Your employer has legal obligations to carry out certain procedures to minimize the risk of injury that you are exposed to. Their responsibilities include providing adequate health and safety equipment and protective clothing, as well as ensuring that everyone works in a safe environment which is maintained to high standards. Your employer must also provide suitable training and first aid facilities and evaluate any risks in the workplace in order to prevent accidents. If your employer fails to do any one of these things and you suffer or develop an injury as a result, you should be entitled to claim compensation.
Frequent accidents at work can included;
Slip and falls in a level area.
Falls from a height i.e from stairs, ladders or scaffolding.
- Injuries from being stuck by unsecured items.
Manual handling, which includes lifting and carrying, pushing and pulling, and twisting and turning of the body.
The use and handling of machinery, which was unsuitable for the task or not serviced correctly.
Exposure to chemicals and dangerous substances through a lack of protective clothing and equipment.
- The hazards of using and moving transport vehicles in the workplace.
If your employer fails to meet their legal duty and you suffer injury as a result, then you are entitled to claim compensation not only for your injury but also for ongoing pain and suffering and financial expenses such as the following:
- Lost wages.
- Medical treatment.
- Medical devices and equipment.
Rehabilitation services.
- Prescription drugs.
- Accommodation and transportation adaptations.
- Travel expenses.
If you are thinking about making a personal injury claim* against your employer, there are a few things you can do to make your claim as strong as possible. Report the accident to your employer as soon as possible. This will ensure a record is kept in the accident book, which will provide evidence in support of your accident claim. If that is not possible then you should keep a written note of the accident yourself. You should also see your doctor so that there is medical evidence of your injury, even if you think it is not that serious. Your medical evidence is ultimately what your compensation is based upon, so it’s important you keep these records up to date.
If you have been involved in an accident at work and believe you are entitled to claim compensation, then contact Houlihan Solicitors on 061 502 090 or email [email protected] to arrange a consultation with one of our experienced personal injury solicitors.
*In contentious business, solicitors may not calculate fees as a percentage of any award or settlement.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. There is no obligation on any employer to pay a staff member their wages if they are absent from work due to illness or injury (even if the injury has been caused by an accident at work).
If you are unable to work due to an injury, you are entitled to seek illness benefit from the State. This payment is paid for up to a maximum of 2 years provided that you have enough tax contributions made in the previous years. Alternatively, you should reach out to your employer to see if there is a sick pay scheme in operation that you may be able to avail of for the first few weeks or months.
No. Being involved in an accident at work does not constitute grounds for ending your employment. However, if you are unable to return to work for a significant amount of time, your employer is entitled to send you for an independent occupational medical assessment to give them some indication of your ability to return to work.
You should seek medical attention immediately following any injury at work. You should thereafter report the incident to your manager or supervisor and make sure there is a written record of it.