

Typical reasons for winning compensation if you suffer from an accident at work include faulty equipment, such as a broken ladder, dangerous machinery, such as unguarded equipment, and lack of care in ensuring a safe environment, such as leaving a loose cable which you might trip over.
Note that an employer’s liability for accidents at work extends beyond equipment and buildings. They are also expected to ensure that all employees behave appropriately and abide by any safety rules. Thus, if your work accident is caused by another employee, e.g. you are hit by a vehicle they are driving, or a building site prank went wrong, you are still entitled to claim accident compensation from your employer.
The employer is responsible for ensuring that safety regulations for specific sites are explained and observed. For example, the wearing of hard hats on a building site.
Firstly, you should make sure the event is recorded in the company accident book as a work-related accident. Check that the entry is accurate.
Don’t be persuaded to give your employer a detailed written account of the accident while you are still feeling stressed.
Ensure that, if necessary, the accident is reported to the appropriate authorities. There are strict rules governing the reporting of accidents at work.
Contact us as soon as you can, while the accident is still fresh in your mind. Work accidents may be vigorously contested, and companies will be able to get very good advice. Make sure you do the same.
You should consult a solicitor who specialises in personal injury litigation straight away. You can fill in the form on this site to send us details of your claim. It really is that simple.
Your solicitor will first discuss your claim with you in some detail. He will then make a preliminary assessment of the chances of litigation succeeding. If you both decide to proceed, he will then conduct a more detailed investigation. He may take statements from you and others who are involved, obtain medical records and assessments, and seek expert medical opinions on the case. He will also collect evidence to show how the alleged negligence contributed to your injury.
Your solicitor will then assess the claim again and advise you on the strength of your case and how best to proceed. Depending on the cause of the injury, there may be several avenues for litigation. Most commonly, those responsible for the accident will be sued in civil court. The case will be heard by a judge who will decide liability and, if you win, make an award of compensation.
If your litigation is to succeed, you must be able to prove “on the balance of probabilities” that your injury is due to negligence by another party. Note that this is a lesser degree of proof than a criminal case, and does not necessarily mean that you have to be entirely fault-free; you need only demonstrate that the other party is more than 50% responsible for your injury. If you can do this, a personal injury solicitor may well advise you proceed with litigation.
Amounts are determined on a case by case basis. In England and Wales, Judges have issued broad guideline figures for different types and degree of injury, laid down in the Judicial Studies Board Guidelines. This has been built up over the history of personal injury litigation. Information is given on this site under individual types of injury.