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Author: Jonathon

Now we are in Autumn in the UK, and heading towards Winter, there is no doubt that the weather will continue to deteriorate. We have already seen rain and flood warnings throughout the country in the past week, and this is likely to get worse before it gets better. Bad weather on the roads may even lead to accidents.

The latest reports from the Met Office have shown that the UK is about to face a huge storm, even post storm Alex that hit many parts of the country over the weekend. Parts of the UK have been issued weather and flood warnings, and the weather is set to stay bad in some parts throughout October.

And as we head into Winter, the weather may end up being even more unpredictable, with anything from rain, and wind, to sleet, snow and overnight frost.

 

Effects on the Bad Weather on Roads

This will lead to more dangerous conditions on the road, and, unfortunately, may lead to more road traffic accidents. According to the Met Office, as reported in the Express, 9 out of 10 weather-related deaths and serious injuries on the roads take place in the rain.

There are specific rules in the Highway Code for driving in bad weather conditions such as rain, wind, ice, and snow, but, unfortunately, not all drivers take notice of these guidelines.

Careless driving is one of the main causes of road traffic accidents in the UK, along with speeding. Both things can cause serious injury. Drivers must ensure that they are driving more carefully in bad weather conditions to prevent accidents happening. If people are driving carelessly, not paying attention whilst driving, or speeding, then accidents are likely to happen, especially in bad weather.

 

Accidents Due to Bad Weather on Roads

If you have had a road traffic accident because of someone else’s carelessness on the road due to the weather conditions, then you may be able to claim compensation.

When you have a road traffic accident, your injuries can be severe. They can range from whiplash and soft tissue damage, to more serious injuries. In the worst cases, they can even be fatal. Even the smallest injuries can take a while to heal after a road traffic accident.

You may have to take time off work to recover, and therefore lose out financially. Your car may have also suffered some damage, and you may even have to replace it. If all of this happened in an accident that was not your fault, then it can be even worse.

 

How We Can Help

Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who deal with road traffic accidents daily. This means that they are well placed to help you to claim any compensation you may be entitled to. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.

With new government advice surrounding getting more people back into work coming into place at the beginning of August, the risk of accidents at work will become more important to us all. Coupled with the fact that workplaces will need to add more health and safety measures to ensure we are all kept safe from COVID-19 at work, employers have even more of a responsibility to make sure we are all kept safe at work, and with the added pressure of having to play catch up for a number of businesses, the risk of accidents could actually be heightened whilst this happens.

Workplaces must be kept safe for workers now more than ever. There have been extra health and safety measures put in place in work spaces up and down the country, including adding more PPE for staff, making sure that everything is kept clean and sanitised for everyone’s safety, and extra risk assessments being carried out, but, unfortunately, these extra health and safety measures can not guarantee that accidents at work won’t happen.

The new rules surrounding workplace safety, whilst similar, can also differ based on what industry you work in, for example, offices and building sites have different rules, but can both still present their own risks of accidents, even with everyone adhering to the social distancing rules. The new rules also, unfortunately, may not stop the usual accidents at work happening either, and so, as much as we are responsible for keeping ourselves safe, it is the same, if not even more, for our employers to ensure we are kept safe and well, as they have a duty of care to all of their employees.

Additionally, with all the new guidance surrounding working safely and getting people back into work, combined with increased workloads for staff returning, there may also be a rise in people feeling stressed at work. Stress at work is already something that a lot of people suffer with, and, due to increased job pressures post-lockdown, this will no doubt get worse for people who are suffering. We can also help if you feel you are suffering from an added sense of stress at work, for further information on stress at work claims contact us today.

So, what happens if you are unfortunate enough to have an accident whilst at work?

Here at The Compensation Experts, we are well placed to give you all the help you need. We work with solicitors who deal with accidents at work all the time, so we have a wealth of experience dealing with them. Contact us today to see if we can help you with a potential accident at work claim.

Earlier this week, the HSE published a report that injuries in agriculture has the worst rate of worker fatal injury in Great Britain. Last year, 21 people were killed, one of whom was a child. Two of the fatalities were in Scotland, however, the North-West of England had the highest death rate with five.

Fatal Injuries in agriculture, forestry, and fishing in Great Britain 2019/20, published to coincide with the start of Farm Safety Week. Established by the Farm Safety Foundation charity – This is to highlight safety and wellbeing in the sector. The HSE statistics confirm that agriculture continues to have the highest rate of
fatal injuries amongst workers; eighteen times higher than the average rate across all industries.

