Building Site Accident Compensation Claims

If you’ve been involved in a building site accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to claim compensation. Throughout this guide, you can find out what a building site accident claim is, potential compensation amounts, and the steps you can take to seek compensation. 

building site accident

Building site accident claims guide

If you’d like more information on your building site accident compensation claim, get in touch today by:

  • Writing to us via our online form
  • Using the live chat button at the bottom of the screen
  • Calling the number above

Choose A Section

  1. What Is A Building Site Accident Claim?
  2. Examples Of Accidents On Building Sites
  3. What To Do If Injured In A Construction Site Accident
  4. Compensation Amounts For Building Site Accident Claims
  5. Where Could I Find A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
  6. More Information About Building Site Accident Claims

What Is A Building Site Accident Claim?

A building site accident claim is one of the different types of personal injury claims. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is a key piece of health and safety legislation that outlines the responsibilities your employer has.

They all have a duty of care to uphold, which means that they must take all reasonable actions to create a safe working environment. When you suffer an injury due to your employer breaching this duty of care, you may be eligible to claim compensation.

Building sites often have their own health and safety policies alongside HASAWA. For example, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 outlines the general duties of the person in charge of a project.

However, in some cases, the legislation may not be adhered to and a responsible person may fail to uphold their duty of care. If a similar incident has happened causing you harm, you could seek compensation.

To learn more about building site accident claims, get in touch with our advisors now by using the live chat feature at the bottom of the screen.  

Statistics For Building Site Injuries

Employers are required to report certain accidents, incidents and injuries under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).

In 2020/2021, provisional statistics showed that there were 3,464 non-fatal injuries in the construction industry reported under RIDDOR. Of those injuries, 64% required more than seven days’ leave from work.

However, the nature of these incidents is not provided. For that reason, they could have various causes and not all of them may have been caused by employer negligence.

Examples Of Accidents On Building Sites

There are many ways that accidents can happen on building sites, even with health and safety policies in place. Here are some examples of how accidents can happen on building sites following a breach of duty:

Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): In some instances, your employer must provide you with free and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) that’s necessary. For example, when you work on a building site, your employer might have implemented all other reasonable measures to remove the risk of falling objects but the risk still remains.

As the risk is still present, your employer must provide you with the necessary PPE, such as a hardhat. If they fail to do so, you could be struck by a falling object and sustain a head injury at work.

Lack of Risk Assessments: Risk assessments are required by law to assess and contain any potential hazards on a worksite. For example, if your building site has a lifting operation, a risk assessment should be carried out surrounding the site, the crane, and the workers to ensure that any potential hazards are found and corrected.

Lack of Training:  All employees should be provided with free, up-to-date training relevant to their job role. For example, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) states that employers are responsible for providing the correct training for employees surrounding hazardous substances, including materials such as cement, lead, and carbon monoxide.

If you think you could be eligible for a building site accident claim, get in touch with our advisors today. Follow the information at the top of the screen to learn more.

What To Do If Injured In A Construction Site Accident

You will be asked to prove that your employer has acted negligently when you begin your building site accident claim. Here are some tips on how to prove a personal injury claim:

  • Seek medical attention: This is first and foremost important to make sure you get the help you need when you need it, but it can also help support your case. Your claim could be supported with any notes or reports made by a medical professional.
  • Request CCTV footage: If your job site has CCTV, you can request footage of the accident or negligent act that led to the accident from your employer.
  • Collect witness contact details: Talk to your coworkers or any other witnesses to the accident and collect their details. If you hire a solicitor, your solicitor can gather any witness statements to support your case. 
  • Get free legal advice: Get in touch with our advisors today to see if our panel of personal injury lawyers can help by following the information at the top of this screen. A solicitor could benefit you by helping you obtain relevant evidence for your case. 

Compensation Amounts For Building Site Accident Claims

If your building site accident claim is successful, you may be awarded compensation for your physical or psychological injuries. Compensation for your injuries is awarded under general damages.

The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is a publication that provides compensation brackets for various types of harm. The JCG may be used to help when valuing your injuries alongside any medical evidence or reports. 

The table below includes figures from the JCG. These brackets are guidelines, not guarantees, so please only use them as a guide. 

Injury TypeCompensation BracketNotes
Moderate Brain Damage (i)£140,870 to £205,580Cases where there is a moderate to severe intellectual deficit, a change in personality, an impact on the sight or senses with a significant risk of epilepsy.
Injuries affecting sight£46,240 to £51,460The person will have completely lost their sight in one eye.
Deafness or Tinnitus£27,890 to £42,730Partial Hearing Loss or/and Tinnitus: (i) Cases of severe noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.
Asbestos-Related Diseases£65,710 to £118,150Cases of mesothelioma that causes severe pain, impairs function and impacts quality of life.
Moderate Neck Injuries (i)£23,460 to £36,120Cases such as fractures or dislocations whch cause severe and immediate symptoms and may necessitate spinal fusion.
Moderate Back Injuries (ii) £11,730 to £26,050Cases of frequently encountered injuries such as disturbed ligaments and muscles causing backache, soft tissue injury, and prolapsed discs.
Minor Shoulder Injuries (ii)£2,300 to £4,080Cases of soft tissue injury with considerable pain and a mostly complete recovery within a year.
Serious Damage to Both Hands£52,310 to £79,360Cases of significant loss of function and permanent cosmetic disability in both hands.
Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers£58,100 to £85,170Cases in which the hand is rendered of little use and any grip that remains will be weak.
Moderate Ankle Injury£12,900 to £24,950This might include fractures and tears to ligaments that cause less serious disabilities.

In addition, you might be entitled to special damages. This covers any financial losses you may suffer directly due to your injury. For example, expenses like travel costs or child care while you recover. However, you will need to provide proof, so it’s a good idea to keep any bills or invoices during this time.

Special damages can also cover loss of earnings if your injury is serious enough to put you out of work. For example, if you sustain a hand injury at work that reduces your future employment prospects, you could be able to claim back any future earnings you might lose as well as any past losses already incurred. 

If you have any more questions about your building site accident compensation claim, get in touch with our advisors today.

Where Could I Find A No Win No Fee Solicitor?

You do not need to hire legal representation to make a building site accident compensation claim. However, a No Win No Fee solicitor could offer several benefits. 

When you hire a personal injury solicitor under a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that you won’t have to pay any upfront fees to your solicitor.

If your claim succeeds, your solicitor will take a legally capped percentage of your compensation, known as the success fee. However, if your claim fails, you will not have to pay the success fee to your solicitor.

Get in touch with our advisors now to see if a No Win No Fee agreement is right for you by following the information below.

Contact Us To Make A Building Site Accident Claim

If you’ve been in a building site accident and think you could claim compensation, our team of expert advisors can help. Although we have aimed to cover the information you need, we understand you may need more information.

Get in touch now by:

  • Filling out our online claim form
  • Using the live chat button at the bottom of the screen
  • Calling the number above

More Information About Building Site Accident Claims

If you have more questions about building site accident claims, contact our advisors today. Alternatively, you can also find additional resources below.

We also have a bunch of guides on accident at work claims which you can read below:

We hope this guide has helped. However, if you have any additional questions on making a building site accident claim, call our team on the number above.