Work should be safe. Yet thousands are injured every year in ways that better systems could have prevented. If you have been hurt at work, a specialist solicitor can outline your options and protect your position from the outset. Many successful outcomes begin with timely advice about personal injury claims.
Where and how injuries happen
Every year, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) turns up the same troubling patterns in its reports on workplace accidents – slips and trips on slippery or cluttered floors, strains from lifting and moving heavy loads, falls from heights, tangles with operating machinery, and impacts from flying or rolling objects.
They show up reliably in the HSE’s stats and enforcement reports, like the 2024/25 figures where over 60,000 non-fatal injuries were logged, with slips, trips, and manual handling making up close to half, while the 124 fatal cases were mostly down to falls and strikes. What’s driving all this? Usually, it’s everyday lapses like lax cleaning habits, spotty risk checks, training that falls short, or gear that’s not kept up to the mark under regulations like PUWER 1998.
In warehouses, care homes, hospitality and retail, breaches of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 are frequent. In construction, fragile roofing, makeshift access and unsecured ladders still feature in accident investigations. These are not unusual one-off events; they are patterns recorded in HSE data and notices. For clear next steps and practical support, Beacon Law can advise on liability, evidence and the claims process.
Do you have a claim?
A valid claim typically turns on negligence or breach of statutory duty and evidence of loss. The question is practical: did the employer take reasonable steps—sensible systems, suitable training, safe equipment, and real supervision? If the answer is no, liability may follow.
Record-keeping helps. Under RIDDOR, many incidents must be logged and reported, preserving facts that can later support a claim. Medical records, photographs of the scene, witness details and copies of any risk assessments are equally useful.
What a specialist solicitor actually does
A specialist lawyer does more than draft letters. They secure disclosure of accident book entries, training logs, maintenance schedules and any relevant risk assessments. Independent medical experts are instructed to confirm diagnosis, prognosis and treatment needs. Where necessary, technical experts test slip resistance or assess guarding and lock-off procedures.
Income and rehabilitation are prioritised. Interim payments, where the insurer admits some responsibility, can fund therapy and offset lost wages. Valuation is tied to the Judicial College Guidelines and comparable outcomes, not guesswork.
Typical steps include:
- Preserving CCTV, RIDDOR reports and witness statements
- Obtaining inspection and cleaning records and testing floor surfaces where appropriate
- Coordinating medical experts and early rehabilitation
- Quantifying losses: earnings, care, travel, aids/equipment and any future disadvantage
Examples grounded in published patterns
The following scenarios mirror issues frequently seen in HSE investigations and court reports; they are illustrative, not testimonials.
- A night-shift worker slips on a diesel spill by a loading bay. Inspection records are patchy and there is no effective spill response plan. Testing shows inadequate slip resistance. With liability conceded, rehabilitation is arranged and a mid five-figure settlement is reached in line with comparable outcomes referenced in the Judicial College Guidelines.
- A fabrication operative’s hand is drawn into a press lacking adequate guarding. Maintenance documents indicate PUWER breaches. Surgery and occupational therapy follow; the worker cannot return to former duties. Future loss of earnings becomes the main driver of value and the case resolves before trial on favourable terms.
Evidence, timelines and realistic outcomes
After an accident:
- Report it and obtain the incident reference.
- Photograph the scene, footwear/PPE and any defect.
- Seek prompt medical attention and keep all receipts and letters.
In most cases, the limitation period is three years from the date of injury (with exceptions for children and those lacking capacity). Settlement ranges vary. Minor soft-tissue injuries may resolve within months; more serious harm – fractures, recurrent back or shoulder problems, psychological injury – can justify higher awards where symptoms persist. Figures are assessed against the Judicial College Guidelines and evidence of actual losses.
