According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 1.7 million workers reported work-related ill-health in 2023/24, with over half a million people sustaining a non-fatal injury at work.
If you’ve been hurt in a factory setting, you may be going through a tough time and wondering whether to claim compensation for what happened.
Here, we’ll explore some of the key information you need to know about claiming after an accident at work.
What counts as a factory accident?
A factory accident refers to any incident that takes place in a factory and causes harm to a worker.
They can arise from unsafe machinery, inadequate training or unsafe working conditions.
Common examples include getting caught in machinery, slipping or tripping, suffering crush injuries or being involved in forklift and vehicle collisions.
Manual handling injuries, falls from height, electric shocks and exposure to hazardous substances can also cause harm in industrial environments.
What losses can you claim for?
Compensation is often divided into two categories: general damages and special damages.
General damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you’ve dealt with due to the accident.
This covers the physical and emotional impact of your injury and how it’s affected your daily life.
Special damages compensate you for the financial losses caused by the accident.
This may include lost wages if you’ve been unable to work, medical and rehabilitation costs, travel expenses for attending appointments, or the cost of future care and equipment if your injury has long-term effects.
Is evidence required?
If you want to make a claim, evidence is important. You should record the date, time and location of the accident and make sure it’s reported in your workplace accident book.
Witness statements from colleagues can help establish what happened, while photographs or CCTV footage can provide visual proof.
Medical records showing your diagnosis and treatment, along with payslips, receipts or invoices demonstrating financial losses, will help strengthen your case.
Are there time limits?
In the UK, the typical time limit for making a claim is three years from the date you became aware that you were injured.
It’s important to act promptly, as missing this deadline could mean you lose your right to claim compensation.
There are some exceptions to this, so speak to a legal expert for further guidance.
How to proceed
To make a factory accident claim, contact a specialist injury solicitor with experience handling these types of workplace incidents.
You may be able to claim on a no win, no fee basis, meaning you won’t pay any fees if your case isn’t successful.
Many claims settle without going to court, but if a fair settlement can’t be reached, your solicitor may issue court proceedings.
Recovering from a factory accident can be difficult, both physically and emotionally.
Whether you’d like to make a compensation claim is completely up to you.
Take some time to do some research on your rights and what you can expect to happen during your case, so you can make an informed decision on how to move forward.
