Injured At Work Do I Get Paid?
Last updated on November 10th, 2021
According to the law, any worker who is injured at work may be entitled to claim compensation if their injuries were caused by a no-fault accident. A no-fault accident is one in which the victim is not at fault. For you to get paid compensation for an injury at work, the accident must have been caused by a third person.
These two examples offer a better understanding of when you may or may not be entitled to get paid if you are injured at work.
- You are chatting on your phone while standing atop a ladder stacking items on high shelves. If you fall because you were distracted by your phone call and lost your balance, then the accident is your fault and you may not be entitled to any type of compensatory payment.
- You are standing atop a ladder doing the same job but this time without a phone. Instead you fall and get injured because the ladder provided was not fit for purpose and your employers had already been made aware of this. In this case the accident is caused due to your employer’s negligence and you should get paid.
Who Pays Compensation For Work Injuries?
An an employee, your employer is required by law to pay you a portion of your salary while you are recovering from your work-related injury or illness. However, your employer will not be paying this directly from the company’s funds.
In the UK, it is mandatory for all organisations, regardless of size, to have adequate worker’s compensation insurance that covers medical costs when an employee gets injured at work. This means if you are injured while doing your job, your company’s insurance company is responsible for covering the compensation due to you.
What Type Of Injuries Can You Get Paid For?
You are entitled to get paid for any type of injury that is caused by your employer’s negligence or mistake. Typically workplace injuries are caused by one-time events or repeated exposures at work.
One-time events could include but are not limited to:
- Slip and fall accidents;
- Falling from height;
- Getting hurt by an object falling from height;
- Burn injuries from accidental contact with hazardous chemicals;
- Faulty equipment;
- Accident while operating dangerous machinery;
- Getting crushed by a heavy vehicle;
- Needle stick injuries.
Injuries due to repeated exposure may include but are not limited to:
- Back pain from continuous lifting of heavy items without proper support;
- Carpal tunnel syndrome from repeatedly performing the same tasks for several hours every day;
- Tinnitus or hearing loss from being exposed to loud noises continuously;
- Respiratory diseases from exposure to low levels of toxic fumes;
- Tennis elbow from using the arm and elbow repeatedly to perform the same tasks for extended periods.
Two Important Requirements To Win A Work Injury Claim
To file a successful work accident claim and get paid for your injuries, you must be able to prove that:
- Your injuries were caused due to an accident at work.
- The accident was caused due to somebody else’s mistake or negligence.
Things You Should Do After An Accident At Work To Ensure You Get Paid
Your first priority after any accident at work is of course your health. If you are severely injured, call for an ambulance and request a colleague to handle the other formalities on your behalf.
If you can do it yourself, start working on establishing some kind of record of the accident that will serve to support your compensation claim. The most important things to do immediately after the incident is to report it to your site or floor manager and also create a written incident report in the accident book. This protects your rights by making sure that your employer cannot deny knowledge that the accident happened.
Ask a work colleague to take photographs of your injuries (if you’re not able to do so yourself) and also of the scene of the accident. Photographs and video that show what caused the accident can be the strongest proof you can provide to back your claim. It’s very difficult to ignore strong photographic evidence.
Ask around and get the names and contact details of anybody who may have witnessed what happened. Getting witness statements is another thing that will help strengthen your claim and ensure that you get paid for your work injury.
How Much Will You Get Paid If Injured At Work?
Compensation for work-related injuries vary depending on the severity of your injuries, actual and projected expenses for your medical treatment, income lost for the days that you had to stay away from work, and cost of mobility aids or home care if necessary. You should also get compensated for your pain and suffering, trauma, and loss of amenity if you are unable to pursue your hobbies and other activities that you participated in prior to the accident.