Accidents in the workplace can happen very often if health and safety measures aren't in place. Health and safety regulations are a legal requirement by any employer and whatever the circumstances should be in place. If an accident does happen the employee should report it to their employer and write it in the accident book immediately. If the accident has caused the employee to pay medical costs, not attend work or suffering of any sort they may have a compensation claim against the company. My top 10 tips to help you make a compensation claim are: -



1. In any work environment all employees should know the health and safety standards in place at their workplace. These should be told by a member of management or a trainer so employees can try and avoid accidents in the workplace.

2. Most people believe your very unlikely to have an accident whilst in an office working you think most work type accidents happen in factories, but accidents in offices does happen. If you have an accident in an office it's the same as having one in a factory speak up and tell someone.

3. The more evidence you have the stronger your case will be, so if you do fall, slip, trip over something document it with location and time and take photographs if possible, also if there are any witnesses keep a note of who they are. If there are events leading up to the accident document all of this as well as anything you remember during and after the accident.

4. Get yourself an experienced solicitor who has evidence that they have been involved in a work accident compensation claim before with good results. A lot of solicitors? now offer a No Win No Fee service, this means you don't have to pay them a penny until the case is won and then they recover their costs from the other party and if you don't win your case you still won't need to pay them a penny.

5. Gather as much evidence as you can from your accident. The more evidence you have the more likely you are to win your compensation claim. Your employer will be held responsible for the accident if the case is proved and you will receive the compensation you deserve from your suffering.

6. Any accident within your work environment should be recorded in the accident book that is a legal requirement by all employers. Once you've had your accident enquire in the accident book what other accidents have happened and if any of them got any compensation as well as how the employee was treated. All this information will then help you and your solicitor in knowing how to deal with your case.

7. Whatever your accident at work was don't ignore it, any accident however big or small shouldn't have happened in the first place. You need to speak up don't suffer in silence, if the accident wasn't your fault you are entitled to claim compensation for your suffering, any medical costs and any loss of earnings whilst you've been off work from the accident.

8. All employees should know exactly where the accident book is kept, then if an accident does occur, the injured party or a friend or manager can write all the details of the accident in the accident book. In larger companies there might not be an accident book but a system in which forms can be printed out and all the details recorded on the sheet then the details are inputted into a computer system. Then the worker who was injured can claim their entitled compensation by using their copy of the accident form.

9. If you've had an accident at work and your going to claim compensation from your employer you may receive threats from the employer or your supervisors. Don't listen to them or give into them, there trying to scare you into stopping claiming compensation. Remember its your legal and civil right to claim compensation so ignore them and they might be scaring you as they know they are liable for your accident and will have to pay you compensation for your accident. If your scared by the threats tell your solicitor and they may contact the police and offer you protection.

10. Always ask your solicitor all the questions you have, if you think the accident was your fault, ask a solicitor for advice you may only be thinking it's your fault because you're scared of claiming against your employer.

Whatever your accident, however it happened you have a legal and civil right to claim compensation if the accident at work wasn't your fault.