Workplace Accident Solicitors
Employers have a legal duty to keep you safe at work. When they fail that duty and you are injured, you are entitled to compensation — and your employer cannot lawfully dismiss you for claiming it.
Workplace accident claims arise where an employer's failure to maintain a safe working environment causes injury — through inadequate risk assessments, unsafe systems of work, defective equipment, poor manual handling training, or unsafe premises. The claim is made against the employer's liability insurer. A specialist solicitor will establish what duty was breached, gather the evidence, and pursue the claim on a no-win, no-fee basis.
Employer Duties & What They Must Do
Workplace accidents — what the law requires of your employer and when a claim succeeds.
Employers owe a common law duty of care and multiple statutory duties under health and safety legislation. A breach of any of these — causing injury — gives rise to a claim. A solicitor will identify which duties applied and whether they were met.
Risk assessments and safe systems of work
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments and implement control measures to reduce risk to the lowest reasonably practicable level. Where a risk was foreseeable and no adequate assessment or control was in place — and that failure caused injury — the employer is liable. A solicitor will obtain the employer's risk assessment records through pre-action disclosure and assess whether they were adequate for the task that caused the injury.
Manual handling injuries
Manual handling is the single largest cause of workplace injury in the UK. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable, assess the risk where it cannot be avoided, and reduce the risk to the lowest level reasonably practicable. Where an employee was required to lift, carry, or move loads without adequate assessment, training, or mechanical assistance — and sustained a musculoskeletal injury — the employer is likely to be liable. A solicitor will assess the training records and the adequacy of the safe system of work.
Defective equipment and machinery
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 require employers to ensure that work equipment is suitable for its intended use, maintained in efficient working order, inspected at regular intervals, and only used by employees who have received adequate training. Where equipment was defective, poorly maintained, or used without adequate training — and that caused injury — the employer is liable. A solicitor will obtain the equipment's maintenance records and inspection history to establish whether the duty was met.
Slips, trips and falls at work
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require floors and traffic routes to be suitable, not slippery, and kept free from obstruction. Where an employee slips on a wet floor, trips on a damaged surface, or falls due to inadequate lighting — and there was no adequate inspection regime, no warning signs, and no remedial action — the employer is liable. A solicitor will assess the workplace's cleaning schedules, inspection records, and reporting history to establish the failure in the system.
Work at height and construction accidents
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 impose specific duties to plan, supervise, and carry out work at height safely — including the provision of appropriate equipment and fall-arrest systems. Construction sites carry additional duties under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. Where a fall from height — from scaffolding, a ladder, a roof, or a platform — was caused by an inadequate system of work, defective equipment, or failure to supervise, the employer and the principal contractor may both be liable. A solicitor will identify all liable parties.
Your rights as an employee bringing a claim
An employer cannot lawfully dismiss or subject you to a detriment for bringing a personal injury claim. Employer liability insurance is compulsory — so there is always an insurer to meet a successful claim. The claim does not come out of the employer's pocket directly; it is paid by the employer's liability insurer. A solicitor will manage the claim without it affecting your employment relationship — and will advise on your employment law rights if the employer attempts to respond adversely to the claim.