This article examines when can you claim for a minor injury at work. There are specific eligibility criteria that apply when making an accident at work compensation claim. We’ll explain what this is and further illustrate it with examples of when you could have a valid claim for minor injuries.
You may like to know how much compensation you could receive in a minor injury settlement. This article will look at how personal injury compensation is awarded in successful work injury claims.
If you meet the eligibility criteria and wish to pursue a minor injury claim, you may wish to do so with the support of a solicitor. This article concludes with a look at the benefits of having the support of a No Win No Fee solicitor.
Our team of advisors are here to help answer your questions. They can explain the personal injury claims process, examine your potential case, discuss whether you meet the eligibility criteria, and value your minor injuries. The advice is free.
To speak to an advisor about claims for minor accidents:
- Call 020 8050 2736
- Fill in our claim online form and a team member will call you back.
- Ask about accident at work compensation in our live chat.
Select A Section
- When Can I Claim For A Minor Injury At Work?
- Examples Of A Minor Injury At Work
- How Much Compensation Could My Minor Injury Settlement Amount Be?
- What Do You Need To Prove Negligence Caused An Injury At Work?
- Can I Use A No Win No Fee Personal Injury Solicitor To Claim For A Minor Injury At Work?
- More Resources About When Can You Claim For A Minor Injury At Work
When Can I Claim For A Minor Injury At Work?
If you sustained a minor injury while at work, you may wonder whether you have a valid personal injury claim. While in the workplace, your employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your health, safety and welfare. This is their duty of care as set by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA).
Even if your injuries are minor, if your employer fails to comply with health and safety laws, you could potentially claim. However, you must meet the eligibility criteria by proving that:
- Your employer owed you a duty of care.
- They breached this duty.
- You suffered injuries due to this breach, including minor injuries, which could be physical or psychological in nature (or both).
Call an advisor to discuss when can you claim for a minor injury at work. They can assess these eligibility criteria against your case.
Examples Of A Minor Injury At Work
There are various workplace incidents that could result in an employee suffering a minor injury. However, in order to claim compensation, you must satisfy the eligibility criteria we discussed above.
Examples of workplace accidents causing minor injuries include:
- Manual handling accidents can cause a minor back injury. If you are asked to handle an object, such as a box, you should receive adequate training in doing so. Without sufficient training, you could pick up the object in an incorrect manner and sustain an injury.
- Faulty and broken equipment can result in lacerations. For example, part of a chair is defective and has a sharp edge which causes a laceration to your hand.
- Slips, trips and falls can cause an ankle sprain. For example, slipping on a wet floor could occur because a wet floor sign was not in place following a spill, causing an ankle injury. You may also trip over a trailing wire and suffer an elbow injury or forearm fracture.
If you would like to know more about when can you claim for a minor injury at work or discuss the incident that caused you to sustain injuries, speak to an advisor.
How Much Compensation Could My Minor Injury Settlement Amount Be?
If you make a successful claim for a minor injury at work, your settlement could consist of general and special damages.
General damages are awarded for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by the minor injury. Those responsible for valuing compensation claims may refer to the guideline compensation amounts published by the Judicial College (JCG) to help them when assessing minor injury claims.
