If you slipped and broke your coccyx at work, you could be out of action for a long time. This type of injury is not only extremely painful, but it can leave you unable to move around which means you would not be able to carry out your normal job. This can lead to a lot of financial pressure and anxiety. If the accident at work occurred in the last 3 years and you suffered a broken coccyx through no fault of your own, you could be entitled to seek compensation from your employer as long as you can prove they were in breach of their duty to keep you safe in the workplace.
What Are The Consequences of Sustaining a Broken Coccyx at Work?
Your coccyx is found at the base of your spine and is often referred to as a “tail bone”. When you fall hard and land on your buttocks, you can seriously injure your coccyx and in some cases, it can fracture or break. Your coccyx is an extremely sensitive part of your body because there are a lot of nerves as well as ligaments that connect to an area that lacks any padding. Not only is this type of injury extremely painful, but it can lead to other medical conditions developing at a later date which includes arthritis.
If you were in an accident at work that left you with a broken coccyx, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible so that x-rays can be taken to establish the extent of the damage that has been done so that a treatment plan can be set in place sooner rather than later.
Common Causes of Broken Coccyx Accidents at Work
You can injure your coccyx in several ways while you are at work with the most common cause being when you fall hard on your buttocks after slipping, tripping or falling over something that is in your way.
Would My Broken Coccyx at Work Claim Be Valid?
In order for your broken coccyx at work claim to be upheld either by a judge or by your employer’s insurance providers, you would need to provide evidence that you sustained your injury in the workplace through no fault of your own. You would also need to file your claim before the statutory time limit for work-related personal injury claims expires. Other evidence that would be required for your case to be valid would include the following:
- A record of the accident as detailed in an accident report book or other form of official report of the incident
- A medical report of the injuries you sustained
- Photographic or CCTV evidence of where the accident occurred
- Photos of the injuries you suffered before receiving any treatment
- Witness statements
- Contact details of anyone who witnessed the incident
- Records sent to the Health and Safety Executive
It would take time to gather all the evidence needed, but this should not prevent you from contacting a solicitor while you do. It is also worth noting that your employer and their insurance providers have 90 days to respond to the letter sent informing them of your intentions to file a broken coccyx claim against them. With this in mind, an accident at work solicitor could help speed up the process when it comes to corresponding with the insurers.
What Can I Include in My Broken Coccyx at Work Claim?
Work-related and other personal injury compensation can be divided into two categories which are general damages and special damages. Every accident at work claim is different and as such, the amount that may be awarded can differ accordingly resulting in a higher amount being awarded in some instances but less in other cases.
When it comes to general damages, the compensation you may receive is that much harder to work out because they are calculated on how your injuries negatively impact your health and well-being as well as your ability to work in the future.
Special damages are easier to work out following an accident at work that leaves you with a broken coccyx because they are calculated on the expenses and other costs you paid out as a direct result of your injuries which is why it is so important to keep all receipts for travel and medical expenses as well as any other costs you had to pay because you were injured in an accident at work. On top of these costs, the compensation you receive in special damages would include any loss of earnings and future earnings as well as care costs should you require being taken care of during your broken coccyx recovery time.
How Much Compensation Could I Receive For a Broken Coccyx at Work?
The level of compensation awarded for broken coccyx injuries are calculated on the severity of injuries sustained and the time it would take to recovery, if at all. Another factor that is taken into consideration is just how much the injury impacts the quality of your life.
Age, gender and general health and well-being prior to having been involved an accident at work are also factored into the amount you may receive in a successful broken coccyx claim. You could also include psychological damage which would also be factored into your broken coccyx compensation.
The majority of personal injury claims never go before a judge because insurance providers prefer to settle out of court. With this said, it is important not to accept the first offer you receive, but to let an experienced accident at work lawyer handle the negotiations on your behalf.
Should I Sue My Employer if I Sustain a Broken Coccyx at Work?
Having sustained a broken coccyx at work, you could be off work for several weeks if not longer depending on the severity and complexity of the fracture and your ability to heal. You may find that your injuries are so severe, they prevent you from working again and you could develop arthritis further down the line which could make your future life even more difficult.
Being off work for any length of time can put you under a lot of financial pressure which in turn could lead to depression. With the majority of solicitors choosing to work with clients on a No Win No Fee basis, filing an accident at work claim has been made a lot easier for anyone who is injured through no fault of their own in the workplace. The other thing to bear in mind is that all employers are legally bound to have liability insurance which covers work-related injury claims as well as health-related claims that may be filed against them by employees.
It would be your employer’s insurance provider who deals with your claim and they would pay the settlement your receive in a successful broken coccyx claim against your employer with 95% of personal injury claims being settled out of court. When it comes to negotiating a settlement in a broken coccyx claim, it is far wiser to let an experienced solicitor do this for you because they would ensure the amount you receive is an acceptable amount.
What Are My Employer’s Responsibilities in the Workplace?
