When Can You Make An Office Accident Claim?
This article explains when an office accident claim might be possible if you’ve been injured at work because your employer breached their duty of care. Throughout this guide, we’ll explain more specifically the personal injury claim criteria that will need to be met if you’re to be compensated for injuries sustained in an office accident. We will also look at the evidence you could gather to support your case.
As you progress through our guide, you’ll find information on the types of office accidents that can occur and the injuries that could be sustained as a result.
Additionally, we have provided an overview of how accident at work settlements are calculated and what could be awarded for a successful claim.
Finally, we’ll explain how working with a personal injury solicitor from our panel offering a No Win No Fee agreement can be beneficial.
If you’d like a free assessment and no-obligation legal advice about your potential accident at work claim, you can:
- Speak to our team on 0151 375 9916.
- Use our live chat service.
- Complete our “Contact Us” page.
Select A Section
- When Can You Make An Office Accident Claim?
- How Could Office Accidents Be Caused?
- Potential Compensation From An Office Accident Claim
- What Evidence Could Help You Claim For An Office Workplace Accident?
- Claim For Office Accidents Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
- Learn More About How To Claim For Office Accidents
When Can You Make An Office Accident Claim?
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is the central piece of workplace health and safety legislation. It establishes the duty of care your employer owes to prevent you from becoming injured at work. This duty requires them to take reasonable and practicable steps, including carrying out regular risk assessments and addressing any hazards that pose a risk of injury, providing adequate training, and ensuring employees are given necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
If there has been a breach of this duty which has led to you experiencing harm in an office accident, a claim could potentially be made.
However, the eligibility criteria for personal injury claims needs to be met. This involves showing:
- Your employer owed you a duty of care at the time and location of the accident.
- They breached that duty.
- As a consequence of the breach, you were left injured.
What Time Limits Apply To Office Accident Claims?
According to the Limitation Act 1980, all personal injury claims have a 3-year time limit. This means you must start legal proceedings within three years from the accident date.
There are a few other exceptions to the 3-year limitation period, however, so please get in touch if you’d like to check how long you have left to claim. An advisor can also help you understand whether you’re eligible to begin an office accident claim.
How Could Office Accidents Be Caused?
There are several ways an office accident could occur. For example:
- You may have injured your back after moving heavy boxes or files because you were not given any manual handling training.
- You may have suffered an ankle injury in a fall at work because a cable laid across your office floor wasn’t taped down or highlighted by warning signs.
Not all accidents in the office at work will form the basis of a valid office accident claim. If you would like to check whether you might be eligible to claim compensation, why not call an advisor today?
Potential Compensation From An Office Accident Claim
Each work injury claim is unique which means compensation levels can vary from case to case. Generally though, a settlement awarded following a successful case can comprise up to two heads of loss. The primary head is known as general damages compensating for the suffering and pain caused by your injuries.
The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) lists a set of guideline compensation brackets that correspond to different injuries. Solicitors can use these, alongside medical evidence, to help them value general damages.
You can find some of the JCG figures in the table below. However, the figures displayed here are for guidance only.
Compensation Table
| Type Of Injury | Severity | Compensation Guidelines | Detailed Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Moderately Severe | £219,070 to £282,010 | Very serious disability leading to the person requiring constant care. |
| Head | Moderate (iii) | £43,060 to £90,720 | Cases where memory and concentration are affected and the person has a reduced ability to work causing a small epilepsy risk. |
| Back | Severe (ii) | £74,160 to £88,430 | Features of cases in this bracket include nerve root damage with associated issues, such as lost sensation and impaired bowel and bladder function. |
| Back | Moderate (i) | £27,760 to £38,780 | Injuries such as a prolapsed disc where surgery is required. |
| Leg | Severe (ii) | £54,830 to £87,890 | Very serious leg injuries that cause permanent issues with mobility. |
| Leg | Less Serious (i) | £17,960 to £27,760 | Serious soft tissue injuries or leg fractures that do not heal fully. |
| Wrist | Lost Function | £47,620 to £59,860 | Where a wrist injury leads to a complete loss of function. |
| Wrist | Permanent and Significant Disability | £24,500 to £39,170 | Some useful movement remains despite disability. |
| Arm | Less Severe | £19,200 to £39,170 | This type of injury will cause significant disabilities. However, a good level of recovery will be expected. |
| Elbow | Moderate or Minor | Up to £12,590 | Most elbow injuries are covered by this bracket, including simple fractures where no permanent damage or function impairment is caused. |
Claiming Special Damages In An Office Injury Claim
The second head of loss, called special damages, compensates for the financial losses linked to your injuries. For example:
- Care costs if you need support at home.
- The cost of medical treatment, such as physiotherapy.
- Travel costs.
- Lost income (including future lost earnings).
- The cost of adapting your home.
To find out how much compensation you could receive in a successful office accident claim, why not speak to an advisor today? An advisor can offer you a free valuation of your potential payout.
What Evidence Could Help You Claim For An Office Workplace Accident?
You should provide as much evidence as possible to demonstrate that your employer breached their duty of care, and this caused you to sustain an injury. The types of evidence that could be collected to support an office accident claim include:
- A copy of your accident report form to confirm the date, location and time of your accident.
- The contact details of anybody who saw your accident so witness statements can be collected at a later date.
- Details of any medical appointments or treatment you received as a result of your injuries.
- Photographs of the injuries and your accident.
- Video recordings such as CCTV footage if the accident was caught on camera.
If your case is handled by one of our accident at work solicitors, they’ll use any evidence you’ve supplied to build a strong case and will help to obtain anything else that could substantiate your claim.
For more information on what to do after an accident at work please call an advisor on the number above.
Claim For Office Accidents Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
Our solicitors can offer the following services under No Win No Fee terms:
- Ensuring the claim is filed within the allowed time limits.
- Collecting any evidence required to support your case.
- Sending you regular updates about how the case is progressing.
- Aim to secure a fair settlement amount.
When working on a No Win No Fee basis, they can offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This typically means no fees are required for the solicitor’s work when your case begins, as it proceeds, or if it is unsuccessful.
Should the claim have a positive outcome, a success fee will be deducted from your compensation as a legally capped percentage.
Why not contact us today to see if you could make an office accident claim on this basis? To get in touch, you can:
- Phone 0151 375 9916 to speak to a specialist advisor.
- Chat online with one of our specialists.
- Complete the form on our “Contact Us” page.
Learn More About How To Claim For Office Accidents
For more of our personal injury claims guides:
- Advice on making a personal injury claim for a back injury at work.
- Information on when road traffic accident claims can be made.
- Guidance on how to make a claim for a foot injury at work.
Finally, we’ve added some external links that might be helpful:
- Information from GOV.UK on statutory sick pay.
- NHS guidance about first aid.
- Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive about managing health and safety in the workplace.
Please let us know if you would like more information on how to make an office accident claim. You can call any time on the number above.