Workplace

If you’ve been hurt and injured in the place you work, or while at work, this category helps to explain different scenarios in which you might be due to be compensated for injury.

Injury In The Armed Services

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A lot of people would say that the people who are serving in the military are at a great risk of injury, but that they knew of those risks when they enlisted and that they should accept the inevitable in the event of an injury. It is true that being a part of the military is a difficult and dangerous job to the norm.

When you first go into the military you will be aware of the many dangers involved, but that does not mean that there are not times when the MoD fails to properly protect the servicemen, or that there are not times when equipment malfunctions and a service man is put into greater danger than they should be in.

MoD responsibility

The MoD is supposed to minimise the risk that military personnel encounter. They cannot totally eliminate all risk because military personnel work with live ammunition, and in times of conflict they are being shot at, and more. The MoD can do everything in their power to reduce the risk as much as possible.

The MoD may not be able to fully protect Military Personnel

When it comes to combat, or daily life in the military, there are some aspects of that life that are out of the control of the person serving and why sometimes claims are brought against the Ministry of Defence.

Some of the main reasons people have filed armed services accident claims include:

  • Equipment failure that resulted in injury
  • Lack of attention to a medical issue that resulted in further injury to the individual
  • Ill fitting uniforms including but not exclusive to footwear
  • Improper training before handling dangerous equipment
  • Improperly trained individual harming others while using dangerous equipment
  • Unrealistic schedules that cause physical harm to the individual

Can you win an armed services claim?

When it comes to dealing with the military, and their faults in injuries that you might have sustained it is not the same as filing personal injury claims against non-military entities. There is a good chance that you can win your armed services accident claim if you have the proper evidence, and you hire the proper solicitor who has experience in dealing with these claims.

How much do Solicitors charge?

It is almost impossible to tell you how much the solicitor will charge for this type of representation because each case is different. For the most part a solicitor charges according to how many man hours they have to put into a case, and for any monetary amounts they have to pay for filing fees, and things of that nature.

In many instances a solicitor will not charge for the initial consultation. They will listen to all of your evidence and will advise you as to whether or not they think proceeding is in your best interest.

Some solicitors will not ask for you to pay any money until after the case has been settled. In these instances the solicitor will establish a percentage of the awarded sum that they will wish you to pay them. This is usually around 25 percent of the awarded sum. Some solicitors will not ask for any payment from you if they cannot win the case for you.

What to bring to the first visit with the Solicitor

When you decide to consult a solicitor there are a few things you should bring to your first visit. These include:

  • Any written or picture evidence that you have that supports your claim that you have suffered an injury due to military involvement
  • The names and contact information of anybody that witnessed what happened to you, and the names and contact information of everyone that might have knowledge of what happened to you
  • The date the incident happened
    A complete recounting of what happened including when it happened, where it happened, what you were doing prior to the event, what you did following the event, and who might have witnessed the event, and how the event might have been avoided
  • Medical reports supporting your claim of personal injury
  • The names and ranks of all of your immediate superiors

Factory Worker Injury

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When you go to work, you expect that there will be adequate facilities in place to help to keep you safe, whatever your job role is. If you work in a factory around heavy machinery, it is even more important that there are health and safety procedures in place to prevent you from being injured. When these procedures are not sufficient, or when they are not followed correctly, accidents can easily occur.

If you have suffered an injury at your factory workplace, you may want to find out more about factory injury claims. These claims can help you to get compensation for your injury as well as for loss of earnings. Here are a few of the types of incidents which may be covered by factory injury claims.

Deafness

Exposure to loud noises can seriously affect your hearing, leaving you deaf or with a hearing impairment. If you work in an environment where heavy machinery is constantly running, then there is a chance that this machinery could be having a negative effect on your hearing. Your employer should take adequate steps to mitigate this risk, such as providing you with ear protection for when you are on the factory floor.

If you believe that your hearing problems may have been caused by your employer failing to provide you with adequate aural protection, or by failing to warn you of the dangers of not wearing protection, then you may be able to make a claim.

Blindness or other visual impairments

In the same way that deafness can be caused by exposure to loud noises, visual issues can be caused by exposure to bright lights or foreign objects coming into contact with your eyes. Many pieces of machinery require handlers to wear goggles, because they can produce debris which may be thrown up towards the face. If this debris (or spark) comes into contact with the eye it can cause scratches, cuts, or worse.

If you work in an area of the factory where bright sparks are likely to be produced, then you need to be given special goggles which have a tint to them. This will help to protect your retinas from the intense light which is produced whilst also preventing the sparks from burning your eyes.

