Let’s take a look at some common examples of incidents that lead to accident at work claims.

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the most common workplace accidents include:

• Slips, trips and falls amount to around 33% of all workplace injuries. Causes include poor lighting or spillages and can result in injuries ranging for brain damage to knee injuries
• Manual handling – around 18% of all injuries at work are caused by handling, lifting or carrying which can result in, for example, finger injuries
• Struck by a moving object – 10% of injuries in workplaces are caused by these types of incidents, such as boxes falling from shelves or getting struck by a pallet truck
• Acts of violence make up around 8% of all workplace injuries, such as colleagues assaulting one another, or lone workers being attacked in an office
• Falls from a height – at 8%, this is also a common type of accident at work and could involve people falling from ladders or scaffolding. This is a real danger for roofers in particular. 
• Injured by work equipment – this could include the likes of tools, like angle grinders, or equipment like production lines. Head here to learn more about broken and faulty equipment claims
• No PPE provided – if no PPE is supplied then you could suffer injuries like a chemical burn at work.
• Standing on a nail – in some workplaces where there is rubbish and clutter and cleaning systems are poor, you could get injured by standing on a nail, for example, or cutting yourself on a piece of glass. 

We also have experience handling claims similar to those listed above and others, such as self-employed accident at work claims.

By law, you’re entitled to a number of rights if you get hurt at work. These include:

• The right to medical treatment
• The right to record the injury in the work accident book (if one exists)
• The right to claim compensation 
• The right to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

To learn more about your legal rights if you suffer an injury at work, head here

To prove a claim, it’s necessary to obtain evidence. Here are some tips on proving accident at work claims:

• Report the accident – in the aftermath of the workplace accident, it’s important to report it to your employer and for them to record it in the accident report book. This could serve as a key piece of evidence in proving a claim
• Get medical treatment – if you’ve suffered an injury, it’s important to get medical treatment. You may not require immediate care, but a visit to your GP will help ensure you’re all okay and also confirms on paper that you suffered an injury because of the accident
• Take photographs – to help establish the cause of the accident and any contributing factors, taking photographs of the scene or of any equipment or machinery involved can help establish employer negligence
• Try to obtain CCTV footage – linked to photographs, CCTV footage showing the accident can also help establish just what happened
• Speak to any witnesses – if somebody witnessed what happened, their evidence could make all the difference. Speak to them to see if they’d be willing to help you. For example, if you suffered a hernia injury because your employer asked you to lift boxes that were too heavy, colleagues who witnessed this can back up your case
• Evidence of costs and expenses – if you’re unable to work due to an accident at work, it’s possible to claim back any wages you’ve lost as a result. To do so successfully, keep hold of all of your payslips which show the difference in your salary.

The toughest part of proving negligence is successfully arguing that your employer breached their duty of care. Employers only need to do everything reasonably possible. So if, for example, they have supplied personal protective equipment (PPE), conducted risk assessments and given staff training on the role, but an accident still happens, it could be hard to argue an employer has been negligent.

But if they didn’t conduct risk assessments, failed to supply PPE like hard hats to protect from head injuries, or didn’t repair a machine that was reported faulty, breach of duty could be established. This can also be the case if your employer hasn’t supplied you with goggles in a setting where eye injuries can happen.

For another example, we could look at factory accident compensation claims. If your employer fails to maintain the production line you work on, for instance, it could create hazards like the risk of cutting yourself on the machine.

Another example could involve them failing to repair a broken hoist, which breaks and causes a heavy pallet to drop, inflicting an ankle injury.

And in a serious example, if on a construction site a crane is lifting an item that’s too heavy, it could knock it off balance, causing it to fall and potentially crushing those below. 

Lastly, it’s necessary to prove that an injury was caused by the accident. It could also at least have contributed to an existing injury getting worse or accelerated the time in which that problem would have manifested.

The length of an accident at work claim depends on the complexity of the case and whether liability is accepted early. Straightforward claims where the employer admits fault can take as little as 4 to 6 months to resolve. However, more complicated claims involving disputed liability or serious, long-term injuries may take 12 to 18 months or longer.

The time it takes also depends on how long your recovery will be—claims often aren’t settled until the full impact of your injuries is understood.

Making a claim for an accident at work should not result in dismissal. Under UK employment law, it is illegal for an employer to terminate your contract simply because you’ve made a legitimate injury claim.

Employers have a legal duty of care to keep staff safe. If they breach that duty and you are injured as a result, you are entitled to seek compensation. Most employers carry liability insurance specifically to cover these types of claims, and the process is typically handled through their insurer—not directly out of their pocket.

You cannot be fairly dismissed for having an accident at work or for pursuing a compensation claim. If you are dismissed or treated unfairly for doing so, you may be entitled to make a claim for unfair dismissal or even bring a case to an employment tribunal.

However, if you are found to be at fault for the accident, perhaps due to gross misconduct, you could be fired. 

Yes, you may still be able to make a claim even if the company has ceased trading. If the employer held employers’ liability insurance at the time of your accident—as required by law—your claim would be made against their insurance provider, not the business itself.

No, personal injury compensation is not subject to income tax in the UK. This includes both general damages (for pain and suffering) and special damages (for financial losses).

Even if you receive a lump sum settlement or structured payments over time, you do not need to declare this as income.

Yes, it’s very important to report your accident to your employer as soon as possible. They are required to record the incident in the accident book, and for more serious injuries, they may have to notify the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under RIDDOR regulations.

Reporting creates an official record, which is often a key piece of evidence in a compensation claim. If your workplace doesn’t have a formal system, send your employer an email or written account of what happened and when.

Yes, you may be entitled to claim state benefits following an injury at work, especially if it affects your ability to earn. These might include:

• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) if your injury is listed by the DWP

• Universal Credit or Personal Independence Payment (PIP) if your condition limits daily living or mobility

Yes, you can still claim compensation even if you were partially responsible. This is known as contributory negligence. In these cases, liability is shared between you and your employer (or another party), and your compensation will reflect that split.

For example, if you’re found 25% responsible, your final settlement will be reduced by 25%. Many workplace accidents involve shared responsibility, and our solicitors are skilled in negotiating fair outcomes in these situations.

Yes, if you’re self-employed but injured while working on another company’s premises or under their control, you may still be entitled to claim. A business that hires a self-employed contractor owes a duty of care to ensure a safe working environment—just as they would for a full-time employee.

You may be able to bring a claim against the main contractor, site operator, or premises owner, depending on the circumstances. We’ll assess who had control over your working conditions and guide you through the claims process.