A closer look at the specific injuries in agriculture

The report also reveals that transport-related accidents, such as overturning vehicles or being struck by moving vehicles were responsible for more deaths than any other cause last year. Tractors, a combine harvester, telescopic handlers, an all-terrain utility vehicle, and a boat were all among the causes. The HSE report also informs us that half of the workers killed were 55 years or older. The youngest person killed was a 4-year-old child from Lancashire. The HSE has urged farmers to keep children safe on farms during the Covid-19 restrictions. Children must not be allowed in the farm workplace unless they are very carefully supervised. It is illegal to carry children under 13-years-old in the cab of an agriculture vehicle as it is unsafe.

The BBC has branded agriculture as “The UK’s deadliest industry”. While fatal accidents across other industries have fallen from the past 30 years, fatalities in agriculture continue to remain high. According to the HSE, workers in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector are 20 times more likely to be killed at work.

Unfortunately, older workers are more likely to be involved in fatal accidents, on farms and elsewhere. A representative from the HSE acknowledged that that agriculture is an “industry in which risks are poorly managed”

Why the farming industry still trails behind others for safety

A farmer from Cumbria in an interview with ITV claimed that fatalities happen because they work in “very high-pressure situations with big, scary consequences if things aren’t done right.”
Half of all the fatalities in Britain were in the over 55s. To try and reduce the number of accidents this has been designed as Farm Safety Week.
Your employer’s duty of care is a legal one. If you’ve been injured in your workplace and feel that your employer has failed to carry out to provide you with the correct PPE, you might be eligible to make a claim as a result.

As leading personal injury specialists, we pride ourselves on impeccable customer service and delivering the best results for our clients. Our national network of solicitors understand that compensation is only part of the story. Our experts make sure the victims receive the best support, rehabilitation and medical care possible. If you or anyone you know has been injured as a result of working in the agriculture industry then get in touch with us today.

A work stress claim is increasingly common in law, particularly as UK employers and tribunal results compel us to prioritise mental well-being.

What the government says about a work stress claim

The numbers bear out that the amount of people suffering from stress at work is rising. In an annual report on Work-related stress, anxiety or depression statistics in Great Britain, 2019:

  • Over 600,000 workers suffer from work-related stress, depression or anxiety;
  • These conditions led to the loss of nearly 13 million working days;
  • New case incidence rates amount to 740 out of every 100,000 workers;
  • These conditions account for:
    • Firstly, 54% of all working days lost due to ill health.
    • Additionally, 44% of all work-related ill health cases.

How (and what type of) industries are affected

As personal injury solicitors all know, more than one set of truths can co-exist at the same time. Such is the nature of incidents of work-related stress.

  • Firstly: incidents of stress in the workplace do not discriminate by sector. In actuality, all industries are touched by stress-related illnesses – at a rate just shy of 15 out of every 1,000 UK workers.
  • Secondly: some industries are particularly affected by this. Industries like human health/social work, education and public administration/defence have seen more than 50,000 cases of work stress.

However, there are still thousands of incidents across other industries. These extend from transport & logistics to manufacturing to accredited professionals, and other lines of work in between.

Ergo, from an employee’s perspective, what does all of this mean to your well-being? In short, you can throw out what kind of work a person does when it comes to work-related stress. Because the true measure of an employee’s well-being in a work environment affects different personalities in different ways.

So what kind of actions trigger a claim for work-related stress?

In short, stress at work compensation can be driven by a variety of different triggers or activities. If you think you’ve suffered from a kind of work-related illness or injury, it’s always important to understand what the law says about it.

Below are five categories identified by HSE that can unleash symptoms of stress or even force stress compensation claims. The percentages account how commonly these categories are assigned as a reason for work stress issues.

Workload (44%)

There’s a negative stigma around reducing one’s own workload. The unfortunate reason for that is because people want to take on more as a badge of honour. On the surface, it enables trust from bosses, displays one’s capability and shows that a person is able to work under pressure.

In actuality, excessive workloads (perhaps coupled with unrealistic deadlines or unreasonable expectations or KPIs) can also exacerbate a wealth of different health issues and turn you into something less than a colleague. It diminishes your human value in the eyes of co-workers and line managers. Also, in the wrong working environment, it reduces your voice and might even create the image of a pushover.

What the experts say:

Julie Morgenstern, productivity expert and author of Never Check Email in the Morning, told Harvard Business Review:

“In the bottom of your belly is this feeling that if you can’t handle the work, there’s someone else who can; you feel dispensable.

“The natural tendency is to think, ‘I am not working hard enough, smart enough, or efficiently enough. I should be able to handle this.’ So you suffer in silence.”

Morgenstern advises workers to speak up and take ownership of their workload limitations. Turning down a request or simply pointing out what you’re up against, she says, increases your credibility.

