Have You Been injured in an accident at work that was not your fault? You might be eligible for an accident at work claim.
Being involved in any form of accident at work is a very serious matter. At Free Legal Justice, we understand that any accident, whether minor or serious, is a stressful and traumatic experience for all parties involved. We are here to help you get through this upsetting time, to help you on the journey to recovery and ultimately get you the justice you deserve. When dealing with accident at work claims, it is important that the right procedures are followed and that proper steps are taken to deal with the incident.
What Is An Accident At Work Claim?
Accidents at work can happen at any time, and often when you least expect it. Many kinds of work environments can pose some sort of risk to employees in relation to accidents, but some industries are definitely more dangerous than others. Dangerous sectors include the construction industry, manufacturing industry, health industry and agricultural industry. Employees in these industries can be injured in hundreds of ways, but often the incidents involve an employee falling from height, suffering hearing loss from loud machinery, being crushed by a weight, sustaining burn injuries due to protective equipment not being provided and crush injuries, or losing limbs and use of body parts that are crushed under, or caught within, heavy or defective machinery.
All employers have a duty of care to provide a safe work environment, to avoid or reduce the risk of accidents. Employers are also responsible for providing adequate health and safety training to their staff, maintaining safe working conditions and work processes, keeping equipment in safe working order, and providing sufficient personal protective equipment.
Health and Safety laws can become complicated and are consistently changing in all industries. Your accident at work case will often be based on the fact that your employer has been negligent in that they have failed to adhere to the health and safety standards that are set out in statute and regulations. For this reason, it is important to open your case against your employer with the help of an expert in accident at work claims.
Free Legal Justice has a full panel of claims experts in Dundee who have worked with all types of accident at work claims over the years. For your convenience, our friendly accident claims team is available 7 days of the week, 24 hours a day to give you free legal advice about the merits of your potential accident at work claim – for free and at no obligation to you.
How Do Employees Make Accident At Work Claims?
You should always get help from a legal professional specialising in accident at work claims. Making a personal injury claim can often seem like a daunting task, but the team at Free Legal Justice is here to support you every step of the way. Our accident at work claims team is happy to offer every potential client the chance to have their accident claim evaluated before they decide to make a claim. As a victim of an accident at work, we want to give each person a voice, and the chance to discuss their case fully and freely with a legal professional that specialises in compensation claims. Our expert team will deal with your case sensitively and discreetly, and will protect your privacy and security throughout the entire process. Our accident claims team in Dundee is here to listen to you and provide you with free legal advice on the merits of your accident at work claim, with no obligations on your part.
Free Legal Justice has been handling accident claims for a long time. Accidents at work, whether minor or serious, can affect people in different ways, and we therefore make sure to treat every case individually, giving it the special attention and respect it deserves. Our accident claims team in Dundee deals with every client on a personal basis, giving 100 percent effort to make sure that clients receive the maximum financial compensation they deserve.
What Information Do I Need To Make An Accident At Work Claim?
To correctly advise you on the merits of your accident at work claim, Free Legal Justice will need as much information as possible about the accident. You should keep all information and documentation at hand ready for your free consultation with one of our accident claims experts in Dundee, including details such as:
- How, where and why the accident happened;
- the name and details of your employer;
- detail of your job description and daily tasks;
- nature of the injuries suffered or damage caused as a result of the accident;
- details of any medical reports;
- The name and contact number of the individuals involved in the accident;
- Names of any witnesses to the accident;
As a standard part of the personal injury claims process, our team in Dundee will send you for an independent medical inspection, where a medical officer will conduct a full assessment and write a report based on the injuries you have suffered. This medical report will be used in support of your accident at work claim and will help to value the amount of compensation that you are entitled to.
