The NHS employs roughly 1,526,205 staff members in clinical and non-clinical roles in England (headcount, October 2025, from NHS Workforce Statistics). Any of these staff members could suffer an injury in an accident at work. Besides the immediate impact of physical pain, workplace injuries can take a significant toll on mental health and cause considerable financial insecurity. If your employer’s negligent actions caused an injury, you might be able to seek NHS injury at work compensation for your pain, suffering, and any incurred expenses.
Key Takeaways
- 2,686 staff members claimed for injuries sustained in slip and trip accidents between 2019/20 and 2023/24, with 1,803 cases settled for a total of £23,503,149 (£13,035 on average)*.
- Non-clinical roles include: admin and clerical, such as reception, human resources, and ward clerks; estate and facilities, such as porters, cleaners, catering, and maintenance; and corporate, which includes finance directors, quality managers, and transformation leads.
- Clinical roles include doctors, nurses, midwives, health visitors, and ambulance staff, as well as scientific, therapeutic, and technical staff.
- Employer negligence occurs when a failure to take reasonably practicable steps to keep the workforce safe results in an injury.
- There is a 3-year time limit from the date of the workplace accident in which to start your claim, and you will need evidence proving employer negligence occurred.
At Accident Claims, our solicitors can support eligible claimants with their workplace injury claim on a No Win No Fee basis. As part of this No Win No Fee service, they can ensure that your claim is filed on time with appropriate supporting documents and other forms of evidence. To find out more and to see if you qualify for expert legal representation that will always take the time to understand and meet your needs, speak to a member of our advisory team now:
- Contact us online
- Phone 0800 073 8801
- Speak to a real person in our live chat.
4.8 (948 reviews)Frequently Asked Questions
- How Much NHS Injury At Work Compensation Could I Claim?
- Can NHS Workplace Accident Compensation Cover Other Damages?
- Can I Claim For Compensation If I Was Injured Working For The NHS?
- Compensation Paid Out To NHS Staff Per Region
- The Most Common Workplace NHS Accidents
- Injuries Sustained By NHS Staff At Work
- What Is Needed To Make A NHS Injury At Work Compensation Claim?
- No Win No Fee NHS Injury At Work Compensation With Accident Claims
- Learn More
How Much NHS Injury At Work Compensation Could I Claim?
How much NHS injury at work compensation you could claim would depend on the nature of your injuries, their severity, and how they have affected you financially. Accident at work compensation awards can also account for the long-term prognosis and what impact it had or is expected to have on your life, such as no longer being able to participate in activities you once enjoyed.
If your claim is successful, you will be compensated for the physical pain and mental suffering caused by your injury under a head of loss called general damages. When calculating a value for general damages, those responsible for doing so, such as personal injury solicitors, may look at the suggested compensation brackets found in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). They might do so because the text pairs these guideline brackets with various injuries.
We’ve provided a table below with a number of brackets from the JCG. However, it is intended only as guidance, and the figure in the top row is not from this document.
| Injury/Severity | Guideline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Severe Injuries and Incurred Costs | Up to £1,000,000+ | Various expenses can be accounted for, such as lost wages, the need for domestic support, and medical costs (e.g., prescriptions). |
| Paralysis: Tetraplegia/Quadriplegia | £396,140 to £493,000 | Factors affecting the award include age, pain, extent of any residual movement, respiratory issues and depression. |
| Brain Damage: Moderately Severe | £267,340 to £344,150 | Very serious disability with substantial dependence and the need for constant care. |
| Severe Leg Injuries: The Most Serious Injuries Short of Amputation | £117,460 to £165,860 | Although an amputation has not occurred, the injury is so severe that damages are awarded at a similar level, for example, extensive degloving, gross shortening or not united fractures needing extensive bone grafts. |
| Back: Severe (iii) | £47,320 to £85,100 | Chronic conditions caused by disc lesions, fractures or soft tissue injuries. |
| Pelvis and Hips: Severe (iii) | £47,810 to £64,070 | Many injuries are covered by this bracket, including degenerative changes from an acetabulum fracture and fractures of an arthritic femur or hip where the replacement is only partially successful. |
| Arm: Less Severe | £23,430 to £47,810 | There have been significant disabilities, however, the claimant has made or is expected to make, a substantial recovery. |
| Ankle: Moderate | £16,770 to £32,450 | Less serious disabilities, such as difficulty walking on uneven ground or standing for long periods, occur from fractures, ligamentous tears, and similar. |
| Skeletal: Nose or Nasal Complex Fractures (i) | £12,990 to £28,220 | A number of operations are needed for serious or multiple fractures. |
| Facial Disfigurement: Less Significant Scarring | £4,820 to £16,770 | There may be one scar or a number of very small ones, but the overall effect is a marred and not markedly affected appearance with a reaction no greater than that of an ordinarily sensitive person. |
If you would like a free claim assessment that considers the injuries you suffered as well as any financial hardships they caused, please contact a member of our advisory team. You can also read our guide about calculating compensation for further information.
