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Accident working abroad claims are personal injury claims that could arise if you were injured while working overseas because your UK-based employer failed to take reasonable steps to protect your safety. Although an accident happens abroad, you could still have grounds to pursue compensation under UK law where your employer is legally responsible. Examples could include unsafe workplace conditions or inadequate training. If you were injured abroad, you could be eligible to claim compensation for your injuries as well as related financial harm. Accident Claims’ solicitors can assess your circumstances and, where appropriate, represent you on a No Win No Fee basis.
Being injured while working abroad can leave you facing far more than the injury itself. You may need medical treatment in an unfamiliar country and face uncertainty over who is responsible or where your accident at work claim should be made. Language barriers and ongoing treatment can make an already stressful situation even more difficult.
At Accident Claims, we have decades of combined solicitor experience and have secured over £100 million in compensation. We provide straightforward legal guidance tailored to accident working abroad claims and explain how UK law may apply to your circumstances. Our solicitors can obtain evidence from both the UK and the country where the accident happened, allowing them to build a clear picture of what went wrong and whether your UK-based employer may be liable for your injuries.
You can contact Accident Claims for a free consultation to discuss your circumstances and understand your legal options. Accident Claims’ dedicated advice team are available 24 hours a day via the contact information given here:
4.8Yes, you can be eligible to claim compensation after an accident while working abroad, provided it can be shown that your employer failed to take adequate steps to protect you. If you work in the UK and are sent abroad for work reasons, such as attending a conference, meeting clients, or performing your job role, the company still has responsibilities under UK law to keep you safe.
Following the landmark judgment of Wilson & Clyde Coal Company Limited v English [1937], employers continue to have a duty to protect their workers that cannot be delegated to other parties, including the provision of:
What this means, if your employer has breached their duty to keep you safe while working, and this has caused you to be injured, you can be eligible to seek compensation. Speak to our advice team today to learn more about making accident working abroad claims in your specific circumstances.
Yes, you can make an accident at work claim against an overseas employer if, under relevant national workplace safety laws, the overseas employer failed in their duty to keep you safe during your work activities.
The fact that your employer is based outside the UK does not automatically prevent you from bringing a claim. Instead, the important questions are where the accident happened, who employed you, how your work was organised and which country’s legal system has authority to deal with the claim. These factors determine how your case should proceed and whether compensation may be available.
The legal experts at Accident Claims will assess these issues at the outset so you have a clear understanding of your legal position before moving forward. We examine your employment arrangements, the location of the accident and the relationship between the organisations involved. For example, if you accepted a contract directly with an overseas construction company and suffered serious injuries because essential safety equipment had not been provided, we would investigate whether that employer can be held responsible and the most appropriate route for pursuing your claim.
Cross-border workplace accidents can seem complicated, particularly when different legal systems and insurance arrangements are involved. Our solicitors provide practical advice tailored to your individual circumstances, helping you pursue compensation with confidence.
Responsibility for workplace accidents overseas depends on who was legally responsible for your safety and which country’s laws govern your claim.
If you were employed by a UK business, the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 will continue to be relevant as your employer is still responsible for your safety and wellbeing. However, the law of the country where the accident happened can also play an important role, meaning cross-border claims often require careful consideration of both UK and foreign legal principles. For this reason, the location of the accident does not automatically determine whether a claim can be pursued in the UK or overseas.
We will investigate the circumstances of your accident, identify which organisation was responsible for managing workplace safety and advise you accordingly. Speak to Accident Claims today.
Accident working abroad claims can arise in many different industries when employees are not suitably protected from foreseeable risks. The examples below show how such failures can lead to serious injuries while working abroad.
Your employer temporarily assigned you to a construction project abroad. Despite raising concerns, work continued on scaffolding that had not been properly inspected. The platform collapsed, causing you to fall and sustain multiple injuries, including several serious fractures.
You were driving between client locations as part of your job when another driver ignored a red light and collided with your vehicle. The road traffic accident left you with serious chest injuries that required ongoing treatment and prevented you from returning to work.
Your UK-based employer sent you to work at an overseas hotel. During your assignment, you were required to use industrial cleaning equipment that had not been properly maintained. When the equipment malfunctioned, you suffered a serious hand injury.
If your circumstances are similar to any of these examples, or your accident happened in different circumstances while working abroad, contact Accident Claims today for a free consultation.
Building evidence following an overseas workplace accident starts with protecting your health and preserving the information that explains how the accident happened. No 2 claims will ever be exactly the same, so the solicitor will investigate the circumstances of your accident and identify the evidence that will best establish responsibility and demonstrate the impact your injuries have had.
Seeking medical treatment should always be your first priority, as your medical records help explain the injuries you sustained and the treatment you required. The accident should also be reported to your employer as soon as possible so that an official record is created. Where possible, photographs of the accident scene, the machinery involved and any visible hazards can preserve important details before they change. Our solicitors will also obtain maintenance records, inspection logs or servicing documentation where these could help show that equipment had not been properly maintained.
To build the strongest possible claim, we obtain witness statements while events remain fresh, secure CCTV footage where available and review the evidence alongside your account of the accident. We also assess how the accident has affected you financially by gathering evidence of lost earnings, medical expenses and other accident-related costs. You do not need to know what evidence is required before contacting us. Our solicitors will explain what is relevant to your circumstances, obtain additional information wherever possible and manage the investigation while you concentrate on your recovery.
