Accident At Work Claims Scotland

Have You Been Injured In An Accident At Work? Contact Free Legal Justice Now To Get The Financial Compensation You Deserve.

You have a right to feel safe at your place of work. Whether you work in construction, in an office, or in a supermarket, your employer has a legal duty make sure your place of work is safe and secure. If you have suffered any injuries because you were in an accident at work, you most likely have a valid accident at work claim. Contact Free Legal Justice immediately to get free legal advice on the merits of your accident at work claim and get one step closer to receiving the financial compensation you deserve.

Amongst other things, your employer has a duty to ensure the safety of:

• the physical space at your place of work, including maintaining fire exits and escape routes;
• the system and processes at your place of work;
• the plant and equipment at your place of work, including testing any electrical equipment that employees might use at the place of work;
• the working practices, including first aid and emergency plans; and
• the protective equipment at your place of work. This includes ensuring that sufficient and reasonable amounts of protective equipment, first aid supplies, and protective uniforms are available to employees.

Some jobs do carry more risk of an accident at work, purely because of the nature of the daily tasks that employees are involved in.  For this reason there are specific laws and procedures in place designed to help keep employees safe while they are at their place of work. This includes conducting continuous risk assessments and providing sufficient health and safety training to staff members.

Sadly, not all employers take the necessary steps to protect their employees from harm. This can result in accidents at work, which can cause all kinds of injuries to employees. Injuries caused by accidents at work can influence your ability to work, and in severe cases can result in permanent injury or even fatalities.

What Is An Accident At Work?

Generally, an accident at work is an accidental but anticipatable incident that happens at a place of work, because of the conditions of the site or premises, because of the way in which a job is being done, or because of how certain equipment is being used. As a result of this, an accident happens and someone (usually an employee) is injured at the place of work. An accident at work claim is then the process where the employee, who was the victim of the accident at work, makes a claim for financial compensation against the person that is legally responsible for their injuries.

Types Of Accidents At Work

There are many ways that an employee can suffer injuries because of an accident at work. Free legal justice deals with hundreds of accident at work claims in Scotland, including:

Construction Accidents At Work

The statistics show that the construction industry is one of the most hazardous sectors to work in. The majority of accident at work claims made in the United Kingdom are based on personal injuries suffered by an employee in the construction industry.. Accidents at work on construction sites can range from sprained ankles as a result of slip and trips, cuts or loss of fingers and toes because of sharp equipment, bone fractures due falls, or loss of limb because of dangerous machinery. The main cause of fatal injuries in Great Britain each year is a result of workers falling from a height on construction sites. Other fatal accidents include workers being trapped by something that has collapsed or overturned, and workers being struck by some form of moving vehicle or equipment.

If you have been involved and harmed in any accident at work in the construction industry, whether minor or serious, get in touch with Free Legal Justice today to find out if you are entitled to claim financial compensation. Free Legal Justice has a dedicated team of accident at work claims experts who are available to discuss your claim 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our friendly accident claims team in Scotland will give you an obligation-free assessment of the merits of your case, and if you decide to continue with a compensation claim, we will support you through every step of the claim process.

Slip, Trip Or Fall Accidents At Work

People usually slip and fall at work because something smooth is on the floor surface, such as cleaning products, water, ice, food or drinks. Trip accidents can be caused by things being left lying around on the floor, by uneven floor surfaces, by obstructions such as potholes, cables and hidden or uneven steps. Contributions to fall injuries could include loose floor coverings, losing footing on the stairs, poor health and safety measures, faulty equipment; or simply an employee rushing to get somewhere.  The chance of an employee slipping, tripping or falling at work is greatly increased when the lighting in the place of work is insufficient or where the obstructions have not been brought to the attention of employees through any warning signs or demarcation.

Manual Handling Or Carrying Accidents At Work

A manual handling task is any workplace task that requires an individual to lift, move or support a load. The rules regulating health define manual handing as the “Transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or by bodily force.” Manual handling injuries can be linked to any work involving the handling of all kinds of loads- even light items. Those known to be at high risk include care workers, manufacturing staff, agricultural and construction workers. It should be noted however, that any person in any workplace is at risk of a manual handling injury.

A large portion of reportable accidents at work involve some sort of manual handling incident. This means that many of the accident at work claims that the Free Legal Justice team handles every day are related to injuries caused by manual handling accidents at work. The majority of these cases are a direct result of employers failing to pay the necessary attention to manual handling safety rules and processes. In many cases, lifting and carrying injuries could easily have been prevented and are often the result of:

• An employee being required to manually handle excessive weight
• An employer failing to provide adequate training or refresher training
• Insufficient risk assessments by the employer
• Failure of employer to provide suitable safety equipment to employees
• Failure of the employer to provide a safe system of work or sufficient assistance to employees

Our expert accident at work claims solicitors in Scotland have successfully proven the negligence of hundreds of employers in claims of this type, resulting in rightful financial compensation and justice for many satisfied Free Legal Justice clients.

