Accidents at work are one of the most common types of personal injury claims. It is not just people in dangerous jobs or those involving high risk activities who suffer accidents at work. The most common accidents involve ordinary people doing everyday tasks.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is an independent watchdog that monitors job-related health and safety as well as illnesses that are caused by work.  The latest figures from the HSE show that in 2000/10, 28.5 million working days were lost because of work-related ill health. 5.1 million of these were caused by accidents at work.

If you have an accident at work, you should make sure that you report the accident using the reporting procedure available in your workplace. Your employer is required to keep a record of any workplace accidents by law. Your employer must also report any serious accident to the HSE.
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There are several ways of making compensation claims, and there are several companies you could enlist to help you. In fact, the world of compensation claiming can be made so confusing when you have no idea what to do or where to turn.

So – to help you out, read this guide on the best ways of making a claim, and what to look out for when deciding who should represent you.

At the end of the day, you’ve been injured at no fault of your own, and you are legally entitled to recover compensation for your injuries and losses (losses such as lost earnings or medical expenses).
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Yes – there is a time limit in which to make a claim for compensation. The limit your claim will fall in to depends on a number of general factors; so really, the best thing you can do is speak to an injury lawyer direct to find out when the limit runs out for your claim.

As a general rule – THE QUICKER YOU CLAIM, THE BETTER! Events will be fresh in your mind, and you can get access to private medical care to help you recover quicker with a good injury lawyer on board.

How Long Do You Have to Claim?
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At The Injury Lawyers we have never paid a referral fee for any of our client’s claims.  In fact, there are no circumstances under which we would pay a referral fee for a claim.  It is simply not how we operate.

A referral fee is a fee paid to a third party in return for an accident victims details where this person has been involved in an accident and likely has a potential claim for compensation.  Usually a solicitor will pay an insurer or claims management company and they will give them contact details so that they can hopefully get the victim on board to make a claim, and in the long run make money from doing so.

Typically a referral fee will cost anywhere in the region of £200 to £1,000.  By paying a referral fee a solicitor has demonstrated that they are wanting to act on your behalf to make money.  For example, your case could be worth £10,000 to £20,000 to your solicitor who has paid £1,000.  As you can see, a good profit can be made and it is in their interests to get hold of your claim at this price so that they can benefit in the future.
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When we refer to an accident at work, most people think only of a severe incident which has resulted in broken bones or worse – but accidents do not have to be as major as this and can also be psychological as well as physical.  If you have had an injury at work, it should be reported to a manager or senior within the company as soon as possible.

It is the responsibility of your employer to ensure that all staff know the health and safety rules within the workplace, and what the procedure is in the event that an accident occurs.

There should be a qualified first aider within the work place who attends to the injury, and unless the business is a very small concern, there should also be an accident book where all injuries occurring within the work place are recorded.  Employers are also responsible for reporting certain accidents/injuries to the Health & Safety Officer, and you as the employee have the right to receive sick pay if you are entitled to it.
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The cost of making a claim can run into thousands of pounds; but this should not put you off making a claim. Although your solicitor can give you an idea of whether your claim will be successful, it is rarely possible to be 100% certain unless you have been hit in the rear by another vehicle whilst stationary, or you were a passenger in a road collision.

Legal aid for most personal injury claims was abolished in 2000 and a different way of funding these claims was introduced – the no win, no fee agreement.

This is an agreement that means that, if your claim is not successful, you will not have to pay a penny to your solicitor for their fees. Under this agreement, if the claim is unsuccessful your solicitor will do the work for your claim without any payment from you for their fees;.  The way that claims are now funded means that solicitors can charge an additional fee to the defendant – a ‘success fee’ –  when they win. This extra amount is used to pay for those claims that aren’t successful. This means that there is no reason for a solicitor to charge you for their costs whether you win or lose and you should always avoid using a solicitor that will take any money out of your  compensation.
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Should I make a claim for compensation? This is a common question asked to us when we are advising people about the merits of any potential claim they think they might have. Ultimately, it’s your life, and therefore your decision – no one can take that away from you, or force you in to making a claim.

So, as the decision is entirely yours, here are a few positive reasons why making a claim for compensation is a good thing.

Compensation Payout
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At The Injury Lawyers we often come across individuals who have been involved in road traffic accidents.  In the vast majority of cases they are able to provide some details for the negligent third party and we are able to progress their claim for compensation straightaway. 

But, what if you have been involved in a road traffic accident whereby you have been injured through no fault of your own, but the other driver has no insurance?  If the negligent third party had insurance you could claim compensation from them – but this uninsured drier may not be worth suing personally.  Does this mean that you cannot make a claim for compensation?

No.  That would be unjust.  It would be highly inappropriate if it were the case that your having no insurance meant that you did not have to pay someone you have injured any compensation.  Instead, a claim for compensation is pursued through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, more commonly known simply as the ‘MIB’.  This compensation fund was set up in 1946 to provide compensation for those drivers who had been injured at the hands of an uninsured driver.  So, even where the negligent third party has no insurance, you can still be compensated for your injuries; the only difference is that the money is coming from the MIB and not the negligent driver’s insurers which it typically would.
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Asbestos is a group of long fibre minerals that were used in many buildings in the 20^th century. It is often used in ceiling tiles and was even used in brake pads. It has been illegal to use in the UK since 1999 and is now illegal in EU member states. However, it still exists in many buildings throughout the UK, so care needs to be taken; particularly for builders working in buildings with asbestos.

When the asbestos is undamaged it apparently poses no risk to your health. However, even the slightest damage, such as a chip, can cause it to start releasing dust particles. These dust fibres can then be breathed in by everyone in the building. It is this dust that carries many health risks as it works its way into your lungs and causes potentially serious damage.
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If your holiday abroad is ruined because of an accident or illness that is caused by the negligence of someone else, it is possible that you could still make a successful claim here in the UK.

In general, if you have an accident abroad, you would usually only be able to claim compensation by making a claim in that country under their laws. This can be very difficult and expensive – especially if the legal representatives in that country do not work on a no win, no fee basis. There are often language barriers, the law may be completely different, and you may have difficulty dealing with a legal representative who could be thousands of miles away.
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