Can NHS Workplace Accident Compensation Cover Other Damages?
Yes, your workplace accident compensation award can cover other damages, specifically the financial losses you’ve suffered because of your injuries. This second part of your claim is called ‘special damages’ and can factor in current and future costs. However, to recover these losses, you will need documentation. That may include various records, like your payslips, receipts, and invoices.
Financial losses that can be reimbursed for include:
- Loss of earnings, including holiday pay and pension contributions.
- Domestic support ranging from the costs of hiring a cleaner while you recover to help with childcare.
- Medical expenses, including medication costs, private medical care, and cosmetic surgery (for example, to lessen the effects of scarring related to your injury).
- Rehabilitation support, such as counselling, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.
- Nursing and carer assistance, as well as help from family members.
- Travel expenses to and from medical appointments.
These are only a selection of the expenses you could be compensated for. To discuss your specific circumstances, call one of our advisors now.
Can I Claim For Compensation If I Was Injured Working For The NHS?
Yes, you can claim compensation if you were injured while working for the NHS as a result of your employer’s negligent conduct. Your injury must have occurred while carrying out your job-related duties, and you must meet the criteria listed below.
- You Were Owed a Duty of Care
A duty of care is a legal obligation owed by one party to protect the safety of others. While you are at work or carrying out your work-related duties, your employer must take reasonably practicable steps to ensure your health, safety, and welfare. This is the duty of care that employers owe to their staff, as set out by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
- That Duty of Care Was Breached
How your employer meets their legal obligations can vary depending on your job role and the work environment. Should they fail to fulfil it, this is known as a ‘breach of duty.’ It occurs when the responsible party (your employer) fails to act as a reasonable person or organisation would have done, for example, by failing to act on risks identified by an assessment.
- You Were Injured or Suffered an Illness
If a breach in your employer’s duty of care caused you harm, you might be able to make a claim for NHS injury at work compensation. The injury (or injuries) could be minor to severe. Some may even be long-term or permanent in nature. Furthermore, you could sustain multiple injuries in a single accident.
To discuss this criteria and find out if you are eligible to claim NHS injury at work compensation, speak to one of our advisors now.
4.8 (948 reviews)Compensation Paid Out To NHS Staff Per Trust
To find out how much compensation was paid out to NHS staff per trust, we sent out Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to trusts in England*. It is worth noting that some NHS trusts are more sizeable than others, with larger workforces.
Our table below contains a list of compensation amounts that have been awarded in specific regions between 2019/20 and 2023/24.
| Trust | Settled Claims | Damages Paid |
|---|---|---|
| North Central London | 795 | £21,043,674 |
| West Midlands | 648 | £9,372,236 |
| Cheshire and Merseyside | 607 | £8,102,465 |
| North East and North Cumbria | 425 | £6,904,743 |
| Greater Manchester | 444 | £6,347,762 |
| Lancashire and South Cumbria | 311 | £5,084,312 |
| West Yorkshire | 301 | £4,203,856 |
| Devon | 155 | £3,527,736 |
| Sussex | 116 | £3,319,174 |
| South Yorkshire | 253 | £2,814,118 |
Although this data covers only England, our solicitors offer a nationwide service. So no matter where in the country you are, we can help if you are eligible to claim accident at work compensation.
The Most Common Workplace NHS Accidents
We can refer back to the data from the Freedom of Information request to examine the most common workplace accidents across NHS trusts. We’ve provided these in the table below:
| Primary Cause | Claims and Incidents | Settled Claims | Damages Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slip or Trip | 2,686 | 1,803 | £23,503,149 |
| Assault | 2,274 | 1,049 | £20,216,540 |
| Hit by Object | 882 | 594 | £7,470,366 |
| Manual Handling | 682 | 297 | £4,368,026 |
| Defective Tools/Equipment | 678 | 485 | £6,701,861 |
| Sharps Injury | 592 | 577 | £1,428,431 |
| Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations | 485 | 362 | £9,980,358 |
| Manual Handling Regulations | 235 | 196 | £5,100,667 |
| Fell into From Object | 166 | 91 | £1,170,634 |
| Illness/Disease | 139 | 38 | £1,934,009 |
NHS Staff Assaulted At Work
According to the data supplied by NHS England trusts, 2,274 staff made a claim for an assault at work between 2019/20 and 2023/24. Of these, 1,049 were settled, with £20,216,540 awarded between them (an average of £19,272).
