GBP140,000 settlement following asbestos claim A widow has won GBP140,000 compensation in an out-of-court settlement after her husband died from exposure to asbestos dust while working for Corby Borough Council in Northamptonshire.
Water workers receive compensation A group of former employees of North West Water were awarded £1.2m compensation after they contracted Vibration White Finger at work.
To make a claim for a work related injury you will need to
provide evidence that your injuries are the result of a preventable accident
or incorrect working practice in your workplace.
Although employers have a duty to ensure your safety at work, simply having
an accident in the workplace does not necessarily entitle you to compensation.
Employees also have a responsibility to ensure their own safety at work
and abide by appropriate health and safety practices in the workplace.
If you do have an accident at work, or suffer from work-related health
problems, it is important to seek professional legal advice as soon as
possible.
To prove the case in court, your lawyer may need statements from witnesses,
employers logs and details of previous similar work accidents.
It will need to be proven that the injuries were the liability of the
employer and, as part of the process, you may have to give evidence against
your employer.
Naturally many people are reluctant to do this but, as health and safety
has become an increasingly important business issue, this is not usually
as bad as it once was. In most cases business are eager to learn from
the case to shape their working practices to avoid larger cases in the
future.
That said, it is understandable that there is some trepidation over claiming
against your own boss but a solicitor will be willing to discuss the possible
repercussions before you make a final decision on whether to claim.Common
injuries in the workplace
Common injuries that sometime result in compensation claims for workplace
accidents include:
Back problems
Hernia
Injuries to hands, such as broken or lost fingers
Eye injuries
Broken limbs
Industrial diseases such as vibration white finger
Injuries resulting from falls
Crush injuries
Cases involving common injuries are normally easier to settle as the compensation
levels will already be well known and accepted by both sides.
Problems, and therefore delays, occur when one side disagrees on the compensatory
amount to be awarded - which may depend on the severity of injuries and
the circumstances of the accident - or when an employer contests their
liability for the accident.
The information contained in this site is
for guidance only at the time of publishing, E & O accepted.
It is not intended to replace the need for professional advice or guidance
from a qualified solicitor.