Accidents at Work

When you are injured at work, it can feel difficult to think about bringing claim.

You may feel uncomfortable alleging fault against colleagues you have known for many years, or feel you could seem ungrateful if an employer is being supportive after your injury. You may even feel like you’re putting your own employment at risk by pursuing a claim.

However, it’s important to remember that your employer carries insurance in case of these types of incidents, and that you accessing the rehabilitation you need is in the interests of both yourself and your employer.

What if you made a mistake?

The law expects that you will make mistakes at work. You spend a lot of our time at work and need to sustain your attention over long periods of time.

You may feel tired at the end of a long day and can be prone to making mistakes. This is precisely when you are at your most vulnerable – and your employer must have safe systems of work to prevent you injuring yourself, or your colleagues from injuring you when their attention slips.

If your actions were reckless, then the law may reduce your damages to take account of any risks that you have taken. However, unless you were doing something unforeseeable then the law would expect that your employer would have measures in place to protect you.

Your trade union has put you in touch with solicitors

Your trade union may pass your details to solicitors on your behalf. Trade unions usually choose a firm of solicitors based on what services they will provide their organisation, such as advice regarding employment, pay and pensions. The solicitor may deal with personal injury cases of all values and may not have much experience at dealing with life-changing injuries.

You are entitled to choose a solicitor for yourself and so you can reject the insurer’s recommendation at any time, including changing solicitors to a specialist during the course of your claim.

What if the HSE did not get a conviction?

Your employer will have reported your accident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and they may choose to investigate with a view to bringing a prosecution against your employer.

It’s important to note that whether or not the HSE is able to secure a conviction against your employer has no effect on whether you can bring a claim for compensation.

The HSE will investigate whether someone has committed a crime and will need to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

To bring a personal injury claim, you will need to show that the employer probably made a mistake or probably breached the health and safety guidance that they should have followed.

If you or a loved one has suffered a life-changing injury following an accident at work, and you would like to discuss making a claim, please contact our team on 03333 058375 or email to [email protected] today. We’re here to help you.