Workplace accidents

Work injuries and employer responsibilities

Accidents in the workplace are still a common occurrence despite improvements in employers adhering to Irish and European health and safety regulations.

Although typically associated with construction or building site injuries, work injury claims can include slips, trips and falls caused through negligence on behalf of the employer.

Another common scenario is where staff have not received sufficient training for their positions or suffer an injury as a result of carrying out a task with which they are unfamiliar with, such as moving furniture or equipment in an office setting.

If your employer is found liable for your injury at work then you may be entitled to damages. Personal injury awards can range from large amounts for catastrophic injuries to smaller amounts for minor, recoverable injuries like bone fractures or light back injuries.

Each employer must conduct a risk assessment to ensure that their workplace is safe, free from potential hazards, and that any risk of injury to employees is kept at a minimum.

Some jobs will always carry some element of risk, such as operating heavy machinery. Nevertheless, your employer must provide appropriate safety equipment and ensure that all staff are both properly trained and capable of performing tasks safely.

If an employer fails in these responsibilities, it is considered a failure in his/her “duty of care” to employees.

How to make an injury at work claim

If you have suffered an accident at work, your priority should be to ensure that your injuries are treated swiftly.

Seek Medical Assistance

The most important thing is your physical well-being and this takes immediate priority over any considerations for damages down the line. However, by immediately seeking medical attention from your GP or hospital it may provide sufficient material to help prove the legitimacy of your work injury claim subsequently.

Report The Accident

If your accident is very serious or you have been significantly traumatised, it may not always be possible to follow procedures but it is recommended that you inform your immediate superior of the nature of the workplace injury as soon as possible. Ideally, you should also insist on receiving as a minimum, a written acknowledgement of your accident at work report.

Seek Legal Advice

No matter the circumstances, always seek legal advice from a personal injury solicitor before doing anything that might impact either your work injury claim or your future employment. They will be able to guide you through any difficulties you may encounter and help you through each step of your claim.

They will be able to determine if your employer is likely to be found liable and may be able to estimate the amount of damages you are likely to receive. We will assess whether you have a claim.

You might be concerned that if you take an injury at work claim against your employer that it may result in dismissal, bullying or curtailment of promotional prospects. It should be noted that even in contentious cases, it is mainly a contest between the solicitor and the employer’s insurance company, and it is not taken as a ‘personal’ matter by the employer. There are also strict laws which protect you from any unfair workplace sanctions as a result of your claim.

Next steps

As the key area of litigation in which we practice, when it comes to work injury and personal injury claims, we know exactly when to listen and when to act. We promise to be friendly, respectful and never to put you under any pressure to pursue a claim or use our legal services.

Get in touch today to progress your work injury claim.