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Claims arising from accidents at work

Employers must take all reasonable steps to protect their employees from foreseeable accidents and injury. This means that those who work for them can expect to work in a safe environment with the necessary training, protective clothing (if needed) and equipment to perform their work. Employers must regularly check their workplace facilities and procedures to identify and reduce the risk of injury. They are responsible for accidents caused by their own failure to protect their workers’ safety, and for injury caused by their employees’ negligence at work. 

Workplace accidents can sometimes be dismissed as carelessness, with the employee encouraged to assume that it was all their fault. However, if the accident was caused, partly or wholly, by the employer’s negligence, the injured employee may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and financial loss.

If you or a family member have been severely injured at work but are not sure whether the accident should have been prevented, our expert solicitors can advise you quickly, and confidentially, whether you can claim. It costs nothing to talk to us and find out about your rights, and it might open the door to much-needed rehabilitation, practical support and financial help in meeting the costs which follow a serious injury, as well as the long-term security of substantial compensation.

Why use Boyes Turner for your workplace injury/accident at work compensation claim?

Boyes Turner’s specialist serious injury claims lawyers have been helping clients recover compensation and rebuild their lives after accidents and injury in the workplace for over 20 years. We understand the H&S regulations which govern workplace accidents and have the expertise to quickly identify the negligent causes of our clients’ injuries. We specialise in claims involving complex and severe injury.

Our clients benefit from: free, clear, straightforward, confidential advice from our experienced solicitors;

  • no win no fee (CFA) funding arrangements for eligible claims;
  • early funded rehabilitation, to maximise recovery, with individualised immediate needs assessments (INAs) by specialist case managers;
  • interim (advance) payments to reduce financial hardship and meet urgent needs;
  • ongoing support (liaison with multidisciplinary medical, therapeutic and care teams, where needed);
  • deputyship or personal injury trusts, where needed;
  • high value settlements, carefully calculated to meet our client’s future needs. 

Our personal injury lawyers are recognised as experts in their field by Chambers Directory and The Legal 500, APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers), The Law Society’s Personal Injury Panel, Headway, Spinal Injuries Association (SIA), the Major Trauma Group, and Mesothelioma UK

Previous claims for accidents at work

  • £1.1 million settlement for the family of a former welder who had been exposed to asbestos by two employers, in a fatal mesothelioma claim.
  • £300,000 settlement from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) for a soldier whose pre-existing PTSD was exacerbated when he was redeployed for a second tour of duty in Afghanistan. MOD denied liability but the case settled after their psychiatry expert’s report, disclosed in preparation for trial, criticised the assessment by the MOD psychiatrist who had authorised our client’s redeployment.
  • £300,000 compensation for a roofer who fell from a slipping ladder at roof height. He received £26,000 of insurer-funded surgery and rehabilitation and interim payments of £44,500 to help his recovery and relieve his financial hardship whilst we worked on his claim.

  • £300,000 settlement for a mechanic who suffered a brain injury when he slipped whilst working in an MOT bay which had been left unsafe by another employee.
  • £300,000 settlement for a man who suffered a moderate head injury, psychological symptoms and at risk of epilepsy after he was hit with a pickaxe by a co-worker whilst working on the road.
  • £220,000 settlement for a client who suffered soft tissue injuries to his neck and back, chronic pain and a minor head injury with post-concussion syndrome when he was hit on the head by a metal roller shutter door which came down unexpectedly on top of him. We secured Rehabilitation Code funding from the insurers for the defendant (our client’s employer) at an early stage to pay for our client to have physiotherapy, steroid injections and CBT treatment.
  • £188,000 settlement for a telecoms engineer who suffered a moderate head injury in an accident whilst lifting a heavy cabinet down a staircase with a colleague. On our advice, our client rejected an initial settlement offer of £5,000. We negotiated a £188,000 settlement despite the claim being disputed throughout by our client’s employer.
  • £135,000 settlement for a healthcare assistant in her sixties who suffered facial injuries, fibromyalgia and PTSD after being head-butted by a patient at work. Her employer admitted responsibility for the assault and an interim payment helped ease our client’s financial hardship and pay for psychological treatment whilst we worked towards settlement of the case.
 

