I’ve had an accident at work – what should I do?

What should I do if I have an accident at work?

When putting together the evidence for an accident at work claim, there are a few things that can help you along with your case. It is often wise to complete a number of methodical steps to gather all of the facts together. You should:

• Make your own personal notes about your accident as soon as possible to make the situation as clear as you can.
• Take photographs to accompany your notes and show what it was that caused your accident.
• Ask anyone who was a witness to your accident to record a statement of what they saw.
• Take the contact details of any witnesses to your accident so you can later contact them if you need more clarification.
• Take photographs of any injuries that you have sustained in your accident.

It is understandable that some of these steps will seem difficult to complete when you have just had an accident. You may be unable to physically carry out these tasks, or the stress of the moment may simply be too much. However, it is legally required for all workplaces to keep a record of any accidents, so it is important that you make sure that this has been carried out. This means that you will be able to refer back to it, and also prove that your employer was aware of the accident before any legal proceedings commenced.

Any evidence that you can collect in relation to your accident is likely to be useful, so it I always best to retain anything you can collect. Accident solicitors will be able to help you organise all of the evidence for your case.

What are my rights in the workplace?

Any employee has rights to safety within their workplace. Employers are legally obliged to fulfil a duty of care towards you. A number of requirements that they must adhere to make this possible. These requirements include:

• Consulting employees on health and safety issues. This consultation must either be direct, or it can be through a safety representative who is elected by the workforce or appointed by the trade union.
• Carrying out regular risk assessments that address all potential harm in the workplace.
• Giving all employees information about the risks that are in their workplace and explaining how they are protected from these risks. Additionally, employees must also be instructed and trained on how to avoid them.

If, as an employee, you feel that you have or are being been exposed to dangers in your workplace, then you must make your concerns known to your employer as soon as possible. If the concerns that you have raised are ignored and your employer fails to take action, you will have fair grounds to make a claim against them and earn compensation for any injuries that you have suffered.

Industrial disease solicitors have a great deal of experience with a number of different situations that take place in the workplace and are the best specialists to assist you with the legal aspects of your case.