Falls From A Great Height

Falling from a great height at your place of work can extremely dangerous. A fall from any height can cause serious or even life-changing injuries, and the entire experience can have a huge impact on an employee’s physical and mental wellbeing. If you are an employee that has suffered from this type of injury, Free Legal Justice is here for you. We know how hard it can be to recover and adjust from the traumatic experience. The physical injuries don’t just affect your health and personal life- your injuries could also have a financial impact on you and your family.

The Free Legal Justice team is highly experienced in accident at work claims in Scotland, and our dedicated accident at work claims handlers are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you to get your life back. Although money might not be the first thing on your mind after you’ve been injured in an accident at work, the financial compensation you could get will help on the journey towards recovery- in all areas of your life.

Being Struck By A Moving Object

Employees can be injured by a moving object making contact with them, for example where something falls or flies through the air and strikes them. This is a common way for employees to be injured in the workplace, and one of the largest categories of reported injuries after manual handling accidents and slipping accidents. Employees can be injured if boxes fall off a storage rack, by sharp items falling off, or by moving objects that have been dislodged by a vehicle and fall an employee standing nearby. Where the employer is held liable for the employee’s injuries caused in the accident at work, the severity of the injuries sustained will determine how much compensation the employee can claim.

Defective Equipment

All employers have a responsibility to check equipment and make sure that the equipment is in good working order, and it doesn’t pose any danger to employees who might use it. Equipment in this instance includes any machinery, appliance, apparatus, tool or installation that is used at work. It even extends to equipment and items that employees provide for their own personal use in the workplace, as well as any equipment that is used away from the work premises. When we say ‘use’, this refers to any activity that involves includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, moving, repairing, maintaining, servicing, altering,  and cleaning the equipment.

If you are an employee that has been exposed to defective equipment that caused you physical harm, you are entitled to make an accident at work claim against your employer. Speak to a team member from Free Legal Justice in Scotland today to find out how to make your accident at work claim.

Military injuries

Anyone who starts a job in the armed forces anticipates that it will be a physically, emotionally and mentally challenging career. It is the Ministry Of Defence’s responsibility to make sure that whilst military personnel are pushing hard and doing their jobs with maximum effort, their employees remain safe and are appropriately trained for the task at hand. When the Ministry Of Defence falls short of this duty and an employee suffers an injury as a result, that employee will be able to make an accident at work claim.

To speak to one of Free Legal Justice’s experts in accident at work claims team in Scotland, simply fill in the online form and wait for a team member to call you back for free,  or give the Free Legal Justice team a call on 0800 567 7074 today for a free consultation.

Should I Make An Accident At Work Claim?

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.

You are legally entitled to compensation for your injuries, and you have a fundamental right to receive justice for the harm caused. Don’t feel guilty about using your basic human rights! Our experienced accident at work claims team in Scotland has dealt with these 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.

Is My Employer Liable For My Accident At Work?

Your employer will be ultimately responsible for any harm that you suffer at work as a caused by someone else’s negligence or actions. Even if the accident at work was caused by the something that another employee did or a negligent oversight by one of your co-workers, at the end of the day it is your employer that is responsible for keeping you safe and healthy in the workplace. This means that you don’t need to be worry about a colleague being responsible for a compensation claim, even if it was their negligence that caused the incident. Employers are liable for the negligence of their employees, which is a result of a legal principle called vicarious liability.

If you are concerned about the financial consequences that an accident at work claim may have on your employer, or about your employment relationship should you proceed with a claim, you need not worry any longer. Your employer will have insurance to cover successful accident at work claims made against them.  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.

What If I was partly to blame for my injuries?

If an injured person is partly to blame for the accident, they can be found to have been contributorily negligent. This means that even if you as an employee have suffered an injury at work, and it turns out that the accident was partly your fault, your compensation will be reduced accordingly to reflect your own level of responsibility. If you have contributed to your injuries in some way, you will still be able to make a work accident claim, but you won’t receive as much financial compensation as you would have had you been completely faultless.

This doesn’t mean that just because you agreed to something – such as moving a heavy load without proper training – and then suffered injury in the workplace, you cannot make an accident at work claim. This is definitely not the case, and we recommend that you get in touch with one of our expert accident at work claims handlers in Scotland, who will be able to further advise you on the merits of your claim.

What Is The Value Of My Compensation Claim?

It is hard to put a general value on an accident at work claim. How much compensation an employee will get for a work accident claim varies from person to person, and from accident to accident. To get an idea of how much compensation you can claim, it is useful to know what the purpose of the compensation settlement is in the eyes of the law.

Firstly, your compensation should provide payment for the pain and suffering you have wrongfully experienced as a result of the injuries that you have suffered. This includes both physical and psychological pain and suffering endured as a result of the accident at work.

