Last Updated 3rd July 2024. In this guide, we’ll be exploring how to claim electric shock at work compensation. First, we’ll discuss when you could be eligible to make an accident at work claim, and the laws and legislations that are in place to keep you safe while working.
Then, we’ll discuss the evidence that you could collect to prove your compensation claim. Proving an electric shock injury claim can seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone; a personal injury solicitor can help you.
We’ll also discuss compensation in accident at work claims, including the different kinds of compensation you could receive and how each type is calculated.
Following this, our guide will touch on how an expert personal injury solicitor from our panel could help you make a claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
Contact Our Team
Our team of advisors are on hand if you’d like to learn more about making an electric shock compensation claim. You can read on for more information, or get in touch today by:
- Call on 020 8050 2736 to find out if you can claim electric shock compensation.
- Contact us online to discuss your electric shock accident.
- Use the live chat feature
Browse Our Guide
- When Can You Claim For Electric Shock At Work Compensation?
- How Could You Suffer An Electric Shock?
- How To Prove An Electric Shock At Work Compensation Claim
- How Much Compensation For An Electric Shock At Work?
- How Can A Solicitor Help You Claim For An Electric Shock Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- Read More About Claiming After An Accident At Work
When Can You Claim For Electric Shock At Work Compensation?
The first step in making an electric shock compensation claim is proving that negligence occurred. In personal injury law, negligence occurs when:
- You are owed a duty of care
- This duty is breached
- You are injured because of this
What Is A Duty Of Care?
All employers owe a duty of care to their employees. This is outlined under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HAWSAWA), which states that employers should take all reasonably practicable steps to make sure that their employees are safe while working.
If a duty of care breach results in a workplace injury, then you might be able to make a claim.
What Is The Time Limit When Claiming For An Electric Shock Injury?
You might be wondering how long you have to make a personal injury claim after suffering an electric shock. Generally, you have three years from the date you were injured to start a claim, as stated in the Limitation Act 1980.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. If the injured person was a minor at the time of the accident then the 3 years will be counted from the day they turn 18. Those who lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves will have the time limit paused altogether.
The Court may appoint a litigation friend to act on behalf of the injured person and begin the claim sooner. For further guidance on the time limits or to find out if you are eligible to claim, talk to our advisors today using the contact information given above.
How Could You Suffer An Electric Shock?
The exact things your employer is expected to do can vary depending on your workplace. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does provide guidance on working with or around electricity. Electric shocks can be very serious, and cause many different serious injuries.
Some examples of how electric shocks could occur due to a breach in your employer’s duty of care include:
- Your employer fails to provide you with the necessary PPE before asking you to use electric equipment; an arch blast occurs, causing you to suffer a severe electric shock, which results in permanent scars.
- Your employer asks you to use a piece of electrical equipment, such as a power drill, that they know is faulty. This causes you to suffer an electric shock after plugging it in, causing you to fall and suffer a head injury.
- You are asked to work around high-voltage electrical wiring without proper training. This causes you to suffer an electric shock that results in permanent nerve damage.
To learn more about making a claim, get in touch with our helpful advisors.
How To Prove An Electric Shock At Work Compensation Claim
A crucial step when making an injury at work claim is collecting evidence.
When you make an electric shock compensation claim, you need to be able to prove that your employer failed to live up to their duty of care, and that you were injured as a result.
Some examples of evidence that you could collect after an accident at work include:
- CCTV footage: Some workplaces are outfitted with a CCTV system. If your accident was caught on camera, you may be able to request the footage to be used as evidence in your claim.
- Medical records: Your medical records can help show how severe your injuries are and what kind of medical treatment you need to recover.
- Photographs: Taking photographs of visible injuries can help make sure that their severity is documented.
- Witness statements: You can’t take these statements down yourself. However, if you take the contact details of potential witnesses, then a professional can take their statements later.
If you choose to make your claim with the help of a solicitor, they can help you gather this evidence.
If you suffered an electric shock, get in touch with a member of our team to find out if a solicitor from our panel could help you make a claim for electric shock at work compensation. Or, read on to learn more about compensation in electric shock claims.
How Much Compensation For An Electric Shock At Work?
There are two heads of loss that are relevant when discussing electric shock at work claims. These are general damages, awarded for the physical and psychological injuries caused, and special damages, awarded for the financial impacts.