Who can claim compensation for workplace injuries?

Business owners and employers have a responsibility to provide a safe workplace or business premises to all visitors to their site, not just full-time employees.  Claims against an employer or business owner for compensation for workplace injuries caused by negligence or failure to provide a safe working environment can be made by:

  • full-time or part-time employees;
  • independent contractors;
  • temporary or casual staff;
  • self-employed workers;
  • agency workers;
  • visitors;
  • members of the public.

We can also help recover compensation for UK residents who have been severely injured as a result of their employer’s negligence whilst working abroad.

How common are accidents at work and workplace injuries?

142 people died in fatal workplace accidents in Britain in the year 2020 to 2021, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures from RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).

HSE figures for workplace deaths in the five years from 2015 to 2020 reveal that:

  • 25% were from falls from height, with over half in the construction industry;
  • 19% arose from being hit by a moving vehicle, mainly in the farm/agricultural/fisheries, transport/storage, and construction industries.
  • 13% were caused by being hit by a moving object;
  • 10% were caused by being trapped by something overturning or collapsing;
  • 8% were from contact with moving machinery;
  • 4% were from being injured by an animal;
  • 3% were from explosions;
  • 3% were from contact with electricity;
  • 2% were from drowning or asphyxiation;
  • 2% were from slips, trips or falls on the same level;
  • the remaining 10% of causes included:
    • exposure to fire;
    • exposure to harmful substances;
    • striking against something fixed or stationary;
    • handling, lifting or carrying;
    • acts of violence.

In the year from 2019 to 2020, 693,000 workers reported to the Labour Force Survey (LSF) that they had suffered non-fatal workplace injuries. Of those, HSE says only 65,427 were reported as employee non-fatal injuries by employers.

Of the reported non-fatal injuries in 2019/2020:

  • 29% were from slips, trips or falls on same level;
  • 19% were from handling, lifting or carrying;
  • 11% were from being struck by a moving object;
  • 9% were from acts of violence;
  • 8% were from falls from a height;
  • 90% of those reported injuries were fractures (broken bones other than fingers, thumbs, toes).
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What kinds of employer negligence can lead to a workplace injury compensation claim?

Employers must comply with multiple health and safety (H&S) standards and guidelines and carry out regular risk assessments. They also owe their employees a general duty of care to prevent foreseeable accidents and injury.

The main regulations are set out in:

  • The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974;
  • Regulations which set out minimum health and safety requirements for employers to protect their workers from injury. In workplace injury claims, the most commonly used regulations are known as ‘The Six Pack’. Where an employer has failed to comply with these regulations, this may help provide evidence of negligence.
    • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999;
    • Manual Handling Operations Regulations - risk of injury from lifting or handling of heavy loads;
    • Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations - safe use of computer screens and keyboards;
    • Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations - working environment (seating, lighting, heating, windows, rest areas, washing facilities, changing rooms, fire escapes);
    • Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations: appropriate, regularly maintained equipment and proper training in its use.
    • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations - protective equipment and training in its use.

Common causes of workplace injuries which lead to compensation claims include:

  • falls from heights (defective scaffolding, broken ladders, unguarded steep drops, such as rooftops);
  • falls on same level (into manholes, uncovered drains);
  • unsafe working environments (asbestos);
  • unsafe working practices, (heavy lifting, overloaded trolleys or shelving);
  • dangerous, unguarded or defective machinery and equipment;
  • burns, electrocution/electric shocks, explosions;
  • moving vehicle accidents, such as agricultural vehicles, tractors, forklifts, factory vehicles, delivery trucks;
  • exposure to dangerous substances, toxins, chemicals, asbestos;
  • slipping hazards (spillages, oil, water, slippery floors);
  • tripping hazards (trailing wires, raised carpets or paving stones, debris);
  • falling/moving objects and toppling hazards;
  • unsafe buildings or premises, occupier’s liability;
  • untrained, unsupervised or negligent co-workers;
  • violence, such as assault.
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Employer health and safety (H&S) negligence which may lead to workplace injury claims

Our specialist personal injury lawyers investigate and carefully consider the circumstances of each client’s accident and injury. This means that we can ensure that the correct defendant and their insurers take responsibility for the injury and provide funding for our client’s rehabilitation and urgent needs straight away.

