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What is The Time Limit for Claiming Compensation for an Accident at Work in the UK?

If you suffer an work-related injury, you have three years to file a personal injury claim against an employer. Although this seems to be a long time, personal injury claims can be complicated and depending on the severity of your injury, gathering all the evidence and proof needed to file a successful claim, can take longer than you may first think. In short, if you are considering filing for compensation against an employer, the sooner you seek legal advice on your case, the better.

Time Limit Associated with Work-related Personal Injury Claims

As previously mentioned, the time limit to file a work-related personal injury negligence claim is set at 3 years from the date of the incident that left you injured. With this said, in some instances a court may extend a time limit, but this depends on certain factors and the circumstances surrounding your case. A solicitor who specialises in work-related personal injury claims would be in a position to let you know whether your case would merit an extension or not.

With this said, the sooner you gather all the information, evidence and proof needed to file a work-related personal injury claim, the better because you may find that to be heard, you may have to provide further information which could be relating to the accident, the person involved and the extent of the injuries you sustained. You may need to provide further specialist medical reports should your injuries have been severe. This is when the expert guidance and advice of a solicitor can pay dividends, more especially if an appointment with a health specialist can be arranged on your behalf which can save you a lot of valuable time.

In Some Circumstances The Time Limits Could Be Different – To Get Advice On Your Accident Time Limit Get Fast Advice.

In order to get fast free legal advice on the time limit of your accident at work this link offer free advice through online chat or a free phone number https://www.legalexpert.co.uk/accident-at-work-claims/faqs/time-limit-for-accident-at-work-claim/ LegalExpert.co.uk live chat advice services are also open 7 days a week from 9.am til late.

Employee Injury At Work Advice

Employee Injury At Work Advice

What Sort of Work-related Personal Injuries Can You Claim For?

If you were involved in an accident at work, the sort of injuries you can file a personal injury claim could include the following:

  • An injury caused by a work colleague which occurred through no fault of your own
  • You developed a work-related illness or disease – this includes health issues associated with working with asbestos
  • You suffer psychological damage which is typically caused by a stressful work situation or bullying in the workplace

Working with a Solicitor on a No Win No Fee Basis

Working with a solicitor on a No Win No Fee basis takes all the financial pressure off the table because once you have signed a Conditional Fee Agreement with a firm of solicitors, they would commence on your claim without the need of asking for any upfront fees or retainers. You would only have to pay an agreed percentage on a successful claim. Should your case be unsuccessful, there would be nothing to pay at all for the legal representation you received.

The Steps You Must Take Following a Work-related Accident

All accidents and incidents must be recorded in an Accident Report Book which businesses and companies that employ ten or more people must have readily accessible to all their staff. Other steps that must be taken following an accident at work includes the following:

  • Seek medical attention straight away even if you think your injury is minor
  • Make sure the incident is recorded in an appropriate way whether it is recorded in an Accident Report Book or by letter sent to your employer as soon as possible
  • Check your contract of employment to familiarise yourself with Accident at Work Procedures as set out by your employer
  • If you are self-employed, you are legally responsible when it comes to reporting certain types of accidents in the work-place to the Health and Safety Executive or to a local council’s environmental health department

Getting Help With Your Accident at Work Compensation Claim

To avoid falling foul of any time limits associated with work-related compensation claims, it is best to seek legal advice and representation as soon as possible. It is crucial to have all the evidence and information regarding an incident that left you injured in the workplace ready to submit to the necessary authorities when filing a work-related personal injury claim. Failure to have the proof needed could result in long delays and may even mean that your claim is turned down right away.

Seeking legal representation can be expensive, but you can work with LegalExpert.co.uk on a No Win No Fee basis which takes how to pay for legal representation when you need it most, off the table. A solicitor who specialises in employment law would offer a free initial consultation which allows them to assess the strength of your claim and once they have, they would agree to represent you when you sign a Conditional Fee Agreement with them. This contract would stipulate the percentage of the amount you are awarded in a successful claim that you would have to pay, but if your claim is unsuccessful, there would be nothing to pay at all.

I Was Injured at Work Because of Another Employee, Can I Claim Compensation? – 2020 Update UK Law

If a work colleague was responsible for an accident at work that left you injured, you have every right to file a personal injury claim against your employer more especially if your colleague had not been given sufficient training to carry out a job. This type of personal injury claim is known as “vicarious liability”.