Those assigned the responsibility for calculating general damages in your claim can use your medical evidence in conjunction with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This highly detailed publication contains the guideline compensation amounts for a range of injuries.
We have used some of the JCG entries relevant to electric shock at work compensation cases in the table here. Please take note that the top entry is not from the JCG.
Compensation Table
We should also stress that the figures included in this table are intended as guidance only.
Injury Type Compensation Guideline Notes
Multiple Very Severe Injuries And Special Damages Up to £1,000,000+ A combination of multiple serious injuries and compensation for financial losses, such as the cost of lost earnings or travel.
Very Severe Brain Damage (a) £344,150 to £493,000 While there is some ability to perform basic commands, there is little to no meaningful response to the surrounding evironment.
Moderate Brain Damage (c) (ii) £110,720 to £183,190 There is a moderate to modest intellectual deficit and a risk of epilepsy.
Epilepsy (a) £124,470 to £183,190 Established grand mal epilepsy.
Epilepsy (b) £66,920 to £160,360 Petit mal epilepsy, with the payout judged on how effective medication is and the prognosis.
Scarring To Other Parts Of The Body - Significant Burns Likely to exceed £127,930 Significant burns covering 40% or more of the body.
£9,560 to £27,740 A single disfiguring scar or multiple noticeable lacerations of the limbs, back or chest.
£2,890 to £9,560 Several superficial scars or one single but noticeable scar to the arms, legs, or hands.
Chest Injuries (c) £38,210 to £66,920 Some disability caused by damage to the lungs and chest.
Moderate Psychiatric Damage (c) £7,150 to £23,270 Symptoms show a marked improvement by the time of trial and there is a good prognosis.
Special Damages
As part of your compensation, you may also receive payments for the financial losses that you incur due to your injuries. This is awarded under special damages.
A non-exhaustive list of possible costs has been included here:
- Travel costs.
- Out-of-pocket medical expenses.
- Nursing care or other domestic support.
- Loss of earnings.
- Mobility aids.
- Home modifications.
As with general damages, you will need to provide supporting evidence when claiming for special damages. Therefore, it is very important you hold onto your payslips, as well as any receipts, invoices, travel tickets and other documents as proof you incurred these costs.
How Long Can Electric Shock Claims Take?
There is no specified timeframe for a personal injury claim other than the claim must be started within the relevant limitation period. Various things can affect the speed of your claim including:
- How severe your injuries are and the level of medical treatment you require.
- The evidence available to you and how quickly it can be acquired.
- Whether your employer accepts liability straight away.
- If the claim goes to trial.
Every claim is different, so this is a highly individual matter. Our panel of solicitors will do their utmost to handle your claim with the highest level of efficiency and professionalism, but they cannot provide an exact timescale as a number of different factors will affect this.
This section is intended as general guidance only due to the individual nature of personal injury claims. For a more personalised estimate of the compensation you could receive following a successful claim, speak to an advisor today using the contact information given below
How Can A Solicitor Help You Claim For An Electric Shock Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Making a claim for electric shock at work compensation with a No Win No Fee solicitor can come with many benefits.
For example, our panel of solicitors work under a Conditional Fee Agreement. A CFA is a kind of No Win No Fee agreement. This means that you don’t need to pay an upfront fee in order for them to begin work on the case. Likewise, if the claim is not successful, then your solicitor does not take payment for their services.
If the claim is a success, your solicitor will take a success fee. The success fee is taken from your compensation as a percentage which is capped under law, helping to make sure that the larger share stays with you.
Contact Our Team
When you contact one of our advisors, they can evaluate your accident at work claim for free. If it is valid, then they may connect you with an expert solicitor from our panel. Get in touch today to get started by:
- Calling on 020 8050 2736
- Contacting us online to discuss electric shock injury claims
- Using the live chat feature
Read More About Claiming After An Accident At Work
For More Helpful Guides
- Find out how to claim for a concussion in the workplace with our helpful guide
- Learn how to claim for a spinal injury at work and get more information on the claims process
- Get help making an eye injury at work claim and find out if you could be eligible to claim
For more helpful resources:
- Learn about staying safe with the HSE
- Find out when to call 999 with the NHS
- Get help requesting CCTV footage from Gov.UK
Thank you for reading our guide on electric shock at work compensation claims.