A lot of people who suffer an injury at work are reluctant to make a claim for fear of upsetting their employer. However, if you are among the 1.2 million people who suffer an injury or illness at work, you have the right to claim damages to compensate you for any pain, suffering and financial losses caused by an accident if wasn’t your fault. In making a claim, the law also offers protection to prevent your employer from dismissing you or otherwise acting unfairly.
I’m worried about my job security if I make a work accident claim
It is against the law for any employer to sack an employee because he or she is making a claim for personal injury compensation. Employers can only dismiss members of their workforce for a good reason and must provide written warnings and follow a set procedure.
If any employee is dismissed because they are making a claim after suffering an accident at work, then they have the right to make an additional compensation claim for unfair dismissal. It is also against the law for an employer to harass an employee for making a claim or to treat them any differently. If this occurs, an employee has the right to launch a case for constructive dismissal, which could also result in compensation.
Will I get sick pay if my injury forces me to take time off work?
If you can’t work because you are injured then you have the right to statutory sick pay (SSP). However, SSP is usually a lot less than most people’s wages, and while some employers do pay more than the minimum, others do not, which means that the accident could affect you financially. It is therefore important to make a claim for personal injury, as otherwise an accident that wasn’t your fault could end up costing you a lot of money in lost earnings.
Do I have the right to claim?
If you are injured in an accident at work and it wasn’t your fault then you have the right to claim for compensation for the pain and suffering that were caused and for the costs inflicted on you. All employers have insurance to cover such claims so your claim for damages should not affect them financially. Because of this, few employers ever act unreasonably to members of their workforce who make a claim for personal injury, so you should not be afraid to do so.