Your employer has a duty to keep the working environment safe for you to be in and if they fail to abide by the regulations that are set in place for this purpose, they could be found in breach of their duty should you be injured while carrying out your daily tasks. Your employers responsibilities towards you while you are at work are as follows:
- You have been given adequate and accurate training for the jobs you are tasked to carry out
- That the machinery, tools and equipment you use to do your job are correctly maintained and regularly serviced as per the manufacturer’s guidelines
- That machinery, tools and equipment that is beyond repair be replaced
- That the working environment is regularly checked by carrying out frequent risk assessments with an end goal being to identify new hazards and dangers
- To set in place adequate safety measures to reduce the risk of injury to employees and other people who visit the workplace
- To provide you with detailed working practices and other procedures that must be followed in the workplace
- To provide you with correctly maintained personal protective equipment when necessary
Should your employer fail in any of the above and you sustain a broken coccyx in an accident at work, you have the right to seek compensation by filing a claim against them. A solicitor with experience in accident at work claims would assess your case and establish who could be held liable for your injuries before offering essential legal advice on how best to proceed with your broken coccyx claim.
What are My Workers Rights Following an Accident at Work?
Your worker’s rights are highly protected in the UK and this also applies to when you are involved in an accident in the workplace that leaves you with a broken coccyx injury. Your rights include the following:
- Your job is safe even though you file for compensation
- That you are allowed to seek compensation for the injuries you sustained
If your employer objects to you filing an accident at work claim, you should discuss your case with a lawyer because you may find that you are entitled to file a detriment claim against your boss on top of an broken coccyx claim.
Are There Any Benefits to Working With a Solicitor on a Claim?
There are numerous advantages and benefits to seeking legal advice and representation from a solicitor who has experience in handling accident at work claims for employees. These are detailed below:
- A solicitor would provide you with a free, no obligation initial consultation which allows them to determine whether you have a strong case against a negligent employer
- Once your case has been assessed and a solicitor is satisfied that your case be upheld, they would enter into a No Win No Fee agreement with you which in short, means there would be no upfront payment or ongoing fees to find
- Solicitors have access to legal libraries which they can refer to when handling your broken coccyx claim
- The have vast experience when it comes to communicating with insurance providers which can help speed up what is often a long drawn out process
- A solicitor would ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to by negotiating directly with your employer’s insurance providers directly
- A solicitor can arrange for you to be examined by a specialist or consultant and to receive treatments and aftercare therapies
- You would only have to pay the solicitor for the legal representation they provided if your broken coccyx claim is upheld. If you lose your case, there would be nothing to pay at all
If you were injured at work and suffered a broken coccyx, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. After this, it is always worth contacting a solicitor for legal advice on whether you would be entitled to seek compensation for the injuries you sustained in a workplace accident.
Is There a Time Limit Associated with a Broken Coccyx at Work Claim?
There is a strict statutory time limit associated with all personal injury claims and this includes accident at work claims. As such, if you suffered a broken coccyx at work, it is best to begin a claim as soon as possible because it can take a lot of time to gather all the information and evidence needed to ensure your claim is upheld.
The statutory time limit for you to be able to claim compensation from an employer is as follows:
- 3 years from the date you sustained a broken coccyx at work
- 3 years from the time you were diagnosed as suffering from a medical condition that can be directly linked to your broken coccyx injury
- Should you have suffered a broken coccyx at work before you were 18 years old, the time limit of 3 years begins on your 18th birthday
To avoid missing out on filing a broken coccyx claim, it is best to contact a solicitor as soon as you are able to. The reason being that it can take a long time to gather the evidence and information that is required to prove that your case is valid.
Can My Employer Fire Me For Filing a Broken Coccyx at Work Claim?
You cannot lose your job if you claim compensation from your employer for having suffered a broken coccyx at work. If your employer threatens to sack you or implies you could be made redundant because you are thinking about filing an accident at work claim, they would be breaking the law. As such, you should contact a lawyer with experience in employment law who would investigate your case before providing essential advice on whether you can also file not only a broken coccyx claim, but also further legal action which includes constructive dismissal and detriment claims.
Would a Solicitor Work on a No Win No Fee Basis on My Broken Coccyx at Work Claim?
No Win No Fee agreements were introduced into the legal system during the mid-1990s at a time when the Government changed the law regarding Legal Aid. This structure allows any injured party the opportunity to seek compensation from a negligent third party which includes employers.
If you suffered a broken coccyx at work and you contact a solicitor for legal advice, you would be offered an initial, no obligation consultation that is free of charge. The solicitor would listen to how you sustained your injuries at work before determining whether you have a strong case against an employer. Once satisfied that your broken coccyx at work claim is valid, the solicitor would agree to enter into a No Win No Fee agreement with you which allows them to commence work on your claim without having to request an upfront payment.
The only time a payment would be due for the legal representation a solicitor provides, is when you are awarded the compensation you sought and the amount would be deducted from the money you receive. Should your case not be upheld, the percentage that was agreed when you signed the Conditional Fee Agreement with the solicitor would not have to be paid which is why this is referred to as a “success fee”.
Working with a solicitor who agrees to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis, therefore, offers many financial advantages which allows you to seek compensation for a broken coccyx at work injury that you sustained through no fault of your own but rather through employer negligence.