November 2, 2020 Had an Accident at Work? What You Need to Know

Despite policies in place to keep workers safe accidents still do happen. Here is a look at the procedures you should follow.

Working is part of the daily routine for most people around the world. Some people work in the office, others outdoors. Some travel around for work, while others are always in the same place. Working is a fundamental part of our lives, and how we earn a regular income.

One thing that a lot of emphasis is placed on, is safety in the workplace. The health and wellbeing of all employees is very important, and it’s vital that each company and work management provide their workers with a safe place to work. In many cases, there are lots of policies that have been put in place for the wellbeing of staff, but there is no guaranteed way to keep everyone safe and prevent accidents from happening.

Accidents in the workplace

There are many different types of accidents that can occur in the workplace, and despite the best efforts of employers, sometimes accidents do happen. No one ever goes to work with the intention of being involved in an accident, either on the way to work or there itself.

However, if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s to hope for the best but expect the worst. Most accidents in the workplace are not very serious, and are things that can be resolved very quickly. However, sometimes, workplace accidents are actually very serious, and victims can suffer from extensive injuries.

What to do if you have a workplace accident

If you have an accident at work, there are a few things that you need to do right away. The first is to report the accident to your employer, and ask them to make an official record of the incident. In companies where there are more than 10 employees, there should be an accident book in which you can log the event. If management will make the record of the accident, it’s always a good idea to check with your work manager to make sure that this has been done.

If you are asked to make the report, then there are several important pieces of information that you should include in the report. These are the specific time, date and location of the accident, the names and job titles of employees involved, and also the names and details of any witnesses to the accident. It’s also a good idea to provide a brief write up about the events that led to the accident. If possible, you should also take a few photos of the scene of the accident, as well as any injuries that you may have suffered.

If you are in a road accident, and your job involves you driving, such as a delivery driver, bus driver or courier, then it’s very important that you obtain the information of the vehicle and driver involved. Again, it’s important to take visual documentation of any vehicle accident, as well as the license plates of any other vehicles involved.

If you have suffered any type of injury, it is important that you arrange to go and see your local doctor as soon as possible. You will want them to provide an official report of the injuries that you have sustained, as these will need to be part of your compensation claim. You’ll also want the injuries to be treated as quickly as possible.

Once you have reported and made a log of the accident, as well as had any injuries you’ve sustained, then it’s time to consider if you want to press for work accident compensation due to the incident.

Making a compensation claim

If you are involved in a serious accident at work, which was of no fault of your own, then you will be able to make a compensation claim. In fact, you could even make a claim for an accident that happened up to three years ago, and not one that has occurred recently.

If where you work there is a trade union, then it’s a good idea to speak to one of the representatives of that to see how to proceed with making a personal injury claim. If you don’t have a trade union at your place of work, you’ll need to get professional advice.

In addition to making a compensation claim, you may also be entitled to take time off work while you recover from your injuries, request shorter working hours when you have returned back to work from your injury as well as make a claim for any lost income.

If you want to proceed with making a compensation claim due to an accident in the workplace, then it’s important that you speak to a solicitor that has experience in workplace accidents. There are a number of law firms that specialize in these types of cases, and they will be the recommended ones you should contact.

What damages could you claim

The type and amount of damages that you may be entitled to will depend on a number of factors. If you are successful with your claim, then you may be entitled to general damages, which are to cover the direct results of an accident such as for physical pain you are suffering from, any long term or permanent impairment of disfigurement, and also if your quality of life has been diminished due to the accident.

Any medical expenses can also be claimed, such as for any treatments you may have needed during the recovery from your accident, such as physiotherapy. If you suffered from mental anguish because of the incident, you may require counselling, and these costs can also be claimed.

Some of the other damages that you may receive are related to any loss of earnings that you may have incurred due to the accident, as well as any additional costs you’ve had such as for travel expenses, if you were involved in a road accident and have been temporality left without a vehicle or mode of transport.

Some final thoughts

No one wants to experience a serious accident at work, and though most employers have a lot of systems in place to reduce the potential for accidents, as well as to provide more protection for the wellbeing of their employees, sometimes they still do occur.

If you are involved in a serious accident that resulted in your being injured, and the accident was not your fault, you are entitled to make a compensation claim.

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