Common health and safety failures which lead to accident at work injury claims include:

  • failing to carry out a proper risk assessment;
  • failing to inspect, maintain and repair buildings and business premises;
  • failing to inspect, maintain and repair or replace machinery, vehicles or equipment;
  • failing to provide protective clothing or safety equipment;
  • failing to provide adequate training and support;
  • failing to comply with health and safety guidelines or regulations;
  • failing to provide safe systems of work;
  • failing to provide safety guards around hazards, such as:
    • steep drops (rooftops, scaffolding);
    • dangerous machinery;
    • electricity;
    • risk of falling objects.
  • lack of safety netting on scaffolding and rooftops;
  • toppling hazards (unsafe stacking of shelves, trolleys or vehicles, faulty ramps);
  • failing to warn/sign or remove spillages or slipping hazards (oil, water, slippery floors, stairs);
  • failing to remove, repair or warn about tripping hazards (trailing wires, raised paving or carpets);
  • exposing employees to hazardous or toxic substances (chemicals, broken glass);
  • exposure to asbestos;
  • failing to train or supervise other employees properly (vicarious liability for co-worker negligence);
  • road traffic accidents (RTAs) and driver negligence at work;
  • armed forces/military claims for negligence against the MOD;
  • violent crime – CICA claims (workplace assaults, claims by injured police, and other criminal injuries).
Read more

Who is at risk of suffering an accident at work or workplace injury?

Accidents can take place in any environment where an employer or business owner fails to consider the risks of accidental injuries and take reasonable steps to prevent them. However, some industries or occupations have higher rates of serious injury from workplace accidents. These include:

  • Construction industry (roofers, builders, building site labourers etc);
  • Factory and warehouse work;
  • Farming, agriculture and fishing industry;
  • Transportation and storage industry;
  • Manufacturing industry;
  • Catering/commercial kitchens;
  • Schools;
  • Occupations and industries historically linked to asbestos exposure (shipbuilding, carpentry, plumbing);
  • Military – MOD.
Read more

What kind of workplace injuries can lead to an accident at work compensation claim?

Boyes Turner’s personal injury team specialise in helping clients who have suffered severe, life-changing injury or permanent disability as a result of someone else’s negligence.  We can help clients, and their families, after their employer’s negligence led to injuries such as:

  • head injury or skull fracture;  
  • brain injury and neurological damage;
  • spinal cord injury ( paralysis, paraplegia, tetraplegia) or spinal fracture;
  • major trauma or multiple injuries;
  • amputation;
  • crush injuries;
  • fractures (broken bones);
  • burns;
  • scalds;
  • degloving injuries (needing skin grafting);
  • scarring and disfigurement;
  • internal injuries (damage to major organs);
  • severe lacerations;
  • nerve injury;
  • blindness and sight loss;
  • deafness and hearing loss;
  • stabbing/impaling injury;
  • CRPS and chronic pain conditions;
  • mesothelioma, asbestosis, pleural thickening and asbestos-related lung cancer;
  • PTSD and psychological injury;
  • Death/fatal injury (claims for the bereaved, dependant family).
Read more

How much compensation can I claim for a workplace injury?

Each client’s claim is carefully calculated to compensate them for their injury, its impact on their life,  and to meet their additional needs arising from that injury now and in the future.

Where the injured person’s own actions contributed to their accident or injury, they will usually still be entitled to compensation as long as their employer was partly at fault. In these circumstances, their compensation may be reduced in proportion to their own contributory negligence.

Depending on the client’s injury, they may receive compensation for:

  • pain, suffering and disability;
  • costs of rehabilitation, in addition to rehab funded under the Rehabilitation Code by the defendant, such as ongoing or future rehab, or vocational rehabilitation;
  • case management costs;
  • care costs;
  • therapies, such as:
    • occupational therapy (OT);
    • physiotherapy;
    • speech and language therapy (SALT);
    • pain management;
  • psychological treatment and counselling;
  • assistive technology (IT);
  • prostheses (if needed after amputation);
  • earnings and pension loss;
  • specialist equipment/aids;
  • extra costs of transport and mobility, such as wheelchairs and adapted vehicles;
  • increased costs of suitable accommodation or essential home adaptations;
  • medical or surgical treatment;
  • immunotherapy treatment costs (for mesothelioma);
  • Court of Protection deputyship costs;
  • Fatal injury compensation including loss of dependency claims for the deceased’s dependents.
Read more

Who pays the compensation in a workplace injury claim?

