Last updated 24th March 2026. Forklift accidents often result in severe injuries that change lives in an instant. They can lead to crush injuries, amputations, or even long-term paralysis, and the impact is frequently compounded by time off work and other financial pressures. If your injuries were the result of a negligent employer’s actions, such as a failure to provide appropriate operator training, you may be eligible to pursue a forklift accident claim and seek compensation for your pain, suffering, and financial losses.
At Public Interest Lawyers, we appreciate that you may be dealing with both the physical effects and the challenges that follow. You might have worries about your independence, your ability to work, and what the future now holds. That is why our team takes a whole-person approach to supporting workers navigating the effects of employer negligence. Everyone on our team is committed to client care, and our expertise has enabled us to help thousands of claimants nationwide.
With the help of one of our specialist forklift accident compensation solicitors, you could seek compensation that can be used to fund your recovery and help you get your life back on track. We understand that making a claim can feel daunting, which is why we are on hand to handle the legal intricacies of the process. With this client-centred mindset, your solicitor will ensure you can remain focused on your recovery whilst they fight tirelessly to secure a settlement that reflects the harm you’ve suffered.
Get in touch with our advisory team today for an obligation-free consultation where they can assess your claim and connect you with one of our dedicated accident at work solicitors.
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- Can I Make A Forklift Accident Claim?
- What Amount Of Forklift Accident Compensation Could Be Awarded?
- What Can Compensation From Forklift Accident Claims Help With?
- Examples Of Accidents That May Occur With A Forklift Truck
- Is An Employer Always Liable After A Forklift Accident?
- Is There A Forklift Truck Accident Claim Time Limit?
- What Evidence Is Needed When Making Forklift Injury Claims?
- How Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me?
- Claim With Our No Win No Fee Forklift Accident Claim Solicitors
- Learn More
Can I Make A Forklift Accident Claim?
Yes, you could make a forklift accident claim if you can clearly demonstrate that your case meets the eligibility criteria. To do so, you must show that,
- Your employer owed you a duty of care.
- They failed to meet (breached) this duty. For instance, they may have provided you with known faulty or damaged equipment.
- The breach caused you to be injured. E.g. The faulty equipment caused you to suffer an arm injury.
Employers have a responsibility to ensure your safety under several key pieces of legislation. These include:
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). Under this, your employer has a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety whilst working.
- The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) cover the proper planning and supervision of lifting operations.
- The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) cover the proper maintenance and provision of workplace equipment.
- The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 require employers to provide proper and necessary protective equipment.
Am I Able To Claim On Behalf Of A Loved One?
Yes, you could claim on behalf of a loved one injured in a forklift truck accident. To do so, the person harmed must be unable to claim on their own behalf. Examples may include,
- Those with insufficient mental capacity to make a claim themselves.
- Those under the age of 18.
In either of these cases, the person harmed is not able to claim on their own behalf. You may ask the courts to appoint you as a litigation friend. This allows you to act on their behalf in any personal injury claim.
Fatal Forklift Accident Claims
Fatal forklift accident claims can be made if the deceased suffered their fatal injury due to their employer breaching their duty of care.
These claims may be brought by the estate of the deceased or by their qualifying relatives (dependents).
In the initial 6 months following the person’s death, per the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1934, the estate of the deceased is the only party that can bring forward a claim. This can be for the deceased’s pain and suffering, financial losses prior to death and a claim on behalf of the dependents.
Following this, if no claim has been made on their behalf under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, the dependents of the deceased can make their own claim for how the death has impacted them.
To see whether you may qualify as a dependent, you can contact our advisors.
What Amount Of Forklift Accident Compensation Could Be Awarded?
What amount of forklift accident compensation you could be awarded depends on how you were injured and how severe the injury is. For instance, a claimant left with paraplegia may potentially be awarded between £267,340 and £346,890.
These figures have been taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This document may be used by those valuing your general damages, as it provides compensation guidelines for various injuries ranging from minor to severe.
General damages compensate you for your injuries and the pain and suffering they have caused you.
