You may be eligible to claim if you’ve suffered a serious injury at work after your employer breached the duty of care they owed you. Our guide looks at the criteria you must meet to start a claim.
Serious injury at work claims guide
Moreover, we provide guidance on the steps you could take as part of the personal injury claims process, including the evidence you could collect to support your work injury claim.
In addition, this guide will explore examples of how a serious injury could be sustained in the workplace and how the severity of your injury is one of the factors that can influence the payout your receive after making a successful claim.
If you’ve suffered harm in an accident at work, No Win No Fee solicitors could help you. We provide information on the kinds of agreements they could offer and how they could benefit you financially.
If you are interested in the process of making a claim for an injury at work, please continue to read our guide. Alternatively, you can contact us by:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8805
- Starting your claim online
- Using our live chat feature.
Choose A Section
- When Can I Claim For A Serious Injury At Work? – A Guide
- What Could I Receive From A Claim For A Serious Injury At Work?
- Work Injury Claims – When Are You Eligible To Claim?
- Evidence That Could Help You Claim For An Injury At Work
- Why Claim For A Serious Injury At Work On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Learn More About Work Injury Claims
When Can I Claim For A Serious Injury At Work? – A Guide
Injuries sustained at work can vary in severity. Some of the more serious injuries can include those that lead to permanent health issues or a prolonged recovery or treatment period that could result in absence from work. Examples can include:
- Severe broken or fractured bones
- Crush injuries
- Amputations
- Severe lacerations
- Serious psychological injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder
If you are eligible to claim, the severity of your injury is one of the factors that can influence the payout you receive. Other factors, such as the treatment period, future prognosis and the overall impact on your quality of life will also be considered.
To learn more about whether you could be eligible to receive compensation by making a work injury claim, continue reading. Alternatively, get in touch using the number above.
What Could I Receive From A Claim For A Serious Injury At Work?
After sustaining a serious injury at work, you may wonder what you could possibly receive in compensation. General damages are one of the heads of claim you could receive. These cover the physical and psychological pain and suffering you have experienced because of your injuries.
The Judicial College Guidelines can assist workplace injury solicitors in valuing injuries. These figures have been included in the table below but they are not guaranteed and should only be used as guidance. This is because the outcome of your claim may vary as compensation can depend on numerous factors.
If you cannot see your injury listed in the table below, you could use our injury at work claim calculator to estimate potential payouts.
| Injury | Notes | Value |
|---|---|---|
| (a) Quadriplegia | Age, extent of residual movement, degree of independence, and ability to communicate are factors considered. | £324,600 to £403,990 |
| (b) Paraplegia | Degree of pain, independence and life expectancy are considered when valuing the amount awarded. | £219,070 to £284,260 |
| (a) Very Severe Brain Damage | The person requires full-time nursing care. | £282,010 to £403,990 |
| (a) Arm Amputations (i) | Both arms are lost. | £240,790 to £300,000 |
| (a) Leg Amputations (i) | Both legs are lost. | £240,790 to £282,010 |
| (a) Severe Back Injury (i) | Severe damage to spinal cord and nerve roots. | £91,090 to £160,980 |
| (a) Severe Neck Injury (i) | Incomplete paraplegia or permanent spastic quadriparesis. | In the region of £148,330 |
| (a) Facial Disfigurement | Very severe scarring affecting typically younger claimants. | £29,780 to £97,330 |
| (b) Severe Leg Injuries (ii) | Very serious injuries causing permanent mobility issues. | £54,830 to £87,890 |
| (b) Hand Injury | Serious damage to both hands. | £55,820 to £84,570 |
Special Damages Compensation In A Workplace Accident Claim
When making an accident at work claim, you may also be eligible to receive special damages. These aim to restore you back to the financial position you were in prior to your serious injury at work. These damages cover the monetary losses you have experienced due to your injuries.
Examples of these types of losses include:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel costs
- Medical expenses
- The cost of adaptations made to your home
When claiming these forms of loss, you should have evidence to prove that you incurred these expenses. Evidence can include:
- Bank statements or payslips to show a reduction in earnings
- Bus or train tickets to show the costs of transportation
- Receipts or invoices as proof of purchasing medication and paying for home adaptations
Work Injury Claims – When Are You Eligible To Claim?
Your employer owes you a duty of care while you are in the workplace or performing work-related duties. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states that your employer should take reasonably practicable steps to minimise the risk of you experiencing harm.
A failure to uphold this duty of care could result in an employee sustaining a serious injury at work. If this happens, it is known as employer negligence.
There are numerous reasons why you could suffer an injury due to an employer breaching their duty of care, such as:
- Lack of training: An employee may not have received the necessary training for operating a specific piece of machinery, such as a forklift truck. As a result, they may be involved in a forklift accident and suffer a knee injury.
- Lack of risk assessments: Slips, trips, and falls could occur if an employer fails to carry out regular risk assessments to address any hazards in the work space. As a result, an employee may have slipped on a wet floor due to a lack of signposting and suffer a head injury.
- Insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE): You may have had to handle hazardous substances as a part of your job and suffer a hand injury, such as dermatitis, due to a lack of necessary PPE.
Not all instances of an accident at work will form the basis of a valid claim. In order to seek compensation, you must demonstrate that employer negligence occurred.
Evidence That Could Help You Claim For An Injury At Work
After sustaining an injury from an accident at work, what to do next may be something you are wondering about.
Firstly, it’s important to seek medical attention. This can ensure you receive the correct diagnosis and treatment for your injuries. In addition, it can provide medical evidence in the form of records from your doctor or the hospital. This can be used to support your claim.
Additionally, when making a claim for a serious injury at work, you should have sufficient evidence in order to further support your case. This can include:
- CCTV footage of the accident
- Photographs of your injuries
- Witness contact details
Furthermore, you might find it beneficial to hire a solicitor to help you throughout the work injury claim process. They can assist you in acquiring these forms of evidence. They can also ensure you begin the process of seeking compensation within the relevant time limits.
To learn more about what you can do after sustaining harm at work, please get in touch on the number above.
Why Claim For A Serious Injury At Work On A No Win No Fee Basis?
A No Win No Fee agreement may be financially beneficial to you when making a claim for a serious injury at work. There are different types, including a Conditional Fee Agreement which could be offered to you by a workplace injury solicitor from our panel.
This typically means that if your case is unsuccessful, you will not be obliged to pay for your solicitor’s services. This is one of the notable financial benefits of making a claim on this basis.
In the event that your claim is successful, your solicitor can take a success fee. This means that they will take a deduction from your compensation; however, this is legally capped, so there is no concern about overcharging.
Contact Us 24/7 To See If You Could Receive Workplace Injury Compensation
Don’t hesitate to contact us about claiming for your serious injury at work. Our team of advisors are available 24/7 to answer your queries. They may also be able to assign a solicitor from our panel to represent your claim.
You can reach us by:
- Calling us on 0800 073 8805
- Starting your claim online
- Using our live chat feature.
Learn More About Work Injury Claims
If you found our guide useful, please click the links below to explore more of our articles:
- Cutting Injury At Work Claims
- How To Claim Compensation For A Concussion At Work
- How To Claim For An Industrial Injury
For further information, please use the external resources provided below:
- First Aid – NHS
- Manual Handling At Work – HSE
- Statutory Sick Pay – Government guidance
Thank you for reading our guide on how much you could claim for a serious injury at work. If you have any other questions, please get in touch by using the details we have provided above.
Writer Emily Moon
Editor Meg Matthews