Work accident compensation claims

If you have been injured in an accident at work as a result of your employer’s negligence, you may be able to make a work accident compensation claim for your injury and its financial consequences.

The law requires employers to protect their employees from foreseeable accidents and injury. They can do this by creating and maintaining a safe working environment and safe systems of work, regularly assessing risks, and providing the training, protective clothing and equipment that their employees need to do their job. They owe their employees a general duty of care to prevent foreseeable accidents and injury, but must also comply with multiple, statutory health and safety (H&S) standards and guidelines, including those set out in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and a set of regulations which are known as ‘The Six Pack’.

The key regulations include:

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
• Manual Handling Operations Regulations – on lifting and handling of heavy loads;
• Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations – on use of computer keyboards and screens;
• Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations – on working environment, e.g. seating, lighting, heating, windows, rest areas, washing facilities, changing rooms, fire escapes;
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations – on maintaining equipment and training;
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations – on training and use of PPE equipment.

Where an employee is injured as a result of the employer’s failure to comply with these regulations, this can help provide evidence that the employer was negligent and prove liability in our client’s injury compensation claim.

Workplace accidents can sometimes be dismissed as carelessness, with the employee encouraged to assume that their injury was their own fault. However, if the accident was caused wholly or partly by the employer’s negligence, the injured employee may be entitled to substantial compensation.