During the process of setting out your claim and preparing your case, your personal injury solicitor may ask that you to share any evidence that you have collected from the scene of the accident with us. This evidence will be used in support of your accident at work claim, and may include:
- Details of any witnesses and any witness statements drawn up;
- details of the safety measures, policies and processes in place at your work;
- details of safety training and first aid equipment at work;
- Photographs of the accident scene;
- Photographs of your injuries;
- A copy of the official accident report book wherein you reported your accident at work as soon as it happened
- Details of medical appointments that you have attended to diagnose or treat your injuries
- Details and receipts of any medication that a doctor has prescribed to treat your injuries
It is important that you retain all information, reports, and receipts which could be used in support of your accident at work claim. Don’t worry if you don’t have all of this information right now. With a single call to our helpful accident at work claims team in Dundee, you can understand the merits of your claim based on the information that you are able provide. The important thing is that you get in touch with a Free Legal Justice claims expert as soon as possible- the sooner we have the details of your accident, the sooner one of our accident claims experts in Dundee can get started on your case, and help you get the maximum compensation that you deserve.
Should I Make An Accident At Work Claim Against My Employer?
At Free Legal Justice, we understand that making a claim for compensation against your employer can be nerve-wrecking, and that you might be concerned about the influence of a compensation claim on your employment status, or possibly the impact that a successful claim would have on your employer financially.
You need not feel awkward or shy about making your accident at work claim. If you have suffered injuries at work because of someone’s negligence or actions, you should contact a legal professional immediately to discuss your potential accident at work claim. Not only do physical injuries affect your health and personal life, they also have a financial impact on your life which could extend to your family and friends. Your entire world can change from one terrible event. Free Legal Justice is here to help you through this difficult time.
If you are concerned about the financial implications that an accident at work claim may have on your employer or about the status of your employment relationship if you do proceed with a claim against your company, you need not worry any longer. All employers in England and Wales must have employer’s liability insurance. When you make a work accident claim, the insurance company deals with everything and will pay any associated costs – including your compensation settlement. Every employer is legally required to take out this employers’ liability insurance, to make sure that they can pay compensation for any accidents at work that result in illness or injury of an employee, without it affecting the firm financially.
At the end of the day, you are legally eligible to claim compensation for your injuries, and you have a fundamental right to receive justice for the harm caused to you. Do not feel guilty about using your basic human rights! Our experienced accident at work claims team in Dundee has dealt with these often sensitive situations many times before- they are extremely common. If you have any concerns or questions about making an accident at work claim, Free Legal Justice will be happy to provide the necessary support and discuss your options with you in a free consultation.
What If My Colleague Caused The Accident At Work?
Even if your accident was caused by a colleague’s actions or negligence, your employer is ultimately responsible for keeping you from harm at work. This concern should not prevent you from making a compensation claim for an accident at work. Every employer in the United Kingdom, by law, is required to take out extensive employers’ liability insurance. This insurance helps to make sure that an employer is able to pay compensation to faultless employees for any accidents at work that result in illness or injury, without it affecting the firm financially.
A claim based on injuries which have been sustained as a result of a mistake made by a colleague, or a fellow employee’s careless actions, can also be pursued as an accident at work claim. You do not need to worry that your co-worker will have to pay the compensation if your accident at work claim is successful. Your employer will still be liable to pay for the negligent actions of your colleague. This principle in our law is known as vicarious liability, and ensures that an employer is liable for the negligence of their employees at all times. This rule can even extend to a situation where you were injured at work as a result of a prank by a work colleague during the course of their employment.
It is also important to remember that even if you have suffered an injury at work in an accident that you played a part in causing, you may still be successful in claiming compensation for the injuries that you have suffered. Where a court finds you partly responsible for the accident, along with your employer, then you can still win your case but your accident compensation will be reduced to reflect your own level of liability.
How Long Do I Have to Make My Accident At Work Claim?
Generally, you need to make an accident at work claim within three years of the date of the incident, or of the date on which you became aware of your injuries. There are exceptions on these time periods, for example you may be allowed a longer time period if you are claiming on behalf of a child or protected person. Similarly, if the accident at work was the result of criminal activity such as arson, time limits may vary if the claim is instituted through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
how long do accident at work claims take?
