Free initial advice
If you've been hurt, our trusted solicitors can help
No upfront fees. No obligation. A specialist will review your enquiry and come back to you.
Trusted by injured people across the UK
While at work, you generally expect that your employer has taken precautions to limit the risk of you sustaining an injury. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. As a delivery driver, many things can go wrong if the appropriate measures have not been taken. Incidents can lead to bodily and psychological harm, affecting your daily lifestyle. You can read this guide to learn some key facts about claiming compensation for a delivery driver accident and how an award is calculated.
At Accident Claims, our advisors will answer your questions, free of charge. They will take the time to explain any aspects of the process that you are unsure of, as we understand that making an accident at work claim is a big decision. You may even be connected to a solicitor from our panel for expert legal guidance on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that our panel represent claimants without the need for them to pay upfront or ongoing fees for their work.
4.8As a delivery driver, you may be able to make an accident at work claim if you can prove that you suffered an injury whilst working because of negligent actions from your employer.
Employers have a duty of care placed on them by The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This central piece of workplace health and safety legislation states that all employers are required to take practical and reasonable steps to prevent employees from becoming injured at work or whilst they carry out their work-related duties. Some of these steps include:
As mentioned, this duty extends to delivery drivers, even when they are not located in the workspace. If there is a failure to uphold this duty of care, leading to delivery driver accidents at work, you might wonder what steps you could take.
In some cases, you might be eligible to make a personal injury claim. However, in order to do so, you need to:
Additionally, to make a personal injury claim after suffering a workplace injury, you have a 3-year time limit to begin legal proceedings. This typically starts from the date you were injured as per the Limitation Act 1980. However, there are some exceptions to this time limit, depending on the circumstances.
To learn more about the exceptions to the personal injury claim’s limitation period or to discuss whether you’re eligible to seek compensation, please call us on the number above.
There are different types of delivery driver accidents at work. For example:
Now, we look at a more detailed, illustrative case study of a successful delivery driver accident claim. Please keep in mind this has only been provided for guidance purposes and is figurative.
In the back of an HGV lorry, a metal pole is used to secure the transported goods. One day, when Mr Brown was unloading the lorry, the metal pole fell on his head, causing a dent and laceration. The metal pole was usually secured to the side wall of the van using retarders, but this pole was secured via a wire instead. Mr Brown suffered from moderate brain damage as a result of the head injury he sustained.
He decided to start a personal injury claim and collected copies of his medical reports, CCTV footage from inside the van, receipts of the over-the-counter medicine he bought, photographs of his injury, and a diary with recordings of his symptoms and treatment. Additionally, he sought legal advice from an experienced workplace accident solicitor who assisted him in putting forward his case in full within the relevant time frame.
Mr Brown was successful with his claim and was awarded compensation which took into consideration the following factors:
To see if you can claim for your delivery driver accident today, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
Claims for delivery driver accidents at work should have supporting evidence to prove the extent of your injuries and how your employer is liable for them. Therefore, you could benefit from gathering the following:
If you are put in contact with one of our solicitors, they can help you collect the evidence you need to support your case. To find out whether you can receive this assistance, contact us today. We can perform a free case check and determine whether you have eligible grounds to pursue compensation. Following this, we could connect you with one of our experienced solicitors to guide you through the different stages of the claims process.
Successful personal injury claims for delivery driver accidents at work are awarded a payout comprising general damages. You are compensated for the effects of your psychological and/or physical injuries under general damages. Consideration is given to factors such as:
Solicitors can calculate the value of general damages by referring to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) and your medical reports. The JCG includes different guideline compensation brackets for different injury types.
You will find in the table below figures from the JCG. However, these are only guidelines since each case is assessed uniquely. Also, please be aware that the first figure was not taken from the JCG.
| Injury Type | Severity Level | Guideline Compensation Bracket | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple injuries with the associated financial losses | Severe | Up to £1,000,000 or more | Multiple types of harm with special damages which can help you recover costs relating to medical treatment, travel expenses and home adjustments, plus your lost wages |
| Brain damage | Moderately severe (b) | £267,340 to £344,150 | The person will have a very serious disability which is either physical or cognitive. They will be substantially dependent on others and need constant professional care. |
| Moderate (c) (i) | £183,190 to £267,340 | No prospect of employment with an effect on the senses, personality and an intellectual deficit which is moderate to severe. | |
| Arm | Severe (a) | £117,360 yo £159,770 | A serious brachial plexus injury which leaves the person little better off than if they had lost the arm completely. |
| Injuries resulting in permanent and substantial disablement (b) | £47,810 to £73,050 | Serious fractures of one or both the forearms causing significant and permanent residual disability. This may be functional or cosmetic. | |
| Leg | Severe (b) (ii) | £66,920 to £109,290 | Injuries of a very serious nature leading to permanent issues with mobility. |
| Foot | Moderate (f) | £16,770 to £30,500 | Displaced metatarsal fractures that lead to permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms. |
| Modest (g) | Up to £16,770 | Simple fractures with ongoing symptoms, such as a permanent limp, aching, or pain. | |
| Wrist | Less severe (c) | £15,370 to £29,900 | Permanent disability resulting from injuries, such as a level of persisting pain and stiffness. |
You may be compensated for the financial losses from your injuries under special damages. Special damages can only be awarded if general damages is awarded. Such financial losses for which you could seek reimbursement include:
In order to receive a special damages, you must keep hold of your payslips, invoices, receipts, and bank statements as evidence.
You can find out more about how personal injury compensation is calculated for accidents at work by getting in touch.
If you have an eligible personal injury claim for a workplace injury, you could begin your claim with us. Our solicitors offer claimants a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
Under a CFA, you are not expected to pay fees for your solicitor’s services upfront, throughout the case process, or if you have an unsuccessful claim.
If you do have a successful claim, your solicitor will take a success fee from your compensation. The maximum percentage that solicitors can take as this fee is legally restricted to ensure you keep the majority of your award.
Contact us today if you wish to make a claim with a solicitor on this basis. Our solicitors have years of expertise in personal injury claims. If you are a delivery driver who has suffered an injury due to your employer’s negligent actions, here’s how you can contact with us:
Here are some of our other guides that you may find helpful:
Also, here are some additional resources:
Thank you for reading our guide today on claims for delivery driver accidents at work. If you have any further questions, please contact an advisor on the number above.
