Making a claim for industrial injuries compensation
If you're an employee who has experienced an injury at work, you may be unsure about what to do next. As well as seeking medical assistance for your injury, it's likely that you'll be wondering how much time you'll need off work and how long it will take to recover fully.
We understand that you have a lot to cope with right now and we want to help. That's why we ensure our firm of expert industrial injury solicitors and advisors are on hand to give you free, impartial advice about making a claim for compensation.
What is an industrial injury?
What is an industrial injury?
While you're usually safe at work, unfortunately accidents do happen. An industrial accident is any unintended incident at work that has resulted in you suffering a personal injury.
This accident could have happened during the course of a typical working day or while you were on a work-related training course. You may have been carrying out a task that you're employed to do or put in a risky situation by your employer to get a job finished.
Industrial accidents and the injuries that result from them can happen in all types of workplace, from factories and construction sites to offices and supermarkets.
Common industrial accidents and injuries
- Slips, trips and falls - these can happen in most workplaces and can be caused by slippery surfaces, poorly laid carpets, or uneven surfaces.
- Repetitive strain injuries - injuries can occur in jobs where the same motion or movement is repeated for long periods of time. Some common issues caused by repetitive motion include carpal tunnel syndrome and neck or elbow injuries.
- Machinery-related incidents - all types of machinery can be dangerous if not used correctly. For larger machines, such as fork-lift trucks, it's important that the employees operating them have full training. Your employer is responsible for this training to be carried out. However, even everyday machines can cause injuries such as cuts or fractures too.
If something was missed by your employer when they were training you to use a machine, you may have been injured as a result of their negligence. In this instance, you might be able to claim industrial injuries compensation.
- Falls from a height - whether you work in an office or on a building site, if something falls and hits you, you could end up with concussion as well as fractured or broken bones.
- Deafness - Industrial deafness is something that factory workers often experience. Spending shifts on a noisy factory floor can cause damage to your hearing. Employers have to take steps to look after their workers' hearing, for example by supplying ear defenders and adding soundproofing around the factory.
Who is responsible for protecting workers from industrial accidents?
Who is responsible for protecting workers from industrial accidents?
Workers are responsible for keeping themselves as safe as possible. However, even if you follow all the appropriate steps and you're wearing protective clothing, unfortunately some accidents are unavoidable.
Employers are also responsible for their workers. They must ensure that appropriate safety equipment is available, that training is up to date for anyone who is operating machinery, and that they are following the law. There is legislation in place that covers safety at work, including working at height, manual handling, and other key safety areas. If employers don't comply, they could be behaving negligently and putting you at risk.
If you're an employee who's experienced an industrial injury at work, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our legal team. We'll do our best to help and try to make it right.
Injuries in an industrial site can be as a result of many negligent practices or guidlines. From slips and trips to faulty machinery. Our team of friendly legal experts are here to help provide you with the legal support you need, giving you the ability to focus on your recovery.
Meet Martin Hart - he's a Senior Paralegal at National Accident Law. Martin works within our claims settlement team and with a strong technical background in personal injury, he understands the compensation process in great detail.
How to make an industrial injury claim
It's totally understandable that you may be thinking of making an industrial injury claim. To begin your claims process, you'll need to find out if it's possible to pursue compensation.
To do this, you will need to show that it was someone else's fault. In such cases, it's likely you'll be placing your employer at fault. You'll need to prove two things here in order to take your claim forward: first, you need to prove your injuries were caused by an industrial accident, and second, that this happened because someone else was negligent.
If you're unsure how to do this, please don't hesitate to give our team of experts a call on or request a call back. We'll ask you to explain what happened, so we can let you know if we think you can make a successful claim. There's absolutely no pressure to go ahead with an industrial injury claim when you call us − it's entirely up to you.
If I want to make an industrial injury claim, is there a time limit?
If I want to make an industrial injury claim, is there a time limit?
Yes, there is a time limit. Therefore, it's worth contacting us as soon as possible after the accident if you're hoping to seek industrial injuries compensation. In most cases, industrial injury claims need to be made within three years of the accident happening. We usually recommend starting the claims process as soon as you can, while you can still clearly remember what happened.
Specific circumstances may have different time limits. For example, if you were under 18 when your accident happened, you can make a claim any time from your 18th birthday to your 21st birthday, unless your parent or guardian has already claimed for you. Also, those who lack/lacked the psychological capacity to make a claim may have a different time limit too.
If you have any questions about the time limits for claiming compensation, or you're nearing the three-year cut-off, get in touch with our friendly and professional team on .
Will I lose my job if I claim against my employers?
Will I lose my job if I claim against my employers?
If you'd like to pursue an industrial accident compensation claim after being injured at work, it's important to stress that you cannot be sacked, disciplined or otherwise singled out for making a claim.
You are entitled to seek compensation if someone - in this case your employer - has failed in their duty of care to you, and it has resulted in your injury. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 means that your employer has a duty to you to ensure your safety.
What is the industrial injury compensation amount I could achieve?
What is the industrial injury compensation amount I could achieve?
Unfortunately, we can't tell you how much you could get for your accident as it will depend on what's happened to you. If you choose to pursue your claim with us, we will take several different things into account in order to work out the compensation you may get if your case is successful. This will cover the severity of your injuries, recovery time, any financial losses you've had, and the effect the incident has had on your life in general.
We'll also look at:
- Earnings you've lost if you've had to take time off work.
- Costs you've had related to your injury, such as medical bills or prescription costs.
- Changes you've had to make to your home or car because of the accident.
- Any impact your injury has had on your quality of life.
- The effect of the incident on your mental health.
Can I make a no win no fee industrial injury claim?
Can I make a no win no fee industrial injury claim?
The majority of the industrial accident claims we work on are made using no win no fee agreements. This is where if you lose your case, you don't pay your lawyer any legal fees.
If you win your claim, your solicitor will typically make the following deductions from the compensation you are awarded:
- A ‘success fee' for winning the claim.
- The other side will usually be required to make a payment towards your legal costs - and expenses but any shortfall may also be deducted from your compensation.
- The cost of the premium for any legal protection insurance you may have needed to ensure your claim is risk-free.
This can give you peace of mind as there are no financial risks to worry about, as long as you have the right insurance in place. If you don't have insurance just yet, we can organise it for you.
In some cases, no win no fee may not be available. If this happens with your claim, we'll let you know so that you can decide if you'd like to go ahead or not.
Frequently asked questions...
In cases where the injured person was under 18 years of age when the accident or incident occurred, the three-year period expires on their 21st birthday.
If you don't issue your claim within those time limits, you won't usually be able to proceed. This is called being 'time-barred'. Extensions to the time limits are only available in exceptional circumstances and we can talk you though these if they're relevant to your claim.
Always carried out by an independent medical professional, our assessment focuses on the physical and (any) psychological damage caused by the injury.
While you won't be able to choose who examines you, you will be able to choose a location for the examination that's most convenient for you.
If you have been unfortunate enough to endure another personal injury, you could be eligible to make a new claim for compensation for your new injury. However, you cannot claim for the same injury twice.
Get in touch
We know that industrial accidents can cause painful injuries, put you under financial pressure and disrupt your life. But you're not alone. We're here to help you get your life back on track.
As experts in making personal injury claims due to industrial accidents, our team of industrial injury solicitors and lawyers have the experience to get you the result you deserve. Get in touch with us on or request a call back to speak to us today. You can even start your claim online with our claim online tool.