Injury at Work Lawyer: Our team of experts

Injury at work lawyers

Injury at work claims are a crucial aspect of occupational health and safety, providing employees with a means to seek compensation for injuries sustained in the workplace.

Workplace injuries can occur in any industry and encompass a wide range of incidents, from minor accidents to severe, life-altering events. Common types of workplace injuries include slips, trips, falls, machinery accidents, repetitive strain injuries, and exposure to hazardous substances.

When an employee is injured at work, the repercussions can extend beyond physical pain, impacting their ability to work and leading to financial strain. If you have been injured in an accident at work as the result of someone else’s negligence, contact us today. Beacon Law are a specialist injury at work lawyers firm who can assist you in making a personal injury claim if you have been injured at work.

Please get in touch with out accident at work compensation solicitors today at 0330 1332 857 to find out how our injury at work lawyers can assist you through the claims process.

Suffering an injury at work

Workplace accidents can occur in various industries and environments, often leading to personal injury claims if an employer’s negligence or failure to provide a safe working environment is involved. Below are some of the most common types of accidents at work that frequently lead to compensation claims:

Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents

• Common Causes: Wet or slippery floors, uneven surfaces, loose cables, poor lighting, or cluttered walkways.
• Common Injuries: Sprains, fractures, head injuries, and back injuries.

Manual Handling Injuries

• Common Causes: Lifting heavy objects, poor manual handling techniques, or lack of appropriate training.
• Common Injuries: Back strains, muscle tears, hernias, and repetitive strain injuries (RSI).

Falls from Height

• Common Causes: Working on ladders, scaffolding, roofs, or elevated platforms without proper safety measures.
• Common Injuries: Broken bones, spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, or even fatalities.

Being Struck by Falling Objects

• Common Causes: Poorly secured items on shelves, tools falling from heights, or improperly stored materials.
• Common Injuries: Head injuries, concussions, or injuries to the shoulders, neck, or back.

Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)

• Common Causes: Performing repetitive tasks, such as typing, using a computer mouse, or assembly line work, without adequate breaks.
• Common Injuries: Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Machinery Accidents

• Common Causes: Lack of safety guards, inadequate training, or improper maintenance of machinery.
• Common Injuries: Lacerations, crush injuries, amputations, or severe burns.

Vehicle-Related Accidents

• Common Causes: Operating forklifts, delivery trucks, or other vehicles in unsafe conditions or without proper training.
• Common Injuries: Whiplash, fractures, or soft tissue injuries.

Exposure to Harmful Substances (Occupational Diseases)

• Common Causes: Inadequate protective gear, lack of ventilation, or improper handling of hazardous chemicals.
• Common Conditions: Respiratory diseases, dermatitis, asbestosis, or chemical burns.

Electrical Accidents

• Common Causes: Faulty wiring, lack of proper electrical insulation, or improper use of electrical equipment.
• Common Injuries: Electrical burns, shocks, or electrocution.

Crush Injuries and Trapping Incidents

• Common Causes: Working with heavy machinery, collapsing structures, or poorly maintained equipment.
• Common Injuries: Broken bones, internal injuries, or amputations.

Workplace Violence

• Common Causes: Assaults by coworkers, customers, or even intruders in a workplace setting.
• Common Injuries: Physical injuries, stress, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

• Common Causes: Prolonged exposure to loud machinery or environments without proper ear protection.
• Common Conditions: Tinnitus or permanent hearing loss.

 

Employer’s responsibilities

In England and Wales, employers have a duty of care to their workforce and are legally obligated to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees, as well as others affected by their business activities.

First and foremost, under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers must ensure the overall health, safety, and welfare of their employees. This includes providing a working environment that is safe and free from health risks. Employers are responsible for ensuring that all workplace equipment, such as machinery, tools, and vehicles, is safe to use and regularly maintained. Additionally, workspaces should be kept clean, orderly, and free of potential hazards like spills, clutter, and obstructions.

To protect employees from workplace dangers, employers are required to carry out regular risk assessments. These assessments help identify potential hazards, and once these hazards are identified, appropriate steps must be taken to minimize risks and safeguard employees. If a business employs five or more people, it must document these risk assessments and review them on a regular basis to ensure they remain effective.

Employers must also provide employees with adequate training to ensure they understand how to perform their tasks safely. This training should be ongoing and updated whenever new equipment, procedures, or changes in the workplace occur. Clear instructions and proper supervision are necessary, especially for new or inexperienced staff, to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

If hazards cannot be eliminated by other means, employers are required to provide employees with suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) such as helmets, gloves, or eye protection. Employers are also responsible for ensuring that this equipment is properly maintained, cleaned, and replaced as needed. Employees should be trained on the correct use of PPE to ensure its effectiveness.

