Accident at Work
All employers have a duty to ensure that their employees are safe at work This is the case whether you are employed by an individual, a partnership, a company, a council, a government department etc. If you are injured at work and you can show that your employer was to blame then you will be entitled to damages for your injuries and may also be able to claim for any of your out of pocket expenses such as loss of earnings. Normally a claim has to be made within 3 years of the accident occurring but there can be certain exceptions to that rule the injury only comes to light at a later date ( as can be the case with industrial diseases ) or where the injured person was under 18 at the time of the accident.
If you have been injured at work then you may be able to show that this was due to your employer’s negligence. As well as the ordinary duty that an employer has to you to make sure you are safe at work there are also many different Health and Safety Regulations and pieces of Legislation that employers have to comply with. These can include rules and laws that you should be given training in how to lift correctly or that you should be given protective clothing at work etc. The precise requirements will depend on where you work but the duties on employers to make sure that you are safe at work are generally very strict. As well as injuries sustained at work you may also be able to claim damages if your work has caused you to develop an industrial disease such as deafness, vibration white finger, some breathing related illness, RSI or any other kind of industrial disease.
If you are injured due to the fault of another employee then usually your employer will be responsible for this as employers are normally held to be responsible for the acts of all their employees. This is known as vicarious liability.
Accidents at work can occur in many different ways and can include accidents involving lifting, tripping or slipping, machines, disease, repetitive strain injuries , lack of protective clothing, inadequate training, injuries caused by fellow employees and many more.
Employers are obliged by law to carry insurance cover against claims for accidents at work and it is normally the insurance company that will actually pay any damages not your employer. If you have been injured in an accident at work and you are successful in your claim then your damages can include compensation for your pain and suffering, any lasting disability, any out of pocket expenses that you have incurred such as loss of earnings or medical expenses , any future expenses that you will incur as a result of your injuries and other areas of compensation. We can advise you as to everything that you will be entitled to claim for and our sister company, Litigation Assistance Ltd will be able to help in obtaining the best evidence to support your claim.
