Accidents in warehouses, where forklift trucks are common, are fairly frequent and we deal with quite a large volume of claims for personal injury compensation from employers insurance after an accident at work. When it comes to forklift truck accidents, one of the most common ones is getting your foot run over by a colleague. It can be easily done.
So if you have had your foot run over by a colleague at work because they were not paying attention or were perhaps travelling too fast, what are your rights for making a personal injury compensation claim? Are you covered, and what can you claim for?
You have a good claim
First things first, prospects wise you have a fairly decent chance at winning the claim. If a colleague is negligent and causes an injury to a co-worker, you can make a claim from your employers insurance under the scope of vicarious liability. Vicarious liability simply means that the negligence of a co-worker falls on your employer. So you don’t need to worry about suing your mate at work because your employers insurance will cover you.
You’re covered for a claim
All employers have an important duty to have a policy of employer’s liability insurance that exists for the sole purpose of you making a claim from it if you are injured at work through no fault of your own. The insurance is specifically there to cover you. So again, you don’t need to worry about costing your employer thousands of pounds because generally the insurance picks up the tab – that’s what the insurers are there for!
You don’t need to worry about causing any bad blood at work – you’re covered by law for claiming and it’s nothing personal; you’re just getting the compensation you deserve that is a part of the insurance that covers you.
What can you claim for?
Having dealt with a number of forklift truck accidents when our client’s foot has been injured due to being run over, we have seen the extent of the damage that can be caused. Aside from the fairly obvious breaks and severe pain from soft tissue injuries, ligament damage and nerve damage from crushing injuries are also unfortunately common. The injuries can be devastating.
You’re entitled to claim for General Damages and Special Damages. General Damages covers you for your injury – that’s the pain, suffering, and loss of amenity caused. Special Damages covers you for losses. With these types of injuries, it’s likely you can’t work or drive but this kind of thing is covered.
You can claim for:
- Lost earnings from time off of work.
- Travel expenses for buses and taxis – make sure you retain your receipts!
- Car and assistance claims for anyone who has to help you out – which may be a lot given the nature of the injury. This could be anything from helping you around the house to taking you to your appointments.
We can also arrange for private medical care for you as well. If you need rehabilitation fast, we can normally get it sorted right at the start of the claim and charge it to the insurance company.
Give us a call on our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today for specialist help and advice.