In the table below, we use some of the figures listed within the JCG, aside from the top entry. Please note that this table is a guideline only, and not a guarantee of compensation.
| Injury | Severity | Damages |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple types of severe injury and special damages, such as for medical bills | Severe | Up to £1,000,000+ |
| Brain or head injury | Very severe | £344,150 to £493,000 |
| Paralysis | Paraplegia | £267,340 to £346,890 |
| Neck injury | Severe (ii) | £80,240 to £159,770 |
| Back injury | Severe (ii) | £90,510 to £107,910 |
| Hip injury | Severe (ii) | £75,550 to £95,680 |
| Arm injury | Less severe injury | £23,430 to £47,810 |
| Elbow injury | Less severe injury | £19,100 to £39,070 |
| Leg injury | Less serious leg injury (i) | £21,920 to £33,880 |
| Chest injury | Simple chest injury, such as penetrating wound | £15,370 to £21,920 |
Please contact us to be connected with one of our specialist solicitors. They could help to estimate how much compensation you may be owed.
What Can Compensation From Forklift Accident Claims Help With?
Compensation from forklift accident claims could help you deal with financial losses connected to your injuries. For example, as a result of your accident, you may be unable to fully return to work as you previously did. You may be compensated for income already lost and future projected losses. This compensation, awarded as part of a settlement, is called special damages.
Special damages could compensate you for the following financial losses,
- Lost income and earnings. Depending on how your earning potential has been affected, this may form a large part of your final settlement.
- Medical bills. This may cover out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment, care and medication.
- Travel costs. Covering the cost of getting to and from necessary medical appointments.
- Adaptations to your vehicle or home. This could cover the cost of adapting your home or vehicle to deal with any disabilities you have.
Regardless of what financial losses you are claiming for, you will need to provide evidence of them in order to receive special damages. This could include receipts, payslips and invoices.
Contact our advisors today to see whether you may be eligible for special damages as part of your forklift accident claim.
Examples Of Accidents That May Occur With A Forklift Truck
Below, we will look at examples of different types of forklift truck accidents which may occur in the workplace.
- Unsecured or unbalanced loads – may occur where a load is improperly loaded or not correctly secured. The load could fall, striking an employee and causing a head injury.
- Poor or inadequate training – poor training of a forklift driver could lead to accidents. A poorly trained driver may make sudden turns at too high a speed, causing the forklift to rollover. The forklift driver may suffer a crush injury.
- Collisions – could involve other members of staff or work vehicles. For example, if an employer does not implement safe walkways, someone could have their foot run over by a forklift and may require some toes to be amputated.
- Overloading accidents – for example, if an employer asks for a forklift to carry more than it can, this may result in the forklift toppling over, with the load landing on an employee who suffers a head injury as a result.
- Poor maintenance – a lack of proper maintenance could lead to brake or hydraulic failures. This could result in the vehicle not stopping or the lifting arms falling on a worker. Employees could sustain different types of injury, such as broken bones or internal injuries.
These are some examples of common accidents at work which could involve lift trucks. Please contact our team to find out if you could claim compensation for your specific circumstances.
Is An Employer Always Liable After A Forklift Accident?
No, an employer is not always liable for either a forklift accident at work or the resulting injuries. Whether an employer is liable after a forklift accident depends on the specific circumstances in which the accident occurred. Under Section 2 of the HASAWA, employers must provide employees with safe equipment, appropriate training and supervision. If the employer acted in a negligent manner, a claim could be made.
However, an employer’s liability may be reduced or removed if the employee’s actions contributed towards the accident. Employee actions, such as ignoring safety protocols, failing to use equipment properly or to wear personal protective equipment, could all contribute towards an accident occurring. In these cases, incident reports, witness statements and training records may be used to help determine fault.
If you are unsure whether your employer is liable for your injuries, please contact one of our advisors.
Is There A Forklift Truck Accident Claim Time Limit?
