Mr Rogers was an HGV driver who injured his arm and back whilst at work. He was unable to return to work for almost 2 years after the accident. He successfully sued his employers and was awarded compensation totalling 39,000.00. What should you do if you have had an accident and been injured whilst at work?

First of all you should know that employers are obliged to ensure that your workplace is safe for their employees and to ensure that the risk of accidents is kept to a minimum. The regulations are wide ranging and it is likely that any injury sustained whilst in the course of your employment could give rise to a claim for compensation even if the accident and subsequent injuries were caused by a co-worked or visitor to the workplace.

All accidents must be reported to either a supervisor or the member of staff responsible for health and safety. An entry must then be made in the accident book. Employers are obliged by law to keep an accident book and to ensure all reported accidents are entered in it. Furthermore all workplace accidents must be reported to the health and safety department of the local council. You should of course also seek immediate treatment from the nominated first aider who will then assess if you require hospital treatment. The next step is for you to fill in the accident at work section of the claim assessment form and within 24 hours one of our solicitors will contact you to fully assess your claim.

If you have had an accident at work within the last 3 years and it can be proven that your employer has breached any of the duties owed to you then it is possible to make a claim for compensation. Damages based on your injury and other factors such as lost income may be successfuly awarded . Most work accidents are as a result of slips and falls on work premises or injuries sustained whilst handling heavy items. A certain amount of claims arise out of injuries caused by defective and dangerous equipment or because of fundamentally dangerous work processes often associated with a lack of proper supervision and training.

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