All the employers in the UK are legally obligated to purchase liability insurance that provides compensation to the workers in the event of any accident that occurs due to negligence of the employer. The system is beneficial for both employees and employers. This is because the employees get cover for all the costs that incur on them after an accident at work and, on the other hand, the employers do not have to pay a lump sum to injured workers. Until this, it is all fine. However, the dispute arises when the employers do not want to admit their liability. It becomes a compulsion then for the employees to file compensation claims against their employers.
It has to be understood that when an injured worker claims for compensation, he is actually claiming compensation from the insurer of the employer. It is, on the other hand, quite natural that the employers would like to refuse their liability by any means so that they won’t have to pay the extra premiums. However, it is the workers’ fundamental right to claim redress for all the injuries and other losses resulting during the course of employment. And here’s where the work accident compensation claim specialists become instrumental, in claiming and obtaining compensation from the other party (i.e. the employers).
The fact that many of these solicitors work on ‘no win no fee’ basis, driven by pro bono ethics, may relieve many of the injured workers out there who had lost all faith in the worker’s compensation system of the country and had already presumed that the stories of many workers getting compensated for the losses are fabricated and are for creating gimmick. However, the injured workers should know that though access to justice has been guaranteed by the no win no fee workers compensation claim specialists, there are certain implicit terms and conditions that should be comprehended. For example, a claimant may have to pay the ‘disbursements’ to the solicitors even if they lose the case. It is, therefore, highly imperative for the willing claimants to read between the lines of the Conditional Fee Agreements (judicial term for a ‘no-win-no-fee agreement).
What are the losses and damages for which you cannot claim compensation? You cannot claim compensation for injuries inflicted by yourself. If you got involved in any fight or altercation at your workplace and your employer cannot be (and should not be) held liable for that, you cannot claim compensation. If you were involved in murder or arson and during that felonious act, got severely injured, your employer would not be held liable for that. In a nutshell, you cannot claim compensation if you go against the company policies and also not for the injuries that resulted from some events completely unrelated to your employment.
You should keep in mind at all times that you have loads of things to do on your part before appointing any accidents at work solicitor. You should first report the incident to your employer and notify the authority in written that you are going to take legal steps against the organization. On the other hand, you should also take proper medication as promptly as possible and follow your doctor’s advice. This way, you can secure compensation for your suffering which is not really quantifiable in materialistic terms.
James Vincent is chief editor of ULaw Online, a Northwest England based legal firm that aids work accident victims in incriminating their employers for their sheer negligence. They are provided with the scope to receive zero-risk legal solutions for making the accident at work claim in a streamlined manner. Know how to file accident at work claim here.