In our table below, we provide some figures for moderate and minor injuries you could suffer at work. They were taken from the 16th edition of the JCG. We also look at a figure in the top row which shows what injury compensation could be made up of for multiple minor injuries and special damages. This figure is not from the JCG. As all accident at work claims are different, this table is only to be used for illustrative purposes.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Guideline Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple injuries and special damages | Moderate | Settlements could include compensation for more than one minor or moderate injury and special damages, such lost earnings and prescription costs. | Up to £300,000+ |
| Brain Damage | Moderate (i) | In these cases, the injured party suffers a moderate to severe intellectual deficit, along with a personal change and effects on the senses plus speech and a significant epilepsy risk. | £150,110 to £219,070 |
| Back Injuries | Moderate (ii) | This bracket applies to various injuries, including backache caused by ligament and muscle disturbance. | £12,510 to £27,760 |
| Back Injuries | Minor (i) | The claimant will make a full recovery without surgery with symptoms lasting 2-5 years. | £7,890 to £12,510 |
| Neck Injuries | Moderate (ii) | These injuries involve movement limitations, permanent pain, and possible need for further surgery. | £13,740 to £24,990 |
| Neck Injuries | Minor (i) | The claimant will make a full recovery within 1-2 years. The award considers severity, pain intensity and consistency as well as additional symptoms in the back and shoulder. | £4,350 to £7,890 |
| Wrist Injuries | Less Severe | The claimant will suffer some permanent disability, including pain and stiffness that is persistent. | £12,590 to £24,500 |
| Nose Fractures | Serious/Multiple | Nose or nasal complex fractures that require a number of operations or cause permanent airway damage. | £10,640 to £23,130 |
| Arm Injuries | Simple | The claimant sustained a simple fracture to their forearm. | £6,610 to £19,200 |
| Shoulder Injuries | Moderate | The injured person suffers with movement limitation and discomfort due to frozen shoulder for about 2 years or suffered a soft tissue injury with non-permanent but more than minimal symptoms lasting longer. | £7,890 to £12,770 |
Special Damages After A Minor Accident At Work
The other part of personal injury settlements is called special damages. Special damages are awarded to compensate for any financial losses you faced due to your minor injuries. Examples include:
- Reimbursement of lost wages, including pension contributions, for time off work recovering.
- Travel expenses, such as transport costs to and from medical appointments.
- Medical costs, including over-the-counter and prescription medication costs.
- Mobility aids, such as crutches rental.
To claim back your financial losses, you should submit evidence as part of the claims process. For example, you can submit receipts for medication as part of your claim.
If you would like to know how much do you get for a minor injury claim, contact an advisor for a free valuation.
What Do You Need To Prove Negligence Caused An Injury At Work?
As with all personal injury claims, you must submit compelling evidence that proves your employer was liable for your minor injuries. Examples of evidence that can help a minor injury case include:
- A copy of the accident book. If your workplace employs ten or more people, they must have an accident book. This should be filled in with your details and information about the incident.
- A copy of your medical records. Your medical records can help illustrate the nature of your minor injury, the impact on your life and what treatment you needed.
- Witness statements. If you note witness contact details, a legal professional can take a statement from witnesses during the claims process.
- Footage and photographs. For example, if the accident was captured on CCTV, you can request the footage. You can also take photographs of the accident scene, the object that caused your minor injuries or the injury itself.
To further discuss evidence and when can you claim for a minor injury at work, get in touch with a member of the advisory team.
Can I Use A No Win No Fee Personal Injury Solicitor To Claim For A Minor Injury At Work?
If you are eligible to claim compensation for your minor injury, you may like to have legal representation to help you through the civil procedure. One of the specialist accident at work solicitors from our panel could support your case. Typically, our panel offer a type of No Win No Fee agreement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) when representing personal injury claims.
When you have the support of a personal injury solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis, you won’t be charged upfront for their work on your case. There also won’t be any ongoing costs. Furthermore, if your accident at work claim fails, your No Win No Fee solicitor won’t request fees for their services.
However, if your claim succeeds, your solicitor will take a success fee from your award. This is a limited percentage that is capped by the law.
If you need further advice about when can you claim for a minor injury at work, please speak to a member of our advisory team. If you are eligible, you could be connected to one of the personal injury solicitors from our panel.
To discuss whether can you sue for minor workplace injuries:
- Call 020 8050 2736
- Enter your details into our claim online form and an advisor will contact you.
- Ask about minor accidents at work claims in our live chat.
More Resources About When Can You Claim For A Minor Injury At Work
Here are more articles about claiming for an injury at work:
- Guidance on whether your employer can sack you after an accident at work.
- Information about suffering a concussion at work and claiming compensation.
- Learn about how long you have to claim after an accident at work and time limit exceptions.
These external websites might be useful:
- Government guidance on statutory sick pay, including information on the statutory sick pay rate and how to claim.
- Details about first aid from the National Health Service (NHS).
- Information about employee health and safety from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Direct any further questions about when can you claim for a minor injury at work to our advisory team.