5 steps to consider following an accident at work

Many individuals who suffer injuries resulting from an accident at work may feel overwhelmed when dealing with the consequences that arise following an injury, such as the inability to continue working and therefore losing out on valuable income or the impact on not only your physical health, but in some cases also suffering with psychological injuries if the accident was particularly traumatic. You would expect that your employers would take reasonable care to ensure you are safe during the course of your employment and therefore if you are unfortunate enough to sustain injury through no fault of your own you may not have considered what to do if an unexpected situation like this arises.

1. Report your accident to your Manager/Supervisor on shift

Following your accident your first priority will be to seek medical attention. If your manager/supervisor is not present at the time of your accident, ask a colleague nearby to notify a manager that you have been involved in an accident. Your manager should seek assistance from an appointed first aider or if your injury is severe then an ambulance should be called immediately.  

Employers have a duty to report accidents in the workplace in an Accident Book. The report will include details of how your accident happened and the injuries you sustained and it is important the information recorded is accurate. The Accident Book provides employers with the insight needed to implement new and improved health and safety measures, to prevent future accidents from happening and may also be used as evidence that your accident occurred if you decide to make a personal injury claim following your accident. 

In certain circumstances your employer will also be required to submit a report under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). This is health and safety legislation that requires employers to report certain serious workplace accidents to the Health & Safety Executive who then may carry out investigations into the circumstances of your accident to prevent the same happening again.

3. Gather Evidence

Following the shock of an accident at work you may not consider gathering evidence in respect of your accident and the injuries you have sustained but this may come in useful later down the line if you decide to pursue a personal injury claim. Evidence which may assist in your claim may include:-

Photographs/Videos 

Photographs or video evidence can be extremely helpful in supporting your account of how the accident happened. For example, if you have tripped and sustained injury it will assist your solicitor if you can provide photographic evidence of the hazard which caused you to trip and the surroundings. Photographs of injuries such as cuts or bruises showing the extent of your injuries can help quantify the value of your claim.

 Witness Evidence

If one or more of your colleagues witnessed your accident then it would be helpful to obtain their contact details so that they may be contacted by your legal representative to obtain a statement. Witness evidence will support the fact your accident happened in the way you have described and that your version of events is true and accurate. The more witness evidence you have, the more chance you have of succeeding if you pursue a claim for personal injury.

5. Instruct a solicitor

For many individuals who have suffered an accident at work the thought of making a claim against their employer may seem daunting. However, it is reassuring to know that employers have an obligation under the law to take out Employers’ Liability Insurance so that compensation is available to employees who have been injured through no fault of their own. In the majority of cases, once the employer is notified of the potential claim they will simply contact their insurers who will then deal with matters going forward and appoint their own representatives.

At Tilly Bailey & Irvine LLP we have successfully secured compensation for our clients in numerous claims arising from accidents at work from slips, trips and falls to accidents arising from unsafe systems of work and unsafe plant and equipment.  We understand accidents at work and the consequences that follow can, in many cases, be life changing and we are therefore dedicated in providing the highest quality of service to our clients to ensure the process is as stress free and smooth sailing as possible.