Compensation for an accident working abroad could be awarded for the injuries themselves, as well as any psychological impacts and associated financial harm you have experienced.
The first part of your compensation is known as general damages. This reflects the physical and psychological effects of your injuries, including the pain you have experienced, how long your recovery is expected to take and whether any long-term symptoms are likely to remain. As part of the accident working abroad claims process, we will obtain medical evidence and, where appropriate, arrange an independent medical assessment to ensure your condition is fully understood. This evidence is considered alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which provide guideline compensation brackets for different types of injuries, helping us value your claim as accurately as possible.
The second part of your compensation is known as special damages. This is calculated by investigating the financial losses directly linked to your accident, but more on this in the next section. Some examples of potential general damages figures using a range of guideline brackets from the JCG have been provided in the table below.
We’d like to emphasise that this table is intended to provide guidance only. The top entry is not a JCG figure.
| Injury Type + Severity | Guidelines Payout Figure | Table Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Serious Injuries with Significant Special Damages | Up to £1,000,000 | The injured person has sustained multiple very serious injuries and incurred major financial losses including a loss of income, medical expenses and care requirements. |
| Head Injuries and Brain Damage - Moderately Severe (b) | £289,420 to £372,570 | Very serious disability, whether physical and cognitive, resulting in a substantial dependence on professional care. |
| Head Injuries and Brain Damage - Moderate (c)(i) | £198,320 to £289,420 | Moderate to severe deficit in intellect, significant epilepsy risk and sensory impact, with zero employment prospects. |
| Hand Injuries - Total or Effective Loss of One Hand (c) | £127,050 to £144,860 | Where the hand was crushed and then amputated surgically, or a traumatic amputation of most of the hand. |
| Hand Injuries - Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers (d) | £81,790 to £119,890 | Exceedingly weak grip with the remaining hand being of very little use. |
| Chest Injuries - Traumatic Injury (b) | £86,860 to £133,000 | Permanent damage to the chest and/or internal organs causing impairment of function and reduced life expectancy. |
| Chest Injuries - Damage to Lungs (c) | £41,370 to £72,440 | Some continuing disability from damage to the chest and internal organs. |
| Severe Leg Injuries (ii) Very Serious | £72,440 to £117,210 | Permanent mobility issues that require walking aids for the remainder of life, such as from serious fractures that have taken years to heal. |
| Severe Leg Injuries (iii) Serious | £51,790 to £72,440 | Serious comminuted or compound fractures, as well as joint and ligament damage leading to further instability. |
| Knee Injuries - Moderate (i) | £19,610 to £34,600 | Dislocations and soft tissue injuries causing minor instability and weakness. |
Yes, an accident working abroad claim can recover financial losses where they were caused by your injuries and are supported with sufficient proof.
Financial losses are assessed individually because no two claims are affected in the same way. Our solicitors take the time to understand how your accident has influenced your employment, recovery and day-to-day finances so that your compensation reflects the true impact of your injuries. If you were unable to work while recovering, for example, we will calculate your loss of earnings using employment and financial records to ensure the amount claimed accurately reflects your circumstances.
Recovery after an overseas workplace accident can also result in additional costs that would not have arisen had the accident not occurred. Where you have paid for medical treatment, rehabilitation or travel connected to your recovery, the solicitor will explain what evidence is needed to demonstrate that these expenses were reasonable and directly related to your injuries. We carefully review invoices, receipts and other supporting information to ensure every recoverable loss is properly evidenced.
Some workplace accidents abroad continue to have financial consequences long after the initial injury. If your recovery is ongoing or your injuries are expected to affect your future earning capacity or create continuing expenses, we will obtain the medical and financial evidence needed to calculate those future losses as accurately as possible. Strong evidence is essential because it allows every aspect of your financial claim to be supported, helping ensure your compensation reflects the full impact the accident has had on your life.
4.8Pursuing compensation through accident working abroad claims can feel more complicated than making a standard accident at work claim, particularly when different employers, insurers or legal systems are involved. At Accident Claims, our solicitors provide clear advice from the outset, explaining how your claim may proceed, what compensation could be available and the practical steps involved. Every workplace accident abroad is assessed on its own circumstances, allowing us to provide support that reflects your individual situation.
Every overseas workplace accident is different, which is why we tailor our advice and support to the circumstances of your claim rather than following a standard process. From your first conversation with us, we focus on understanding what happened, identifying the most appropriate legal route and building the strongest possible case on your behalf.
Throughout your claim, our solicitors will:
Our solicitors can take on valid overseas workplace injury claims under a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This protects you from paying solicitor service fees at the start of your claim or while it is ongoing. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not pay the solicitor’s service fees.
The solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation in the event the claim is won. The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 limits this fee to a maximum of 25%, providing certainty about the amount that can be deducted.
Accident Claims’ dedicated advice team are available 24 hours a day via the contact information given here:
You can view some of our other accident at work claims guides by clicking below:
These external resources provide additional information which we hope you find useful:
Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on accident working abroad claims. You can get further guidance, as well as a free eligibility check by reaching out to our expert advice team today.
