What Do I Need To Do After I Had An Accident At Work?

If you are wanting to find out what to do after an accident at work, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we will teach you what you could do after a workplace accident and how to make a valid claim. We’ve also featured an accident at work compensation table to give you an estimate of what you could be owed.

You might be concerned about claiming against your employer, but this shouldn’t put you off from taking action. Employers should fabide by the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, meaning that they should be insured if employees claim compensation. Therefore, your employer shouldn’t be out of pocket if you do claim.

If you have any questions before starting this guide, you can contact us for free advice using the details below:

  • Write to us via the live chat service on your screen
  • Call us using the number at the top of this page
  • Request a callback through our claim online form
what to do after an accident at work

A guide on what you could do after an accident at work

Choose A Section

  1. Guidance On What To Do After An Accident At Work
  2. Using An Accident At Work Compensation Calculator
  3. An Explanation Of Work Accidents
  4. What Is An Example Of A Workplace Accident?
  5. Understanding No Win No Fee
  6. More Information – What To Do After An Accident At Work?

Guidance On What To Do After An Accident At Work

After an accident at work, you should seek medical attention. This can not only help you in your recovery, but a medical record could act as evidence if you choose to claim.

Following an accident at work, you might face physical or psychological harm. It is possible for you to claim for both damages; however, you must be able to prove that your injury happened because of your employer’s negligence. 

Negligence occurs if your employer breaches their duty of care to you and causes you harm. If you are unsure who is responsible for your injury, or what to do after an accident at work, speak to our team for free, no-obligation legal advice. 

Using An Accident At Work Compensation Calculator

There are two types of damages you can seek when making a personal injury claim. The first is general damages and it accounts for physical and psychological harm caused by the accident. The second head of claim is special damages and they compensate you for financial losses caused by your injury. 

When calculating general damages, solicitors may use guidelines from the Judicial College. It lists various injuries and potential compensation amounts. We’ve taken compensation brackets from this document to give you an estimate of what you could be owed for your injury. They’re found in the publication released in April 2022. 

InjuryCompensation RangeNotes
Very Severe Injury Resulting from Brain Damage£282,010 to £403,990The level of award within this bracket is determined by the extent of physical limitations and if any sensory impairment has been caused.
Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder£59,860 to £100,670All aspects of your life will be negatively affected and you might not be able to work.
Severe Back Injuries (i)£91,090 to £160,980Severe pain will persist and there might be incomplete paralysis.
Severe Shoulder Injuries£19,200 to £48,030Significant disability will occur as will severe neck and arm pain.
Severe Injuries to the Pelvis and Hips (i)£78,400 to £130,930Hip deformity may occur making the need for a calliper necessary.
Severe - Other Arm Injuries£96,160 to £130,930Injuries are extremely serious but don’t require amputation of the arm.
Very Severe Wrist Injuries£47,620 to £59,860An arthrodesis may be required leading to the wrist losing function.
Severe Fractures to FingersUp to £36,740Symptoms include disturbed sensation and deformity of the fingers.
Severe (i) Leg Injuries£96,250 to £135,920Bone grafting will be needed if fractures have occurred.
BurnsLikely to exceed £104,830The psychological impact as well as the cosmetic impact decide the size of the award.

It is worth reiterating that the compensation amounts above are just illustrations and do not necessarily represent what you may get following an accident at work. For a more accurate value, speak to our team. They can also advise you on what you could do after an accident at work.

An Explanation Of Work Accidents

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) is a key piece of legislation that covers health and safety in the workplace. The Act sets out the provisions that employers should follow to secure the health, safety and welfare of employees. If this duty of care is breached, and an accident happens in which you are injured, you could have grounds for a valid claim.

For more information on HASAWA and what you could do after an accident at work, speak to our team for free legal advice.

What Is An Example Of A Workplace Accident

Section 2 of HASAWA places a duty of care on employers to ensure that they provide and maintain safe equipment, machinery and systems of work. However, there are other pieces of legislation that protect the welfare of workers. We’ll go through examples of workplace accidents that are caused by employer negligence, as well as the legislation that may protect you in these circumstances. Hopefully, the examples give you an idea of what to do after an accident at work.

Handling, lifting or carrying accidents

If an employer does not provide adequate training on how to handle heavy objects, you could sprain your wrist. For example, you might work in a warehouse factory and must handle deliveries. The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 is an amendment to the Manual Handling Operation Regulations 1992 and sets out the steps an employer should take to avoid hazardous manual handling operations. 

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

If you are not provided with adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is necessary to carry out your duties, you could be exposed to harmful substances. For example, if you work with chemicals, your employer may provide you with appropriate gloves, splash goggles and proper ventilation.  This duty of care is set out in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002

Falls from a height

Some jobs require you to work from heights, such as being a window cleaner. Therefore, your employer should provide you with ladders that aren’t faulty, to allow you to safely carry out your job. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 places duties on employers to make sure they provide appropriate equipment and that risk assessments are put in place to test whether the equipment is working properly. If an employer fails to provide appropriate equipment and you fall, you could sustain a serious head injury or concussion

In the aftermath of an accident, it is crucial that you receive medical attention. Why?:

  • Firstly, your health and welfare could be in danger.
  • Secondly, medical reports can help to prove the extent of your injuries and provide key evidence.

Other evidence you could gather may include:

  • CCTV footage of the accident
  • Photographs of your injuries and the scene of the accident
  • Witness contact details (for statements later)

In addition to gathering evidence, it is also important to make a claim within the personal injury claims time limit. The Limitation Act 1980 states the rules on how long you have to begin a claim. Usually, when making a claim in regards to a personal injury, you have three years from the date of the injury, or when you realised your injury occurred because of your employer’s negligence. 

Finally, it could be in your best interest to seek legal advice. Professionals, such as our panel of personal injury solicitors, can provide you with expert advice and guidance to make sure you receive the maximum compensation for your case. They can help you understand what to do after an accident at work. Furthermore, our advisors may connect you to a solicitor from our panel if they think you have a valid claim. Call now for a free consultation.

Understanding No Win No Fee

An accident at the workplace might leave you out of pocket. Depending on the seriousness of the injury, you may need to take time off work. As a result, funding legal representation could seem out of your reach. However, with a No Win No Fee agreement, you could overcome the financial barrier and take action. 

A No Win No Fee solicitor requires no upfront costs and ongoing legal fees are usually covered through the arrangement. Before legal proceedings begin, you agree to a legally capped fee with your solicitor that they will then deduct if your claim is successful. In contrast, if your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t pay your solicitor their success fee at all. 

Get Advice On What To Do After An Accident At Work

If you think you would benefit from a No Win No Fee agreement, it’s worth getting in touch with our team. Our panel of personal injury solicitors offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. Depending on the legitimacy of your claim, our advisors may connect you with a solicitor from our panel. You can use the live chat feature to speak to our team and find out what to do after an accident at work. Otherwise, you can:

More Information – What To Do After An Accident At Work 

As we draw to a conclusion on this guide on what to do after an accident at work, we want to share some additional resources that you could find useful.

Acid and chemical burns – Get medical help from the NHS following chemical burns.

Request CCTV footage of yourself – Government guidance on obtaining CCTV footage.

Report online – About reporting a workplace accident through RIDDOR.

If you’ve found this article useful, here are some more of our guides.

We have now come to the end of this guide. We hope you have more of an idea of what to do after an accident at work. Speak to our team if you are ready to take action.

Publisher Ruth Vaughn

Writer Lewis Jackson