Oil is probably one of the slippiest substances you’ll find in the workplace and poses an obvious risk. However, it is an essential requirement to keep machines, equipment and vehicles operating properly. So what happens if you slip on oil at work? Well, if the accident was your employer’s fault, it could mean you’re eligible to claim compensation for any resulting injuries.

If you need any advice on claiming compensation for slipping on oil at work, our team can provide it. Firstly, we’ll review your claim with you and then discuss the merits of suing your employer for compensation. There’s no obligation to take legal action but if that’s what you decide to do, and one of our personal injury solicitors is happy to help, you’ll benefit from a No Win No Fee claim. That means legal fees are not payable unless your claim is won and compensation is paid out.

To see if you could start a claim after slipping on oil at work call us today on 0800 6524 881 to speak to a specialist right away.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For Slipping On Oil At Work?

To check your eligibility to claim compensation for slipping on oil at work, a personal injury solicitor will generally need to see that:

• Your employer breached their duty of care through an act of negligence; and
• You slipped on oil in the workplace because of that negligence; and
• During your fall, you sustained an injury/injuries.

In most cases, employers don’t deal with workplace injury claims themselves. Instead, the claim will be handled by their liability insurance provider. Therefore, we’ll explain the types of evidence that you could supply to improve the chances that the insurer will compensate you later on.

What Is An Employer’s Duty Of Care At Work?

Legally, your employer has a duty of care to provide as safe a workplace as possible. This duty is established by many laws. When thinking about trying to stop you from slipping on oil spills, these laws can include:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
• The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992.
• The Provision and Use Of Work Equipment Regulation 1998.

These laws and others could form the basis of a personal injury claim if you’ve slipped on oil at work and injured yourself. To try and prevent accidents and injuries at work, your employer has a duty to:

• Ensure all equipment is maintained regularly and repaired when necessary to try and prevent oil spills.
• Conduct regular risk assessments.
• Ensure oil spills are cleaned up properly and cordoned off with warning signs where necessary.
• Train staff on working safely when using oil.
• Ensure PPE such as anti-slip footwear is provided where it’s not possible to prevent exposure to oil.

If you slipped on oil at work due to your employer neglecting their responsibilities toward your health and safety, you may have a case to claim compensation against them.

Should I Be Worried About Claiming Against My Employer?

It’s important to understand that employers can not punish their workers for making a legitimate personal injury claim against them. So long as you have submitted an honest claim, you can’t be dismissed, demoted, denied promotion or treated differently in any way as a result of taking legal action against them.

Any negative action of that type might allow you to also claim constructive or unfair dismissal.

Therefore, if you believe you are eligible to claim compensation after you slipped on oil at work, please call and discuss your case with one of our specialists today.

Common Injuries From Slipping On Oil

You might be able to claim compensation for anything other than the most minor injuries sustained after slipping on oil at work if your employer caused the accident in some way. Some of the more likely injuries that could lead to an oil spill claim include:

• Head injuries if you hit your head during the fall.
• Dislocation injuries (dislocated knees, dislocated wrist etc).
• Pelvis injuries.
• Fractured bones.
• Cuts, bruises and lacerations.
• Spinal injuries.
• Soft tissue injuries including tears, sprains and strains.
• Elbow injuries.

If you’d like us to help you begin a claim, please call today. We can help you understand your options and we’ll review your claim for free even if your injury is not listed here.

How Much Compensation For Slipping On Oil At Work?

Any physical and/or psychological injuries you’ve sustained after slipping on oil in the workplace will generally form a large part of any compensation you receive. Although it isn’t possible to give an accurate figure without all the relevant details, please refer to our compensation calculator for some idea of what specific injuries might be worth:

To determine how your injuries from slipping on oil have affected you and your future prognosis, your solicitor will arrange for usually an independent medical assessment to be carried out. This involves a meeting with a specialist who’ll examine the injuries you’ve sustained and then write a report. Once that report has been received, your solicitor will work out what they believe is a fair settlement figure.

In addition, if you make a successful claim, slipping on oil at work could lead to compensation to cover:

• Rehabilitation and medical expenses (physiotherapy etc).
• Travel costs.
• Lost earnings (and future reductions in income).
• The cost of a carer.
• Replacing any personal items damaged in your accident.
• Making accessibility changes at home to improve your quality of life if you’ve sustained a long-term disability.
• Loss of amenity if your injuries stop you from enjoying any usual activities.

To try and ensure that a fair settlement is received, your solicitor will examine how you’ve suffered in detail before your claim is sent to your employer.

Evidence To Prove You Slipped On Oil At Work

Even if your employer has admitted responsibility or apologised to you for causing you to slip on oil at work, their insurance provider might not be as sympathetic. They will usually only pay compensation if there is evidence available to show why you slipped on the oil and how you’ve suffered as a consequence.

In oil slip claims, your solicitor may use any of the following types of evidence:

• Accident reports. Most employers must have an accident report book or equivalent. A copy of the form relating to your fall could help to prove when and where in the workplace you were injured. Please refer to the following guide if there’s no accident book at work.
• Witness statements. Your solicitor might contact anybody who saw you slip and fall on oil and ask them to provide a statement about what they saw. Therefore, try to collect contact details for anybody present at the time.
• Medical notes. X-rays, scan results and medical records will be collected to help prove the extent of your injuries and any treatment received following your fall.
• CCTV footage. Many workplaces have security cameras on site to help protect staff and premises. If your accident was recorded, you could ask for a copy of any relevant footage to support your claim.
• Photographs. You can keep a record of any visible injuries by taking regular pictures as you recover. Also, you could use photographs from where the oil was spilt to help explain the cause of your fall.

The more evidence you have to support your claim, the better. However, don’t be put off from contacting us if you don’t have everything yet because your solicitor will work hard to secure any further information needed if your claim is taken on.

Time Limits For Making A Compensation Claim

There is a limitation period of 3 years for work-related accident claims in the UK. As you’ll usually realise you’ve been injured straight after a fall, you’ll have 3 years to claim from the date of your accident.

In our opinion, it’s better to start the oil spill claims process earlier than not. Not only will that mean you’ll be compensated sooner if your claim is won, but it should also make it much easier to secure the evidence required to support your claim.

In some cases, if your employer admits responsibility for your accident, interim payments might be paid to help you deal with lost income or other expenses before your claim is settled in full.

Starting The Slipped On Oil At Work Claims Process Today

If you believe that you’re entitled to compensation after slipping on oil in the workplace, please call 0800 6524 881 to start the claims process. Whatever you decide to do after your free consultation, we’ll provide legal advice and explain your options.

If it looks like your employer should compensate you and one of our personal injury solicitors is happy to represent you, you’ll benefit from their No Win No Fee service. That means no legal fees will be charged whatsoever unless you receive compensation for your injuries.

If you’ve slipped on oil at work and you still have additional questions, feel free to use the live chat to get in touch for a free consultation.