What is the procedure to claim for Accident at Work Compensation?
If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident at your place of work, which was the fault of your employer, you may be able to start the compensation claims process if the incident resulted in you sustaining an injury. If you would like to start the accident at work compensation claims process you will need to prove that your injury was caused as a direct result of the negligence of a third party – if you appoint the services of a personal injury lawyer, they will be able to use the expertise to help you compile your evidence and present it to the third party’s insurers.
Work Accident Claims Solicitors can provide you with an experienced and dedicated solicitor who will work hard on your behalf to ensure the best possible solution to your claim is achieved. For making work accident compensation claim, the best possible resolution is that you receive general damages compensation for your physical suffering and special damages compensation that accurately reflects your financial losses and/or expenses.
General damages is the element of a compensation award that makes provisions for a workplace accident victims’ physical suffering and loss of amenity. If, for example, if it took several months to recover from your workplace injury, and you were unable to carry out your daily activities, your compensation must precisely reflect this.
Special damages is the element of a compensation award that provides recompense for any financial losses or expenses. If, for example, you were unable to work for a significant period of time and you lost your income as a result, you would be able to claim back the income you should have received. If you require full-time medical care or any special adaptations to your home, you will be able to claim this under the special damages element of your compensation award. Special damages can also cover any costs you have incurred as a direct result of receiving treatment for your injury so, for example, if you had to travel to receive treatment, you would be able to gain reimbursement for this cost.
Regardless of the value of your claim, accident at work solicitors will endeavour to ensure that you receive the maximum amount of compensation available for your general and special damages. Those who are interested in starting the accident at work compensation claims process should consult an experienced solicitor as soon as possible to ensure that an accurate evaluation of their losses is carried out.
Each and every accident at work case is different, some compensation claims can be resolved within a matter of months, others can take years. The majority of accident at work compensation claims are settled out of court directly with the third party’s insurers although some may need to progress this far.
Work Accident Claims Solicitors can deal with any accident at work compensation claims regardless of the injuries that the victim has sustained or the environment in which the accident occurred.
Accident at work compensation claims are commonly made by those who have suffered a sprain, strain, back injury, broken bone or ligament damage as a result of slipping or tripping in the workplace. This type of workplace accidents can occur within any working environment even in offices and kitchens. There are a number of measures an employer can put in place in order to prevent such an accident occurring. Good housekeeping procedures, a tidy working environment and adequate signage of the most appropriate ways of evading slips trips and falls although every employer should carry out a risk assessment of the workplace in order to identify and eliminate possible hazards.
Other injuries include lacerations, burns, loss of a limb, loss of a sense, paraplegia, quadriplegia, head injuries and brain injuries – this type of injury can occur within any industry sector although some industry sectors are riskier than others. According to the Health and Safety Executive, the riskiest industries to work in are agriculture and construction. This type of working environment presents numerous hazards to employees and carries a much higher risk of sustaining a serious or disabling injury. Falls from height and being hit by a falling object are the most common causes of serious head and brain injuries within the construction sector.
The accident at work compensation claims process can be started by anyone who has suffered an injury as a result of an incident in their working environment providing they have sufficient medical evidence to prove the extent of their injuries. It is extremely important you visit your GP or local hospital if you were involved in a workplace accident because some injuries, for instance whiplash, do take a number of to present themselves so even if you feel well advertised it is strongly advisable you seek medical attention. As part of the work accident compensation claims process, your personal injury solicitor will need to go through your medical records in order for an evaluation to be carried out into the extent of the injuries you suffered.
There are a number of measures that can be taken by employers in order to prevent an accident or at least reduce the risk of an accident occurring. Appropriate planning and preparation will ensure that work is carried out within the working environment without risk to health or safety. Planning and preparation alone is not sufficient to reduce the risk to health and safety, successful implementation of plans is key to facilitating cooperation and coordination between employers and employees.
Regular reviews of health and safety policies and procedures are also a key factor in maintaining and keeping a safe working atmosphere. If an employer has not fulfilled their duties and obligations towards you in terms of providing a safe working environment, it is extremely important you contact the specialist accident at work compensation claims solicitors from Work Accident Claims Solicitors today to find out about your eligibility to pursue your case.