• Work Accidents: Know Your Rights
    Workers' Comp

    Work Accidents: Know Your Rights

    Your employer has a legal responsibility to safeguard their employees’ welfare, health, and safety while at work. If they fail in this duty and an employee is harmed because of their negligence, they may be entitled to make a personal injury compensation claim.

    The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) monitor and regulate the rules and regulations and supply all the information employers need to comply, will also help employees if there are any problems. Their one aim is to reduce the number of accidents in the workplace and hopefully reduce the number of deaths of workers every year.

    Their latest report shows that in 2012/13:

    • 148 workers were killed while at work
    • 78,000 injuries were reported
    • 175,000 victims needed more than seven days absence because of an injury
    • 1.1 million workers suffered from an industrial illness or condition

    Your Rights if It Happens to You

    If you are injured in an accident at work because of your employers’ negligence, you are entitled to make a personal injury claim against them. Many employees are put off claiming this right because of the fear that their employer cannot afford the compensation that it might mean the business is having to close and their workmates losing their job.

    The majority of employers have to have employers liability insurance, and there are a few exceptions, such as government departments. The law says they must have a minimum cover of 5 million pounds, although most insurance companies’ entry level is 10 million pounds.

    Your employer has to pay the premium for this cover every year whether there are any claims against them or not, and it is this policy that would settle your claim. You need to have no fear about affecting the finances of your employers.

    Employment Tribunals

    Once you have made a personal injury claim against your employer, it is illegal for them to discriminate against you in any way or to turn other employees against you. If they behave in this manner, you can take them to an employment tribunal to treat you in this way, which will probably make life even more awkward at work, and you may feel the need to leave the employment. You can then seek compensation for constructive dismissal.

    How the Employer Should Behave

    The way for an employer to avoid all of this is to do their utmost to ensure that accidents do not happen in the first place. But no matter how many precautions they take, accidents have a way of happening just the same. If they face a personal injury claim, the position is more solidified if they assist the employee rather than turn against them.

    Making a Work-Related Personal Injury Claim

    If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being injured at work, you should contact a construction worker accidents lawyer. By doing this, you will find all the help and support you need with your injury claim.

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