We understand how distressing and painful a fall at work can be. A fall at work can have a significant impact on your life, from physical injuries and emotional distress to financial strain caused by time off work and medical expenses.
However, you may be able to claim compensation for a fall at work if the accident resulted from your employer’s negligence, such as failing to maintain a safe working environment or provide adequate training.
In this article, our accident at work expert explains what to do after a fall at work, your legal rights and responsibilities, and your eligibility to claim compensation.
What should you do after a fall at work?
After a slip and fall at work, there are several immediate actions that you should take. These steps are vital not just for building a strong claim, but are also important for yours, and your colleagues, health and safety in the workplace and for preventing future slip and fall accidents and injuries.
Firstly, you should immediately get first aid treatment after any injury. Your employer should have basic care – such as cleaning wounds, ice packs, and dressing injuries – available.
You must report the workplace injury or accident to your employer or supervisor and make a record in the company accident logbook. The logbook is mandatory for companies with ten or more employees, and if your company does not have one you should raise this as an issue with your employer. By making the complaint and logging it in the accident book, you create an official record of the event which outlines what happened in detail.
If it is safe and possible to do so, you should then preserve the evidence of the accident. This includes cordoning off the area, so that physical evidence isn’t impacted but also to prevent another accident taking place in the area, or gathering items directly connected to the accident – such as a broken stepladder. Preservation of evidence also includes taking photographs and videos from multiple angles of the accident area, as well as of injuries. This is important for documenting and demonstrating the circumstances of the accident.
Regardless of whether you have received first aid treatment, you should seek professional medical attention as soon as possible. This ensures that your injuries have had a thorough examination and provides an official record of the injuries that were sustained in the fall. If your injuries worsen, or your condition deteriorates, you should seek further medical attention.
After the accident, keep detailed records and information of the impact of your injury. This includes medical expenses, lost earnings, and other costs that have followed on from the accident such as home modifications made necessary by injuries sustained. This also means keeping all correspondence between you and your employer, your doctor, and others. This will ensure that you have information for a claim for the accident and injury suffered at work.
Arrange a call back
Types of falls at work
You should expect your working environment to be kept as safe as possible by your employers. If your company fails to put the right procedures and systems in place, there is a possibility of slips, trips and falls.
There are a number of different types of falls at work, and our accident at work specialists are ready to help with your slip and fall claim, however it happened, provided there was some negligence from your employer.
Falls at work include:
- Slips, trips, and falls in the workplace;
- Falling from height;
- Falling down stairs in the work environment;
- A slip and fall on ice at work; and
- Falling over an unmarked trip hazard, uneven flooring, or other ground-level obstacles.
Your employer has a legal responsibility to ensure your safety and prevent you from having an accident at work. This includes:
- Conducting regular risk assessments;
- Providing a safe working environment;
- Providing appropriate training and protective gear;
- Ensuring safe systems of work and procedures are in place;
- Addressing any hazards that could harm your health or safety;
- Maintaining equipment and machinery so it is in good condition; and
- Informing and consulting employees on health and safety matters.
What are my legal rights and employer’s responsibilities after a fall at work?
Your employer has a duty to maintain a safe work environment for you and your colleagues.
One of the key factors in a fall and slip at work compensation claim is the identification of employer negligence. If negligence can be identified in your employer’s behaviour, that might lead to an admission of liability and a valid compensation claim.
Typical circumstances in which employees were not kept as safe as possible that we see claims arise from include:
- Employers failing to fix proper handrails on stairs and ways of access;
- Employers not placing hazard signs on wet floors after cleaning;
- Contaminated floor surfaces due to spills of oils and liquids;
- Employees working in areas that are not lit appropriately;
- Obstructions in walkways;
- Uneven surfaces; and
- Not being given appropriate footwear.
Can I claim for a fall at work?
You generally can qualify for a compensation claim if you are confident the slip and fall injury that you suffered was your employer’s fault.
This might be concerning safety standards, inadequate training, or having the right equipment. If you think your employer failed in their responsibilities and this led to your injury at work, this can constitute grounds for a claim.
Even if the workplace accident was partially your fault, you may still be able to make a fall at work claim.
Although your actions may have contributed to the situation, if the primary fault lies with another party whose actions were the root cause of the accident, then you will likely still qualify for an accident at work claim.
There is absolutely no cost in contacting our experts with the details of your accident and injury, and you will find out from a specialist whether your accident at work is something that you could receive compensation for.
How much compensation for a slip and fall injury at work?
Every claim comprises a unique set of factors that will govern how much compensation could be awarded. These can include, but are not limited to:
- The severity of your injuries and any long-term effects.
- How long you’ll be off work to recover and any loss of earnings.
- Money spent because of your injury on travel, medication, or childcare.
- The time involved in your family or loved ones having to provide care or assistance for you.
We aim to ensure that we recover the maximum compensation that you are entitled to, which could include medical expenses, lost earnings, and rehabilitation costs.
We have represented a lot of slips and falls at work clients, and our team has been successful in securing substantial settlements for our clients. Here are some of our successful client stories that can give you a guide for what you could receive if your story sounds similar.
Accidents at Work Compensation Claims
If you’ve suffered an injury due to a fall at work accident, and you’re unsure about your rights, you should not suffer in silence. Sometimes, there are time limits that apply to the legal process, and it’s important to seek expert advice as soon as possible.
Here at Hudgell Solicitors, we can provide a free initial consultation to help you decide if an accident at work compensation claim is the right course of action to take, based on the strength of your case. We have a proven track record for helping bereaved families and people who have suffered from workplace accidents to serious life-changing injuries.
Our accident lawyer’s priority is to get your life back on track by helping you access any specialist rehabilitation or medical care whilst also fighting hard to recover the maximum compensation.
Should you wish to find out more about this proactive approach, please get in touch with our accident at work experts. We’ll be happy to help.
