to acknowledge pain, suffering, and the loss of amenity caused. Below is a compensation table that includes illustrative figures from the JCG.
| INJURY | SEVERITY | JC GUIDELINES AWARD BRACKET | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resulting from brain damage | Moderate (c) (i) | £150,110 to £219,070 | Injuries that impact sight or speech and reduce employment prospects. |
| Neck | Severe (a) (i) | In the region of £148,330 | Partial paralysis and severe pain despite wearing a collar. |
| Back | Severe (a) (ii) | £65,740 to £130,930 | Restricted mobility, loss of feeling, scarring. |
| Arm | Severe (a) | £96,160 to £130,930 | Injuries that fall short of amputation. |
| Pelvis & hips | Moderate (b) (i) | £26,590 to £39,170 | Significant but good recovery with lesser risk of disability or future problems. |
| Leg | Less serious (c) (i) | £17,960 to £27,760 | Good recovery from a soft tissue injury but some residual issues such as a limp. |
| Knee | Moderate (b) (i) | £14,840 to £26,190 | Torn cartilage creating wasting or weakness. |
| Ankle | Severe (b) | £31,310 to £50,060 | The need for plaster, steel pins and lengthy rehabilitation. |
| Psychiatric harm | Moderate (c) | £5,860 to £19,070 | Mental health issues that improve by the time the case is heard. |
If your injuries are comparable, you could seek compensation for a similar amount. These figures are only guides, not certain awards. For our advisors to value your claim for free, why not get in touch?
You may also experience financial damage such as lost income or the need for expensive medical adaptations due to your injuries. Special damages are a type of compensation that you can seek if you have documentation to prove these losses.
With this in mind, it’s important to retain all receipts, invoices, or other such evidence. You can present these as proof of out-of-pocket damage and possibly see these amounts reimbursed as part of your settlement. Speak to our team about whether you could claim.
Could I Make A No Win No Fee Claim?
If you decide to work with a personal injury solicitor on your workplace accident claim, you could do so under a No Win No Fee agreement. Legal arrangements such as these have numerous benefits such as:
- It costs nothing upfront to hire a A No Win No Fee solicitor
- They ask for no payment of their success fee as your case develops
- If your case fails, a No Win No Fee solicitor requires no payment of their success fee
- Should your case be successful, a maximum 25% fee from the settlement is required. However, our panel can discuss the percentage with you, so it could be lower than 25%.
You should start your workplace accident compensation request well within the 3-year time limit for such claims as outlined in the Limitation Act 1980. There are exceptions to this time limit, so get in touch to ensure you’re claiming within the correct timeframe.
We Can Help With Your Accident At Work Claim
A No Win No Fee agreement could enable you to access immediate high-quality legal representation whatever the exact example of your workplace accident. Get in touch with our team to see if you could claim:
- Call us on the number at the top of the page
- Contact us via our website
- Access instant help by using the ‘live support’ option
Find More Accident At Work Examples
- More information on avoiding slips trips or falls in the workplace
- Information on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Some other accident at work examples and how to investigate an incident
