Accidents at work Compensation

Employers have a responsibility to their workers to maximize safety within the workplace by taking adequate safety precautions, ensuring premises, machinery and transport vehicles are not defective and are properly maintained, installing adequate lighting, providing sufficient training and supervision, and clearing waste materials regularly, among other things. If you have been involved in an accident at work and you think that your employer may have been negligent on any of these (or other) accounts, you should consult a solicitor or the citizens’ advice bureau as soon as possible.

All business owners are required to take out Employers’ Liability insurance, in order to protect both their workers and their own interests in the case of an accident at work. Employees involved in workplace accidents can claim workers’ compensation as a result of this insurance, usually fairly easily, as employers should be fully insured and therefore not be required to pay out of company funds. However, in instances where injuries are severe, long-lasting or ongoing, or when the accident has cause devastating financial loss or psychological trauma, workers’ compensation may not be sufficient, and workers may choose to sue the employer of a third party directly instead.

If you believe you have a work accident claim against your employer or a third party, you should consult a solicitor or the citizen’s advice bureau as soon as possible. Many solicitors offer a ‘No Win No Fee’ service, which minimises the individual’s financial risk, as there will be no lawyer’s fee for an unsuccessful claim.