Office Accident Claims – Compensation Payout Examples
By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 1st September 2023. This guide will look at office accident claims. If you suffered an injury while at work, you could be entitled to seek compensation. We explain the circumstances that could make you eligible to claim for an accident at work.
You may wonder what is meant by employer negligence, as well as what injuries you could suffer in an office. We take a look at some of the legislation in place that governs workplace health and safety, as well as a few examples of accidents in the office. Additionally, we explain how personal injury compensation could be awarded if your claim is successful.
Office Accident Claims
If you are eligible to seek compensation, you may wish to do so with the support of a solicitor. We conclude our guide with a look at how a solicitor could provide their services on a No Win No Fee basis.
If you have any questions while reading this guide, our advisors could help. To speak to an advisor:
- Fill in our claim online form and an advisor from our team will call you back.
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Use our live chat feature
Office Accident – Legal Advice Video
Select a section:
- Who is Responsible For Safety in an Office?
- Is the Employer Liable For an Office Accident Claim?
- How Do Accidents in an Office Happen?
- How To Begin Office Accident Claims
- Accident At The Office – Compensation Payout Examples
- No Win No Fee Office Injury Claims.
- Why Choose Us As Your Claims Service For an Office Accident Claim?
- Claim For Work Injury – 24/7 Free Legal Advice Hotline
Who is Responsible for Safety in an Office?
Under health and safety legislation, employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees, which can include mitigating the risk of office accidents.
Per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA), employers owe their employees a duty of care. This means that employers must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees while they are at work. A breach in this duty of care that causes injuries is known as employer negligence.
Should you suffer injuries because your employer failed to adhere to health and safety legislation, you might be eligible to claim compensation. However, you will need evidence to do so. This evidence has to prove that you were owed a duty of care, and your injuries were caused by a breach of this duty.
Later on in this guide, we’ll take a look at examples of accidents that could occur as well as what you could do following an injury to strengthen your claim.
Please contact an advisor from our team to further discuss your eligibility to make an accident at work claim.
Is the Employer Liable for an Office Accident Claim?
The Health and Safety at Work Act places a duty of care on employers and building occupiers to take reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of all persons on the premises. The obligations can include:
- Carrying out a risk assessment to identify the specific hazards of the building or site.
- Eliminating or reducing hazards wherever possible.
- Providing safety equipment, fire drills, and trained ‘First Aiders’.
- Providing ongoing staff training on safety matters.
- Keeping records of accidents in the accident book and dangerous incidents and reporting these to the HSE as required by the RIDDOR Regulations.
- Having a written company health and safety policy and a “management plan” which sets out who in the company is responsible for making sure the plan is implemented.
To make a successful compensation claim for a workplace injury, you will need to prove that a party that owed you a duty of care (such as your employer or a building occupier) acted in a negligent manner. You also need to establish that this negligent behaviour directly led to the injuries you’ve suffered and are now claiming for.
Every accident has its unique causes and circumstances, and the employer or premises occupier is by no means automatically responsible in every case. However, as you can see from the list above, UK law places some very serious obligations on employers to keep building users safe. If there has been negligence or perhaps a relaxed attitude towards safety matters which led to your accident, you may have a very strong case for financial compensation.
How do Accidents in an Office Happen?
Injuries resulting from slips, trips, and falls make up the majority of compensation claims. Slip and fall compensation amounts may be higher than you would think, so if you’ve been injured in this way, then please contact us today.
Slips, trips, and falls in an office or shop are typically caused by preventable hazards, such as:
- Trailing electrical cables obstructing walkways.
- Boxes, rubbish, and clutter left lying on the floor.
- Damaged carpets and floor power outlet boxes which have been left open.
- Spillages on hard floors and poorly marked wet floors following cleaning.
A second significant category of injuries is those caused by manual handling: lifting and carrying objects around the office. Employers are legally bound to provide training and specialist equipment for workers who are regularly required to lift heavy objects.
There is also a high number of office accident claims for injuries resulting from electric shocks and burns. These are often caused by faulty electrical appliances and the burns from kettles and microwave ovens.
Office accident compensation
Another category of claims results from repetitive strain injury. Anyone who is obliged to carry out a physically repetitive task at work can be a victim. In office environments, this commonly affects workers who spend most of their day typing at a keyboard. It can be extremely painful and have long-term effects. As with other types of workplace hazards, employers are obliged to take steps to protect you. For example, by providing keyboards with wrist support and by ensuring sufficient rest periods are provided.
It may be possible to claim for existing injuries that have worsened as a result of an office accident. For example, an employee with a visual impairment may be able to make a claim if they are forced to sit at a computer screen for long periods, and their condition is made worse. Successful claims have also been made by those with pre-existing back problems who are not given a suitable chair to work in.
