Having an accident at work can be a worrying time but we are here to help.
We have a team of expert personal injury lawyers with years of experience in dealing with personal injury cases, and a long history of fighting on behalf of our clients and recovering compensation for them for almost 70 years since establishing in 1953.
Even if you are unsure who was to blame for your accident, or feel you were partly to blame yourself, it is still worth contacting us to obtain advice and an assessment of your potential claim.
You may be eligible to recover compensation for your injuries and any other financial losses incurred as a result, such as loss of earnings and treatment costs.
Accidents at work
Work related accidents may occur in a wide variety of locations, including offices, shops, warehouses, factories and construction sites.
Your employer has a duty of care towards you while you are at work. If you suffer an injury in the course of your job, and your employer (or possibly a third party) was at fault for the accident, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
What should you do if you have been injured at work?
Obtain medical treatment for your injury
Your first priority is likely to be obtaining any urgent treatment you need, such as first aid. Your workplace is required to have a designated first aider who should be informed of your accident. They will provide initial treatment for your injury. However if you are worried, or if you continue to experience pain or discomfort, you may wish to do any of the following:
Seek advice from NHS 111 by telephone or online
Attend your nearest Accident & Emergency Department or Walk in Centre
Seek advice from your GP, by telephone, online or face to face
If the injury is serious, you or a colleague will need to call an ambulance so that you can be assessed by paramedics and taken to hospital if needed.
It is important to provide the medical team who treat you, with a full and accurate description of your injuries and how they occurred. This will ensure that an accurate entry can be made in your medical records, which may be needed at a later date, should you decide to pursue a claim.
Ensure that the accident is recorded by your employer
Your employer is required to have a formal accident book and it is important to ensure that your accident is reported to them as soon as possible and entered into the Accident book. Speak to your manager if you are not sure whether this has been done.
Your employer is also required to report any serious injuries to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
If you have a Trade Union representative or a Health and Safety representative at work, you should also make sure that your accident is reported to them.
Obtain evidence in relation to the accident while memories are fresh
While your first priority will of course be to obtain any urgent medical treatment and to report the accident to your employer, it is always sensible to try to secure evidence to support your account of the accident as soon as possible after it occurs.
For example, if your accident was caused by a such as a spillage or debris on the floor, defective machinery or equipment etc., it is helpful if you or a colleague can take a photograph of this before it is cleaned up or repaired.
If your workplace has CCTV, ask your employer to provide you with a copy of this as soon as possible after your accident. as it is often only kept for a short time before being erased. CCTV can be extremely useful and can avoid any dispute over how an accident happened.
If any colleagues witnessed your accident, speak to them about what happened and make a note of their names in case you decide to pursue a claim. If you do, it will be useful to know who can be contacted should witness evidence be needed about how your accident occurred.
Keep a record of your injuries and expenses
It is helpful to keep a record of both your injuries and any financial losses incurred as a result.
This may include:
Details of your injuries and symptoms experienced, both initially and as your recovery progresses. It is a good idea to take photographs of your injuries, including any bruising or swelling etc, initially and at various stages of your recovery.
It is also sensible to photograph any damaged personal belongings, such as clothing, glasses etc. and keep the damaged items safe in case they are needed at a later stage of the claim.
A record of any medical appointments you have attended.
Details of any financial losses you have incurred as a result of your accident. If in doubt, ask for a receipt for the item and keep a record of it, in case it is something that can be included in your claim.
Useful information/items to keep may include:
Tickets or receipts for travelling expenses and parking costs eg. bus, train or taxi fares to medical appointments, or if you travelled by car, a note of where you went and for what purpose. Always ask for a receipt if travelling by taxi.
Receipts for medication costs (either on prescription or purchased yourself such as painkillers etc)
Invoices for any treatment you have paid for yourself eg. physiotherapy.
Receipts for any repair costs or replacement items you have had to purchase as a result of items being damaged.
A record of your time off work including whether you lost any pay, holiday entitlement, overtime or other benefits or bonuses as a result of your absence.
If family or friends have carried out any day to day tasks on your behalf, that you would otherwise have not needed or would have done yourself, eg. caring for you whilst you were incapacitated, helping with housework, shopping, transport, childcare etc, you may be able to claim compensation for this. Keeping a record of any assistance received, including who provided it, what it was for, and how long it took, will help to ensure that this can be accurately valued, as memories can fade quickly making it difficult to recall these details later on.
Why Choose Us
We have a longstanding regional reputation as the “go-to” solicitor for serious accident-at-work and disease cases’. (The UK Legal 500). We have been fighting for our clients in the North East and further afield, and successfully recovering compensation for them, for almost 70 years since our formation in 1953.
As well as representing private individuals, we are trusted by some of the largest Trade Unions (including UNITE and USDAW) to provide their members with personal injury claims advice and to act on their behalf when they have suffered an accident at work.
No Win, No Fee
As part of our personal injury and accident claim advice, we provide a No Win, No Fee service, meaning if we assess your case as being suitable for No Win, No Fee funding and your claim is not successful, we will not charge you for the work that we do for you.
Contact our team for a free assessment of your claim
Please call our team on 0191 232 3048 to discuss any potential claim. This discussion is free of charge and without obligation. You can also e-mail us with your query on enquire@beechampeacock.co.uk.
