Manual Handling Claims - Scotland

Manual Handling Accidents

Manual handling accident claims

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), manual handling causes over a third of all workplace injuries. It’s your employer’s duty to ensure your safety by providing adequate training and reducing any unnecessary manual handling opportunities.

Common injuries from manual handling accidents

Injuries caused by manual handling can vary, but typically include:

• Joint or tissue damage: Manual handling tasks can cause damage to joints, such as the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees, and ankles. These injuries can be painful, limiting mobility and requiring extensive recovery time.
• Repetitive strain injury (RSI): RSI injuries occur due to repeated motions or overuse of certain muscles, tendons, or nerves, and can affect various parts of the body, such as the hands,wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, or back.
• Muscle injuries: Manual handling incidents can cause strains, pulls, and tears. Muscle injuries, such as sprained back injuries, can be painful and may require rest and physical therapy to heal properly.
• Ligament injuries: This includes ligament sprains or tears, which can be extremely painful and may require a lengthy recovery period.

Some injuries can be minor, but others may have lasting effects, resulting in a loss of earnings or a lifestyle change. This is where Watermans can help by claiming financial compensation on your behalf to help reduce any burden on you or your loved ones.

Causes of manual handling accidents

Let’s take a closer look at some of the main manual handling risks that contribute to injuries at work:

• Moving objects: Manual handling injuries can result from moving objects, especially when lifting and carrying them without proper training or safety equipment. Wet surfaces also increase the risk of slips and falls while moving objects.
• Pushing and pulling: Pushing and pulling objects can also cause injuries without the correct equipment, training or assistance.
• Lowering objects: Lowering objects can also cause workplace injuries, such as back injuries, particularly if the object is heavy or lowered from an awkward position.

These injuries can be sustained by employees working in warehouses, factories, on construction sites, in offices and during delivery services.

Making a Claim

How do I make a manual handling accident claim?

At Watermans, we understand that making a compensation claim can seem daunting, especially when it involves your employer and place of work. However, that’s why we’re here to help you make manual handling at work claims. Here’s a brief overview of the process:

• Get medical attention: This ensures your well-being and also provides medical evidence of the injury.
• Contact Watermans: Provide us with details of the accident. We offer straightforward legal advice to provide you with all the necessary information and guide you through the legal process.
• Gather immediate evidence: This can include photographs of the accident or of your injuries. Your solicitor will handle this for you.
• Report the injury: Inform your employer of the incident to ensure there’s an official record of the injury.
• Gather additional evidence: This can include eyewitness testimonies, documentation of unsafe work conditions, etc. Again, your solicitor will gather this evidence, so you can focus on resting and recovering from your injuries.
• Maintain a record of your expenses: Including lost earnings, medical bills, travel costs, etc.
• Initiate the claims process: We handle everything on your behalf and contact your employer to let them know you are seeking manual handling compensation for your injuries and any associated accident damages. We keep you updated on the progress of your manual handling claim at all times.

How Much Compensation? 

How much compensation can I claim for a manual handling accident?

The amount you can claim differs based on several factors, including:

• Medical expenses: Compensation for these expenses protects the injured person from financial risk while receiving necessary care.
• Loss of earnings: Provides financial support during recovery and accounts for any long-term impact on your career prospects.
• Future expenses: Covers the costs of ongoing physical therapy, medication, or potential surgeries.
• Home modification and care expenses: This can include installing ramps, widening doorways, or modifying bathrooms.
• Loss of enjoyment of life: A manual handling accident compensation claim aims to acknowledge these non-economic losses.

Why Watermans?

Why should I choose Watermans to pursue my claim?

Watermans simplifies legal services so you can move forward in life. Our expert team of personal injury lawyers is committed to:

• Doing everything to make the manual handling injury claims process straightforward.
• Taking the hassle from you.
• Fighting each case to secure the maximum level of compensation.
• Providing access to a range of additional services, such as physiotherapy and psychological treatment, to ensure you recover from your manual handling injuries as soon as possible.

Expert Personal Injury Solicitors in Scotland

Our expertise in personal injury covers a wide range of areas, including:

• Accidents at work
• Public liability claims
• Road traffic accidents
• Fatal and serious personal injury claims
• Child and historical abuse

We represent thousands of clients throughout Scotland each year, securing millions of pounds in compensation. Our specialist manual handling injury claims solicitors work on a no-win, no-fee basis, which means that if your claim is unsuccessful, you won’t end up out of pocket.