Making an Office Accident Claim for Compensation

Office accidents are a common cause of accident at work claims for compensation. Office environments can be busy, and office injuries can arise due to a number of hazards which may present themselves throughout the course of the working day. If you have been involved in an accident or suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may have considered making an office accident claim. Contact Beacon law today to find out if you are eligible to claim compensation for your injury at work.

Common Causes of Office Accidents

Work accident claims are one of the most common type of personal injury claims. Many different types of accidents are likely to happen in an office, and there are various causes of these accidents, many which could have been avoided.

Beacon law have dealt with many types of office accident claim. The most common causes of these accidents include:

• Poor housekeeping – Poor housekeeping can often lead to slips, trips and falls in the office. Files of papers, power leads, and equipment may be left on the ground, leading to multiple trips and fall accidents as a result. Slip accidents are common in staff canteens, toilets, and other areas where spillages are possible, including shop floors for retail staff. A wet floor as a result of cleaning may also lead to slips for staff working in certain areas if appropriate hazard signs have not been placed to warn staff.
• Unsafe, damaged, or inadequate working equipment – Electric shocks and electrical burns are a common reason for making a claim for an office accident. These types of injuries may be incurred as the result of faulty plugs, sockets, or IT equipment. Many other types of injuries to the hands are the common result of accidents due to faulty printers. Defective chairs and desks may also result in falls and serious injuries.
• Improper training and unsafe practices – Lifting and transporting files of papers may be common practice in many offices. Lack of manual handling training and lifting equipment may lead to a number of injuries, such as back injuries, shoulder injuries and hernias. Injuries, such as a repetitive strain injury are also common as a result of overworking and improper practices at work. 

Office Accident Claim: Your Employers Responsibility

Your employer is under a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent workplace accidents. There are many pieces of legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work Act, which provide guidance for employers to keep their employees safe whilst at work. Under these pieces of legislation, your employer should:

• Ensure a safe system of work and undertake safe working practices
• Carry out regular inspections to ensure the workplace is clean, tide and free from hazards
• Carry out regular inspections on all working equipment to ensure that it is safe for use
• Provide appropriate working equipment and PPE to ensure staff carry out all tasks safely

If your employer has not carried out any reasonable steps to prevent your injury, you may be able to claim for an accident at work.

What to Do If You Suffer an Injury in the Office

If you have sustained an injury whilst working in an office, you should  report the accident to a manager or supervisor at work and ensure that they log details of the accident in an accident report book.

You should seek medical attention for your injuires as soon as possible. 

If there were any witnesses to your accident, you should try to obtain their contact details so that we can request a witness statement from them, if required. Take photographs of the scene of the accident, or the equipment that caused your injuries. We may also require photographs of your injuries.

If you decide that you would like to make an office accident claim for your injuries, get in touch with Beacon Law to discuss the process of making a claim.

Making a Claim Against Your Employer for an Office Injury

When people consider making a claim against their employer for any type of accident, they are often concerned about being dismissed or mistreated because of the claim. 

Your employer is not permitted to end your employment or to treat you any differently simply because you are making a claim against the company you work for. If you have experienced any negative treatment as a result of a claim you have brought against your employer, you should consider speaking to your trade union, Citizens Advice, or a specialist employment solicitor.

If you or a loved one would like to make an office accident claim, Beacon Law can assist you. We will discuss the circumstances of your accident and the injuries you sustained before we notify your employer of the claim. The claim will be brought against your employer who should have adequate employer’s liability insurance in place to deal with your claim.

We will keep you updated and provide specialist legal advice the whole way through your claim. If we can establish that your employer has been negligent, we will fight for the right amount of compensation for your injuries.

In most circumstances, the compensation will be paid by your employers insurance company, and not directly by your employers.

If you are unsure about whether you should make a claim, have a read of our recent articles on “Should I Make a Personal Injury Claim?” and our FAQ’s on making a workplace accident.

How Much Compensation Will I Receive for my Office Accident Claim?

If you have been injured whilst at work in an office, and you decide to make a claim against your employer, the amount of compensation calculated and awarded to you for your injuries will be reliant on the type of injury and your sustained level of pain, suffering, and loss of amenity.

It is very difficult to provide a valuation on a claim without knowing all the details of the injury. As many injuries are complex, especially those which are ongoing, it may be necessary to obtain a medical evaluation of your injuries before we can make an estimation on the value of your injuries.

The valuation of your general damages will be based on recent case law, as well as guidelines set out by the Judicial College.

In addition to your claim for compensation for your injuries, you may also be able to make a claim for additional losses, these are known as Special Damages. Your additional losses can include the following:

• Loss of earnings if you required time off due to the accident.
• Travel costs – for travel to and from medical appointments
• Parking costs at medical appointments
• Medical treatment costs
• Costs of any care received

It is important that you keep all receipts and invoices for your additional losses as these will be required to prove your loss.

Why Choose Beacon Law to Deal with your Office Accident Claim?

Beacon Law are a team of highly skilled personal injury Solicitors and legal professionals with experience in all areas of personal injury law. We offer a high level of service to all our clients and work hard to ensure you receive the best level of workplace accident compensation for your injuries. We offer assistance in a wide range of claim types, including, road traffic accidents, slips, trips, falls, and criminal injuries. Beacon Law is authorised and 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.