“Bosses want their employees to speak up if there is anything that’s keeping them from performing at peak levels.”

Furthermore, this is a great way to test your line manager or a boss as to whether you might be stuck in a climate ripe for a work stress claim. If you feel as if you don’t have bosses who reflect her description, their behaviour should be noted.

For a compensation claim, it will be critical to have examples (or even complaints) on the record and documented.

Lack of support (14%)

In many ways, the lack of support catches a variety of different behaviours or examples of neglect. Poor support from management is most commonly cited by HSE, but there can be other examples, too. For example, the workplace might fail you when it comes to providing:

  • Adequate reporting mechanisms;
  • Defining your rights as a worker sufficiently;
  • Education and information regarding expectations;
  • Negligent human resources capabilities.

We encourage you to take charge of your role if you feel like management is not being supportive or informative. Give them a chance to rectify or simply clarify expectations, KPIs or gain control of the work.

As ever, be vigilant, document examples and raise issues regarding support. If management lets you down, you can better prove that when the time comes, you gave management a chance to fix the problem

Violence, threats or bullying (13%)

We’ve said before in this space that workplace bullying can’t hide behind the guise of harmless banter. Furthermore, it leaves private and public sector organisations alike exposed and vulnerable.

Focus more widely, and employers are well aware that mental well-being is on the same level as physical well-being.

  • First, both are subject to personal injury or illness matters;
  • Second, both require the same vigilance to combat;
  • Finally, both require buy-in from management down to the shop floor.

That said, some workplaces are more efficient in dealing with violence, threats and bullying than others. Regardless of how management handles it, you don’t have to take it as an employee. Bullying encompasses a wide berth of unwanted behaviours.

The feelings that bullying can engender

According to ACAS, you’ve been bullied if you’re left to feel:

  • Frightened or intimidated;
  • Put down, disrespected or degraded;
  • Uncomfortable as a result of being made fun of, and;
  • Upset, insulted or offended.

Firstly, it’s important to know that whenever bullying occurs in the workplace, you don’t have to suffer in silence. There are people you can talk to and ways to address the behaviours you’re witnessing. Additionally, you can do this either face to face or with a superior or assistant.

But as ever, it is critical that when an incident – be it a one-off or as a common occurrence – does happen, you record the incident. If you do end up filing a work stress claim, recording an incident and details such as the people present, any evidence, date(s) and time(s) can significantly strengthen the validity of your claims.

Changes at work (8%)

With regard to changes at work, there are a few different connotations. For example, a new style of management can fall under this category. So can brand new technology or work content that changes the nature of the job altogether.

HSE points out that one cause of stress at work is when employees:

“are not engaged when a business is undergoing change.”

Consider mergers and acquisitions, which have become increasingly common. Accordingly, change is inherent and disruptions to the new working practices can be expected. So management owes it to employees to inform them. Done right, they should endeavour to show employees how they benefit from the change.

Use change management programmes as another example. For this, management has to include employees, because the change is affecting them directly. There is a duty of care that management needs to take with this to prevent injury at work and reduce levels of stress.

If it isn’t, the change management project will ultimately fail. After all, the main idea should be to enable valued employees to cope with a more efficient system. Otherwise, there would be no need to change in the first place.

Other (21%)

Psychiatric injury or illness can occur in several other random ways. Some examples may include:

  • Not understanding your role or responsibilities fully;
  • Inability to control the way they do their work;
  • In some industries, even Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

But even if it’s not in the list above, we would urge employers to seek out stressful scenarios and get in front of potential red flags in their line of work. As we wrote in a recent post about protecting the mental health of staff:

All employers, whether it is the NHS, a private healthcare provider or employers in other sectors, have a duty of care to protect both the physical and mental well-being of its employees. 

This responsibility is enshrined in law – The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and it’s resulting regulatory updates – and all employers have to adhere to it. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

About the Compensation Experts and the Work Stress Claim

This post is part of our ongoing series covering the issues to understand a workplace injury or work-induced psychiatric illness. Our goal is to keep you informed on the latest issues and risks involved with workplace injury claims. From understanding legal fees for a claim to getting in front of long-term complications, The Compensation Experts can help.

Be sure to read more about this topic, including:

No matter your place of work, there are a variety of workplace hazards that you should be aware of. With these in mind, you should be able to work comfortably knowing what workplace hazards to look out for.

What is a hazard in the workplace?

A workplace hazard is any physical or mental obstacle, tool, or vehicle that can cause danger or personal injury to an employee in the workplace. There are numerous types of workplace hazards, too many to list here, but being aware of the concept and the most common types will go a long way to avoiding workplace accidents.