How To Begin Office Accident Claims
If you have been involved in an accident in an office, you may be eligible for compensation. However, you will need to prove that you were injured due to your employer breaching the duty of care they owe you. In order to successfully claim compensation, we would recommend:
- Collecting evidence about the accident to prove liability. This could include CCTV footage, eyewitnesses’ contact details and a completed accident report book (if your workplace has one on-site).
- Gathering evidence regarding your injury. This could be a copy of your medical records following a GP appointment or A&E visit, stating your injury and any treatment you received.
- Seeking legal advice from an experienced professional.
Contact our advisors today if you have any questions about office accident claims. Our advisors are available at any time to offer you free legal advice and help answer any of the questions you may have. They could also connect you with our solicitors if they believe that you could be eligible for compensation.
Accident At The Office – Compensation Payout Examples
This section includes examples of compensation payout brackets for injuries that could be sustained in an accident at the office. The examples are of general damages – compensation for the pain and suffering caused by an injury.
The brackets are taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) which lists ranges for general damages. We have used information from the 2022 edition of the publication.
| Injury | Severity | Notes | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot | Severe | Both feet or heels have been fractured that causes considerable pain with restricted mobility. | £41,970 to £70,030 |
| Knee | Severe (ii) | A leg fracture that extends into the knee joint and causes constant pain. | £52,120 to £69,730 |
| Wrist | (b) | Injury results in serious permanent disability. Some useful movement will remain. | £24,500 to £39,170 |
| Ankle | Moderate | Fractures of ligamentous injuries that make it difficult to walk/stand for a long time. | £13,740 to £26,590 |
| Shoulder | Serious | A dislocated shoulder with damage to the brachial plexus hat causes neck, shoulder, and arm symptoms. | £12,770 to £19,200 |
| Arm | (d) | A simple forearm fracture. | £6,610 to £19,200 |
| Neck | Moderate (iii) | A neck injury that has accelerated an pre-existing condition by less than 5 years. | £7,890 to £13,740 |
| Brain and Head Injury | Minor | Brain damage, if present, will be minimal. Various factors such as the severity of the initial injury, will affect how much is awarded. | £2,210 to £12,770 |
| Elbow | Moderate or Minor | Most elbow injuries, such as simple fractures and lacerations, fall under this bracket. | Up to £12,590 |
| Back | Minor (i) | A soft tissue injury, sprain or strain that takes 2-5 years to fully recover. | £7,890 to £12,510 |
Office Accident Claims – Other Amounts You Could Be Owed
In addition to general damages, some office accident claims payouts can include a figure for financial losses caused by your injury under special damages. For example, if you spent money on over-the-counter medication, you could be reimbursed. However, it is likely that you will be asked for evidence, such as receipts.
Examples of special damages for an office accident claim could include:
- Medical expenses for any medical items or services you needed to cope with the injury. These can include physical therapy, therapy, plastic surgery, or prescription costs.
- Home help for any assistance you required, such as with cooking or washing, following the injury.
- Loss of earnings if you required time off work to recover. This may also include recovery of pension contributions.
- Housing adaptations for any changes to your home, such as a ramp installation, to cope with your injury.
If the injuries you suffered in an office accident resulted in extra expenses, call our advisors. They can give free advice on what costs you could claim back.
How Long You Have To Make Office Accident Claims
The Limitation Act 1980 states that you have 3 years from the date your injuries occurred to start a claim. However, some office accident claims can be made on a date later than this.
For example, your injury may only have been diagnosed or detected later than the accident at work that caused it actually took place. The date that you are made aware of your injuries is known as the date of knowledge. If you can back up this date with proof such as medical evidence, then you could use this date of knowledge as the start date of your 3-year time window.
Child claimants and those with a reduced mental capacity can also have their time limit suspended completely. For children, it will only begin when they turn 18. For those with a reduced mental capacity, the time limit will only begin when and if it returns to how it was. If their mental capacity remains reduced, the time limit remains suspended.
In any of these instances, a litigation friend can pursue the claim for them on their behalf. This is a legal adult who must prove to have the best interests of the claimant at heart. For example, this could be a parent, guardian, family friend, or even a legal representative such as a personal injury lawyer.
No Win No Fee Office Injury Claims
In the past, to get a solicitor to help you to claim compensation for an injury, you would have needed to pay right from the initial consultation. And legal bills can be expensive. If you lost the case altogether, you would still be required to pay your solicitor for his time and expenses. For ordinary working people, this makes claiming way too risky.