Every accident that happens at a place of work is unique, and so too is the compensation claim process that follows. Certain accident at work claims settle in a matter of months, while others are more intricate and will take longer to achieve a result. The duration of a matter will depend on the facts specific to the case and the actions taken by both parties to progress the matter. Our experienced accident claims solicitors in Dundee have handled many accident claims in their legal careers, and will be able to give you good idea of how long your claim is likely to take once they have assessed the facts.
In general, the length of time it takes for your case to complete will depend on how complicated the facts of the accident are, and how quickly the parties decide to approach and progress the case to closure or settlement. Accident at work claims can become more complicated if the injuries suffered by the employee are extremely serious, or if there is a dispute over the material facts, as this may make it more difficult to prove legal responsibility for the injuries.
No matter what caused the accident at work, or who you think was responsible for causing the accident, it is important that you speak to a legal professional from Free Legal Justice as soon as possible to determine whether you have a valid accident at work claim. Our experienced accident claims team in Dundee handle every claim through a fast-track assessment and allocation process; so that we can help our clients get the compensation they deserve as soon as possible.
Our fantastic team of personal injury solicitors will advise you on the expected duration of your case once they have carefully talked over the details of your accident at work claim with you. The sooner you provide us with the details of your accident, the sooner one of the team members in Dundee can get started on your claim and get you the justice that you deserve.
Contact Free Legal Justice in Dundee at any time of day, on any day of the week, by filling out the short online form and waiting for us to call you back for free, or by calling one of our friendly accident claims handlers on 0800 567 7074. If you would like to discuss your case from the comfort of your own home, please request a complimentary home visit from one of our friendly accident at work claim handlers in Dundee, so that together we can make your claim as soon as possible.
what are accident at work claims worth?
The amount of compensation that you might receive in an accident at work claim can vary considerably depending on the nature and severity of the personal injuries you have suffered in the accident that occurred. Whether you think your injuries are rather slight or extremely serious, Free Legal Justice has a panel of specialists in Dundee who are experienced in claiming for everything from minor to severe injuries. Our injury claims solicitors will be able to assess the value of your accident at work claim once we have received the details of what happened in the incident, who got hurt, and how they got hurt.
As a victim of an accident where another person is legally to blame for your injuries, you may be entitled to a compensation claim for the costs of any medical bills, loss of income due to your injuries, as well as the cost of repairs for damages caused to any of your possessions. There are many components that can form part of your accident at work claim, and the total amount will calculated by looking at the seriousness of the injuries, together with the overall impact of the injuries on your life.
An accident at work compensation claim includes a calculation of general and special damages. General damages can be described as compensation for personal injuries, while special damages are compensation for all the out of pocket expenses incurred by the victim of an accident. One of our injury claims experts in Dundee will explain to you in detail what you can include as general and special damages should you decide to proceed with an accident at work claim.
General Damages In Accident At Work Claims
The general damages portion of your accident at work claim will be calculated by comparing the official Judicial Board Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases against the full medical report compiled by an independent doctor. This is a guideline which sets out how much victims of accidents can be claim as general damages for different levels of injury. The final amount of compensation will be dependent on factors such as how serious the injury was, complicating factors surrounding the injury, as well as the length of the recovery period.
There are many types of personal injuries that can be included in accident at work claims, from whiplash, head and brain injuries, loss of limbs, fractures, scarring and disfigurement, paraplegia and in fatal cases, loss of life.
Some common types of work injuries encountered on a daily basis by our solicitors in Dundee include:
- Head injuries and whiplash
- Burn and scald injuries
- Back and Spinal injuries
- Poison and illness
- Brain injuries and loss of sense of smell, hearing or loss of sight
- Spinal and spinal cord injuries
- Amputations and loss of limb
- Fatal injuries, scarring and bruising
As with any personal injury claim, the amount of compensation that an individual can claim will differ from one accident at work claim to the next, so it is never entirely possible to calculate 100% accurately what an accident at work claim is worth. That being said, there are certain suggested brackets of compensation set out for the different levels of injury suffered in personal injury claims, which will assist in an early assessment of your claim. These amounts are set out by the Judiciary Study Board and will be used by Free Legal Justice to quantify your accident at work claim.