Employers handling hazardous substances must comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002. This involves assessing and controlling employee exposure to hazardous materials such as chemicals, dust, or fumes. Measures like ventilation systems or the provision of PPE can protect workers. Employers must also train their staff on the safe handling, storage, and disposal of these substances.

In cases where workplace incidents occur, employers must comply with the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013. This requires reporting certain workplace incidents, including serious injuries, diseases, and dangerous occurrences, to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Employers should also keep records of all workplace accidents and incidents, even those that are not formally reportable under RIDDOR.

Failure to meet these responsibilities can have serious consequences. Employers may face fines and penalties imposed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), along with compensation claims from employees who are injured or suffer health issues due to workplace negligence. In severe cases, criminal prosecution may occur, especially if serious injury or fatalities result from non-compliance. Employers who fail to adhere to these obligations may also suffer reputational damage and face increased insurance premiums.

What should you do if you have been injured at work?

If you are unfortunate enough to have been involved in a workplace accident, it is important that you begin by reporting the accident to your manager. It is also important to ensure that details of your accident are recorded in the accident book at your workplace. It is a legal requirement to have a work accident book and reporting the accident will be vital evidence in your accident at work compensation claim.

Following the workplace accident, we also recommend that you gather further evidence of the accident. You should also contact any relevant insurance companies and notify them of the accident. You should not feel worried about making a claim against your employer as they will have employer’s liability insurance to protect them from personal injury claims.

You should seek medical attention as soon after the workplace accident as possible; recording details of your accident in official medical records will significantly strengthen your claim of compensation for an injury. At Beacon Law, we have a team of accident at work solicitors who specialise in accident claims, so get in touch today to begin your claim for compensation.

It is recommended that you seek legal advice from a solicitor before agreeing to anything with your employer following the workplace accident.

How much compensation could you receive?

In England and Wales, compensation for workplace accidents depends on the injury’s severity, impact on your life, and financial losses. Compensation is divided into general damages and special damages.

General damages cover pain, suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life caused by the injury. This includes physical pain, emotional distress, and the impact on daily activities. The amount varies; for major and more serious injuries you can expect a higher amount of general damages.

Special damages are awarded to cover financial losses due to the injury, such as lost earnings, medical expenses, travel costs, and any necessary home adaptations. For instance, if your injury prevents you from working for several months, you can claim for loss of earnings and the costs of any ongoing care.

How long do you have to make an injury at work claim

In England and Wales, the time limit for making a claim for a workplace injury is generally three years from the date of the accident. This time limit is set by the Limitation Act 1980 and applies to most personal injury claims. If you do not begin your claim within this three-year window, you may lose the right to seek compensation.

However, there are exceptions to this rule:

1. Date of Knowledge: If the injury or illness was not immediately apparent (for example, in cases of industrial diseases like asbestosis or repetitive strain injuries), the three-year time limit starts from the date you became aware that your condition was work-related. This is known as the “date of knowledge.”
2. Minors: If the injured person was under 18 at the time of the accident, the three-year limit begins when they turn 18. Therefore, they have until their 21st birthday to make a claim.
3. Mental Incapacity: If the injured person lacks mental capacity, there is no time limit until they regain capacity.
4. Industrial disease: if your injury was caused by an industrial disease, such as asbestos-related illness, the three-year clock may not start until you become aware of the link between your illness and your work.

No win, no fee injury at work lawyers

We offer accident at work claims on a ‘no win no fee’ basis. This means that you are unlikely to be required to pay any fees if your case is unsuccessful. If your case is successful, our success fee will be deducted from your damages on conclusion of your case. The success fee is capped at 25%.

We always offer our no win, no fee agreement in conjunction with an ATE insurance policy so that you will not incur any personal liability for your opponent’s costs if the claim were to fail.

If you lose, you will not be required to pay for the insurance. If your claim is successful, you will be responsible for the payment of our success fee and the insurance premium which would be deducted from your final award of compensation.

More details can be provided around our retainer and ATE insurance premium during your initial consultation. Have a look at our funding section for more details.

How can our injury at work lawyers assist?

If you have suffered an accident at work, a compensation claim may help you to get your life back on track. Beacon Law is a leading law firm of accident at work solicitors, offering expert legal advice and a range of personal injury claim services to our clients. 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.

Our injury lawyers provide all accident at work claims on a no win no fee basis. This means that we can help you get the compensation you deserve without you having to worry about the costs of making a claim.

If you require advice for an injury at work claim, please contact our injury at work lawyers on 0330 1332 857. Alternatively, please complete our online form, and one of our injury at work solicitors will contact you to help you start your claim.

Beacon Law are a Solicitors registered in England and Wales with our registered office based in Manchester. We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.