There are many people who are not mindful of the fact that they are allowed to make work accident claims. If you sustained any injury at work which was not your fault, you are entitled to claim personal injury compensation. However, the onus is on you to prove that it was due to your employer’s negligence that you were injured or suffered illness.
The responsibility is with all employers to ensure that their work area is secure enough to stop any injuries or accidents to their contractors, visitors and employees. The tools that they make available to their employees should be safe to use and well maintained. The gates and doors on the premises should be kept clear. There should be no hazards on the floors and in the corridors of the building. Warning signs should be visible if any cleaning or maintenance is being done.
Staff members must be provided with suitable chairs and workstations. Most office injury claims are as a result of bad ergonomic planning. They also arise from people tripping over cables and other obstacles on the floor.
It is important to follow the correct procedure once you have sustained an injury at work. The accident should be reported to the first aid personnel as well as to your supervisor. If you belong to a union, the union representative has to be notified. You should get medical attention and make sure that there is a full report of the accident on the medical file.
Complete the required workplace accident questionnaire as quickly as possible after you are involved in an accident or injury. It is a good idea to keep a diary of the physical symptoms you face. List the dates on which they happen and exactly what they are. Make a list of all the accident-related expenses you incur. The list should include travel expenses to the doctor or the hospital, cost of prescription drugs, cost of over the counter medicines as well as lost income amounts. All this detail will be valuable for the purpose of submission of a detailed compensation claim.
You have a time limit in which you can make a claim. The usual limit is 3 years from the date that the accident happened. However, there are a few exceptions that exist.
In the case where you were a child at the time the accident occurred, you may have longer to enter a claim for compensation. If you have been affected by an industrial disease, you will also have a longer time to submit a claim. All work accident claims are different and some can be settled within a period of months while others could take years to settle.
If you have had an accident at work then get advice to ensure that your rights are protected. Work accident claims can be facilitated by getting the right legal information and representation from a professional solicitor.