Special Damages In Accident At Work Claims
To make a claim for special damages, you will be required to submit proof of those additional expenses or costs incurred as a result of the injuries that you have suffered in the accident at work. This includes those additional, out of the ordinary expenses that you have already incurred, as well as those that you will incur in the future. Special damages which are sometimes included in accident at work claims include:
- Damage to your possessions;
- Prescription medication costs;
- Medical care, including physiotherapy & rehabilitation costs;
- Travel expenses, including travel to medical appointments and parking costs;
- Loss of past and future earnings, which is directly related to the incident and injury;
- Any loss of job opportunities, promotions, bonuses or pensions directly related to the injury; and
- Costs relating to the adaptation of your home, necessary to be able to live with your injuries.
If you have any questions about the calculation of your general and special damages, get in touch with Free Legal Justice as soon as possible by filling out the online form and waiting for us to call you back for free, or by calling us on 0800 567 7074. Our claims team in Dundee is available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and are happy to answer any questions you might have about your potential accident at work claim, without any cost or obligation on your part. If you are unable to get to one of the Free Legal Justice offices, one of our friendly injury claims handlers in Dundee will arrange to come to you, so that you can discuss your case freely from the comfort of your own home.
How Much Will It Cost To Make An Accident At Work Claim?
Free Legal Justice offers all our clients with valid accident at work claims the option of a No Win No Fee agreement. Under a No Win No Fee agreement, if your case is unsuccessful, you won’t have to pay a thing to Free Legal Justice for the work that the team has done on your case. For many clients, this means that they will have full access to the justice they deserve, and a fair chance to make a claim for rightful compensation against their employer, without any risk.
How Much Will I Be Charged If My Accident At Work Claim Is Successful?
The good news is that you will never pay Free Legal Justice any legal fees in advance for proceeding with your accident at work claim. A No Win No Fee agreement means that we will only get paid if we help you win.
If we help you to win your claim, Free Legal Justice will receive a success fee of an average of 25% of the compensation received as payment for the work that we have done to help you win your case. Your devoted solicitor in Dundee will be sure to discuss the success fee with you upfront, and the agreed success fee will be confirmed in writing before we start your claim.
What Happens If My Accident At Work Claim Is Not Successful?
Free Legal Justice carries the risk of your accident at work claim not being a success. In the unlikely event that your compensation claim is unsuccessful, we will not charge you any legal fees for the work done by our skilled personal injury solicitors.
To ensure that you are fully protected and have peace of mind over your financial risks, the Free Legal Justice team will help you to secure ‘After the Event’ insurance. This insurance covers you in the unlikely event that you are unsuccessful with your claim, and in case the court directs that you need to pay a part of your opponent’s legal costs during the case.
Why Choose A No Win No Fee Agreement With Free Legal Justice?
Free Legal Justice has an entire panel of specialised accident at work claims solicitors in Dundee who resolve thousands of No Win No Fee accident claims every year. The dedicated Free Legal Justice team works around the clock – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help our clients get justice, and receive the maximum compensation that they deserve.
By working with Free Legal Justice on a No Win No Fee compensation claim, we promise that:
- You will receive free legal assistance from one of our expert advisors in Dundee as to how best to proceed with your accident at work claim;
- A member of the Free Legal Justice Team will be available to speak to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to help you with any questions that you might have regarding your accident at work claim;
- If you are unsuccessful in your claim, we will not charge you any legal fees for the work that we have done on your case;
- You won’t pay a thing from your own pocket;
- We will help you to recover the maximum amount of compensation in the shortest possible time; and
- We will manage your case efficiently, keep you updated on its progress, and will try to make the entire compensation claim process as stress-free as possible for you.
Contact Free Legal Justice in Dundee at any time of day, on any day of the week, by filling out the short online form and waiting for us to call you back for free, or by calling one of our friendly accident claims handlers on 0800 567 7074 or 0121 565 4317. If you would like to discuss your case from the comfort of your own home, please request a complimentary home visit from one of our friendly accident claim handlers in Dundee, and start your journey to receive justice for free today.
Comments are closed for this article.