This guide aims to explore the most common cause of an injury at work that could be sustained. It will look at the different accidents that could occur in the workplace and injuries that could be sustained as a result.
Employers owe their employees a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). This piece of legislation requires employers to take reasonable steps to reduce or remove the risk of injury posed by any known hazards. If they fail to uphold this duty of care and you experience harm as a result, it is known as negligence. If you can demonstrate that negligence occurred, you could make a claim for an accident at work.
We will explore the compensation you could receive if you make a successful accident at work claim and the factors that can influence your payout throughout this guide.
For more information, please continue reading. Or, you can get in touch with our team of advisors for free legal advice on your potential claim. You can reach them by:
- Calling 020 8050 2736
- Filling out our ‘claim online’ form
- Using the live chat option below
The Most Common Cause Of Injury At Work – Accident At Work Claims Guide
Choose A Section
- What Is The Most Common Cause Of Injury At Work? – A Guide
- When Are You Eligible To Make A Work Injury Claim?
- What Potential Compensation Could Be Received From An Accident At Work Claim?
- What Evidence Could Help You Claim For An Accident At The Workplace?
- Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee Solicitors To Make An Accident At Work Claim
- Learn If You Can Claim For The Most Common Cause Of Injury At Work
What Is The Most Common Cause Of Injury At Work? – A Guide
You might be wondering what the most common cause of an injury at work is. Employers are required to report certain accidents and injuries under the The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR). These reports are made to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and are collated into useful workplace accident statistics.
As per the statistics, in total, there were 61,713 non-fatal injuries to employees during 2021/22. The most commonly reported non-fatal accident kind was slips, trips or falls on the same level at 18,721. There were several other frequent accident kinds, such as:
- Manual handling accidents
- Being struck by a moving, flying or falling object
- Acts of violence
- Contact with moving machinery
- Being struck against something fixed or stationary
When Are You Eligible To Make A Work Injury Claim?
Section 2 of HASAWA outlines the responsibilities an employer has as part of their duty of care. These responsibilities may differ depending on the specific workplace but can include conducting regular risk assessments, providing necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) and providing adequate training.
If an employer doesn’t uphold their duty of care, it could lead to you sustaining harm in an accident at work. Some of the accidents that could occur include:
- Slips, trips or falls due to inadequate signage of a trip or slip hazard
- Being injured by a moving object
- A fall from height due to faulty equipment, such as a defective ladder
- Lack of necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) such as a hard hat on a construction site
- Lack of training, such as on safe manual handling practices
It’s important to note that not every accident at work will form the basis of a valid claim. In order to seek compensation you must demonstrate that your employer didn’t uphold the duty of care they owed you and that you experienced harm as a result.
To learn whether you could claim for the most common cause of an injury at work, get in touch on the number above.
What Potential Compensation Could Be Received From An Accident At Work Claim?
General damages is the head of claim that compensates for the emotional and physical pain and suffering caused by your injuries. This head of claim can be accurately calculated by solicitors with help from the Judicial College Guidelines.
This document contains compensation amounts for different injuries. We have used these in the table below but they are only guidelines. You can use the table as an alternative to an injury at work compensation calculator.
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Damage | Very Severe - £282,010 to £403,990 | Person needs full-time nursing care. |
| Neck | Severe (i) - In the region of £148,330 | Incomplete paraplegia or injury resulting in spastic quadriparesis of a permanent nature. |
| Back | Severe (iii) - £38,780 to £69,730 | Disc lesions and disc fractures are included in this bracket. |
| Hand | Serious - £29,000 to £61,910 | Injuries that reduce the capacity of the hand by 50%. |
| Arm | Less Severe - £19,200 to £39,170 | A large recovery has taken place from significant disabilities. |
| Pelvis or Hip | Moderate (i) - £26,590 to £39,170 | A significant injury but no permanent disability. |
| Shoulder | Serious - £12,770 to £19,200 | Shoulder dislocation with lower brachial plexus damage. |
| Foot | Moderate - £13,740 to £24,990 | Permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms from a displaced metatarsal fracture. |
| Ankle | Modest - Up to £13,740 | Ligament injuries and minor undisplaced fractures are included in this bracket. |
| Leg | Less Serious (iii)- Up to £11,840 | Simple tibia or fibula fractures. |
What Else Can I Receive For An Accident At Work?
Special damages is another head of claim that can comprise your settlement. It compensates for the financial losses caused by the injury. You can present documented evidence such as receipts, payslips or bank statements to prove these losses. Examples of the expenses you could claim back include:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel expenses
- Care costs
Get in touch to find out more about the compensation you could receive after making a successful claim.
What Evidence Could Help You Claim For An Accident At The Workplace?
After sustaining an injury at work, it can be helpful to collect evidence that it was caused by negligence. Evidence that you could gather can include:
- Pictures of the accident and injuries
- CCTV footage
- Witness contact details
You may also benefit from seeking legal advice from our team of advisors. They can assess you claim to determine whether you’re eligible to seek compensation. If they find you have a valid claim with a chance of success, they could connect you with a personal injury solicitor from our panel.
A solicitor can help you through the different stages of the claims process. They can also ensure you put forward a full and complete case.
For more information on the evidence needed for a personal injury claim get in touch on the number above. Alternatively, continue reading to learn how a solicitor from our panel could help.
Use Our Panel Of No Win No Fee To Make An Accident At Work Claim
The solicitors from our panel offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. As such, they can offer to represent your claim under a Conditional Fee Agreement which can typically allow you to access the services of your solicitor without paying for them upfront, during the course of the claim or if the claim fails.
In the event that your claim is successful, you will pay a success fee from your compensation. This is taken as a legally capped percentage.
If you would like to work with a solicitor from our panel, please get in touch using the details provided below.
Contact Us 24/7 To See If You Could Receive Accident At Work Compensation After A Common Cause of Injury At Work
We hope this guide on the most common cause of an injury at work has helped. However, if you have any other questions, please get in touch with our team. They can offer free legal advice regarding your potential claim. To reach them, you can:
- Call 020 8050 2736
- Fill out our ‘claim online’ form
- Use the live chat option below
Learn If You Can Claim For The Most Common Cause Of Injury At Work
Below, we have included more of our guides:
- Top tips for preventing an accident in the workplace
- How do you file a compensation claim for a workplace injury?
- What do I need to do after I had an accident at work?
- If you’ve suffered a needle stick injury at work, you can read our guide on potentially claiming for this type of incident.
Additionally, we have provided some helpful external resources:
Thank you for reading our guide on the most common cause of an injury at work that you could sustain. If you would like to discuss whether you’re eligible to claim, get in touch using the details provided above.
Writer Jeff Wage
Editor Meg McDonald