Fatal injuries at work

Injuries happen in the workplace every day, but most people will recover from their injuries after a period of rest or following medical intervention. Sadly, some accidents at work cause fatal injuries to workers.

Over the years, work environments have become much safer as health and safety laws have improved. However, rules and regulations are not always followed as closely as they should be, leading to a vast number of fatal injuries. In many cases, a fatal injury will be caused by an employer’s negligence or lack of adequate training and safety procedures.

Compensation may be the last thing on your mind following the loss of a loved one; however, you have a right to seek compensation if someone else was to blame for their death. If your loved one has been killed at work, you may be able to make a claim for fatal injuries at work compensation.

Common accidents that lead to fatal injuries at work

Work related fatal accidents, unfortunately, claim the lives of many individuals each year. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) implements occupational health and safety measures to protect workers and keeps track of the rate of fatal injuries at work that occur each year. According to the HSE, 138 worker deaths occurred in Great Britain during the 2023/24 period and 87 members of the public were killed in work-related accidents.

Some of the most common types of accidents that result in fatal injuries at work include:

• Falls from Height: This remains one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities. Falls from ladders, roofs, scaffolding, and other elevated surfaces can have devastating consequences.
• Being Struck by a Moving Vehicle: Accidents involving vehicles, such as forklifts, cars, and trucks, can result in serious injuries and fatalities.
• Being Struck by a Moving Object: This includes incidents where workers are struck by falling objects, flying debris, or moving machinery parts.
• Trapped by Something Collapsing or Overturning: Accidents involving collapsing structures, equipment, or materials can lead to fatal injuries.
• Contact with Moving Machinery: Contact with dangerous machinery parts can cause severe injuries and death.

Time limits to making a fatal injury at work claim

Typically, you have three years from the date of an accident to make a claim for personal injury.

If you have lost a loved one due to an accident at work, then you will have three years from the date of their death, or the date it was discovered their fatality was due to an incident at work.

If you would like to discuss the limitation period with one of our accident at work solicitors then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.

Why choose Beacon Law?

Beacon Law is a leading personal injury law firm that offers a range of personal injury claim services to our clients, including fatal injury at work claims. We provide a high level of service to all our clients and work hard to ensure they receive the appropriate treatment and highest level of compensation for their injuries.

Proving an accident at work claim

In order to be successful in an accident at work claim, you will need to provide some evidence to prove that your accident happened as you have alleged, and that your accident resulted in the injuries you have suffered. The types of evidence that you may be required to provide can include:

• Witness statements from other employees present at the time of the accident.
• Photographs of the area of your accident or photos of the defective equipment that caused your accident.
• Your copy of the accident report (if you were provided with this).
• CCTV footage of your accident (we are likely to request this from your employer).
• Photographs of your injuries.
• Copies of any medical records or hospital letters.
• Receipts showing any treatment/ medication costs or other expenses incurred.

How long will it take to settle my case?

It is very difficult to predict how long it will take to settle any case. If your case is straight-forward, your injuries are minor, and your employer admits liability within the required time frames, it should take around 6-9 months to settle your claim. The claims process is not always straight-forward and there are many factors which could cause a delay in settling you claim, such as an unresponsive defendant, difficulties in obtaining evidence, and serious, complicated injuries.

The timescales from the initiation of a claim to obtaining compensation will vary depending on whether your employer admits or denies liability for your accident. The seriousness of your injuries may also have an impact on the amount of time it will take for us to settle your claim.

No win, no fee accident at work claims

We offer all claims on a no win, no fee basis. These claims allow personal injury solicitors and their legal team to proceed with your claim with no up-front legal costs to be paid. Throughout the compensation claim process, there will be no hidden charges or payments required from the injured person.

This type of agreement helps the injured party focus on recovering from their injures without stressing about the financial risks.

If your claim is successful, you will only be required to pay a small amount from your final damages to your solicitor for their a success. These costs will be calculated as a percentage and will be discussed with you before legal proceedings start. This payment is to compensate your solicitor for their time and work put into assisting on your case.

You may also be required to pay a small fee for ATE insurance from your compensation award if your case is successful. This will all be explained to you by your solicitor before you agree to start your personal injury claim.

If your case is unsuccessful, unfortunately, you will not receive any compensation; however, you will not be required to pay us a penny.

Should I go back to work after an accident?

If you are well enough to go back to work, you should return to your workplace. If you are well enough to return to work, but decide not to, you will be unable to recover your loss of earnings for this time off when it comes to settling your claim.

If you are making a claim against your employer, you may feel awkward or uncomfortable when returning to work; but you shouldn’t feel this way. Your employer breached their duty of care towards you and caused you to sustain an injury, therefore, you are entitled to make a claim against them.

The law is on your side in this regard and your employer should not treat you negatively because you are making a claim against them.

Why Choose Beacon Law?

Beacon Law provides a team of highly experienced Solicitors and legal professionals. We provide a high level of service to all our clients and work hard to ensure you receive the highest level of accident at work compensation for your injuries. We are specialist Personal Injury solicitors with expertise in all types of claims, including, road traffic accidents, slips, trips, falls, and criminal injuries. Beacon Law is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. To find out about our no win, no fee funding, have a look at the funding section on our website.

If you have a query regarding making an accident at work claim, please do not hesitate to get in touch and we will be happy to discuss your claim with you, without any obligations.

We deal with all types of personal injury and workplace accident claims. The legal matters which we deal with on a no win, no fee basis, include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Accidents at Work
• Slips, Trips and Falls
• Road Traffic Accidents
• Animal Attacks
• Medical Negligence
• Professional Negligence
• Criminal Injury Claims (CICA)
• Catastrophic Injuries

For a free, no obligation initial discussion, contact us using the form at the top of the page or using our live chat facility. Alternatively, you can call us directly on 0330 1332 857.