No matter what industry you work in, it is your employer’s responsibility to make sure that you can carry out your duties in a safe environment.
What type of accidents can occur in the workplace?
You may have done the same task time and time again without any injury, or you may have been asked to do something out of your job description on the day your accident occurred. Either way, accidents can happen.
Unfortunately, the ways you could be injured at work are as many and varied as the jobs and sectors you could work in.
Here are some of the ways you could be injured at work:
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Muscle strains and injuries caused by lifting heavy objects
- Being hit by a falling object
- Strain injuries caused by repetitive motion
- Cuts and sprains
- Vehicle crashes (even small warehouse vehicles can cause serious injuries)
- Reactions to hazardous chemicals
- Exposure to loud noise
What should you do after an injury at work?
If you suffer an injury while carrying out your work duties, there are certain steps you should take. These not only safeguard your health but also pave the way for a successful compensation claim.
Recording your accident
If the company or organisation you reported your accident to has more than 10 employees, they must record it in an accident book. It is a good idea to make sure it’s been done.
Ask your manager to record details such as:
- The date and location of the accident
- The circumstances surrounding the accident and how it happened
- The names of anyone else involved in the accident
- The names of anyone who witnessed the accident
- The injuries you sustained
If there is not an accident book, write down details of the accident and send it to your manager or the person you report to. Keep a copy for yourself.
Seek Medical Assistance
Be sure to get proper medical care after the accident. Your wellbeing is the priority. It is your employer’s obligation to have a first-aid kit on-site and a designated first aider. This person should provide you with medical attention or call an ambulance if your injuries are serious. Even if you think your injuries are minor, it is recommended that you visit your GP. Seeing a doctor will also provide a link between your work accident and your injury. This can be useful if you decide to make a claim.
Record your financial losses
If your work injury causes you to incur any kind of financial loss or expense, be sure to record these losses and keep any receipts.
If you make a successful work accident claim, you can recover your past financial losses. Payslips will show how your earnings have been affected. Receipts for medical equipment, treatment, or medication can also be given to your solicitor, allowing you to recoup your losses.
Speak to a P I solicitor
Speaking to a professional gives you the chance to speak about your options. A lawyer can say whether you have grounds to make a work accident claim if you want to. You do not have to pursue a compensation claim, even if you have an excellent prospect of success –the choice is entirely yours.
Can you claim for compensation if injured at work?
In short, yes. An injury at work solicitor such as H McPartland can work to establish what health and safety practice your employer had in place and whether all reasonable precautions were taken to ensure that you were kept safe. Our firm will do everything possible to make sure that you get the compensation you require to deal with any medical issues and costs. The end goal is to ensure compensation to provide redress and to compensate you for any loss of earnings because of your accident at work.
If you have suffered an accident or injury at work, our team of expert work-related injury solicitors can use their wealth of experience to help you make an accident at work claim. Contact H McPartland & Sons for a free, no-obligation, solicitor consultation here.