By Richie Billing. Last Updated 24th November 2023. Have you suffered a minor accident at work that has left you with injuries? Are you suffering from a soft tissue injury such as ligament damage or minor cuts and bruising? Was the accident caused by negligence? If so, you may be able to claim.
You might be under the misapprehension that since your injuries are minor, it is not worth making an accident at work claim. Your employer has a legal duty to protect you while at work, in terms of your health and safety.
Should they fail to do so, and you suffer an injury at work, you could have the legal right to claim compensation. This is the case whether your injuries are severe and life-changing or relatively minor.
In this guide, we take a look at the definition of minor accidents at work and show you what you should do about reporting minor accidents at work. We also give you insight into when and how to make a personal injury claim against an employer if you suffer a minor injury.
We hope you find this guide useful. However, if you would like to talk to us and get a free eligibility check on your case, please call 0800 408 7825. Alternatively, why not keep reading to learn more about how we can help you make a No Win No Fee claim?
Minor accident at work claims guide
Select A Section
- When Could You Claim For A Minor Accident At Work?
- Examples Of Minor Accidents At Work
- How To Prove Your Minor Accident At Work
- How Long Do I Have To Make An Injury At Work Claim?
- Minor Accident At Work Compensation Amounts
- Start A No Win No Fee Accident At Work Claim
- Workplace Injury Claim Guides
When Could You Claim For A Minor Accident At Work?
Following an injury caused by a minor accident at work, you might be wondering if you can make an accident at work compensation claim. No matter how minor or major your injury is, you may be able to make a claim if you can prove that:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- Your employer breached this duty of care.
- You suffered an injury as a result.
While you are working, your employer owes you a duty of care. This is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA), which states that your employer must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you safe while working. Should your employer fail to uphold their duty of care, and this causes you to suffer an injury, this is known as negligence.
If you can prove that negligence occurred, you may be able to make a workplace injury claim. Contact our team of advisors today to find out if you could be eligible to claim, or read on to learn more.
Examples Of Minor Accidents At Work
There are lots of minor accidents at work that could happen due to your employer’s negligence in safeguarding you while at work. Some examples could include:
- Slips, trips and falls caused by poor housekeeping
- Dermatitis caused by lack of Personal Protective Equipment (for example, gloves) when employees need to handle harmful chemicals
- Minor manual handling accidents caused by lack of training
- Eye injuries caused by lack of safety goggles
- Poorly stacked goods in a warehouse falling onto a person and causing minor head injuries
- A minor burn injury or scald caused by poorly maintained machinery
These are just a few examples of the causes of minor accidents at work that could lead to a claim.
You may want to know, if you have a minor accident at work, what is the procedure for reporting it? In the next section, we look at reporting both minor and more serious accidents and injuries. Additionally, we’ll look at the accident log book. You can also speak to one of our team members for free advice about what to do following a workplace accident.
How To Prove Your Minor Accident At Work
In order to make a personal injury claim for an accident that causes an injury at work, you would need evidence. A personal injury solicitor could help you gather evidence.
However, there are actions you could take right away that could help strengthen your claim:
- Take some photographs – if you are able to, you could snap some pictures of the accident scene. You could also take some photographs of your injuries.
- Report the accident – as we mentioned in the above section, you should follow the correct procedure for reporting accidents at work.
- Take witness details – if anyone saw what happened, it could be a good idea to see if you could take their contact details. Your personal injury solicitor could approach them for a statement.
- Seek medical attention – if you suffer an injury at work, you should seek medical attention, no matter how minor it appears to be. While this would not usually provide all the evidence you’d need, it could provide a record that you’d sought professional help.
You’ll usually also need to go to an independent medical evaluation appointment so that an independent medic can verify your injuries to prove your claim. A personal injury solicitor can arrange this for you.
If you would like help with making a personal injury claim for a minor accident at work, why not get in touch for case-specific guidance and support? If you have a valid claim, you could be connected with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel to work on your claim.
Recording And Reporting A Minor Accident At Work
If your employer has a minor accident at work protocol, it should show you how to go about reporting and recording minor accidents at work. It may show you how to complete an accident at work report form.
Usually, your employer will have an accident book in which to complete your report. This is a legal obligation for any company that employs more than 10 people.
