What to do after an injury at work

If you’ve had the horrible experience of having an injury at work, then you may be eligible to make a claim for compensation. The definition of a personal injury includes any injury that an individual has suffered due to the negligence of another person or institution. In 2015, Eurostat statistics showed that the most common type of injuries sustained at work were wounds and superficial injuries – accounting for 29.9% of the total figure, whilst dislocations, sprains and strains made up 27.8% of it. If you have suffered from an injury like this at work because of your employer’s negligence, then you may fulfil the criteria for making an injury at work claim against your employer.

What should I do after my injury?

When putting together the evidence that will be able to help your personal injury solicitors, there are a few things that are beneficial for your case. It is a good idea to:

• Take the details of any witnesses to your accident
• Take photographs of whatever was the cause of your accident
• Take photographs of the injury that you have suffered as a result of your accident
• Ask witnesses to make any notes about your accident
• Makes detailed notes about your accident as soon as possible

It is also a legal requirement for your injury to have been recorded in the accident book, so make sure that this has been done.

Musculoskeletal Injuries

In addition to wounds and bone breakage, work related musculoskeletal injuries are also common. These are traumatic injuries of the muscles, tendons and nerves. These injuries can arise from:

• Slips, trips or falls
• Accidents with machinery

Could I Claim Compensation?

If your musculoskeletal injury or general injury at work was the fault of your employer, then you can likely claim compensation. A personal injury is defined as the legal term for an injury to the body or mind, as opposed to an injury to your property. A personal injury claim can be made against your employers if you have suffered an avoidable accident that wasn’t your fault.

In personal injury claims, you must make a claim within 3 years of the accident, but once you have started the process, it can be swift and straightforward with the right legal support.

How will the claim be calculated?

The different aspects that will be considered when your settlement is being calculated will include:

• Whether your injury has stopped you from doing further work and will therefore result in a loss of earnings.
• Any medical expenses that you may have already paid, in addition to any future treatment.
• Any cost of care that you have already had to receive or may need to receive in the future.

Because every case is unique, there may be other factors that need to be considered when compensation is being calculated. A chat with a legal professional can help you to gain a better understanding of how much you could be entitled to.

How long could the claim take?

There are two stages to the process of making a claim. These stages are:

1. Determining who will be held legally liable for your injury. If it is an accident that has occurred in your workplace, then it will most likely be your employer who will be held liable.
2. After liability has been established, the medical evidence of your injury must be examined in order to see how it has had an impact on your life.

If you have been affected by an injury at work, it is important to get the support that you need – whether that is financial or emotional.