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Claiming Compensation for an Injury at Work: How Safe is Your Job?

You may have seen or heard adverts on the television or radio telling you that if you have had an accident at work  you may be entitled to compensation.  They make it sound as if taking your boss to court is easy, don’t they? 

But if you were injured at work, would you feel comfortable taking your employer to court?  Yes, there are clear laws in place that let you claim compensation for an injury suffered at work.  And it is easy enough to find out whether you are entitled to compensation after an accident at work. But many people in that position do not see a solicitor for advice about claiming compensation because quite simply they are worried about losing their jobs.

After all, in today’s job market many people are afraid of making accident at work claims: they are worried that their bosses will replace them with someone less likely to complain.  Some people also feel loyal to their boss and do not want to cause financial hardship for their employer: they worry that the company might have to make people redundant or even go into liquidation to pay the compensation and legal costs.

But in fact, the law that covers compensation for accidents at work is very clear and gives employees a lot of protection.

For a start, all employers (no matter how many people they employ) must have Employers’ Liability Insurance in place.  That type of insurance is what will pay out compensation if you are injured at work.  If you make a claim for compensation against your employer, their insurance will cover all their legal costs and pay your compensation.  Your employers will not have to spend any of their own money and no-one will be made redundant because you make a claim for compensation.

The law is also very clear about how employers have to treat their workers.  They must provide a safe working environment and protect their employees as much as possible.  If they have not done so (e.g. if they have not provided proper equipment or safety measures and you have sustained a brain injury ) then it is quite easy for an employee to successfully claim compensation.  This clear duty means that:

1. Employers tend to take more care to make sure their employees are safe and
2. If something does go wrong, at least the employee will get properly compensated for their injuries.

Another part of treating their workers properly involves making sure that they are not bullied at work.  If you happen to work for a bad employer who makes your life difficult at work after you have made a claim for compensation, there are laws in place to protect you as a worker.  You have certain rights as an employee that mean that you cannot be bullied out of a job – and if you are, you can claim compensation for that, too.

The message is that if you have suffered an accident at work, it really is worth seeing a solicitor for some advice about whether you can make a claim for compensation.  If your employer has not taken care of you as they should and you have suffered as a result, then you have a right to claim compensation … and plenty of protection under the law if you decide to use that right.