We believe that our No Win No Fee arrangement offers people a fantastic way to access the legal profession. It means exactly what it says: if we don’t win your case for you, then your bill for our services is zero. If we do win the case, then our fees will be taken from the amount of compensation that has been awarded by the court. There really is nothing to lose, so contact us today.
Why Choose Us as Your Claims Service for an Office Accident Claim?
We are one of the UK’s best injury compensation claims specialists when it comes to office accident claims. We have years of experience in the field. We got to where we are today by offering a client-centred approach. We always remember that our success depends on putting you, our client, first.
We understand that suffering from any kind of injury is a terrible thing to happen to a person and that going through a legal process to seek compensation can be stressful. We see it as our duty to guide and support you through this process at every step of the way. We will always be on-hand, via telephone and email, and you can rely on us to give you the very best in terms of legal advice, ongoing support and customer service. It’s what we do best.
Claim For Work Injury – 24/7 Free Legal Advice
If you’ve been injured at work because of your employer’s negligence, you may be able to claim for a work injury. If you’re not sure of the process of making a claim for a work injury, Legal Expert advisors could provide some guidance.
You could receive free legal advice online without any commitment to claim with our solicitors. Our advisors can provide guidance that’s specific to your case, including an eligibility check and a potential compensation estimate. The Legal Expert free legal advice number is 0800 073 8804. You could also reach us by using the chat feature on our website or filling out our claim online form.
Office accident claims- FAQs
Can I be disciplined for making a claim against my employer?
If you’ve been injured in an office accident and it wasn’t your fault, then you’re entitled to claim compensation for your injuries. Your employer can’t dismiss you for exercising your legal right to claim. If they do so, then you may be able to claim for unfair dismissal.
Your employer is also not able to create a hostile working environment for you as a result of you claiming which might force you to leave your role. This is known as constructive dismissal.
The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 says that your employer must have insurance in place for any personal injury claims. This includes office accident claims. So you needn’t worry that your compensation is coming from your employer directly, or that it’s harming the business profits.
Do I get full pay if injured at work?
If you are injured at work, you might need to take time off. However, your employer could pay you Statutory Sick Pay, which is provided by the government.
This is paid for up to 28 weeks and is currently set at £96.35 a week.
What is the most common workplace injury?
Statistics released by HSE for the year 2019/20 show that 693,000 workers sustained a non-fatal injury at work during this time. The most common kind of accidents were slips, trips and falls, which accounted for 28% of the injuries reported. Slips, trips and falls can happen in offices because of poor housekeeping, such as walkways left obstructed or wires left trailing.
Handling, lifting and carrying are the next most common cause of injury in workforces in Great Britain. Although many people might assume that these kinds of accidents wouldn’t occur in office environments, this isn’t the case. Something as seemingly innocuous as carrying a box of files from one end of the office to the other could result in injury if proper lifting and carrying techniques aren’t adhered to.
Helpful Links
Below, you can find lots of guides on claiming compensation for a workplace accident:
- How to claim for a minor injury at work
- 10 things to know about accident at work claims
- What to do if injured from work activities
- Firefighter accident at work claims
- Agency worker accident at work claims
- Night shift accidents
- Emergency service worker accidents
- Part-time worker accidents
- Accidents caused by inadequate protective equipment
- Paralysis injury claims
- Work accidents caused by tools
- Injuries caused by dangerous machinery at work
- Workplace accident claims
- Can you make an injury claim against a colleague?
- Agency worker accident claims
- Forklift truck accidents
- Can I be sacked for making a workplace accident claim?
- Do I get sick pay after an accident at work?
- Steps to take when injured at work
- Manual handling claims
- One person and two-person lifting and handling cases
- How to claim for a ladder accident
- How to get compensation for a cut finger at work
- Scaffolding accident claims
- Warehouse accident claims
- Defective work equipment cases
- Industrial deafness claims
- Our accident at work claims FAQs page
- I Fell Through A Roof At Work – Can I Claim?
- Faulty Machinery At Work Injury – Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation?
- Lifeguard Accident At Work Claims Guide
- I Fell Over A Box At Work – Can I Claim Compensation?
- Find out how our compensation calculator for an accident at work could help you.
Health and safety in the office. Resources compiled by HSE to facilitate health and safety in office environments.
Do I need to go to A&E? If you’re unsure whether your injury requires a trip to the casualty department, this NHS guide should be helpful.
Reporting a health and safety issue. An HSE guide to reporting concerns around health and safety at work.
We hope this guide on office accident claims has proven useful. If you would like to speak to an advisor about making an injury at work claim, then you are welcome to get in touch with Legal Expert by using the contact details included in this guide.
