subject: Claiming Compensation For Injury At Work [print this page] Workplace accidents occur when health and safety measures are not in place or flawed. Being a legal requirement, it is the duty of the employer to maintain the basic standards of health and safety in the workplace to protect their employees from work related accidents and illnesses. All jobs, including manual to office work hold risks of a potential accident. For some employees it is obvious, for others less. But as a worker you have every right to expect your employer to provide protection against any risks that may arise in the workplace and result in an accident and serious personal injury.
The health and safety regulations as determined by law cover all forms of workplace accident and injury that includes:
- Use of machinery and equipments
- Lifting of heavy equipments
- Working at height by using ladders, scaffolding or platforms
- Tripping and slipping
- Using safety equipments
- Use of Computers
- Health hazards caused by working with asbestos or chemicals
A worker sustaining injury at work for any of the above reasons is entitled to claim compensation.
If an accident does occur resulting in personal injury the worker should immediately report the matter to the employer and mention the same in the accident book. This can be used as evidence subsequently. Moreover, it is incumbent upon the management to inform the workers of the health and safety standards in any workplace, so as to prevent accidents.
It is believed that most workplace accidents occur in factories and is unlikely to happen in an office. But accidents in office do happen, and in such cases the matter should be properly recorded and the management informed. Injury at work in an office is similar to those occurring in factories.
Collect as much evidence as possible to make your case stronger. Record the incident with location and time. Make a note of the witnesses present and if possible, take photographs. More evidence will help you prove the liability of the employer and you are more likely to win the claim compensation.
Approach an experienced solicitor having dealt successfully in injury at work claims cases before. Selecting a competent solicitor will go a long way in claiming your compensation without much hassle. In addition, most solicitors offer a No Win, No Fee service; implying that you don't have to pay them any money till you win the case. In case you win, the solicitors recover their costs from the other party and if you don't win, you need not pay them a penny.
Any type of injury suffered in a workplace, whether big or small should not be ignored. Do not suffer in silence, for if the injury at work was the consequence of negligence on the part of the employer, you are entitled to claim compensation. This compensation will be for the suffering endured, medical expenses and any loss of earnings due to forced absence from work because of the injury.
by: Jamie Hanson
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