Lacerations and open wounds

Coming into contact with any fast moving piece of machinery is likely to cause scratches, lacerations or other types of open wound, because the friction produced is likely to take the skin off, at the very least. In worst case scenarios, the contact may result in a part of the victim’s body being severed. All factory workers should be given training so they know which areas of the machine can be touched safely, and which areas cannot be touched unless the machinery is completely shut down. Personal protective equipment such as thick gloves can help to less the injury in some cases.

Crushing injuries

Another common type of factory injury is a crush injury. These occur when a body part or parts become trapped between two components under high pressure. These types of injuries often occur when workers do not follow correct procedures when machinery jams or malfunctions. For example, if a piece of material became trapped and caused the machinery to jam, a worker is likely to get their hand trapped if they reach down to free the material and the machine suddenly starts moving again. Proper safety procedures would require a full shut down in these scenarios, however many factory owners are keen to avoid this, as shutting down and restarting can cost them a lot of money. This often means that factory workers are put at risk.

Electrocution

Electrocution can occur because of poorly maintained machines, because workers have not been properly trained on how to use the machinery, or because they are asked to perform a task that requires an electrician, even though they do not have any electrical training. In some cases, electrocution can be fatal. In many electrocution cases, the victim suffers from serious health consequences, including severe burns, organ failure and brain damage. If you have been electrocuted whilst you are at work, then you may be able to bring a factory injury claim against your employer.

Office Accidents

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If you work in an office, you naturally expect to be in a safe and secure environment. However serious accidents can happen in an office if due care and attention is not paid, as with any other working environment. If you have suffered an accident or been injured whilst you are at your office, then you may be eligible to make a claim.

Compensation will normally be paid by your employer’s insurance company and you can still make a claim for an injury that has occurred in your current place of work. Regulations mean that your employer cannot discriminate against you just because you make a claim against them. If they proceed to treat you differently following any insurance claim which you have made, then they are in breach of national legislation, and you may subsequently be eligible to take them to an employment tribunal. However, there is no need to worry, as the vast majority of people who are forced to make an accident claim continue to enjoy a positive relationship with their employers.

Here are a few of the circumstances which have given rise to successful office accident claims:

Scalding Injuries

For many people, a tea break can be their favourite part of the day, but if due care and attention is not paid, then hot drinks can cause serious injuries. If a boiling hot drink is spilled on to you or pulled onto you by accident then you may suffer serious scalding injuries. If the severity of your injuries is exacerbated by failures in the standard of first aid in the work place, then you may be able to claim an even larger amount of compensation.

Electrical Injuries

Most offices in the United Kingdom have hundreds of electronic components which are designed to make it easier for employees to do their jobs. However, if these devices do not meet minimum standards then they can become dangerous.

Employers must ensure that all computers, printers and other electronic devices are checked regularly to make sure that they meet national safety standards. Failure to arrange and carry out these checks can put staff and visitors at risk from electrocution and injury. If you have received a serious electric shock or if one of your family members has died because of an electrical injury that they received whilst at work in the office, then you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

Slips, Trips And Falls

If proper precautions are not taken, many things in an office can become slip or trip hazards. For example, if coats or bags are not stored safely, it is easy for people to trip over sleeves or straps. Each office should take proper steps to ensure that staff members are able to store their possessions safely and are doing so.

Likewise, wires and cables from electronic equipment are easy to trip over if they are not tidied up and secured away from walkways. Falls like this can have serious and lasting health consequences, so if you have suffered because your employer has failed to meet their obligations then you are entitled to make a claim.

Unhygienic Working Environment

Whatever environment you work in, you should be guaranteed minimum hygiene standards. Working in a place that does not meet these standards can put your health and the health of your colleagues at risk.

Unhygienic environments encourage the spread of potentially harmful bacteria which can cause health issues. If you have suffered any negative health consequences because you are forced to work in an unhygienic environment without adequate protection then you may be eligible to make a claim. This can include things such as a worsening of asthma symptoms due to working in a damp or mouldy environment.

Dangerous Equipment Or Structure

The building and equipment that you use must also be maintained properly. Any failures of equipment can cause injuries. For example, if your chair breaks and you end up falling to the floor, you could suffer broken bones, bruising to the body, or even injuries which are far more serious.

Structural problems in an office can also cause serious injuries. There have been successful office accident claims raised by people who have been forced to work in an office which is in a state of structural disrepair.