Types of accidents at work that cause back injuries
There are numerous ways that people sustain back injuries in the workplace, including;
- Through lifting heavy objects
- As a result of slipping on a wet floor or tripping over an object (the most common type of non-fatal workplace accidents, according to the Health and Safety Executive statistics)
- Falling from height – ladders, scaffolding, stairs, roofs
- Being struck by a moving object e.g. a forklift truck carrying pallets or other items
Types of accidents at work that cause back injuries
There are numerous ways that people sustain back injuries in the workplace, including;
- Through lifting heavy objects
- As a result of slipping on a wet floor or tripping over an object (the most common type of non-fatal workplace accidents, according to the Health and Safety Executive statistics)
- Falling from height – ladders, scaffolding, stairs, roofs
- Being struck by a moving object e.g. a forklift truck carrying pallets or other items
Can I make a compensation claim if I injure my back at work?
If the accident wasn’t your fault then you will have reasonable prospects of being able to make a successful claim against your employer for back injury compensation. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 as amended in 2002 provide employers with a list of measures for dealing with risks from manual handling. If your employer did not have the appropriate measures in place and you injure your back from moving or lifting heavy objects, then they your employer is likely to be liable to compensate you for any back injury you suffer as a result.
Employers owe a duty of care to their workers to take all reasonable steps to ensure their safety and wellbeing. Not only does this mean, for example, ensuring that all walkways, stairs and gangways are free from obstructions that might cause an employee to slip or trip. It also means that they should carry out proper and regular risk assessments. It is an employer’s duty to ensure employees are properly trained both to carry out their own duties safely but also to make them aware of their responsibilities regarding their fellow co-workers.
If an employer is in breach of duty of his duty of care which results in an employee suffering a workplace back injury accident, the injured worker may decide to bring a claim for compensation.
If you have suffered a back injury through an accident at work within the last 3 years and are unsure whether you can make a claim, call us on 029 2048 3615 and our accident at work solicitors will be able to advise you on whether they think you have reasonable grounds for making a claim. This initial phone consultation will be entirely FREE of charge and there will be no obligation on you to proceed further. If we do think you have grounds for a claim and you would like us to take the matter up on your behalf then in most cases, we will be able to act for you using a No Win, No Fee agreement.
What type of back injuries can happen in workplace accidents?
The types of back injury claims at work that we deal with for clients, are wide and varied – from relatively minor sprains, strains, disc prolapses and soft tissue injuries that in compensation terms are worth between £2000 and £1000, up to the most serious of back injuries. Spinal cord and nerve root injuries are the types of back injury claim where compensation for pain and suffering alone, can be for as much as £140,000.
What else can I claim for as a result of a back-injury claim?
- Any loss of earnings that result from you having to take time of work following the accident
- The cost of any private medical treatment or therapy that you incur directly as a result of the injury sustained in the accident
- Any other losses that you can prove were incurred as a result of the accident
What should I do immediately after the accident has happened?
- Make sure that the accident is reported to and recorded by your employers, as soon as is reasonably practical,
- Get seen by your GP or if the accident is more serious, visit A&E, as soon as possible,
- At an appropriate time try and get the details of anyone who witnessed the accident,
- Contact us here at Mooneerams to discuss the circumstances of the accident and advise us of the injuries you have sustained. If you are within 2-3 hours driving time of our offices, we will be happy to visit you at your home to discuss further with you and take all your details!
You are entirely free to ask any solicitor of your own choosing to take on your claim for back injury at work compensation. That applies whether you are in a trade union or otherwise. Mooneerams only deal with personal injury claims and are the only purely claimant personal injury solicitors in Wales. We don’t act for insurance companies or employers. You’ll soon be reassured that you are in good hands.
Call Mooneerams now on 029 2048 3615 or complete our quick claim form.
