Suffering an injury at work is unfortunately still fairly common, and people often have to seek the compensation that they deserve to support themselves through their recovery process. When looking to claim compensation, it is important to know your rights and be able to argue your claim convincingly.
What are your rights if you suffer from an injury at work?
There are always laws that are put in place for every workplace that uphold your employer’s duty of care towards you. If you have an accident at work, it is important to know your rights and be able to take action if you have been unjustly hurt. Anyone who comes into the workplace has to be reasonably protected from any harm that might befall them. In order to make sure that this aim is achieved, a number of requirements must be fulfilled. These are:
- Carrying out regular risk assessments that address all potential harm in the workplace.
- Consulting employees on health and safety issues. This consultation can be a direct on, or through a safety representative who is elected by the workforce or appointed by the trade union.
- Giving all employees information about the risks that are in their workplace and how they are protected, in addition to instructing and providing training on how to avoid them.
You must raise any concerns as soon as possible if you feel that you are being exposed to dangers in your workplace.
If your concerns are ignored and you have an accident at work because you have not been protected from potential dangers, then you have the right to make a claim against your employers.
What should I do in the aftermath of my accident?
In order to be able to best assist your accident solicitors, there are some tasks that can be carried out in the time immediately after your accident. These steps are:
- Gathering together any witnesses of your accident and asking them to make notes about the situation in which you suffered your injury.
- Making your own detailed notes about your injury.
- Taking photographs of the scene of your accident, paying close attention to any notable features that show disrepair.
- Taking photographs of the injuries that you have sustained in your accident.
Additionally, your accident also needs to be reported in the workplace accident book, so it is important that you make sure that this has happened so that you can refer back to it.
There are a number of things that the compensation you can claim for your injury could cover. The loss of earnings that you may suffer due to your accident can be paid to you, in addition to the cost of any medical care that you will need to receive. The mental trauma that it may have caused you will also be considered, and you will be compensated in line with that. In order to receive the best possible legal support throughout, it is always important to seek out the best possible assistance that is tailored to you and will be able to assist you with your needs.
