Have you been injured in the workplace? Perhaps you have recently been diagnosed with an industrial disease and believe an ex-employer is to blame? Maybe you fell from a height and believe the platform was too fragile? No matter what has occurred, if the accident in question was not your fault, there is a very high chance that you will be entitled to accident at work compensation for any type or severity of injury you’ve had to endure.
Leg injury at work compensation
This is something that one man experienced when he was working as an AA patrolman in a case we came across while researching. He was awarded £200,000 in compensation after he attended a breakdown by the M1, just off junction 15. The vehicle he attended had noises coming from beneath it, so the claimant inspected the underside of the vehicle by using a trolley jack to raise each corner in turn. However, the pumping handle detached from the trolley jack as he was removing it from under the car for the final time. The trolley jack landed onto his right shin, which caused a number of different injuries.
Unfortunately, in this incident, the case was a drawn out one because the employer did not respond quickly or accept liability. However, a large sum was secured in the end. If you wish to make a claim for an accident at work, we will always aim to secure it as quickly as we can and to resolve the situation outside of the courtroom. Nevertheless, if the other party refuses to accept liability, the accident at work procedure will need to be escalated further. Luckily, most are resolved out of court.
Accident At Work Statistics
Unfortunately, accidents at work can happen in any sort of environment or industry. The UK Government has released some statistics about workplace accidents in the United Kingdom. You can see a selection of these below. All statistics related to the 2016/17 time frame.
Work accident statistics
- There were 1.3 million work-related ill health cases, including long-standing and new cases.
- There were 0.6 million injuries to workers of a non-fatal nature.
- There were 31.2 million working days lost because of work-related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries.
- There were 70,116 injuries (not including fatal injuries) employers reported.
- There were 0.5 million work-related anxiety, depression and stress cases.
- There were 137 fatal injuries to workers.
- There were 0.5 million work-related musculoskeletal disorder cases, including long-standing and new cases.
What Injury Did The Claimant Suffer?
In this case, the claimant suffered a soft tissue injury to his right lower leg and severe bruising after the trolley jack fell onto his right shin. This caused him to require surgery because there was a blood clot in his right leg, which needed to be removed. However, he then developed cellulitis shortly after he was released from hospital. For those who have never heard of cellulitis before, this is a skin infection that can be very serious if it is not treated promptly. It is a bacterial infection that impacts the skin’s deeper layers.
Symptoms include cold, clammy, pale skin, confusion, feeling dizzy, purple patches on the skin, fast breathing, a fast heartbeat, disorientation, feeling hot and shivery, and a very high temperature. He needed numerous skin grafts and a number of repeat surgeries. Not only did the wound fail to heal but the victim was unable to exercise and this cause his pre-existing type II diabetes and asthma to get worse. In the end, he was dismissed from work due to ill health.
How Did Solicitors Pursue The Claim?
The accident at work solicitors working on this case had a tough task on their hands because the victim’s employer did not reply in a timely manner and then consistently denied any liability for what happened. The employer tried to claim that the jack was perfectly fine for the purpose in which it was used and, therefore, they were not to blame. However, this did not wash with the courts, and rightly so. The solicitors used extensive medical reports to showcase the claimant’s injuries. Experts also gave their insight regarding his likely prognosis. This included expert accounts from vascular surgeons, general surgeons, and consultant orthopaedic surgeons.
In addition to this, the solicitors showed how the injuries had impacted his work and caused him to be dismissed on grounds of ill health. They also presented the fact that he was at a clear disadvantage in the open labour market. This was proven by a consultant physician who put together a ‘capacity for employment’ report. In this report, the physician stated that the claimant would not be able to go back to work at the AA for a minimum of 18 months. Moreover, even if he was able to find a job elsewhere, he would now only have the capacity to take on duties that were much more sedentary and lighter.
How Was The Compensation Payout Agreed?
Although this was a drawn-out case because of the other party’s stance on the matter. In the end, they agreed to a settlement of £200,000. This payout will help the claimant to get any care and treatment required while also covering the loss of income suffered and any loss of earnings going forward. In addition to this, the state benefits the claimant had been receiving to this point had to be repaid via the Compensation Recovery Unit (CRU).
No Win No Fee Accident At Work Claims
If you are like most people that are thinking about making a personal injury claim, then the cost of hiring a personal injury solicitor may be worrying you. We are not surprised – we know that some law firms charge astronomical rates, and it is notoriously difficult to get a truthful answer regarding how much you will have to pay. This is why we are proud to be different. Here at Accident Claims UK, you can call our helpline at any time of the day, and we will give you a realistic answer regarding the costs entailed. Not only that but we provide a No Win, No Fee service for all cases. There are many benefits associated with this, as you will discover below.
So, what is a No Win, No Fee service? This means that the only way you are going to need to pay legal fees is if your case is successful, which means you will have your personal injury compensation payout to cover the costs in any case. This eliminates the huge amount of worry that is typically linked to making a compensation claim. There are so many people all over the UK that have missed out on the money they would have been entitled to. This is because they could not afford to take the risk of spending huge sums of money on a lawyer when their case may turn out to be a failure. With a No Win, No Fee service, this is something you don’t have to worry about anymore. Moreover, this guarantees you a much better service, as you know that the solicitor is accountable for the service they provide and that it impacts them too.
Contact us
If you require help with a personal injury claim due to an accident at work, look no further than Accident Claims UK. We are one of the leading injury claims firms in the country, and we provide our services all over the UK. If you have been injured and are thinking about making a claim, we will do all of the hard work for you. It is our aim to handle the case in the quickest and smoothest manner, so you can focus on your recovery. In most cases, we are able to handle the claim over the telephone, and it is extremely rare that your claim will ever result in a trial.
With our level of experience and credible reputation in the industry, there is no one better to help you get the compensation you deserve. All you need to do is give us a ring on 0800 073 8801. This is our legal helpline, which is available seven days per week, 24 hours a day, so you can call at any time that is convenient for you. We also have a live chat feature on our website and you can find the rest of our details on the contact page.
Useful Links
We hope that you have found this case study useful, as well as the supplementing information. However, if you would like to know more about accident at work law, please use the links below. The first link takes you to our comprehensive guide on accident at work claims, which reveals everything from the accident at work claim time limit to accident at work compensation amounts. The second link takes you to our guide on your legal rights after an accident at work.
- Compensation Claims for Working Accidents – It is essential to understand the complexities of making this type of claim. Our guide should help.
- Your Legal Rights – Your rights after an accident might be unclear to you – this guide aims to clear any doubts.