How does a work accident claim work?
Accidents at work can happen in a range of ways. Whether it’s a careless colleague forgetting to clear up a shop floor tea spillage, your boss not providing you with the proper safety equipment, or the work experience kid walking into you while they were looking at their phone, the possibilities are endless.
If you have been involved in an accident at work that wasn’t your fault getting your work injury claim in order will help you focus on getting your life back on track.
Sadly, while it’s only human to want to move on from the trauma of the accident and all the pain it can bring, you may need to be patient when pursuing an accident at work claim. For a number of reasons these types of workplace injury claim can take time.
What do you need to know in the event of an accident at work?
Right after your work accident, it’s likely the last thing on your mind will be starting a compensation claim. You’ll probably have much more important things to think about, like seeking medical attention, taking a break or finding out who spilt the tea.
However, the sooner your injury is assessed and diagnosed by a medical professional, the sooner you’ll have the grounds needed to make a work accident compensation claim.
After you get the ball rolling, your accident at work solicitor, also known as a personal injury lawyer, will request that you attend a medical to clarify, confirm and assess the details of your injury. This will impact the value of any workplace injury claim.
Once the accident at work claim process is underway, providing a personal injury lawyer thinks you have a case worth pursuing and you wish to proceed (only you can make that decision) the length of time it takes to resolve comes down to both the nature of your injuries and of the claim itself.
If that sounds a little vague, we are not trying to fob you off. We just want you to be aware that these types of work injury claims can be annoyingly slow at times. What we can say though, is that our accident at work solicitors will work as quickly as we can to get you as much compensation as is possible.
How much is my accident at work claim worth?
Let’s be honest, some of you will have scrolled straight to this point to get to the important stuff! Namely, how much compensation can you expect to receive from your work accident claim?
Several factors affect the amount of compensation pay-out you are entitled to following an accident at work – the level of your injuries, any loss of earnings and any out-of-pocket expenses must be considered.
You can use our accident at work compensation calculator to estimate how much you may be able to claim for based on the injuries you have sustained.
How long does an accident at work claim take?
In a straightforward accident at work case such as slips, trips or falls in the workplace where your injury heals during the process of the claim and the other side don’t dispute your claim you’re probably looking at around 4-8 months for the claim to be settled.
We know what you’re probably thinking: 4-8 months is a short accident at work claim?! Yes, and frustratingly, things can really start to stretch out if your claim is more complicated and the employer disputes your case. Regrettably, this can happen, as not all companies (or their insurers) are particularly keen to settle easily if they think there may be some holes in your case.
That’s where medical details, eyewitness accounts and documentation regarding the nature of your injury and its effect on your ability to live and work normally really come into play. It all helps in deciding a workplace injury compensation claim and getting you the compensation you deserve.
What happens if my workplace injury claim is disputed?
In the event of a disputed accident at work claim, it really does depend on the details of the injury and the claim itself. Combined with back-and-forth legal wrangling it can end up adding several more months to the process, with some particularly difficult cases taking well over a year or more.
That’s why it’s doubly important to make sure you have a reliable and professional personal injury lawyer on your side who has relevant experience of dealing with accident at work claims. Remember to discuss costs from the beginning and beware of the hidden fees. Some firms may not pursue accident at work claims on a no win no fee basis if they span over a long period of time.
Even if your claim is eventually successful, there could be a time lapse between the agreed settlement, and you receiving your compensation. Again, sadly, not all companies like paying out fair and square if they come off worst and may use stalling techniques to slow the process.
Don’t let that put you off making a claim if you think you are genuinely in the right. No matter how long it takes, if you have a valid accident at work claim, it’s your right to pursue it. No amount of arm-twisting or pressure by employers should deter you from that.
Speak to one of our expert accident at work solicitors today to find out more about making a claim, or call us on 0131 555 7055. We offer straightforward legal advice relating specifically to your workplace accident – without the complicated jargon.