By Jo Anderson. Last Updated 3rd October 2023. If you have been injured in an accident in an office, you may be wondering whether you could pursue a personal injury claim. To have a valid case, you will need to prove that your employer breached their duty of care, and this caused your injuries.
Within this guide, we will explain the duty of care all employers owe their employees and when you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim. Furthermore, we will share examples of the different types of accidents that you could be involved in that could result in an office injury. This guide will also discuss how compensation is calculated in personal injury claims, and how one of our solicitors could help you with claiming compensation.
To discuss your case today and receive free advice, you can contact our advisory team. They can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by:
- Calling 0800 073 8801
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Accident at work claims – Could I claim for an office accident?
Select A Section
- Could I Make An Office Accident Claim?
- Health And Safety Legislation For Offices
- Examples Of Office Accidents You Could Claim Compensation For
- Office Accident Claims – Do I Need Evidence To Make One?
- Accidents At Work Compensation Examples
- Office Accident Claims – What Else Can You Include?
- Make A No Win No Fee Office Accident Claim Today
- Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
Could I Make An Office Accident Claim?
A work-related accident in an office is an unwanted occurrence that takes place in an office environment. It results in a worker becoming injured or made ill. For instance, an employee could trip on a loose wire and break their kneecap.
In order to make a work-related injury claim, you would need to demonstrate that your employer breached their duty of care causing you harm as a result. This is known as negligence.
The duty of care they owe employees are outlined in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They must take reasonable steps to prevent you from experiencing harm in the workplace or while performing work-related duties.
There are many ways in which an employer could breach their duty of care towards an employee, which could cause a work-related injury or illness.
For example, they could:
- Fail to provide adequate training for employees to perform tasks safely
- Not risk assess a task leading to an employee sustaining harm due to a hazard that wasn’t addressed
- Fail to provide appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when it is necessary for them to do so
- Not remove trip hazards or signpost them to warn that they are there
To learn more about the workplace injury claims process, please get in touch on the number above.
How Long Do I Have To Make An Office Accident Claim?
In addition to having evidence that shows employer negligence caused your injuries, if you would like to make an office accident claim, you must start proceedings within the limitation period. This is typically three years from the date of your injuries as set by the Limitation Act 1980.
However, some exceptions apply for injured parties that cannot start a claim themselves. In these cases, a litigation friend can begin proceedings on the injured party’s behalf at any point.
The personal injury claim time limit is suspended for:
- Children under the age of 18. Once they turn 18, they will have three years from their birthday to start a claim unless a litigation friend already started proceedings.
- Those who lack the mental capacity to deal with legal proceedings. In these cases, the time limit is paused indefinitely. Should the injured party regain their mental capacity, they would have three years from that date to start a claim.
Call our advisors with any questions you have about office accident claims. They can give free legal advice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Health and Safety Legislation For Offices
It is important that offices are safe environments in which to work. In an office-based work environment, the following health and safety regulations should be practiced. This is to safeguard workers from workplace accidents and injuries.
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HASAWA) 1974
The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, requires employers to owe their workers a duty of care of protecting their health and safety. To uphold their duty of care, workplaces should conduct regular risk assessments of the premises to identify health and safety hazards. They should also apply control measures to the identified hazards to remove or reduce the risk.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations) 1992, requires employers to provide the following:
- A workspace that is kept in a clean condition.
- Ventilation, heating, and lighting.
- Staff facilities such as toilets.
- Properly maintained walkways, free of hazards that could cause slipping or tripping accidents.
The workplace should keep the facilities that they provide to an adequate standard.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires workplaces to do the following:
- Conduct risk assessments
- Arrange for the implementation of necessary measures
- Make arrangements for applicable training and information
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) requires workplaces to report specific injuries and illnesses at work to the Health and Safety Executive.
Workplaces should also record any accidents that have taken place in their accident log book.
Office Health And Safety Risk Assessments
A risk assessment is a process whereby a qualified person assesses a working environment in order to identify hazards. A hazard is something that puts workers and other individuals at risk of office-based accidents and injuries. After that, the assessor will define the level of risk a hazard poses. Finally, they will apply control measures to the hazard. Control measures are actions that remove or reduce a health and safety risk.
If the accident took place because your employer neglected to carry out a risk assessment, you may be eligible to claim compensation. Contact Accident Claims UK about making an office injury claim today.
Examples Of Office Accidents You Could Claim Compensation For
There are many kinds of accidents and injuries that can happen in offices, though not all of them can form the basis of a successful office accident claim. To make a claim, you must be able to prove that your injuries were caused as a result of negligence.
Office accident claims examples could include:
- Manual handling injuries
- Falls down the stairs
- Slipping over spilt liquids
- Tripping over loose cables or boxes left in walkways
- Electric shocks from faulty equipment
- Cuts and lacerations caused by faulty equipment
Call Accident Claims UK’s helpline today to see if you are eligible to make an office accident claim.
Office Accident Claims – Do I Need Evidence To Make One?
If you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, collecting sufficient evidence could help support your case. It can help with proving who was liable for the accident and the nature of your injuries.
Some examples of the evidence that could be collected for office accident claims include:
- Photographic evidence of your injuries.