How Long Do I Have To Make An Injury At Work Claim?
An important part of making an injury at work claim is ensuring that you are within the time limit. The time limit for claims for an accident at work is three years, as set out by the Limitation Act 1980. This begins on the date of your accident.
For those who are under the age of 18 when they are injured, the time limit is paused. From their 18th birthday, they will have 3 years to start their claim. While the time limit is paused, a litigation friend appointed by the court could make a claim on their behalf.
The time limit is frozen indefinitely for those who lack the mental capacity to claim for themselves. Again, a litigation friend could make a claim on their behalf. If they were to recover the mental capacity to claim for themselves, then the time limit starts on the date of their recovery, if a claim has not already been made.
To learn more about how to claim for an accident at work, contact our advisors or read on.
Minor Accident At Work Compensation Amounts
Instead of including a personal injury calculator, we’ve chosen to include a table below illustrating some potential compensation awards. This contains figures that are taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, which is a publication that is used to help value claims.
If you’re not sure what bracket could be appropriate for your injuries, please call our knowledgeable advisors. They’ll be able to discuss your circumstances with you and accurately value your claim.
The top entry in this table has not been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines.
| Injury | Notes | Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Minor Injuries & Financial Losses | Multiple minor injuries alongside special damages, including lost earnings | Up to £20,000+ |
| Minor back injuries | Full or to nuisance level within 2-5 years | £7,890 to £12,510 |
| Minor back injuries | Full recovery within 3 months to 1 year without surgery | £2,450 to £4,350 |
| Minor back injuries | Recovery within three months | Up to £2,450 |
| Minor eye injuries | Causing initial pain and interference with vision (temporary) | £3,950 to £8,730 |
| Minor neck injuries | Full recovery within 1-2 years | £4,350 to £7,890 |
| Minor neck injuries | Full recovery within 3 months to 1 year | £2,450 to £4,350 |
| Minor soft tissue injuries to shoulder | Considerable pain but almost complete recovery within less than 2 years | £4,350 to £7,890 |
| Minor injuries not specified elsewhere | Recovery within three months | £1,370 to £2,450 |
| Minor injuries not specified elsewhere | Recovery within twenty eight days | £690 to £1,370 |
| Minor injuries not specified elsewhere | Recovery within seven days | A few hundred pounds to £690 |
It is important to recognise that your compensation could include both general and special damages. General damages cover you for your loss of amenity, pain and suffering. This head of your claim could be worked out by referring to the report from your independent medical assessment alongside the Judicial College Guidelines.
As well as this, you could receive special damages for any financial loss your injuries have cause you. These could include care costs, travel and medical expenses, and even loss of earnings. To find out what costs you could claim for, please don’t hesitate to call our team for further guidance.
Start A No Win No Fee Accident At Work Claim
If you’re interested in claiming compensation but are concerned about the potential cost of legal representation, you might be interested to learn about No Win No Fee agreements. This is an agreement that allows you to utilise the services of a personal injury solicitor without having to pay their legal fees unless your claim is successfully settled.
You wouldn’t be asked to pay any upfront or ongoing fees. You’ll pay them a small, legally capped percentage of your payout if your claim is successful. This would be deducted from your payout. If your claim didn’t result in compensation, you wouldn’t pay your solicitor’s costs, nor the success fee.
If you’d like help finding a No Win No Fee solicitor, you can contact us via any of the following methods:
- Call the advice line on 0800 408 7825.
- Use the live chat service to discuss your case.
- Complete the online contact form, and an advisor will call you back.
Workplace Injury Claim Guides
- Reporting Accidents – Find out more about reporting accidents that are not your fault.
- Average Payouts For A Slip, Trip Or Fall – Find out more about payouts here.
- Finding A Back Injury Lawyer – Find out how a back injury lawyer could help you get compensation.
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) – A charity that aims to reduce serious accidental injury through guidance and information.
- Government Guidance On Injury At Work – You can find information for employers about compensation for workplace injuries here.
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) – Find out whether you could claim SSP if you’ve had to take time off work for your injuries and haven’t been paid in full.
We hope this minor accident at work guide has been useful to you.
Article by OE
Publisher ET