Accidents at work
What the law says
The law says that if you have been involved in an accident at work which was not your fault and you suffer from a workplace injury you will be able to make a personal injury claim for compensation. The European Framework Directive is at the heart of that very legislation governing health and safety at work in the UK and confirms that all employers are responsible for protecting the health and safety of their employees. In fact it states that “the improvement of worker’s safety, hygiene and health at work is an objective which should not be subordinated to purely economic considerations”. I have had an accident at work, where do I go from here? Some Practical Advice
Any claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident and you will normally need a lawyer to represent you. By law, your employer must be insured to cover a successful claim. Your employer should place a certificate with the name of their employer’s insurance company where it can be seen at work. If not, they must give you the details if you need them. If you’re considering suing your employer, remember that the aim of legal damages is to put you in the position you would be in had the accident not happened – it’s not necessarily about getting hold of ‘ free’ money and it will be the Insurance Company that pays for your losses not your employer.
After an accident : Recommended steps
Report it as soon as possible to your supervisor or manager.– Ensure that the accident is accurately recorded in the accident report book. Your employer has a duty to keep a record of all accidents by law. It may certainly be required as evidence in your case. Always seek legal advice. Expert Injury Lawyers can take on these types of claims at no cost to you as they can charge the other insurers so it’s always advisable to get legal advice in relation to your accident at work. Take photographs of the place of the accident and the cause of your accident if possible. Prepare a detailed sketch plan of the incident. This should show the location of the defect and any warning signs present. Also this should show any other relevant information such as location of any witnesses.Check whether there are witnesses to the accident, if so obtain their contact details. Find out if anything similar has occurred in your workplace in the past. Seek medical treatment, if necessary. It’s advisable to retain any proof of expenses, make a list and keep receipts. Word of Warning
If you have a serious injury check with your doctor whether you should continue to work. You should not continue to work, if you are likely to exacerbate your injury. If the employer was at fault for the accident then any losses that are reasonable and caused by the accident should be recoverable from the other insurers including loss of earnings.
Always speak to a specialist Injury Lawyer for you to get the very best advice.
