Accidents at Work

Wolferstans Partner, Linda Woollams, has over 30 years’ legal experience and specialises in all types of personal injury claims, including high value claims for serious workplace accidents and injuries including claims for those serving in the armed forces. Linda is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) reflecting her high level of expertise in this complex area of law.

Chartered Legal Executive, Tracey Barton, has more than 10 years’ experience handling personal injury claims for a wide range of clients who have been injured at work,.

Our workplace injury lawyers have particular experience with many types of claims, including:

To be eligible for accident at work compensation, you need to be able to show that your employer failed in their duty of care to provide a safe working environment. You will also need to show that your injuries were caused by the accident

Our approachable, expert accident at work lawyers can guide you through the entire claims process. We will ensure all of the appropriate evidence is gathered to build an effective case and that your case is presented in the best possible way. We will then represent you in negotiations with your employer and during court proceedings where required, giving you the strongest chance of securing fair compensation.

When you first contact us about your personal injury claim, we will take a few initial details, such as:

When we have this information, we will be able to consider whether we believe you have good prospects of winning your case. This advice will be part of your free initial consultation.

We will then help you to consider potential sources of funding, such as existing protection under your insurance, conditional fee agreements (that are sometimes known as “no win no fee” agreements), or even private funding if you would prefer.

Our accident at work lawyers have strong expertise with negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). This means we can almost always secure compensation for workplace injuries with an out-of-court settlement, allowing you to avoid the need for a court hearing in most cases.

Resolving your claim with an out-of-court settlement usually allows you to get compensation faster and avoid the stress and uncertainty of court proceedings,

Where court proceedings are required, we can offer the robust legal representation and compassionate personal support needed to help you navigate the process successfully and give you the best chance of receiving a fair outcome.

Personal injury claims must normally be made within 3 years of the date of an accident. However, in some circumstances we can apply on your behalf to get the deadline extended.

If you were not aware of your injuries immediately the relevant date for the purposes of making a claim is the date of knowledge (the date that you knew that you were injured).

If you are claiming for someone who has been left without the mental capacity to make a claim due to their injuries, there is usually no time limit for making a claim.

Finding the right option for you
It will not cost you anything to contact us for initial advice. We are happy to have a confidential discussion with you to advise you whether you have a claim.

If we advise you to make a claim, and you wish to instruct us, we will review all the funding options with you and tell you which one is most appropriate.

Options for funding your workplace injury claim
There are various ways of funding your claim. You can be confident that if we believe you have a good claim, we will find a way of funding it.

The most common options for covering the cost of an accident at work claim are:

Conditional Fee Agreement-
Known as a “No Win, No Fee” agreement. With a no win, no fee accident at work claim you do not need to pay anything to start a claim and will only be liable for our fees if we secure compensation for you. This takes the financial risk out of pursuing compensation and ensures your personal financial circumstances should be no barrier to starting a claim. If the “No Win, No Fee” option is available, it may be the best option for you.

Legal Expenses Insurance-
Many people have what is known as “Before the Event (BTE)” insurance as part of their motor, home contents or other policy. This may be described as Legal Expenses Insurance or Family Legal Protection or similar. We will check with you whether you have any such cover and, if you do so, will contact the Insurance Company on your behalf, to see whether there is any advantage to you in using that insurance to fund the cost of your case.

Trade Union Funding-
If you are a member of a Trade Union, they may provide some help with legal issues such as making a workplace injury compensation claim.

Exactly how much you can claim for a workplace accident will depend on the circumstances, including how serious your injuries are and the impact this has on your life.

In general, you may be able to claim for things such as:

We aim to provide a realistic estimate of your claims value at the earliest opportunity, giving you a clear indication of how much compensation you may be entitled to. You will then be able to make an informed decision about moving forward with your accident at work claim.

Each individual claim is different and will vary in length depending on the individual circumstances.

If the other party admits they were at fault, you could receive compensation within as little as 6 months. On the other hand, if liability is in dispute, or you are suffering from ongoing problems, your claim may take longer to resolve. In some cases, we can obtain interim payments from the other side to make sure you are not out of pocket.

This is not necessarily an issue. We have means of tracing former employers and directors. We generally deal with the employer’s insurance company even if the employer is not trading.

Statutory Sick Pay
Employers Health and Safety Responsibilities
Health and Safety Executive – What must be reported after an accident
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers