I Had an Accident at Work, What Do I Need to Do?

If you find yourself wondering what to do after an accident at work then this guide could help. We hope to answer your question throughout. Here, you can learn about the legislation in place to help reduce risks to your health and safety in the workplace.

You might also ask ‘what are my rights after an accident at work?’. We examine ways in which employers could neglect the duty of care that they owe to all employees. Also, we look at ways workplace accidents could be avoided.

What to do after an accident at work guide

If you’ve been injured in an accident at work you might want to follow a workplace accident claim procedure. We explore what this might look like. Also, we look at steps you might want to take following a workplace injury to help strengthen a compensation claim.

Included in this guide are examples of potential compensation. We explore both heads that could form personal injury compensation claims. Then we take a look at what evidence might be required to claim under special damages.

Finally, if you decide you would like to claim compensation we discuss No Win No Fee arrangements. In addition, we look at why a personal injury solicitor might prove beneficial towards your claim.

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A Guide On What To Do After An Accident At Work
A Breakdown Of Workplace Accidents
What Are Examples Of Work Accidents?
How To Use An Accident At Work Compensation Calculator
What Are No Win No Fee Lawyers?
More Resources – What To Do After An Accident At Work

A Guide On What To Do After An Accident At Work

If you’ve experienced an accident at the workplace you might wonder what to do next. There’s an accident at work procedure that needs to be followed, and if you’ve been injured due to employer negligence then you may want to take steps towards making a claim.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is the central piece of legislation that governs workplace health and safety. Under the HASAWA, employers owe all employees a duty of care. This means that employers must take reasonably practical steps to reduce workplace risks. If they fail to do so and you’re injured as a result, then you might be able to file a compensation claim.

Contact our advisors 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you’ve been injured due to employer negligence.

Statistics For An Accident At Work

Statistics on injuries in the workplace are collected by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). These included 51,211 non-fatal injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) in 2020/21.

These injuries included:

456 amputations
15,159 fractures
4,368 lacerations and open wounds
14,784 sprains and strains

A Breakdown Of Workplace Accidents

If you are wondering what to do after an accident at work, we breakdown what could count as employer negligence. If an accident at work was entirely your fault, you will not be able to claim. However, if your employer breached their duty of care under the HASAWA, you might be able to claim compensation.

Reasonably practical steps to reduce workplace risks could include:

Free training. Any training required to safely carry out work-related tasks should be provided by your employer for free. A lack of training could result in injuries. If you don’t know how to use a particular piece of machinery, for example, your fingers could be crushed.
Adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). Any PPE that is needed to carry out work-related tasks should also be provided by your employer for free. Heavy-duty gloves could be provided, for example, for employees needing to use table saws. Without them, lacerations and injuries such as finger amputations could occur.
Required equipment checks. An outside inspector could come in and inspect major pieces of equipment for faults, for example. Equipment checks could also include employers training employees to spot check equipment that’s in frequent use. A frayed rope in a pulley system, for example, could result in bricks falling from a height onto an employee.

Our advisors are waiting to discuss the circumstances behind your workplace injury.

What Are Examples Of Work Accidents?

If you’re asking ‘why do accidents happen in the workplace?’, we’ve included a few examples below that we hope can answer your question:

A slip, trip and fall accident caused by inadequate signage or clutter on walkways.
Back injuries due to inadequate training surrounding manual handling.
Broken bones and head injuries due to a fall from a height.
Bruising and lacerations due to being struck by a moving object.

What to do after an accident at work can vary depending upon the nature of the injuries and the workplace. Some workplaces may have an accident at work procedure to follow. The steps you take after an accident at the workplace could help strengthen a potential compensation claim.

Following an accident at work, you could:

Seek medical attention. Medical records could be submitted as evidence should you wish to claim compensation.
Note witness details. Make a note of witness contact details, if there are any. They could provide a statement at a later date.
Request CCTV. You are within your rights to request CCTV footage of the accident that caused your injuries if any exists.
Seek accident at work advice from a solicitor. An accident at work lawyer could make the claims process feel easier. They could go through items you could gather to strengthen your claim.

Free legal advice is available from our advisors if you are wondering what to do after an accident at work.

How To Use An Accident At Work Compensation Calculator

If you are asking what you can claim after an accident at work, your claim has two potential heads; general damages and special damages. We discuss each and examples of what you could claim below.

General Damages

To compensate for your physical injuries as well as any emotional distress suffered as a result, you can receive general damages. You could be invited to an independent medical assessment. This is to gain a more accurate understanding of your injuries so that this head of your claim can be accurately assessed.

To help assign value to your injuries, solicitors refer to a document titled the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Potential compensation brackets are listed next to a range of different ailments and conditions. We’ve included examples from the latest version of the JCG published in April 2022.

Injury	Potential Compensation	Notes
Moderate brain damage (i)	£150,110 to £219,070	Severe intellectual deficit with a personality change and effect on senses. A significant epilepsy risk also.
Severe psychological injury	£54,830 to £115,730	Inability to cope with life and a negative impact on personal relationships with a very poor prognosis.
Loss of sight	£49,270 to £54,830	Complete loss of sight in one eye with some risk of sympathetic ophthalmia.
Moderate neck injuries (i)	£24,990 to £38,490	Severe immediate symptoms from fractures or dislocations.
Less severe arm injuries	£18,020 to £36,770	A degree of recovery following significant arm disabilities.
Multiple facial bone fractures	£13,970 to £22,470	Some level of permanent deformity.
Moderate knee injuries (i)	£13,920 to £24,580	Injuries that cause mild future disability such as instability, wasting or weakness.
Moderate back injuries (ii)	£12,510 to £27,760	Includes disturbance of ligaments and muscles resulting in backache and prolapsed discs.
Less severe wrist injuries	£11,820 to £22,990	Some permanent disability, such as pain and stiffness.
Chest injuries (e)	£5,320 to £12,590	Toxic fume/smoke inhalation with residual damage.

Special Damages

‘Do I get full pay after an accident at work?’ is one question you might ask yourself after a workplace injury. The answer depends on your contract and whether you are part of a work sickness scheme. However, you could claim special damages. This is the head of your claim that recovers costs, including loss of earnings, incurred as a result of your injuries. Evidence is required, such as payslips to claim for lost wages.

You could also recover costs for:

Medical expenses not covered by the NHS.
Travel expenses, for example, mileage, bus fares or taxi fares.

Speak to our advisors if you don’t know what to do after an accident at work. They can discuss with you what special damages you could claim along with what evidence to supply.

What Are No Win No Fee Lawyers?

Following an accident at work, what to do next is up to you. However, you might want to file for compensation if it was caused by negligence, and you could find the claims process easier with a solicitor.

Traditionally, legal representation can be expensive. With a No Win No Fee arrangement, there are no upfront solicitors fees. A success fee, which is legally capped, is taken from the settlements awarded in successful claims instead.

This makes legal representation accessible to everyone. A No Win No Fee arrangement could also be called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

Ask Us What To Do After An Accident At Work

If you are still unsure what to do after an accident at work, our expert advisors are waiting to discuss your injuries caused by employer negligence. Our panel of personal injury solicitors could look at eligible claims. Get in touch today for advice on how to strengthen your claim.

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