How Much Could I Get For An Office Accident Claim?

In this guide, we look at how to make an office accident claim. You may have questions such as:

Office accident claim

Office accident claims guide

  • What are the health and safety requirements for an office?
  • Can I claim compensation for an accident at work?
  • How long after a workplace accident can you make a claim? 

This guide looks at what types of accidents could happen in an office and what injuries these could result in. We also look at what you will need to prove in order to make a workplace injury claim. Additionally, we look at the typical personal injury claim time limit. 

To conclude this guide, this guide will address how a personal injury solicitor could assist you with your claim under a No Win No Fee arrangement. If you have suffered harm due to your employer’s negligence, you may be interested in seeking legal guidance. Our team of advisors can provide free legal advice and more help when you get in touch:

Select A Section

  1. What Is An Accident In An Office?
  2. Causes Of Accidents In An Office
  3. What Are The Health And Safety Requirements For An Office?
  4. Could I Make An Office Accident Claim?
  5. What Compensation Could You Claim For Office Injuries?
  6. Start A No Win No Fee Office Accident Claim

What Is An Accident In An Office?

An accident in an office can result in a wide range of injuries. For example, minor accidents might result in relatively minor injuries, whereas more serious accidents could lead to severe or fatal injuries.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) states that all employers owe their staff, including office workers, a duty of care. This means that your employer is bound by the HASAWA to take all reasonably practical steps to reduce the risks presented in your workplace. 

If your employer does not comply with this legislation, this is a breach of their duty of care. In order to make a claim, the accident that occurs as the result of a breach must cause you to suffer harm.

Contact our accident at work claims team to start your office accident claim. 

Causes Of Accidents In An Office

There are many ways an accident in an office can result in harm. However, as we mentioned previously, you must be able to prove that the harm you suffered was a result of your employer’s breach of duty of care. 

Some examples of how employer negligence could form the basis of an office accident claim include:

  • A slip or trip accident could be caused by unsecured cables or clutter. Additionally, spillages may cause this type of accident. To help avoid this, employers should ensure that walkways are kept clear and that spillages are marked with the appropriate signage before being cleaned up in an appropriate timeframe.
  • A manual handling injury could be caused by lifting or moving objects that are too heavy or trying to lift objects incorrectly. To help avoid this, employers should provide adequate training and not ask employees to carry loads that are too heavy.
  • Lack of risk assessments can lead to unidentified hazards such as trailing leads causing injuries.

Our advisors can provide free legal advice and a free evaluation of your office accident claim if you get in touch today.

What Are The Health And Safety Requirements For An Office?

In addition to the HASAWA, there are further pieces of legislation that set out health and safety requirements for those who work in an office. Some examples of these legislations include:

Our team can help you start your office accident claim when you get in touch today. 

Could I Make An Office Accident Claim?

To make a workplace injury claim, you must be able to present evidence that your employer breached their duty of care and that you suffered harm as a result. Some examples of evidence you may present to help strengthen your claim can include:

  • CCTV footage: If your workplace is equipped with CCTV, footage of the accident or the circumstances leading up to it could be used as evidence.
  • Accident book logs: Workplaces with ten or more employees must have an accident book. Logging your accident as soon as possible creates a record of what happened.
  • Witness statements: You cannot collect statements yourself. However, it may be helpful to gather the contact details of potential witnesses. This allows a statement to be taken later on in your claim.
  • Medical reports: Medical reports or records that document your injuries may also strengthen your claim.

 The Limitation Act 1980 sets out the time limits for starting a personal injury claim. You generally have three years from the date of the accident, or three years from the date you connected your injuries with negligence, to start an accident at work claim. However, there are some exceptions to this rule; you can speak with a member of our team today to see if any of these apply to your circumstances.

Contact our team today to learn more or to find out how a solicitor from our panel could help you start your workplace injury claim. They can also confirm whether you’re within the time limit for starting a claim. 

What Compensation Could You Claim For Office Injuries?

The compensation payout for an accident at work injury can depend on a variety of factors, and since every claim is unique, the average payout figure may not be of use to you. However, successful personal injury claimants could receive two heads of compensation: general damages and special damages.

General damages provide compensation for your physical injuries as well as psychological damage caused by the accident. When assigning value to office accident claims, legal professionals often use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG helps by providing guideline amounts for compensation awards. 

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Injury Severity Potential Compensation Notes
Neck injuries Severe (ii) £65,740 to £130,930 Serious fractures, damage to the discs in the spine and other injuries that cause disabilities that are considerable severe but don’t fit into higher categories.
Neck injuries Severe (iii) £45,470 to £55,990 Fractures, dislocations, injuries to the soft tissue and ruptured tendons that lead to chronic conditions and disability that is significant and permanent in nature.
Chest injuries (b) £65,740 to £100,670 Permanent damage to lungs and/or heart resulting in functioning impairments, disability and a reduction in life expectancy
Hand injuries Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers (d) £61,910 to £90,750 The hand is of very little use and the grip is weak.
Brain damage Less severe (d) £15,320 to £43,060 Consideration is given to the extent of injuries and disabilities, as well as the presence of personality changes or depression.
Other arm injuries Less severe (c) £19,200 to £39,170 Substantial level of recovery has either occurred or is expected to occur following significant disabilities.
Elbow injuries Less severe (b) £15,650 to £32,010 There may be some impairment of function, but these impairments won’t involve a significant disability or major surgery.
Back injuries Moderate (b) (ii) £12,510 to £27,760 Backache and/or acceleration or exacerbation of pre-existing condition from injuries including ligament disturbance and soft tissue injuries.
Ankle injuries Modest (d) Up to £13,740 Ligament injuries, sprains and minor or undisplaced fractures.
Fracture of clavicle (e) £5,150 to £12,240 Level of award depends on severity of injury and length of disability.

If your injuries resulted in financial losses, such as a loss of earnings from being out of work, you could recover these costs under special damages. For example, you could recover transport costs or the cost of mobility aids after injuring your leg.

The figures provided above are guideline amounts only. For a free estimate of what your claim could potentially be worth, contact our team today.

Start A No Win No Fee Office Accident Claim

If you decide to claim for your office accident, you could access the services of a No Win No Fee solicitor under the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Generally, there are no upfront fees and no ongoing costs required from your solicitor under this type of agreement.

If your claim is then successful, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your award. This fee is a percentage of your final settlement, but there is a legal cap. If you make an unsuccessful claim, you do not pay a success fee.

Our team of advisors can provide free legal advice and can evaluate your case. If your claim is viable, they may pass you on to a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. To learn more about how our panel of solicitors could help you start your claim:

Guides Related To Office Accident Claims

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Article by AO

Publisher AA