Common workplace hazards can put you at risk, and take you away from the job.

Common workplace hazards

Regardless of your place of work, there will always be onsite workplace hazards that you should be aware of. While your employer must minimise the risk of workplace hazards, you should always be aware of their potential.

Some workplace hazards may be physical dangers that crop up in your workplace environment, others might be physical injuries you could suffer as a result of poor work posture and habits.

A few examples of common workplace hazards could include:

  • Loose objects in the work environments
  • Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) from bad typing posture
  • Bags poking out from under desks

Of course, there are far more serious workplace hazards that you should be aware of too. So, to avoid potential hazards in the workplace, it’s always a good idea to carry out a risk assessment of your work area when possible.

Below are four risk assessment boxes you can tick to help reduce workplace risk, increase health and safety, and prevent unnecessary injuries in the workplace.

1. Physical Hazards in the work environment

Even in an office environment, it’s really important to look out for potential physical hazards in the workplace that might cause injury. But in busy spaces, it’s even more important.

With warehouse work, for example, forklifts, equipment on the go, blocked entrances, and obstructed pathways all create various workplace hazards that can pose a risk to you.

How to prevent physical hazards at work

Here are a few other potential physical hazards in the workplace, and things you should bear in mind to lessen their risks:

  • Overloading the top of your cages/containers creates unnecessary risks. Such oversights can set off sprinklers or restrict access through low-hanging doorways.
  • Cords and wires require frequent review and risk assessment. Loose cords can slow down your environment and you should always replace frayed cords, which can create an unnecessary health and safety nightmare.
  • If possible, commit to reducing the number of confined spaces you need to operate in to avoid clutter.
  • Ensure you have a record of any safety equipment’s expiration dates and carry out regular reviews to ensure they’re up to scratch.

2. Harassment, bullying and psychosocial hazards

This is perhaps one of the most overlooked workplace hazards, but linking mental well-being and physical well-being is an important piece of assessing hazardous workplace conditions.

Nowadays, we’re far more aware of the effects of harassment, sexual misconduct, and bullying in the workplace. If an action can alter an employee’s mental well-being, that action needs to be addressed as a damaging hazard.

How to prevent psychological workplace hazards

Here are a few common psychological workplace hazards to be aware of, and potential solutions:

  • Develop thorough, comprehensive policies to deal with each kind of psychosocial hazard.
  • Make certain the process to report a violation and maintain compliance does not create new levels of workplace hostility.
  • Take precautions to ensure unreasonable workloads aren’t being assigned to single individuals.
  • Ensure there is buy-in to handling psychosocial hazards from the top of the workplace organisation down. As a result, on-site buy-in from teams will be more likely to happen.
  • Above all, you should treat any psychosocial and on-site mental hazards like physical hazards. Both can lead to punitive and reputational damage to your worksite.

3. Ergonomics hazards and falls from heights

Trips, slips, and falls are some of the most widely encompassing safety hazards. Moreover, it’s a highly relevant one in the UK. Between 2018 and 2019, the HSE reported some harrowing figures regarding ergonomic hazards, including:

  • In 2017/18, over 110,000 non-fatal workplace injuries were due to handling, lifting, or carrying heavy objects.
  • Falling from height caused 40 workplace deaths.
  • Moving vehicles such as forklifts caused 30 fatalities.
  • Coming into contact with dangerous machinery resulted in 14 deaths.

How to prevent ergonomic hazards at work

To ensure that these potential hazards in the workplace can be avoided, the following are a few things to bear in mind:

  • Educate your workers in safer working practices and aim to keep it simple. Inform your workers, but don’t overload them with information.
  • Find safer, perhaps even more practical, scenarios that remove unnecessary work at height scenarios, such as poles for window washing.
  • Workers should have a say in addressing manual handling practices that:
    • Reduce strain
    • Increase regard for safety, and
    • Minimise burdensome workloads

4. Chemical Hazards

Out of all the common hazards in the workplace, chemicals injuries are the most dangerous. They can also be incredibly hard to spot in some scenarios. Chemical hazards are defined as any “hazardous substance that can cause harm to your employees.”

Symptoms of chemical hazards can include skin irritation, occupational asthma, dizziness, and headaches. But that’s just the beginning. Therefore, you should err on the side of caution by having as few chemicals on-site as possible.

Too often, the risk of chemical hazards increases simply because they go for a long stretch of time without being used. Thus, an atmosphere of ignorance and underappreciation can set in.