As with other accidents at work, your employer could be liable for your injuries if they failed to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety. For more information about claiming, please see our dedicated guide to compensation for workplace assaults.
Injuries Sustained By NHS Staff At Work
Like any workplace, NHS staff can sustain a variety of injuries while carrying out their duties. Using data supplied by NHS England trusts, we’ve provided a table below that looks at the most common injuries staff have suffered. Please note that not every trust responded to our FoI request.
| Primary Injury | Claims & Incidents | Settled Claims | Damages Paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orthopaedic Injuries | 7,241 | 4,631 | £69,000,341 |
| Head Injuries | 700 | 414 | £10,747,326 |
| Facial Injuries | 681 | 326 | £3,625,126 |
| Psychiatric Damage | 498 | 346 | £13,950,155 |
| Injuries to Internal Organs | 337 | 157 | £2,721,247 |
| Burns | 133 | 101 | £579,673 |
| Sickness/Disease | 123 | 20 | £162,972 |
| Injuries Affecting the Senses | 98 | 55 | £1,672,933 |
| Scarring (Except Facial) | 24 | 7 | £31,800 |
To discuss the specifics of your injury, contact one of our advisors.
What Is Needed To Make A NHS Injury At Work Compensation Claim?
In order to make an NHS injury at work compensation claim, you will need to submit evidence that proves your version of events (e.g., medical records) and start the process within the legal time limit.
The stronger the evidence you can gather, the better chance you have of a successful claim. The items you collect will need to prove that employer negligence occurred and may include:
- Witness contact information (this can be passed onto a solicitor to collect supportive testimony)
- Copies of CCTV footage.
- The accident report recorded in the logbook.
Our dedicated guide on evidence for personal injury claims contains further information and examples.
Additionally, you will have 3 years from the date of the workplace accident to start the claims process. However, there are exceptional circumstances for minors and those without sufficient mental capacity to manage a claim, in which the time limit is suspended. For more information, please see our guide about the limitation period for personal injury claims.
If you would like to discuss the evidence you could collect with the help of one of our solicitors, or whether you are still within the time limit to start the process, please feel free to chat with us today.
No Win No Fee NHS Injury At Work Compensation With Accident Claims
Here at Accident Claims, our solicitors provide their services on a No Win No Fee basis. So, if you are seeking NHS injury at work compensation, or looking to make a personal injury claim in general, our solicitors might be able to help without charging a fee for their services upfront or as the claim is ongoing.
Furthermore, if your injury at work claim is not successful, your solicitor will not take a service fee for any of their work on the case. However, should there be a favourable outcome, they will be paid a success fee from your compensation. This fee is a pre-agreed percentage, capped by the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 (the legislation our solicitors use to provide their specific No Win No Fee arrangement).
Beneficial No Win No Fee terms aren’t the only advantages of claiming with the support of one of our solicitors. When you work with one of our specialist accident at work solicitors, you get a bespoke service from start to finish. Some of the help that can be offered includes:
- An accurate calculation of your claim that considers all of your damages and a willingness to negotiate for this figure.
- Handling of all paperwork connected with your claim.
- Advice and help with evidence gathering.
- Connection to specialists, such as physical therapists and counsellors, that you wouldn’t normally have access to.
- Guidance through the claims process, including explanations of any complex legal terminology.
Contact Our Solicitors To Begin A Claim
For a free consultation and advice, contact one of our advisors now. They’re available 24/7 to help you get a claim started:
- Contact us online
- Phone 0800 073 8801
- Speak to a real person in our live chat.
Learn More
These guides from our site might also be useful:
- Guidance on what happens when you make a personal injury claim.
- Defining loss of amenity and looking at how this will affect your claim.
- Learn who is responsible for reporting hazards in the workplace.
Here are a few external websites that you might find interesting:
- NHS guidance on performing first aid.
- A worker’s guide to health and safety, published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
- Information on the accident logbook from the Health and Safety Executive.
Thank you for reading our guide on NHS injury at work compensation. Please speak to one of our advisors if you have any other questions. *According to the responses from a Freedom of Information (FoI) request we sent out. This applied to trusts based in England, and not every trust responded.
