What to Do If You’re Injured at Work: A Step-by-Step Guide

Workplace injuries are a common phenomenon in the UK. According to the Labour Force Survey, in the last year around 604,000 people have sustained an injury at work. The cost of injuries and ill health stemming from current working conditions currently sits at around £21.6 billion.

If you’re in this position, it’s important that you take the right actions. Doing so will not only safeguard your health but also give you the best possible chance of securing compensation through the courts. 

Seek Immediate Medical Attention

To begin with, you’ll want to make sure that your injuries are treated promptly. Even minor injuries should be dealt with. For one thing, you might not understand their true extent; for another, you might need a written record of the injury, which you can draw upon later in court.

Report the Incident to Your Employer

Having gotten the necessary treatment, you’ll need to notify your employer that the accident took place. This will give them the opportunity to rectify the problem and ensure that no one else suffers the same injuries that you did. The standard way to do this is through an accident book, which all employers with ten employees or more are required to maintain.

Keep a copy of the report for your own records. Doing so will allow you to easily recall what information was presented to whom, and at what time. If you’re pursuing compensation through the courts, then this information might well be critical.

Understand Your Right to Compensation

Under UK law, you’re entitled to compensation. This might take the form of Statutory Sick Pay, which entitles you to £116.75 per week for up to twenty-eight weeks. If you aren’t eligible for SSP, you will be able to claim other benefits, like Universal Credit or the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

When to Seek Legal Advice

You might take direct action against your employer, especially if their negligence was the cause of your accident. Evidencing the claim, and pursuing it via the appropriate channels, is something that a competent workplace accident solicitor will be able to do.

In most cases, claims of this sort are dealt with outside of court. Even if the case is contested in a courtroom, the claimant is rarely required to attend in person. What’s more, most solicitors in this field will proceed on a no-win, no-fee basis. In other words, you won’t need to pay a penny until the claim is successful. 

If you’re a member of a trade union, then you might find that they’re able to seek legal representation on your behalf. However you choose to proceed, it’s best to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. Doing so will improve your chances of success.

Returning to Work After an Injury

When you get back into the workplace, your employer is legally required to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate you. This might mean a phased reintroduction, where you come into the workplace for just a limited time each week. If you need special adjustments, like modifications to your equipment or work environment, or special dispensation to work from home, then you’ll need to request it!