In Ireland, if you have been involved in an accident for which you were not wholly to blame, you are entitled to claim compensation when you have been injured. In workplace accidents where you have sustained an injury, your rights are no different – only it is your employer you are suing for failing to provide a safe environment for you to work in under the regulations laid down in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act.
Engaging a workplace solicitor from the outset ensures that you know what level of compensation you should be looking for, and that you are well prepared should your case go to court. You can call our free help line now onWorkplace Solicitor Irelandto speak to an experienced workplace solicitor. There is no obligation to proceed with a claim but you will be able to discuss your situation and get an overview of whether you have a valid case and at what level you are likely to be compensated. More details about Workplace injury compensation Ireland
Being injured in the workplace may not be the direct result of an accident. There are many occupational injuries which are acquired through performing the same action repetitively (i.e. RSI), inhaling hazardous substances (e.g. mesothelioma) or being placed under too much stress (e.g. coronary disease). All of these scenarios are examples of injuries which can be acquired during the course of your employment, and you are equally entitled to claim “Injured in Workplace” compensation when your employer has failed to protect you from being injured in a workplace.
A work-related accident compensation claim can result from any of these factors, and whenever you suffer an accident at the workplace, your primary concern should be that of your health. Many companies will have first aid provisions on site or, where your accident is of a serious nature, will call an ambulance to attend you. Whatever injuries you sustain, and no matter how slight you believe them to be, your work-related accident compensation claim needs to be supported by your medical records and the relevant entry in your employer?s “Accident Report Book”. So it is always in your best interests to seek a precautionary medical examination before making a work-related accident compensation claim.
Before considering workplace injury compensation, however, your first concern should be your health. No amount of workplace injury compensation will make up for a life long disability which could have been prevented by timely medical intervention. It is strongly recommended that you visit the accident and emergency department of your local hospital or make an appointment to see your family doctor as soon as possible.
If you have been injured in a workplace accident, you may be entitled to make a workplace accident compensation claim. Where the accident was not entirely you fault, and there is an element of liability on your employer, he may have failed to fulfil his obligations under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act to provide a safe working environment for you.
Whether this accident is caused by an inadequately serviced piece of machinery, a trip on a poorly maintained floor surface, the lack of appropriate training or through an error caused by fatigue, your injuries may be due to a lack of care by your employer. He has a responsibility to protect his workforce from these occurrences, and where you suffer an injury through any areas of negligence, you can make a workplace accident compensation claim.
The most serious injuries lead to workplace fatalities and most frequently happen on construction sites and in the farming industry. However, there are thousands of accidents occurring every year due to negligent employers – varying from the most common trips, slips and falls to those which develop over a period of time, such as repetitive strain injuries, loss of hearing and bursitis. There are other workplace injuries which are not so tangible, yet are an employer?s responsibility to prevent. This would include illnesses due to victimisation, stress related diseases caused by bullying or an oppressive work load and accidents which are attributable to the victim being fatigued.