Typical causes of work-related accidents caused by a colleague include the following:

  • Insufficient training to drive a forklift which causes the vehicle to run into you
  • Insufficient training to use specific equipment and machinery which results in you being injured
  • Faulty or badly maintained equipment and/or machinery which causes an accident that leaves you injured
  • A failure to follow Health and Safety guidelines which makes the working environment hazardous to be in

Your injury could be minor or more severe which could result in you not being able to work for a period of time. You could be so badly affected by an injury that you are unable to work again which could have a serious impact on your future earnings.

Each Accident Circumstances are different What is A Fast Way For Me to Find Out If I Have A Valid Claim?

A vast way for you to find out if you have a valid claim is to ask a specialist lawyers either by free live online chat on this link here https://www.legalexpert.co.uk/accident-at-work-claims/claim-guides/injury-claim-against-a-another-employee-or-work-colleague/ or you could call their free phone number it is also important to act fast when claiming compensation because as time goes on evidence can go missing and make the case much weaker.

Employee Injury At Work Advice

Employee Injury At Work Advice

More About Vicarious Liability

Under UK law, an employer is liable for any harm that is caused by their staff when they are carrying out their duties. As such, an employer must ensure that your work colleagues are competent and trained to carry out their duties. Should you be involved in an accident that left you injured due to a work colleague’s negligence, you could have the right to file a claim for compensation which you would do against your employer because they could be “vicariously” liable for your work colleagues error or negligence.

Your Employer’s Responsibility in The Workplace

Your employer has a duty to keep a working environment safe for all employees. This means following Health and Safety Executive guidelines and making sure all employees receive the following:

  • The correct training for the job they are employed to do
  • That machinery and equipment is well maintained and in good working order
  • To carry out regular risk assessments to identify all potential dangers and hazards in the workplace

Steps to Take Following a Work-related Accident Caused by a Workmate

There are specific steps you must take following a work-related accident caused by a work colleague that left you injured which are detailed below:

  • Seek medical attention even if you believe your injuries are only minor
  • Make sure your employer is notified of the incident
  • Make sure the incident is noted in the Accident Report Book. If there is no report book, make sure you note down all the details of the incident and your injuries before sending a copy to your employer
  • Take witness statements
  • Take photographs of the accident and your injuries

You should also seek legal advice as soon as possible because this type of work-related personal injury claim can be a complicated and sometimes long drawn out process and it pays to get it right from the work go to avoid any delays or your claim being turned down.

Who Pays a Work-related Personal Injury Claim Caused by a Work Colleague?

As previously mentioned, your employer could be liable for an accident at work that was caused by a work colleague. A specialist personal injury solicitor would assess the strength of your case and whether your employer could be held responsible. Should this be the case, it would your employer’s insurers who would pay the amount you are awarded in a successful personal injury claim. The compensation you may be awarded could include the following:

  • General damages – these would cover your pain and suffering as well as any emotional stress and non-monetary losses you incurred as a direct result of the work-related accident that left you injured
  • Loss of earnings – this would cover lost income and future income
  • Medical expenses – if your injury was severe which means you would need private medical care, or long-term care, this would be included in your claim
  • Travel expenses – this covers all travel expenses you incurred as a direct result of your injury
  • Care claim – if you needed help and assistance during your recovery, the cost of this could be included in your claim

Getting Help with a Work-related Injury Caused by a Work Colleague

If you need any assistance on filing a work-related personal injury claim and would like to know more about an employer’s vicarious liability, LegalExpert.co.uk have years of experience in handling this type of claim. All personal injury claims can be complex and you may feel awkward about filing for compensation from an employer because a work colleague caused an accident that left you injured. However, all employers in the UK must have adequate insurance in place to deal with this eventuality and they must ensure that a working environment is safe by carrying out regular risk assessments, providing all employees with sufficient training and ensuring that equipment and machinery is in good working order.

Once an employer has been notified of the incident, they would contact their insurers who would then carry out an investigation into the accident to determine who is responsible. With this said, it is far better to seek legal advice right from the outset which takes all stress of your shoulders and if you choose to work with a solicitor who specialises in this type of claim on a No Win No Fee basis, it also takes all the financial pressure of seeking legal advice off the table too.