Accidents happen – it’s a sad fact of life – but often accidents happen due to negligence; often people sustain personal injuries due to incidents which could very well have been avoided. Whether you have sustained an injury at work, on the road or elsewhere, if it was caused through no fault of your own, you may be able to claim for personal injury.
It’s a shame that people still hesitate to seek compensation even though they are very well within their rights to do so. If you’ve been in an accident, then this one’s for you. What is personal injury, and how does the procedure of seeking compensation happen? Here’s all you need to know about making a claim for personal injury in the UK.
What is a personal injury?
Personal injury can come in many forms. Here are just a few examples:
- Injury at work, for example, chemical burns or slip and falls,
- Injury on the road, for example, whiplash or broken bones,
- Injuries in construction site such as cuts, or illness due to working with asbestos,
- And so on.
Note, however, that personal injuries could be in physical form, but also in psychological form. Stress due to too much work, for example, or psychological distress due to discrimination or harassment at the workplace also count as a personal injury.
What should you do?
If you sustained a personal injury, you should take immediate action. For physical injuries, immediately seek medical help and notify the authorities as well as other relevant establishments such as the insurance company. Gather as much evidence of the incident as possible.
At the workplace
The incident should immediately be recorded in the accident book. Your contract may stipulate the correct procedures to be followed when reporting the accident, and steps to take.
Making a complaint
Make a complaint immediately – at the workplace, there may be procedures in place to do so, whilst on the road, you should rely on the authorities such as the police. It’s a necessity, especially if you wish to make a claim.
Making a claim
By making a claim, you are taking steps to try to receive compensation. The compensation you could possibly receive depends on the circumstances of the incident and the seriousness of your injuries.
It’s important to seek legal help when you want to make a claim as soon as possible – there are time limits, which is usually three years. Furthermore, the sooner you start the procedures, the better your chances of success. Make sure you hire experienced personal injury solicitors; he or she understands what needs to be done and can advise you on which steps to take. If you have been a victim, don’t hesitate and consult a professional.