- Photographs of the scene of the accident.
- CCTV footage of the accident, if available.
- Witness contact details, who could be approached for a statement at a later date.
- Your medical records, showing your injuries and the treatment you received.
- A copy of the report in the accident book.
If you have any questions about personal injury claims for accidents in the office, you can contact our advisors. They may also put you in contact with one of our solicitors, who could help you gather evidence to support your claim.
Accidents At Work Compensation Examples
Have you had a look at an accident at work claim calculator to figure out how much compensation for an at work injury you could receive? If so, we should mention that they don’t always provide an accurate figure. This is because an accident at work claim calculator can’t ascertain the specific facts and circumstances of your case. Each claim is different, and your compensation would be unique.
The table below could help you work out a rough idea of how much compensation for an at work injury you could claim. This alternative to an accident at work claim calculator contains figures from the 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines. This is a document legal professionals use to help them when valuing claims. The figures only relate to claims in England and Wales.
It also only relates to the general damages portion of your claim which compensates for the pain and suffering of your injuries.
| Injury Type | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Very Serious Leg Injuries (b) (ii) | £54,830 to £87,890 | Leg injuries that lead to permanent mobility issues with person needing mobility aids or crutches for the remainder of their life. |
| Severe Foot Injuries (d) | £41,970 to £70,030 | Fractures of both feet or heels that substantially restrict mobility or cause considerable permanent pain. |
| Severe Back Injuries (a) (iii) | £38,780 to £69,730 | Disc lesions or fractures leading to chronic conditions where certain disabilities remain despite undergoing treatment. |
| Minor Back Injuries (c) (i) | £7,890 to £12,510 | Cases of full recovery taking place without surgery within the range of two to five years. |
| Wrist Injuries (b) | £24,500 to £59,860 | The person will suffer with a significant permanent disability, but some useful wrist movement will remain. |
| Moderate Ankle Injuries (c) | £13,740 to £26,590 | Ligamentous tears, fractures and the like that make it difficult to walk on uneven ground or stand for long periods. |
| Simple Forearm Fractures (d) | £6,610 to £19,200 | Simple fractures to the forearm. |
| Moderate Psychiatric Damage (c) | £5,860 to £19,070 | The person will have suffered issues with coping with working life, the prognosis will be good and marked improvements will have been made. |
| Moderate Shoulder Injuries (b) | £7,890 to £12,770 | Frozen shoulder with limited movement that persists for about two years. |
| Minor Head Injuries (e) | £2,210 to £12,770 | Little to no brain damage, with consideration given to injury severity. |
If you would like a personalised estimate of how much compensation you could receive, please call our team.
Office Accident Claims – What Else Can You Include?
In the section above, we explained what damages office accident claims could bring for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. Compensation for this can be awarded under general damages. However, they are not the only damages that could be claimable as part of the accident at work claims process. Settlements following successful office accident claims could also include special damages.
What are special damages?
Special damages compensate successful claimants for the financial impact of their injuries. Examples of the costs that could be claimed back include:
- Care costs
- Loss of earnings
- Travel costs
- Home adaptations
Should you wish to talk to us about what could be included in your own claim, please call the team.
Make A No Win No Fee Office Accident Claim Today
If you wish to make an office injury claim, our solicitors can handle your claim on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that they will not charge you a solicitor’s fee before they begin work on your claim. Instead, you will sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This confirms that you will pay a success fee if your solicitor wins your claim.
In the event that your claim is unsuccessful, what happens? You will not have to pay a success fee. If your personal injury lawyer wins your claim, they will deduct their fee from your compensation payout at a legally capped rate.
For many people, this is the more affordable way to fund a solicitor in an office accident claim. Read our online guide to learn more about making a No Win No Fee claim today.
You may be eligible to make an office accident claim. Contact Accident Claims UK to begin your office accident compensation claim.
- Call us on 0800 073 8801.
- Contact us online.
- Chat to a compensation claims advisor using the chatbox on your screen.
Learn More About Personal Injury Claims
You may find the following guides helpful if you wish to make an accident claim for a workplace injury.
- For general advice on how to claim compensation for an injury or illness, head here
- How Much Compensation Can I Claim For Stress At Work?
- What Are My Legal Rights After An Accident At Work?
- Back Injury At Work Compensation Claims Guide
- An NHS guide to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
- A Citizens Advice Bureau guide on what to do if you suffer injuries in an accident at work.
- Factory Accident Claims
- How Much Could I Receive For A Pelvis Injury At Work?
- What Manual Handling Weight Limits Apply to Workplaces?
- Who Pays My Claim For A Work-Related Injury?
- Can I Claim For A Broken Elbow At Work?
- Can I Claim If My Employer Has Ceased Trading?
- Is An Employee Eligible To Claim If They Did Not Report An Injury?
- Could I Sue An Employer For Negligence Leading To Injuries?
- How To Claim For A Fractured Toe At Work
- Can I Claim For A Fractured Collarbone At Work?
- How To Claim For A Crushed Foot At Work
- Assault at Work Compensation Claims
- Fingers Caught In A Door Accident Claims
- Shoulder Injury Compensation Claims
If you have any further queries about office accident claims, call our advisors.