Yes, there is a forklift truck accident claim time limit. If you are an adult and making a claim on your own behalf, you will generally have 3 years from the date the accident took place. This time limit is set by the Limitation Act 1980.
The exceptions to this time limit are as follows:
- Where the claimant was under the age of 18, they cannot claim on their own behalf, so the time limit does not begin till they turn 18.
- Those lacking the mental capacity have the time limit suspended. It will only be implemented if they regain this capacity and run from this date.
Please speak to an advisor to learn more about how long you have to make a forklift accident claim.
What Evidence Is Needed When Making Forklift Injury Claims?
The evidence that is needed when making a forklift injury claim is any documents that demonstrate what injuries you have suffered and who was liable for them.
Examples of evidence you could gather for your forklift accident claim include:
- Medical evidence, including your medical records, which show what injuries you sustained, what treatment was necessary and any long-term impact they will have on you.
- Details of anyone who witnessed the accident. They may later be asked to provide a statement in support of your account of events.
- Photographs of the accident site and any visible injuries.
- CCTV footage of the accident.
- The report from the accident book.
If you choose to claim using a solicitor from Public Interest Lawyers, they may also ask you to attend an independent medical assessment. During this assessment, an appropriate medical professional will review your medical records, examine you and assess the extent and impact of your injuries. This helps to create additional supporting medical evidence.
Additionally, they can also help you gather evidence to support your claim.
Contact an advisor today to learn more about working with a solicitor from Public Interest Lawyers.
How Can Public Interest Lawyers Help Me?
At Public Interest Lawyers, we provide a tailored service built around delivering expert legal support to workers injured by the negligent actions of their employers. With over £100 million in compensation won for our claimants, our solicitors have a proven track record of handling the most complex accident at work claims.
With a personalised approach, your legal representative will work tirelessly to ensure that your needs are met throughout your forklift accident compensation claim. We will:
- Act as a dedicated point of contact through every stage of your claim
- Provide expert assistance with obtaining critical documents, such as forklift maintenance logs, inspection certifications, or operator training records
- Take a proactive approach to building a strong case for your forklift accident claim, from gathering CCTV footage to preparing eyewitness statements from colleagues and bystanders
- Ensure flexible communications by arranging home visits or remote consultations to discuss the progress of your case at your convenience
- Apply our in-depth knowledge of workplace legislation to position your claim for success from the outset
- Prioritise your wellbeing by connecting you with physiotherapists or other rehabilitative specialists to support your recovery in both the short and long-term
- Commit to securing a settlement that reflects not only your injuries, but also any impact on your everyday life and ability to operate heavy machinery, such as forklifts
Get in touch with our advisors today to take the first steps toward pursuing the forklift accident compensation that you deserve.
Claim With Our No Win No Fee Forklift Accident Claim Solicitors
At Public Interest Lawyers, our solicitors offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis. This is a highly effective way to pursue your forklift accident claim, as it reduces the financial risk of hiring expert legal representation.
We specifically use a Conditional Fee Agreement, so our clients do not need to make any upfront payments for a solicitor’s work. In addition to this, you would not be charged ongoing payments for such service fees while your claim advances, nor in the event that your claim is unsuccessful.
If your forklift accident claim does succeed, then a legally capped percentage would be taken from your compensation by the solicitor. This fee is small and agreed in advance, ensuring you always know how much of your compensation you will receive.
Contact Our Team
Get in touch with our advisors today for more information about making a No Win No Fee forklift accident compensation claim.
- Call us today on 0800 073 8803.
- Talk to us live over our online chat.
- Complete the form on our contact page.
Learn More
Here you can learn more about workplace accident claims:
- Find out if you could still claim for an injury at work if you did not take time off in this guide.
- Check whether you get full pay if injured at work in this guide.
- Learn more about related factory accident claims in this guide.
References:
- This guide from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides further information on how to use lift trucks safely.
- You can find out more about rider-operated lift trucks in this HSE resource.
- Learn more about first aid in this NHS resource.
Thank you for reading our forklift accident claims guide. Contact our team for further help and advice.