How to prevent chemical hazard accidents

To help mitigate the risks associated with on-site chemicals, you can do some of the following:

  • Strive to have as few chemicals on-site as possible – it makes life safer, reduces removal expense, and minimises the risk of breaking the law.
  • Create and maintain a thorough inventory of the on-site chemicals needed for your warehouse, especially regarding expiration dates.
  • Along similar lines, ensure you order only what you need. Chemicals that fall out of date aren’t easy to get rid of, and an overabundance of them can lead to fines and penalties.

There are, of course, many more common hazards in the workplace that you should keep an eye out for no matter your place of work. When you sit down to write your risk assessment, take time to think about every common workplace hazard you could include.

And if you have suffered an accident at work due to common hazards in the workplace, you may very well be entitled to compensation. Get in touch with the team at The Compensation Experts today to see what your claim might be worth.

About the Compensation Experts and Common Workplace Hazards

This post is part of our ongoing series covering the issues to understand a workplace injury or work-induced psychiatric illness. Our goal is to keep you informed on the latest issues and risks involved with workplace injury claims.

Be sure to read more about this topic, including:

In the difficult days of the current Covid-19 pandemic, the demand for more ventilators rises at a rapid rate. A recent article from the Financial Times discusses the implications and process (PAID LINK) of acquiring these machines. Additionally, it addresses how the Government will protect and support manufacturing ventilators.

Personal Injury for Ventilator Manufacturers

Estimates say the National Health Service (NHS) needs an additional 8,000 ventilators due to the potentially fatal nature of the virus. BAE Systems, Dyson and Rolls-Royce are all working on a solution. Their manufacturing actions range from building entirely new models to simple increases in production levels.

As a result, the demand should be comfortably met with the protective contingencies that are in place. There’s another troubling practice going on, however, that may complicate at-risk patients. Reports show the UK Government aims to protect these manufacturers from any financial burden due to:

  • IP: Intellectual Property infringements, and/or;
  • PI: Personal Injury caused by defective machinery.

This plan will cover the risk for any potential legal claims arising from any new machinery or IP infringement claims.

Michael Gove wrote to the Chairs of the Public Accounts and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committees on 3 April. It was an effort that proposed shielding manufacturers (particularly designers and contract manufacturers) on ‘two “contingent liabilities’’ mentioned – IP and PI.

IP Rights and Product Liability

The extent of protection is not currently clear due to the Cabinet Office not providing comment on compensation. But as Michael Gove wrote, there now two contingent liabilities. The first to cover IP rights and the second for product liability.

This plan intends to ensure that new manufacturers don’t fear the repercussions of legal claims. In short, it’s possible manufacturers fear these risks due to the nature of the rapid production of highly complex equipment. Legal experts think IP rights holders in the life sciences and medical devices sector will object.

Because of the sensitive nature of the treatment, there is cause for concern. Additionally, the new machinery must be subject to high regulatory standards. Therefore, there is a lot of scrutiny and careful judgement surrounding the proper manufacturing of these essential devices.

For individuals suffering from a personal injury at the hands of someone else, this is a very sensitive matter. There should be no exceptions when it comes to the health and safety of patients. In short, manufacturers don’t deserve protection if they err in manufacturing their products. This holds even though we are going through a pandemic as devastating as Covid-19.

Families are losing loved ones from the virus alone. To avoid compounding the frustration, families should expect nothing less than high standard ventilators. The general public is right to worry about the virus. They don’t want to also worry about essential devices meant to help treat the virus.

The Government says it wants to protect manufacturers from legal action if they are to produce faulty machinery. However, it gives the companies an unnecessary margin of error. Though manufacturers are fighting to create ventilators at a rapid pace, that margin shouldn’t exist in the first place.

Can you still claim?

Yes: you can still make compensation claims if you suffer from medical negligence or a personal injury for ventilator manufacturers negligence. The funds are there to protect the companies but most importantly you. Without these contingencies in place, the demand for ventilators may not be met.

Remember: you still have the right to claim compensation regardless of what the Government is doing to support the companies.

Here at The Compensation Experts, we offer you free and friendly expert advice on your potential claim. We’ll ask you some questions to determine if you have a strong case for compensation. Moreover, we’ll answer any questions or queries you may have.

All our cases feature a no-win, no fee basis. For more information, browse The Compensation Experts website or call us free on 01614138765.

Call us today to start your claim for the compensation you deserve. Or, you can ask us any questions or queries you may have under no obligation.

Accidents at work compensation examples in construction are a fairly common occurrence in the UK. In truth, a large portion of all compensation claims stem originally from the construction sector. In fact, construction has the highest rate of accidents in comparison to any other industry. The majority of workers that suffer injuries at work are unaware that they could be eligible to claim compensation for the complications and harm they endure due to the accident.

