Industrial accidents in the workplace can result in a number of different injuries. If you can prove your employer breaching their duty of care caused an accident in which you were injured, you could make a personal injury claim.
Industrial accidents claims guide
Being harmed in an industrial accident could severely negatively impact your quality of life. Your injuries could potentially lead to a long-lasting disability or mean you lose out on income because you need time off work to recover. In some cases, they can lead to accidental death.
Read on to learn more about how you could claim if you were harmed in an industrial accident caused by negligence. You can also get in touch with our team of advisors at any time for free legal guidance. They could pass you through to a solicitor from our panel if they think your claim has a good chance of success.
You can:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825
- Use our online contact form
- Message the live chat on this page for instant replies
Select A Section
- What Are Industrial Accidents?
- Types Of Injuries Caused By Industrial Accidents
- What Could Cause Industrial Accidents?
- Employer’s Responsibility To Prevent Industrial Accidents
- Check How Much You Could Claim For An Industrial Accident
- Can You Make A No Win No Fee Claim Against Your Employer
What Are Industrial Accidents?
You could claim compensation for an industrial accident if you were harmed in an environment such as a construction site, a factory or another industrial workplace. To make a valid claim, your employer must have breached their duty of care towards you and caused you harm. If your employer breached their duty of care, but you did not come to harm, you would not be able to make a personal injury claim.
You can collate evidence to prove your claim without the help of a solicitor, but we recommend that you hire one. They understand the claims process, which means they could give you the best chance of success.
Some examples of evidence could include:
- CCTV footage
- Photographs
- Medical records
- Accident log book records
Organisations with 10 or more employees must report accidents in the workplace accident log book. Records from this could be helpful in supporting your claim.
Which Industry Has The Most Accidents?
The Health and Safety Executive is Britain’s regulator for health and safety at work, providing support and guidance for employers and employees to stay safe in the workplace. According to their statistics [RIDIND], the manufacturing industry had the third most non-fatal injuries reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in 2020/21.
Across the entire industry, employers reported 8,713 non-fatal injuries. The sector covering public administration and defence; compulsory social security; education; human health and social work activities had the highest number of reported non-fatal injuries with 17,202 reported in 2020/21.
Types Of Injuries Caused By Industrial Accidents
Industrial accidents can lead to a variety of injuries. You can claim for multiple injuries in one claim, and the value of your injuries will be combined.
Examples of industrial accident injuries could include:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Asbestosis
- Chemical burns
- Industrial deafness
- Vibration white finger
- Chemical injuries
However, this list is not exhaustive. You may suffer another type of injury, such as a bone fracture or a soft tissue injury.
Contact us today to find out more about claiming compensation if you are injured on an industrial site.
What Could Cause Industrial Accidents?
A variety of factors could lead to industrial accidents. Some causes could include:
- Lifting and carrying
- Chemical spillages
- Machinery failure
- Vehicle accidents
- Lack of or inadequate safety equipment
- Lack of training
For example, if a machine you were operating failed, you could suffer a crush injury if the machine trapped one of your limbs. If the machine failed because your employer had not performed the appropriate checks and maintenance, you could potentially claim compensation.
The graph below shows the most common causes of injuries across all industries. These statistics are taken from RIDDOR reports.
Employer’s Responsibility To Prevent Industrial Accidents
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you from harm. This is your employer’s duty of care towards you and your fellow employees. If they breach this duty of care, you could sustain injuries as a result.
For example, if your employer did not provide you with the appropriate training, you could injure yourself when handling harmful substances. Or, if they did not give you the correct PPE, such as gloves, you could potentially be at a higher risk of electrocution.
Get in touch today to find out more about how an employer breaching their duty of care could lead to industrial accidents. Our advisors could connect you with a solicitor from our panel provided you have a valid claim.
Check How Much You Could Claim For An Industrial Accident
This section includes a table of potential compensation amounts you could receive after an industrial accident has harmed you. The figures shown below are from the Judicial College Guidelines, which is a publication used to value the general damages head of your claim. General damages is the compensation you could receive for the suffering you have experienced due to your injury.
You will attend a medical appointment for an assessment of your injuries. The results of this assessment will be key evidence for calculating general damages.
| Injury | Severity | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric | Moderate | £5,500 to £17,900 | There may be issues with work, relationships and education but the prognosis will be good and the claimant will have made a fair recovery. |
| Sight | (B) | Around £252,180 | Total blindness. |
| Deafness | (D) (ii) | £13,970 to £27,890 | Moderate tinnitus and noise induced hearing loss or either condition independently. |
| Chest | (C) | £29,380 to £51,460 | Damage to the chest and lungs causing some continuous disability. |
| Lung Disease | (B) | £65,710 to £91,350 | Lung cancer causing impairment of function and quality of life. There will also be severe pain. |
| Abestos-Related Disease | (A) | £65,710 to £118,150 | Mesothelioma causing severe pain and impairment of quality of life and functionality. |
| Digestive System | (A) (ii) | £15,750 to £26,050 | Serious non-penetrating injury causing permanent complications such as severe indigestion. |
| Vibration White Finger | Minor | £2,810 to £8,110 | Occasional symptoms in only a few fingers. There will be a modest effect on leisure or work. |
| Burns | – | Likely to exceed £98,380 | Burn injuries that may cause serious pain and psychological injury. |
| Work-Related Upper Limb Disorders | (A) | £20,560 to £21,700 | Continuous bilateral disability with a loss of employment and a need for surgery. |
Being involved in an industrial accident can sometimes also lead to financial loss. You could claim these costs back in special damages. Some examples include:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel costs
- Treatments not covered by the NHS
- The cost of mobility supports or adaptions to the home, if necessary
You can claim these costs back if you can provide evidence of them. For example, you could use receipts, payslips, bank statements or invoices to support your claim.
It is also possible to claim compensation for potential costs of the future. For example, you may need to continue to take time away from work to recover and therefore lose out on income. You could potentially claim this cost as well.
Can You Make A No Win No Fee Claim Against Your Employer?
You might want to hire legal representation for your claim if your employer breaching their duty of care led to an industrial accident and harm. However, you may have concerns about the fees attached. You should know that one of the solicitors from our panel may offer you a No Win No Fee agreement.
This means that you only pay your solicitor in the event of a successful claim. If this occurs, they will deduct a legally capped success fee from your compensation amount before you receive it.
In the event that your claim is unsuccessful, your solicitor will not require payment from you whatsoever. There’s also nothing to pay before the claims process starts, or as it progresses.
If this type of agreement sounds like it could benefit you, why not get in touch today? Our advisors can give you free legal guidance on claiming for industrial accidents and pass you through to a solicitor from our panel who can help you start a claim.
To get in touch, you can:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825
- Use our online contact form
- Message the live chat on this page for instant replies
Need More Information?
We hope you found this guide on industrial accidents helpful. For more information, please see the links below.
Am I Limited to Local Solicitors? – Learn about if you are limited to solicitors in your area.
Can You Claim for a Fall at Work? – If you’ve had a fall at work, discover here how you could claim compensation.
Exposure to Hazardous Substances Claims – If being exposed to hazardous substances has harmed you, learn how you could be eligible to claim compensation.
Statutory Sick Pay – More information on how to claim SSP if you’ve needed to take time off work without full pay.
Mesothelioma UK – This registered charity aims to suppose those suffering from asbestos-related cancer.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health – HSE guidance on handling hazardous substances.
Please get in touch if you have any further queries about claiming for industrial accidents.
Guide by AO
Publisher ET