Employers and business owners are required by law to have insurance in place to cover claims for injury and death. Employers (and their insurers) are also liable for injury caused by the negligence of their employees.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident, the compensation may be paid by the defendant’s employer’s liability insurance, public liability insurance, motor insurance. Claims against the Ministry of Defence are paid by the MOD (via the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme). Claims arising from violence may be compensated via the CICA (Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority).

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Meet your specialist team

Our specialist Work accident compensation claims team are considered leaders in the field and have a significant amount of expertise.
Kim Milan

Kim Milan

Senior Partner

Claire Roantree headshots

Claire Roantree

Partner

Martin Anderson

Martin Anderson

Associate Solicitor

Beth Hatton headshoot

Beth Hatton

Paralegal

Roshni Patel photo

Roshni Patel

Paralegal

Kim Milan
Claire Roantree headshots
Martin Anderson
Beth Hatton headshoot
Roshni Patel photo

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Awards & Accreditations

Our teams have been nationally recognised over the past decade for their dedication and commitment to securing maximum compensation for our clients

              Brake | The Road Safety Charity

"Personal Injury Claim"

Claire is exceptionally knowledgeable in the personal injury legal domain, especially in the specific area of my injury. From our very first conversation, she was clear in explaining the potential different routes that the process could take and provided me with expectations of what I could expect along the journey.

She ensured that all bases were covered, organising meetings, discussions and necessary specialist appointments, in order to bring together the case and take it forward. Claire was then able to use her extensive pool of contacts, to appoint an "area leading" barrister, to represent me.

Overall, I was very pleased with appointing Claire and Boyes Turner to act as my solicitor for the legal claim that I pursued. Thank you for all of your support.

Boyes Turner Client

"Boyes turner workplace injury claim"

I approached Claire Roantree of Boyes Turner in regards to making a claim about a workplace burns injury. It was something that had scarred me physically and mentally and taken a huge toll on the lives of me and my family. Claire wasted no time in finding out what happened and made sure I was treated by known experts and quickly finding an answer to my burns scarring and how I could be treated to help manage my pain. Claire also helped me by appointing a psychiatrist to understand my situation and help me cope with post traumatic stress disorder. As well as taking as much stress of the claim away, she was thorough in every situation, making sure I had the best possible claim, and handled it all expertly, I am so very grateful to her and her team. They have helped guide my life back into a positive direction and I can't thank her enough!

Boyes Turner Client

"Personal Injury claim"

Excellent service from Claire and her team at all times. We were kept up to date at each stage of our claim. The outcome was much better than we expected and we would not hesitate to recommend Boyes Turner to family and friends.

Boyes Turner Client

"Lifechanging Law Firm"

Kim handled my personal injury claim after a car accident with immeasurable expertise and compassion. Boyes Turner arranged every part of my private rehabilitation, which greatly improved the speed and quality of my recovery.

Each stage of the litigation process was dealt with efficiently and succinctly. This was then always explained without using unclear legal jargon.

On both health and financial levels, I would be in a far worse position without Kim’s invaluable input. I cannot recommend this firm enough.

Jessica

"Helping me start to get my life back together"

The last 6 years since my incident have been so my mental health and general life. When I chose Boyes Turner, I was expecting just a solicitor to take my case forward. What in fact I actually got is a solicitor who genuinely cared about what had happened to me and wanted to help me get justice. Without their support I would have probably given in and excepted what happened. I am so glad that I didn’t, now it’s over I am now feeling empowered knowing it wasn’t my fault. They have given me hope for the future. It is more than a job for Claire, she is caring and kind, are wants the best for clients. Thank you.

Rhiannon
Rated Excellent 4.8/5