If you have been injured in a workplace accident, then you may be eligible for financial compensation. To make a claim against your employer, it will have to be proven that your employer’s negligence caused your accident.
Your employer’s legal obligations
It is your employer’s legal obligation to, as far as is reasonably possible, protect your health, safety and wellbeing at work. This obligation also extends to contractors taken on by a business, and the self-employed. If it can be shown that your employer failed in their legal duty to protect you, then you will have a strong claim for compensation.
Employers must also take measures to prevent accidents. These measures include providing all necessary training to operate machines correctly and ensuring that all machines are maintained to a high standard. In addition to this, personal protective equipment should be made available where necessary and hazard signs should be placed everywhere where there is danger. You can make UK injury claims for workplace accidents if your employed failed to take any necessary health and safety measures to protect you whilst at work.
Time limits for making a personal injury claim
There are strict time limits in place to make a workplace injury claim.
Under the Limitation Act 1980, that time limit is three years, and it starts from the date your accident happened or from the date your injuries first became clear. This is known as your Date of Limitation or your Date of Knowledge.
This means that you only have three years to bring your claim forward against an employer. After three years, your claim will become statute-barred or time-barred under the Limitation Act 1980, so you will not be able to bring your claim forward.
Seeking following an accident at work
If you have been injured in a workplace accident, then you should seek legal advice as soon as possible. The best place to get high quality and immediate legal advice is with an accident helpline operated by a reputable law firm. These are usually staffed by claims advisors, who are highly trained and will be able to answer all your claims-related questions.
You need to know whether you are eligible for compensation and how strong your claim is before you make a decision regarding whether or not to make a claim. It is also beneficial to know how much compensation you may be able to claim, and how long the claims process may take based on your individual circumstances. You should seek the advice and council of a lawyer within a reputable law firm for the very best and most relevant legal advice – they will be able to answer your questions and make you better informed.
