Carer Accident Claims

Making a claim for an accident as a carer

If you’ve suffered an injury as a carer, you might have worries about the effect that taking time off will have on your finances. Or you could have concerns about what will happen to the people in your care if you’re unable to come to work.

We understand the stress that a work-related injury can bring. Our job is to work on your behalf to get you the support and compensation you deserve. So you can get back on your feet as soon as possible.

If you’d like to know more about making a carer accident claim, our knowledgeable claims advisors can help. They will listen to the details of your accident and answer any questions you may have about the claims process.

Common injuries affecting carers at work

While working as a carer can be extremely rewarding, it is also an increasingly demanding role. A lot of the work carried out by carers is physical and repetitive. This can lead to injuries if the proper training and equipment isn’t in place.

Some of the most common injuries affecting care workers include:

• Musculoskeletal disorders
  According to the Health and Safety Executive, the health and social care sector has some of the highest rates of musculoskeletal injuries reported. These injuries – including repetitive strain injury – affect joints, muscles and tendons, which can all cause long-term pain.
• Manual handling injuries
  For most carers, moving and handling equipment is a major part of the working day. They may also assist service users in moving from one place to another. But if this isn’t done safely, it could lead to serious injury.
• Burns or scalding injuries
  When preparing hot food and drinks, it’s important to take your time. But this isn’t always possible in a care work environment. And as a result, many carers suffer painful burn injuries while at work.
• Injuries resulting from physical assault
  Sadly it’s not unheard of for a carer to be assaulted at work by a service user. Many carers have reported verbal and physical abuse, often from people who are suffering with conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia.

If you’ve been injured while working as a carer and it wasn’t your fault, we could help you make a claim for compensation.

Our supportive claims team can talk to you about any concerns you may have, and give you all the information you need to come to a decision on your next steps.

What should my employer be doing to protect me?

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your employer has a duty of care towards you. This means that they should take all reasonable measures to keep you safe at work. Your employer is responsible for:

• Carrying out regular and thorough risk assessments
• Managing rotas so there are enough colleagues on each shift
• Providing and maintaining equipment
• Providing appropriate PPE
• Training all staff in manual handling, lifting and carrying

If your employer has failed in their duty of care, they could be held liable for any injury or illness you’ve suffered as a result.

How First4Lawyers can help

We work with experienced accident at work solicitors who can help you make a claim for compensation and access valuable support.

If you’ve had to take time off due to your injuries, claiming compensation could help to take away some of your financial worries as any lost earnings will be covered in your final settlement.

And by making a claim, you could also push your employer to examine what caused your injury. This can ensure that what happened to you won’t be repeated for any of your colleagues.

For these types of claims we work on a No Win No Fee basis. So you won’t have to worry about any upfront costs and there will be nothing to pay if your claim is unsuccessful.

I’m a voluntary carer – could I still make a claim?

Volunteers are protected by the same health and safety laws as full-time employees, contractors and sub-contractors. This means that if you’re injured while working as a voluntary carer, you have just as much of a right to claim compensation.

It’s understandable that you might worry about the impact of claiming against a voluntary organisation or charity. But they will have liability insurance in place to cover the cost of these types of claims, so you won’t be leaving anyone out of pocket.

Carer accident claims FAQs

How much compensation could I receive for my claim?

The amount of compensation you receive for a successful claim will depend on your specific circumstances. This makes it difficult to say exactly what you might be entitled to in compensation without speaking to you.

Your final compensation amount will take into account a number of factors, including:

• How seriously your injury will impact your life
• How long your recovery is expected to take
• If you’ve lost out on earnings by having to take time off work
• If you’ve had to pay for medical care
• If you’ve had to pay for travel to and from healthcare appointments

For a rough idea of the compensation you may be entitled to, you can try our compensation calculator. Or feel free to contact our helpful claims advisors who will be happy to discuss your case with you.

Could I lose my job for making a carer accident claim?

One of the main factors that can put people off making a work accident claim is the fear of losing their job. But by law your employer is not allowed to dismiss you or treat you any differently for making a claim against them.

It may also reassure you to know that your employer is legally required to have liability insurance in place. So your compensation will not be paid directly from your employer but through their insurance company.

Is there a time limit on when I can make a carer accident claim?

In most cases, you will have three years from the date of your accident to make a claim. And although this may sound like a long time, we would recommend starting the claims process as soon as you can.

The sooner you begin your claim, the easier it will be for your solicitor to gather evidence to support your claim. This could include your own recollections of what happened, any witness testimonies, medical records or CCTV footage.

I think I have a carer accident claim – what happens next?

We know that starting the claims process can feel intimidating. And you might have worries about what will happen after you make your first call to us. But we’re here to guide you.

We’ll never pressure you into making any decisions and there will be no obligation to go forward with a claim after speaking to us. Instead, our knowledgeable claims advisors will discuss your case with you and give you the opportunity to ask any questions you may have.

If we think you have a strong claim, we’ll ask if you’d like to be put in touch with one of our expert carer accident solicitors. And if you agree, they will start to gather evidence on your behalf to secure you the compensation you deserve.

To find out more, get in touch with our claims team by calling the number at the top of the screen. You can also request a callback at a more convenient time or start your claim online.