Your workplace may not be as safe as you think. Indeed, statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show there were 148 fatal workplace injuries around the UK last year. Accumulatively, over 1.1 million workers were affected by a work-related illness in 2012/13, resulting in 27 million lost working days.
As you might expect, the highest rates of injury occur in the agriculture, construction and transport industries, with manual handling, slipsand falls from heights the most frequent causes of injury. However, a workplace injury needn’t necessarily involve a crash, a bang and a wallop.
Unseen conditions such as depression, stress and anxiety can all be brought on my pressures in the workplace, with the modern obsession of working until we drop evidently making its presence felt. Given that a health and safety breach is unlikely to be your fault directly then, you’re well within your rights to claim compensation for injuries sustained in the workplace, both mental and physical.
But how do you go about it? By reading our definitive guide below, of course …
Hiring an Injury Lawyer
Typically, once you’ve ascertained your employer was at fault for the accident, you must make your claim within three years and hire a solicitor to represent you.
Of course, we’ve all witnessed the adverts on television where a wooden personal injury claim lawyer urges you to pick up the phone to begin your case against your employer.
Stilted acting aside, they are actually the experts in helping you pursue your claim and, as Morrissey once said, although these things take time, they’ll offer you tons of valuable advice along the way.
Documenting the Accident
Whether you’ve caught your finger in the shredder or had your foot ran over by a John Deere tractor mower akin to the scene from Mad Men, it’s vital you document it in the accident book. Why? Because it’ll help you when you get the ball rolling on your injury claim, as it proves you followed the correct procedures. Additionally, it’ll help your employer to make changes in order to avoid the same incident happening again to you or a co-worker.
Claiming Sick Pay
When you take an extended period off work due to ill health or an accident, it’s likely you’ll only receive Statutory Sick Pay to see you through. However, if you’re lucky enough to be employed by a firm that offers contractual sick pay, you’ll receive a weightier sum to keep you going until you’re fit enough to return to work.
The Repercussions
Bringing a claim against your employer is a daunting prospect – but it’s important to remember your firm will be covered by liability insurance to protect them from such instances. Additionally, both during and after the claims process, your employer is obliged to treat you in exactly the same way as any other employee.
