If you do have an accident at work and suffer an injury, you should first report the incident, following any accident at work procedure set out by your employer. Employers are legally required to maintain an accident book and you should ensure that what happened is accurately and fully recorded within your employer’s accident book. If you require medical assistance, it is always recommended to seek this as soon as possible, depending on the severity of your injuries. If you do seek medical attention, it may be helpful to keep a note of where you went (for example what hospital you attended), what you were diagnosed with, and any treatment or prescriptions you were given.

Your employer has a duty to report the accident to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) through a RIDDOR report if the injury means that you were taken straight to hospital for treatment. Similarly, if the accident means that you are away from work for more than seven consecutive days the accident must be reported to the HSE. 
Depending on the circumstances of the accident, the seriousness of your injury, and the practicality of doing so, it is helpful to try to gather information about what happened as soon as possible. This can include taking steps such as taking photographs of any dangerous or faulty equipment where the accident occurred, or obtaining contact details of any witnesses who may have been present.

In the longer term, it can be helpful to keep a record of how your injuries develop; what symptoms you have and for how long they last, any treatment you receive or medication you are prescribed, and any impact that your injuries have on you. If your injuries cause you to lose income, or incur additional expenditure which you would not otherwise have had to pay, such as prescription charges, or travel expenses, it can also be helpful to keep a record of this information. You may be entitled to Industries Injuries Disablement Benefit as well as other welfare benefits if you are unable to return to work because of an accident at work. 

In order to bring a claim for compensation following an accident at work, you have to show that:

1. Your employer owed you a duty of care;
2. Your employer breached that duty;
3. You were injured as a result of the breach; and
4. You suffered a loss.

Your employer has a legal duty to keep you safe at work, which includes providing a safe work place, and safe systems of work. Your employer should also have insurance to cover claims for accidents where someone is injured as a result of their fault or negligence. Some of our clients worry about bringing a claim against their employer. We are sensitive to concerns you may have about bringing a claim against your employer, and appreciate how important it is to safeguard your job so that, if you are able to, you may return to work following your accident.

Personal injury claims, including those arising from accidents at work, are subject to a limitation period of three years within which you can bring a claim. The three years typically begins to run from the date of the accident. The rules differ if you sustain a very serious injury and lose capacity to litigate.  If a friend or family member has died as a result of an accident at work, the three year time limit will normally begin running from the date of death.