Accidents at Work Compensation Examples for Construction #1

It’s 2016, and a man suffers an injury due to the direct negligence of his employers. Subsequently, he suffers significant injuries to his back, head and neck after falling headfirst onto a wooden platform from a height of 2.5 metres.

The accident happens as a result of the absence of any safety measures in place according to an investigation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). In turn, the company responsible receives a £6000 fine as punishment.

Falls from heights such as this are responsible for over 30% of all construction accidents and injuries. More critically, they usually cause the most serious of injuries and threats as evident in the accident from 2016.

Common examples of construction accidents

The accidents that occur in construction vary from injury to injury. The most common ones are:

  • Falls from heights such as from ladders or scaffolding.
  • Certain objects falling from a height which cause injuries such as bricks, tools and equipment.
  • Overdemanding or inadequately training workers resulting in improper lifting, carrying or pushing awkward loads.
  • Faulty equipment also accounts for a portion of the accidents and injuries. Occasionally, workers suffer injury from moving vehicles, such as forklifts.
  • Finally, welding and chemical burns alongside electric shock accidents are a fairly common occurrence within construction.

It is important for all of these scenarios to know what your options are for compensation. Here at The Compensation Experts, we can guide you through all your options and offer free and friendly advice for what your next steps could be.

Construction accident claims can prove to be rather complex. This is due to the fact that there’s usually an attachment of several parties to the accident. Ergo, that makes it more difficult to pin blame on someone. In some instances, it may not even be clear who was in the wrong when it comes to the cause of an accident. For these reasons, a thorough investigation is usually necessary to get to the bottom of the case. This would not affect you specifically but more so the duration of the compensation claim.

Ultimately, it’s down to your solicitor to get to the bottom of who’s fault the case was.

Details that Enhance Your Case for Accidents at Work Compensation Examples in Construction

You’ll want to improve your chances of making a successful claim for Work Compensation Examples in Construction. Therefore, it’s important to know the following details alongside the date and time of the accident.

  • Address of the site;
  • Contact details of any witnesses who were present at the scene;
  • Person to which you report the accident;
  • Details of any medical treatment you received, including who provided the treatment and when;
  • Photographs of the scene of the accident;
  • A copy of the logbook recording the accident, or details of who records the information in the logbook.

Remember: the more accurate your description is, the better chances of success your claim will have. This owes to the clear-cut scenario and foundation put in place regarding construction accidents and how compensation works.

Time Limits for Claiming

When it comes to making the claim itself, there is a strict three-year time limit in place for claiming. The accident must occur within the past three years when claiming; otherwise, you won’t be eligible to make a claim.

So, were you hurt in a construction accident? The Compensation Experts can help you get the compensation you deserve. We have access to some of the best solicitors who specialise in construction accident claims. Moreover, they offer a large amount of experience with these types of cases and have supported people to secure the compensation that they deserve.

After you contact us and one of our friendly compensation experts speaks to you about your case, if we feel that your case is promising and you are eligible for compensation, we will send it to one of our solicitors who will get started on your case on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means that if your claim loses, you’ve no financial obligation and won’t have to pay a thing. Discuss it further with us when you get in touch for a preliminary chat.

For further information, and to find out whether you are eligible to make a claim, call us today. You can also browse our website or fill in one of our contact forms and one of our friendly compensation experts will contact you to discuss any queries and concerns you may be having.

Regardless of where you work, your employer has a legal duty of care to ensure that you are safe while carrying out your duties. As part of this, they are required to do everything reasonably possible to remove or minimise any dangers or risks you may face while working for them.

In particularly high risk industries, such as the construction sector or factories that use heavy machinery, this includes providing you with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where needed, which has to be provided at no cost to you. There are many different types of PPE and the type of PPE necessary at a place of work will vary. To determine what PPE you will need in order to carry out your duties safely, a risk assessment has to be done as it is a legal requirement.  The most commonly encountered items of PPE are:

  • Safety helmet
  • Eye protection
  • High-visibility clothing (hi-vis)
  • Ear defenders
  • Protective gloves
  • Steel toe-capped/non-slip boots
  • Harnesses for working at heights.

The list is not exhaustive, but many workplaces will require their workers to wear at least one of these items during the course of their duties. Although some items can be expensive, your employer must provide you with these items should a risk assessment require them. It is also important that employers regularly reassess their workplaces and the risks involved in the duties they are asking their employees to carry out. In addition, employers are also required to;

  • Ensure that all PPE is stored correctly and not damaged
  • All PPE is adjustable or able to fit the user
  • The correct PPE items are used for the correct task
  • Ensure that adequate training is provided to employees on how to use PPE.

