How Much Heavy Lifting Injury Compensation Could I Claim?
By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 18th September 2023. Welcome to our heavy lifting injury compensation guide. Heavy furniture lifting is a task many employees have to undertake, some daily and others less frequently.
The most important factor is proving that someone else was to blame for the accident you were involved in. Perhaps your employer did not provide you with the correct training? Maybe you were forced to lift something too heavy? All employers need to follow the stringent regulations that are in place to minimise the risk of injury.
If you have been injured because a third party failed to fulfil their duty of care towards you, you may be due personal injury compensation. Our team of advisors can help when you get in touch. They can evaluate your claim and give you more information on making a heavy furniture lifting injury claim. To get in touch:
- Call on 0800 073 8804
- Start your claim online
- Use the live chat feature
Select a Section
- Heavy Lifting At Work Regulations
- Can I Refuse To Lift Heavy Objects At Work?
- What Are The Most Common Types Of Injury When Lifting And Carrying Heavy Loads?
- Top Tips For Proving Heavy Furniture Accident Claims
- Compensation For Heavy Furniture Lifting Injuries
- Can I Claim For A Heavy Furniture Lifting Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Heavy Lifting At Work Regulations
There are regulations in place which provide information on manual handling hazards and control measures that must be implemented to manage the hazards when lifting heavy objects at work. The first thing that employers need to ask themselves is: can manual handling be avoided completely? If it can, then an alternative approach to the task should be adapted.
As per the regulations, other steps that need to be taken include carrying out risk assessments to identify potential risks, taking measures to control these risks, providing training and PPE where required, and ensuring all lifting equipment is maintained properly. Tasks should also not be repeated repeatedly, and the maximum weight limits must have been adhered to avoid a manual handling accident.
Can I Refuse To Lift Heavy Objects At Work?
You might be wondering, ‘Can I refuse to lift heavy objects at work?’ Under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, your employer should implement appropriate measures for any risks that might occur from manual handling.
Firstly, any manual handling operations that could be considered as dangerous should be avoided so far as is reasonably practicable. Secondly, your employer should assess any hazardous operations that cannot be avoided, and if so, they should take reasonable steps to reduce the risk of injuries from lifting heavy objects.
Some examples of how your employer could enforce their duty of care include:
- Ensuring all staff have received sufficient manual handling training.
- Before asking you to perform any manual handling duties, risk assessments have been taken.
- They have provided you with any necessary lifting equipment you may need to perform your manual handling duties.
Contact our advisors to see whether you could make a personal injury claim if you have been injured due to lifting heavy objects at work. Our advisors could connect you with one of our accident at work solicitors who could help you with your case.
What Are The Most Common Types Of Injury When Lifting And Carrying Heavy Loads?
Lifting heavy objects at work could result in you sustaining an injury. As long as you can prove that your injuries were caused by the negligence of someone else, you’ll have grounds for a valid personal injury claim.
If you are wondering about potential injuries from lifting heavy objects, we’ve included some below:
- A strain or sprain injury
- Straining too hard could lead to a hernia injury
- You might injure your back or spinal cord whilst picking up heavy objects
- Your hands could be crushed if a load is dropped on them
- If you drop a load on your foot, it could be broken
There are plenty of other types of injuries that can be sustained in lifting accidents. If we haven’t listed your personal injury above, it doesn’t mean you aren’t eligible to make a claim. Get in touch at any time for free legal advice and we can clarify if you’re eligible for compensation.
Top Tips For Proving Heavy Furniture Accident Claims
Lifting heavy objects at work may fall under some people’s job description. However, even if this is the case, there are certain safety procedures that need to be followed. If they are not, employees could be injured as a result. Injuries from lifting heavy objects could be traced back to a breach of your employer’s duty of care. This is when they do not take all reasonable steps to make sure you are kept safe at work.
For example, there are certain techniques that employees can be trained on to reduce their risk of injury when lifting heavy objects. If this training is not given, or is not given to an adequate standard, then this could be an example of employer negligence if the employee injures themselves as a result.
However, an important part of establishing negligence is gathering evidence. We’ve included examples of some key pieces that may prove useful during this process. Although, this list is not exhaustive. There are other forms of evidence too.
- Statements from other employees – There may have been others who were also injured due to employer negligence. For example, they may have been asked to move something unreasonably heavy without assistance. These other employees could corroborate your claim by submitting their version of events.
- Visual footage – CCTV cameras are present in some workplaces. If so, you could request the footage. Taking photographs of any injuries and related hazards can also prove useful.
- Medical records – Information such as the date of your treatment and how severe the injury is can be very useful pieces of evidence to both. They can also be relevant to both establishing negligence and the process of valuing your claim.