Secondly, your compensation claim should seek to recover the money you have lost as a result of the accident at work and the injuries you have suffered. This includes loss of future and past earnings as well as the cost of medical treatment that you have had, or will have in future as a result of your injuries. Receiving financial compensation for these expenses are a lifeline for our clients, especially if you cannot return to work, or can only return in a reduced capacity because of your injuries.

In summary, the amount of compensation awarded in accident at work claims differ on a case by case basis, as the compensation amounts are calculated relative to the seriousness of the specific claimant’s injuries and quantum of their deemed financial losses.

Type of Bodily Injuries that can be claimed for

In today’s busy workplaces, there are hundreds of ways that you can sustain an injury that wasn’t your fault. There is a basic guideline set out by the Judiciary Study Board, which sets out the amount of compensation that can be claimed for various degrees of injury. For your dedicated claim handler at Free Legal Justice, this can be used as a guide to give an early estimate of the value of your accident at work claim, once we have discussed the facts of your case with you.

Common types of accident at work claims in Scotland include compensation for different levels of:

• Head injuries;
• Burn and scald injuries;
• Spinal injuries;
• Brain injuries;
• Loss of sight;
• Spinal and spinal cord injuries;
• Amputations; and in rare cases
• Fatal injuries

What Needs To Be Proven In Accident At Work Claims?

Employees must be able to prove that their employer failed to take reasonable steps necessary to ensure their safety at work, which makes them responsible for the accident, and ultimately liable for the injury caused as a result of the accident at work.

If an accident at work happens and you are injured, it is important to complete the workplace accident report in your own words, as far as possible. The record book will be used in your accident at work claim and is important evidence of what happened. If possible, you or a trusted manager should take photographs and ask for the names and home addresses of witnesses to your accident at work. All of these items will be used to prove how the accident at work happened, why it happened, and who was responsible for the accident. Make sure to get medical assistance as soon as possible and keep a record of any doctors visited and treatments received for your injuries. These receipts and reports will be used in a compensation claim for all of your injury-related expenses.

For professional, no obligation advice about what needs to be proved to make a successful accident at work claim,  simply fill out our short online form, or call Free Legal Justice today on 0800 567 7074 or 0121 565 4317 to speak to one of our friendly team members about your claim. No matter what type of accident at work you were involved in or how the injuries were caused, we want to help you get the compensation that you deserve.

Are There Time Limits To Making Accident At Work Clams?

In Scotland there is a standard 3 year time limit for filing accident at work claims. If you have not made a claim within 3 years of your accident at work, your case may be considered to be time-barred and you may not be entitled to any compensation.

The 3 year deadline starts on the date that the work accident happened, alternatively from the date that your injuries associated with the workplace accident were diagnosed. The second time frame is particularly useful in cases that involve exposure to asbestos.

In fatal cases, the 3 year time limit starts from the date of death. If the person dies while in the process of dealing with their work accident case, the 3 year deadline begins from the date of their death to allow their family time to continue with the claim. Dealing with fatal accident at work claims can become very complicated and upsetting, and you should always consult a legal professional to help you through this difficult and stressful time.

What Does It Cost To Make Accident At Work Claims?

Many people want nothing more than to receive fair and just compensation for their injuries, but the thought of landing up with a massive legal bill at the end of the day puts them off doing anything about their accident at work claim.

We have good news. At Free Justice Legal, you can continue with your compensation claim without the stress of financial risk hanging over your head. You will never pay us any legal fees in advance. We offer a funding arrangement to all our clients with valid accident at work claims, called a No Win No Fee agreement. Put simply, a No Win No Fee Agreement is a way for you to take legal steps necessary to claim compensation for your injuries, even if you don’t think you have the money to do so.

Our highly skilled solicitors in Scotland are happy to offer No Win No Fee agreements to clients seeking rightful compensation for personal injuries, because they are extremely confident in their abilities and in their success rates. If we win your case, we will charge you a success fee of 25% of the total compensation received, as payment for all the work that we have done on your case. Your appointed solicitor will make sure to discuss the success fee with you before you start your accident at work claim.

When Can I Use A No Win No Fee Agreement?

Free Legal Justice is happy to offer No Win No Fee agreements for a variety of accident at work claims. Whether you were injured at work, in a public space such as a shopping mall or in a street, as a result of food poisoning, or a car accident, we can help you to claim rightful compensation for your injuries, and get you the justice you deserve. Our dedicated and friendly team in Scotland is available around the clock here to answer any questions you have about what happened, why it happened, what your next steps are, and whether you can claim compensation for the personal injuries you have suffered in an accident at work.  Best of all, this professional advice effectively comes free of charge!

At the end of the day, making an accident at work claim with Free Legal Justice is a financially savvy way to take steps to get the justice you deserve. Free Legal Justice carries the risk of your accident at work claim being unsuccessful. If your compensation claim is unsuccessful, we will not charge you any legal fees for the work done by our skilled personal injury solicitors. Contact Free Legal Justice in Scotland today on 0800 567 7074 or 0121 565 4317 and get the compensation you deserve as soon as possible.