The cultural shift towards more risk-averse workplaces that are fully mindful of all relevant health and safety legislation, such as the Factories Act 1960, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and all subsequent updates,  has seen a significant drop in workplace-related injuries over the last thirty years. Even where employers have done everything required of them though, there still remains an element of risk in most, if not all, workplaces.

How we can help

Your employer’s duty of care is a legal one. If you have been injured in your workplace and feel that your employer has failed to carry out to provide you with the correct protective equipment or hasn’t shown you how to use it properly, you might be eligible to make a compensation claim as a result.

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist law firms who have a track record making successful workplace injury compensation claims. After your initial consultation with one of our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

Do not hesitate to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.

When you are at work, your employer has a legal responsibility to report any accidents, pay you sick pay and allow you to have time off because of an accident you suffer at work, should it be necessary.

To give you an idea of the scale of this issue, the most recent figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that:

• 581,000 injuries occurred at work in 2019
• 28.2 million working days were lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury in the last financial year

While this is a decrease on the figures reported by the HSE in previous years, it is still unacceptable.

How to report an injury

All employers must keep an accident book. This is a legal requirement, and it is for the benefit of employees. It offers a useful record of what happened and when in case you need time off work or you need to claim compensation.

Who is responsible?

Your employer is legally required to do everything reasonably possible to ensure both your physical and mental well-being at work.

The first thing a responsible employer should do once the initial accident or injury has been dealt with is to carry out a risk assessment and do whatever is needed to ensure that a similar incident does not happen again.

It is important to remember that you and your fellow employees do also have to take reasonable action to ensure that your health and safety needs are taken care of.

Compensation

If you have been injured at work and you believe that your employer is at fault, you are within your rights to make a personal injury claim. Any claim must be made within three years of the date of the accident and you will usually need to hire a specialist personal injury solicitor to represent you.

How we can help

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist law firms who have a track record making successful workplace injury compensation claims. We and the firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

If you decide to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.

Do not hesitate then to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.

The most common type of accidents in the workplace continue to be slips, trips and falls. Although these terms sound very similar and may seem like they have been grouped together because of this, they are in fact quite different from each other and protecting you from injuries caused by slips, trips and falls is part of your employer’s legal duty of care to you under the terms of the Health and Safety at Work Act and other relevant legislation.

Slips

In terms of the workplace environment, a ‘slip’ is defined as any time your feet lose grip on the surface you are either standing or walking on. This may be due to the floor being wet, because it has recently been polished or because a rug hasn’t been securely fixed to the ground.

An example of when this would stray into the territory of your employer breaching their duty of care to you would be if the cleaning staff mopped the floor but then failed to leave out the correct warning signage and you then slipped on the wet floor and harm yourself. In this instance, your employer would be at fault for failing to ensure the cleaning staff had done their job correctly and you would potentially be able to claim compensation from your employer for any loss of earnings you suffered while having to take time off work in order to recover.

Trips

In terms of the workplace,  a ‘trip’ usually happens when you are walking on an uneven surface or if the lighting in part of your workplace isn’t bright enough for you to see items that are large enough for you to trip over.

If your workplace has a cluttered floor and, for whatever reason, you trip over and injure yourself, this would be an example of a trip in the workplace your employer would be liable for.

Falls

While the term ‘fall’ usually makes us think of a fall from a great height, that is not always the case in the workplace. For example, you may simply be using a small stepladder to help a colleague hang something on the office wall. If the stepladder is faulty though, you or your colleague may incur an injury as a result. While this may seem inconsequential, it is worth remembering that even a fall from a few inches can cause nasty injuries.

How we can help

Slips, trips and falls are still the most common form of workplace injury and, only by following Health and Safety guidelines, will the number of incidents start to come down.

However, if you find yourself injured because of one of the above types of accidents, be sure to speak to a recognised personal injury solicitor at the earliest opportunity.

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist law firms who have a track record making successful workplace injury compensation claims. We and the firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

If you decide to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.

Do not hesitate then to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a debilitating condition caused by the compression of the median nerve within the wrist. Because of this, the condition is heavily linked with Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), although it should be said that the conditions are distinctly different.

In this guide, we wil outline the causes of CTS, how to treat it and how we can help if you have developed CTS due to your job.

Causes of Carpal Tunnel

CTS can be caused or exacerbated by repetitive movements. Therefore, you should try to avoid using your hands for unnecessary tasks at home and at work. For example, spending a long time on a computer using a keyboard or a tablet/smartphone at home will only make the condition worse.

High-risk job roles and tasks that should be avoided are ones that require you to work very fast in order to hit targets. Assembly lines, stock processing warehouses and heavy labour jobs in particular are common workplaces associated with the diagnosis of CTS.