If you’d like more examples of evidence or would like to know the answer to questions such as whether you can refuse to lift heavy objects at work, get in touch with our advisors.
Time Limit For Claiming If Injured By Heavy Lifting
If you are eligible to seek compensation for injuries you suffered when lifting heavy objects at work, you must file your claim within the time limit set out in the Limitation Act 1980. Generally, you will have three years from the date of the accident to begin the claiming process.
However, in some circumstances, there are exceptions to the limitation period. These include:
- Those without the mental capacity to bring forward a claim themselves. In these cases, an indefinite suspension is applied to the limitation period, and it lasts until they’ve recovered this capacity. During this time, a court-appointed litigation friend can initiate legal proceedings on their behalf. However, if the injured party regains this capacity and a litigation friend did not already act, they will have three years from the date of recovery to launch a claim.
- Children under the age of 18. In these cases, the time limit is frozen until the injured party turns 18. Before this date, a litigation friend can launch the claim on their behalf. However, if the injured party reaches their 18th birthday and a litigation friend did not act for them, they will have three years from this date to start the claiming process.
An advisor from our team can help you get a claim for injuries suffered when lifting a heavy object started.
Compensation For Heavy Furniture Lifting Injuries
If you have been injured due to lifting a heavy object at work, for example lifting furniture, and you could prove your injuries were caused by your employer’s negligence, you may wonder how much compensation you could be entitled to in a claim.
Each compensation payout is unique, as it relies on the circumstances of each case. However, you can get an estimate of how much you could receive by using the guideline compensation brackets provided by the 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Some of these figures are demonstrated in the table below.
| Injury Type | Notes | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate Neck Injury (b) (i) | Immediate symptoms caused by fractures or dislocations, possibly in need of spinal fusion. | £24,990 to £38,490 |
| Moderate Back Injury (b) (ii) | Disturbance of ligaments leading to backache or soft tissue injuries. | £12,510 to £27,760 |
| Moderate Knee Injuries (b) (i) | Torn cartilage or meniscus, dislocations, which result in a minor disability. | £14,840 to £26,190 |
| Hernia (a) | Continued pain and limited movement following repair. | £14,900 to £24,170 |
| Arm Injuries (d) | Fractures of the forearm. | £6,610 to £19,200 |
| Modest Foot Injuries (d) | Simple fractures, ruptured ligaments, and puncture wounds. | Up to £13,740 |
| Moderate Shoulder Injury (c) | Limited movement due to a frozen shoulder with symptoms lasting for around 2 years. | £7,890 to £12,770 |
| Hand Injuries (j) | Fractures of the index finger. The fracture may have healed quickly but it will impair the hand’s grip. | £9,110 to £12,240 |
| Wrist Injuries (e) | Uncomplicated Colles’ fracture. | In the region of £7,430 |
| Lesser Pelvis and Hip Injury (c) (ii) | Minor soft tissue injuries leading to complete recovery. | Up to £3,950 |
The table above illustrates potential figures for general damages, which covers the suffering caused by your injuries. Alongside this, you may be able to claim special damages, which covers the financial impacts caused by your injuries, including:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel costs
- Domestic help
- Medical bills
To find out what else you could claim for, or to get a free estimate of what your claim could potentially be worth, contact our advisors today.
Can I Claim For A Heavy Furniture Lifting Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis?
Starting a personal injury claim after lifting heavy objects at work can seem complex and stressful, but one of our solicitors could help on a No Win No Fee basis. With a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), you can access the services of a solicitor without paying any upfront fees or ongoing costs.
If your claim succeeds, your solicitor will take a success fee from your settlement. However, this amount has a legislative cap, which means you get to keep the most of what you receive. But, if your claim doesn’t succeed, then you won’t pay a fee.
Using a solicitor for your claim comes with a lot of benefits. For example, a solicitor can help you collect evidence to support your claim, and can explain areas of the process that you may not understand.
Why Choose Us For Your Heavy Furniture Lifting Injury Compensation Claim?
At Legal Expert, our solicitors have over thirty years of experience in helping people claim compensation for their injuries. When you get in touch with our team of advisors, they can provide a free evaluation, in which you can receive free legal advice and more help. If your claim is valid, they could potentially connect you with a solicitor from our panel. To get started:
- Call on 0800 073 8804
- Start your claim online
- Use the live chat feature
Learn More About Claiming Heavy Lifting Injury Compensation
- Manual Handling Accident Claims Guide
- How Much Compensation For An Accident At Work?
- HSE Manual Handling Information
- HSE Manual Handling at Work
- Manual Handling Assessment
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