While occupational health and safety should be a priority for any employer, as well as the issuing of essential personal protective equipment (PPE) for employees – accidents in the workplace are still a commonplace occurrence.
As a result, claims for personal injury compensation in relation to workplace accidents are on the increase. If you believe you have a case for an accident at work claim Gloucestershire legal experts can help you.
Surprisingly, in the UK, the most common types of workplace accident are in fact slips and falls, which might not seem extremely dangerous, but in some cases have been fatal.
There are a variety of risks associated with almost any workplace, even in a seemingly safe environment such as an office or retail store. But, what exactly qualifies as a workplace accident?
Accidents in the workplace
Legislation determines that “an accident at work is any bodily injury that the worker suffers on occasion or as a result of work performed on behalf of another person.”
When it comes to personal injury at work, for an accident to be considered as such, it is necessary that:
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The worker suffers a bodily injury. This includes damage or bodily detriment caused by a wound, blow or illness. Subsequent psychological or psychological illnesses are assimilated to the corporal injury.
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The accident is due to work, that is, there is a direct causal relationship between work and the injury sustained.
Other considerations
Workplace accidents also include accidents as a result of tasks carried out by the employee although they are different from the usual ones; in other words, any accident that occurred during the performance of tasks entrusted by the employer, or performed spontaneously by the worker in the interest of the good functioning of the company.
In addition, any accident suffered in the workplace and during work time is considered, unless proven otherwise, to be a workplace accident.
Also, accidents that occur in acts of rescue or of an analogous nature when they are connected to work, including cases of direct order of the employer or spontaneous act of the worker.
Accidents due to professional negligence. This refers, for example, to inadequate training, supervision or the failure to assess associated risks and provide appropriate safety equipment, training or supervision, among other factors.
Personal injury claims – legal advice
If you have suffered a workplace accident, your first step, after seeking medical attention, should be to record your version of the events, and seek expert legal counsel in order to file a claim for compensation for any personal injuries sustained as a direct result of the incident.
This can be a convoluted procedure, which is why it is highly recommended that you seek expert legal advice in the matter. There are many legal firms which specialise in personal injury claims where you can access advice from a workplace accident solicitor, a laser burn solicitor, a traffic accident solicitor, a cosmetic surgery solicitor, etc. , each with in-depth experience of personal injury claims in these sectors.
In this way you will receive not only pertinent legal advice but also support as you navigate the claims process, hopefully resulting in the award of appropriate compensation for the injuries you suffered.