How Much Compensation for an Accident at Work Can You Get?
Accidents can take place when you least expect them to, whether you are home or at the wheel of your car. Hence, there is no hiding that unwanted mishaps can happen inside the workplace too. In Scotland, there are about 115,000 cases of ill health related to the workplace each year, and around 41,000 are non-fatal injuries. Ultimately, an accident at work can be devastating and life-changing for both the victim and their loved ones.
Employers have a duty of care to protect their team members from sustaining a physical injury. So if the work accident was not your fault, you should be able to receive the compensation you deserve by making a personal injury claim.
There are many factors that can determine how much you could get. These include, for instance, the seriousness of your injuries, the physical and mental impact of the accident, and whether your employer takes responsibility for the accident from the outset. With this in mind, we take a look at how much compensation you can hope to obtain for a back, knee, or head injury that occurred in the workplace.
How much compensation for back injury at work?
Back problems and injuries are frequent occurrences in the workplace. There are many ways in which you can sustain a back injury, from carrying and pushing heavy loads to sitting in the same position for long hours, slipping or tripping, and bending repetitively. Employers can prevent back problems by providing suitable seating, adequate training, and safety harnesses.
If you’ve hurt yourself at work through no fault of your own and have been diagnosed with a back injury, you should be able to claim compensation. Bear in mind, though, that the severity of your injury will have a significant influence on the amount you will receive.
In the event of a mild injury, such as a muscle pain or soft tissue problem, you can expect to obtain up to £5,000 in compensation. If the injury is affecting your ligaments, or if you are experiencing movement restriction and constant discomfort, and it is on a permanent basis you could get up to £39,000. In very severe cases, where your work accident has resulted in paralysis or life-changing injuries to your back and limbs, you may even be able to claim a six-figure amount.
Through a medical assessment, you will have the opportunity to define the gravity of your injury and start your claim process with more confidence.
How much compensation for a knee injury at work?
A knee injury is another common work injury that can have a huge impact on your overall well-being. In fact, knee problems such as sprains and strains, dislocations, fractures, and torn cartilage can massively affect your day-to-day life.
How can you suffer a knee injury at work? The truth is that you can hurt your knee in several different ways if adequate safety measures are not put in place. Some common scenarios could be falling down a flight of stairs with no handrail, lifting heavy loads without correct aids, and being hit by objects that have not been safely secured.
When it comes to compensation, you could still receive a few hundred pounds for a minor injury. But if your work accident leads to significant pain and subsequent health problems (e.g., osteoarthritis), you can look to claim a much larger amount.
How much compensation for head injury at work?
Suffering a head injury can be a scary experience and may have life-changing consequences. From bruising and concussion to brain damage and a fractured skull, there are many different head injuries you could sustain in the workplace. For instance, you may be eligible to claim compensation if you suffer a concussion after slipping on an ill-kept floor, or if you are hit on the head by an object that was not adequately stored.
Again, how much compensation you get will vary based on the seriousness of your injury, which will depend on whether you have made a full recovery and if you have long -term problems such as, but not limited to, vision problems, headaches, dizziness, and epilepsy.
If you have sustained a head injury at work through no fault of your own, and your employer is found to be negligent you may be awarded anything from around £2,000 to over £350,000. Less compensation will be granted in the event of minor injuries, as well as in instances where the recovery is positive but memory and concentration issues remain a problem. If your work accident results in severe, life-changing brain damage that requires full-time care, you could be able to obtain six-figure compensation.
How much will I get for my worker’s comp settlement?
Ultimately, there is no universal answer to this question. Based on the gravity of the injury, recovery time, and its impact on your professional and private life, each case is a different story.
The compensation will support you financially, so you can cover medical expenses, rehabilitation bills, and any financial loss sustained during the period you spent out of work.
We will arrange for you to be examined by the correct medical experts, who will prepare reports to ensure that you are fully compensated for all of the injuries you have sustained.
If you’ve been the victim of a workplace accident which wasn’t your fault, feel free to get in touch with our helpful team of personal injury lawyers. With years of experience in the field, Watermans will stick by your side and strive to get the compensation you truly deserve.