We acknowledge that avoiding repetitive tasks at work can be difficult though. However, your employer is legally obliged to do everything they reasonably can to protect your physical well-being while you are at work. Furthermore, if you develop a condition or have a pre-existing condition, they have to make reasonable adjustments to your working environment and your duties in order to accommodate you.

You should inform your employer of your condition then and explain the situation. They should then support you in every way they can and carry out risk assessments on your workspace. You may be able to pursue a claim for compensation if your work has caused or exacerbated your condition.

The difference between Carpal Tunnel and Vibratory Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can also be brought on by the constant use of vibratory tools, such as pneumatic drills, chainsaws, and grinders. This is known as Vibratory Induced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (VCTS). The symptoms are similar, but the cause of the condition is heavy vibration affecting the wrists and causing swelling which, in turn, puts pressure on the median nerve. In these cases, the cause of the condition is almost always due to the sufferer’s occupation as well as using the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating tools.

Anyone who operates heavy hand tools, especially ones that emit high levels of vibration are at high risk of contracting VCTS and another condition known as Vibration White Finger.

Treatments for Carpal Tunnel

Corticosteroid injections are a possible form of treatment and can be provided by the NHS. This is a non-invasive treatment and does not require surgery. Other basic treatments can be simply applying a wrist splint to support your wrist on a daily basis.

Decompression or release surgery is also available on the NHS. As it is a surgical intervention, this procedure will not be considered by a medical professional unless the condition is very severe and other treatments have not worked though.

How can The Compensation Experts help?

If you have been affected by CTS or VCTS and believe it to be work-related The Compensation Experts can provide legal assistance and help you obtain compensation on a No Win No Fee basis. Our offices are open Monday–Friday 9 am–5 pm and our expert advisors are always on hand to discuss. If you are thinking about making a claim why not get in touch today for a brief, no-obligation chat today.

If you believe that your workplace environment or your tasks at work have caused CTS to develop, you should first speak to your employer to ask for reasonable adjustments to be made. If these do not occur, and you then develop the condition or your condition worsens, then your employer is liable and you may be able to claim compensation from them.

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist legal firms who have a proven track record in making successful industrial disease and workplace injury compensation claims. We and the legal firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

If you decide to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.

Do not hesitate then to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is an umbrella term for an increasingly common range of injuries that affect the hands and wrists and which are caused by prolonged and repeated movement. Initial symptoms may only initially appear while a certain action is being carried but may include aching, soreness or pain, stiffness, cramp, loss of strength in your hands, throbbing or numbness.

(Please note that RSI is a different condition to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which affects the same area.)

Symptoms will usually be mild initially and will not cause you too much concern. However, if left unchecked, these symptoms can gradually develop into severe, potentially constant pain and long-term health issues.

What causes RSI?

Repetitive strain injury is usually caused by damage to the tendons due to prolonged over-use. Poor posture, often related to inadequate working conditions, can also exacerbate tendon damage, leading to RSI. Other contributory factors include cold temperatures, often from working outside or if the office you work in isn’t heated sufficiently, as well as regular contact with vibrating machinery, which can also cause other industrial diseases like Vibration White Finger.

Who is at risk?

Anyone who carries out repetitive movements is potentially at risk from contracting RSI. Office workers who spend long periods of time tapping at computer keyboards often get RSI in their fingers and wrists. Factory workers who spend hours of every day assembling items or carrying out repetitive duties often contract RSI as a result of their work. Construction workers who work outside in cold temperatures, often with vibrating machinery such as drills are also at risk.

What to do if you think you might have RSI

The first step should always be to visit your doctor or GP, who will be able to tell you what steps you need to take to stop your condition worsening. As you will now have been officially diagnosed by a medical professional and this diagnosis will now be a part of your medical records, it also means that your employer will be required to act to help stop the condition getting worse as well.

Your employer’s duty

It should be said though that your employer has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and its subsequent updates to do everything reasonably possible to protect your physical well-being at work. This includes doing everything it reasonably can to prevent you form developing RSI in the first place. If you do then develop any kind of injury or disease, whether it has been caused by the workplace or not, your employer is also required to make reasonable adjustments so that you are able to continue working.

How we can help

If you believe that your workplace environment or your tasks at work increase the risk of you developing RSI, you should first speak to your employer to ask for reasonable adjustments to be made. If these do not occur, and you then develop the condition, then your employer is liable and you may be able to claim compensation from them.

At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist legal firms who have a proven track record in making successful industrial disease and workplace injury compensation claims. We and the legal firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.

If you decide to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.

Do not hesitate then to get in touch with us via the contact form on our website or by calling 0161 413 8765.