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Work Related Accidents

Work related accidents can lead to injury and the inability to continue your employment for short or long periods.

As well as the physical pain the period of enforced absence from work can lead to financial hardship for any worker who suffers an accident at work.

Your employer has a duty of care to prevent you suffering work related accidents. If he fails in that duty, you may have a strong case to claim compensation.

It is important to note that before you make any claim the accident should have been caused by someone else's negligence. Under the Health and Safety Acts, each employee also has a duty of care towards himself and his colleagues.

work related accidents

The employer's obligations under the act are quite extensive. He should make a risk assessment of the working practices in the workplace. Plant and machinery must be safe to use and also kept maintained.

Where necessary protective clothing should be provided. Noise and pollution should be controlled as much as possible and fire precautions – including the provision of fire escapes – must be observed. The workplace must also have first aid provision and equipment.

Crucially, the law demands that an accident book must be kept to record details of any accidents at the place of work.

Should our employer be neglectful of any of these provisions and you suffer a work related injury, then you will have a strong case to make a claim for workers compensation.

If you have a misfortune to suffer a work related accident you must ensure that the full details are recorded in the accident book.

This could be crucial if you re to be successful with any compensation claim. You then need to see your doctor. This is very important for two reasons.

Firstly, you will needa “sick note” from him if you are to claim any incapacity benefit. Secondly, the results of any examination will be crucial in the pursuit of any compensation claim.

work related accident

The accident should be also be reported to the Department of Work and Pensions – DWP – to register it as an industrial accident. Trade Union members should also contact their union office.

The union may have specialist officers who deal with these kind of incidents. They may mount their own investigation and put their injured member in touch with legal representatives who specialise in compensation claims for work related accidents.

Your employers own insurance cover may give you adequate compensation, if not the matter may have to go through the civil courts.

That will mean finding a solicitor who specialises in these kind of cases. You can find a list of them by contacting the Law Society or by enquiring at your local Citizens Advice Bureau.