Personal Injury Claims for those who have been made Redundant

Click for more images

By Jonathan Stittle, a partner in personal injury at Taylor&Emmet LLP. Jonathan ensures that when things do go wrong, clients benefit from high quality legal advice to aid their recoveries. As Christmas approaches, he provides advice for those who have been made redundant about personal injury claims... Christmas will be very difficult this year for many families, as thousands of people have been made redundant across the region. It can also be a difficult time for those who, through no fault of their own, have had an accident at work, which has resulted in injury and financial hardship. These people could benefit from quality legal advice to help recoup some of their losses and provide compensation for their suffering.  A claim can be made whether you have been made redundant or you are still employed by the company where your accident occurred. Don’t worry about making a complaint against a current employer, the law states that they cannot discriminate against you if they were at fault. How much will a personal injury claim cost? Usually nothing, win or lose. There are, however, very rare exceptions where successful claimants have to pay part of their own costs. How long to I have to bring a claim? This is usually three years from the day you sustained the injury or you realised you had a claim for an industrial disease. This period can be longer for children and extended for adults in some cases. If you are in any doubt, seek legal advice. What kind of accidents can I claim for? You can claim compensation for most accidents that happen at work if they are caused by: ·     Faulty machinery ·     Oil, water or other spillages ·     Lose wires ·     Construction site accidents ·     Falls from ladders ·     Manual handling ·     Lack of personal protective equipment    You can also claim compensation for industrial diseases, including repetitive strain injury, vibration white finger, industrial deafness, skin or respiratory conditions and asbestos-related illness. You can even make a claim against an employer if you have been bullied or assaulted by another colleague. How much compensation will I receive? A personal injury solicitor will be able to value your claim once you have recovered from your injury or improved as much as you are going to. This will usually take place after a report has been received from a medical expert. How much of the money I receive will be taken by the solicitor? Normally your solicitor won’t take any of your compensation (although there are exceptions) as your opponent’s insurers usually pay our fees, in addition to your costs. What if the other party can’t pay? Most employers have liability insurance that will not only deal with the claim, but will also pay the compensation and costs. It is very rare to sue someone who has to pay your damages personally. I am still unsure about making a claim. Can I discuss the process further without making a commitment? Taylor&Emmet holds free personal injury surgeries at our Dronfield office every Wednesday evening from 5-7pm. Local residents are welcome to drop in during surgery hours at 57 Sheffield Road, Dronfield, or call 0114 218 4000 for book a free consultation or home visit from our friendly, professional personal injury team.