Accidents at work can be very common but it will heavily depend on the type of health and safety procedures set in place by your employer. Allot of companies will always look at ways they can improve their health and safety policy and reduce the amount of accidents at work.  The below will show you some step you should take if you have had an accident at work and also information and advice on the process which you might have to undertake when you’re looking to make an accident claim.

If you have had an accident at work then following the simple steps below will ensure you have the best possible chance of been able to make a personal injury claim for any accidents you might have occurred. The steps will also help reduce the chance of other people been involved within the same type of accident at work and will ensure you have the best advice on how to proceed.

Ensure you record the Accident

By law every company must have an accident book which is where all accidents at work are recorded, this book will prove very helpful not only for you but also for the employee of your company ensuring you have taken note of any accidents at work no matter how small. The accident book an also prove to be evidence if it is ever needed once you have made your accident claim. The book should also be used as a guide for your employer so they know of any changes they could make to help reduce the chance of other people having accidents at work.

As an employer you should make sure you always take note of any accidents noted in this book ensuring you take the appropriate action to reduce the risk of them happening again, the book should not be kept away and only bought out when someone is injured.

Report all Serious Accidents to HSE

If you have a serious injury while you’re working then you should make sure you report it to the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) they will be able to offer advice and information on steps to take to ensure not only that this type of accident at work doesn’t happen again but also to ensure you have the best information to be able to make a claim for your personal injury.

Although reporting your accident to HSE should be down to your employer it can sometimes be a good idea to ensure this has been does. Reporting accidents to HSE should only be done if you have broken bones or other major injuries which will prevent you from doing over 17.5 hours of work a week.

Accident Pay Rights

If you have had an accident at work then you will more than likely have to take time off which can result in you having to pay bills and other expenses without your full time wage, accident pay is not available in all companies so make sure you know about this before you join the company it should be highlighted within your contract and it should show you how much accident pay you will be allowed if you have an accident at work.

Allot of the time the only pay you will get if you have had an accident at work is statutory sick pay which is given to you by the government however some companies do offer various sick pay schemes which might allow you to claim extra if you have had an accident. The amount the company pays you might be reflected by the seriousness of your accident at work.

Health and Safety Issues

Health and safety is important within any working environment and you should always ensure a laps in this policy hasn’t lead to you having a personal injury. If your accident at work has been caused because the health and safety policy has slipped then it will always be a good idea to ensure you have reported this and the company know they have some improvements to make.

If any issues you have raised to your company that you feel might result in someone having an accident at work have not been death with then you can always contact your HSE officer who will ensure they are addressed accordingly to ensure they do not cause injury to anyone working within the company.

Making an accident at work claim

If you have had an accident at work which hasn’t been your fault then you can look at making a personal injury claim. Depending on the type of injuries you have gained from having an accident you might not make a claim for some years from the date of the accident however with laws in place you are only able to make a personal injury claim for up to 3 years from the date in which your accident happened.

Depending on the type of accident you have had this rule might change but this will have to be talked through with your personal injury lawyer who will offer the best advice and information on how to ensure you have the best chance of been able to make a claim for any accident at work you might have had.

Allot of personal injury claim companies will now work on a no win no fee basis which means you will not have to pay anything to speak to your personal injury lawyer as all the costs will be claimed back from the other party or in this case your company. It is always highly advisable to ensure you stick with one company as then you will not have to explain your accident at work to various companies this can also speed up the process of your accident at work claim.

All companies should have insurance which will mean you will be covered and all costs can be recovered from the 3rd party, don’t worry if you think that by making a personal injury claim for an accident you might have had at work that you could lose your job it is against the law for you to be sacked because you have made a personal injury claim against the company you work for.

Personal injury is becoming more and more common with the working environment this is due to a range of reasons and can result in people having serious injuries which could put them out of work for a long time. Depending on the type of accident you have you might be able to make a personal injury claim for your accident.

One of the most common types of personal injury at work is in fact trips and slips this type of injury can be caused from a range of things within your environment and can result in you having to take allot of time of work to overcome this type of personal injury. If you have had a trip at work which has resulted in a personal injury you should contact a professional solicitor who will be able to offer advice and help on your personal injury.

Common Causes

The most common causes of a personal injury are very simple and while allot of people do not realise that they might have been the cause of the personal injury some people know they have had an accident which hasn’t been there fault. The below highlights some of the most common causes of personal injury claims as a result of having a trip and how the trip could be caused within your working environment.

Slippery Floor

This is one of the most common causes of personal injury allot of the time the floor might have been left wet without having the correct sign to show people the floor is slippery, this could mean people might slip or trip on the wet surface and damage various areas of their body. This type of injury is very common when the weather outside a building is wet.

Exposed Electrics

This type of personal injury can be very dangerous to the people involved and can be very common within warehouse environments. Allot of the time electrics might have been left open within warehouse environments which can cause a trip hazard because they haven’t been correctly sealed away from danger. This type of personal injury can become very dangerous if the person is carrying work material and slip as they might injury there back or vital areas of their body.

Floor Levels

If the floor surface within your working environment becomes un-even you might end up having a personal injury. The rise in floor levels could mean people might not see the floor has a dip and they might have a trip as a direct result this type of personal injury is down to the employee and all of these things should be recorded in case you have a personal injury which requires care.

Broken Floors

If the carpet within your working environment has become worn and now has a rip in it this could result in you having a personal injury. The fall should be fixed or labelled to ensure you can see all the areas of the floor which have become damaged and now are not at the same level.

Weather Conditions

Although the weather cannot be controlled by anyone allot of people might have a trip or skid because of the weather during your working environment your employer should take care of any areas which might cause a personal injury. 

Common Injuries

Depending on the type of accident you have you might sustain various personal injuries which might require you to have hospital treatment this will heavily depend on the type of accident you have been involved in.  The below highlights some of the most common injuries which are caused because of trips, these types of personal injuries can be caused for any reason when you have a trip.

Bruse’s

This type of personal injury is the most common and while it will not cause any long term injuries it can be very painful. Unfortunately allot of personal injury claims cannot be made for a bruse because it contains no long term injuries.  Allot of bruse’s will go within a small space of time and will leave you with no long term scars.

Broken Bones

This type of personal injury is a little more serious and can lead to you having various weeks of work to be able to cope with the broken bone. Depending on how bad the break might be you might have to take long periods of work to be able to recover. Broken bones can take various weeks to heal and can take even longer to fully go.

Damaged Limbs

This can be a very common personal injury when you have had a trip causing injury to various limbs around your body which could take weeks if not months to fully heal. The limbs might have been damaged when you put your arm out to stop your fall or if you hit your knee when hitting the floor.

Sprains

This type of personal injury is quite common as some people hit the ground allot harder than others and can have bad sprains which have been caused by hitting the area with some force. Although this type of injury will not leave scars it can take a while for the swelling and pain to die down.

Damaged Cartilage

Besides from having a bruise this is the most common type of injury when you hit the floor after having a trip at work you will likely damage the cartilage within your body resulting in you having to have some physical therapy to help put your personal injury right.

Depending on the type of personal injury you have after having a trip at work you will more than likely be able to make a personal injury claim but this should be spoken about with your solicitor who will be able to offer more information and advice on the type of personal injury you have had and also the best way to go about making a claim for your accident.