Written by A bus driver in Edinburgh has launched an accident compensation claim against his employer for a whiplash injury suffered in the staff canteen.*
The man, described by lawyers as “chronically obese” has made the claim after allegedly falling backwards onto a concrete floor as the table and chair unit he was sitting at “shot backwards”.
The validity of the man’s £75,000 claim for whiplash style injuries and subsequent psychological problems has still to be ruled on legally. However, in general, it’s easy for employers to forget about certain things in terms of health and safety which may subsequently lead to an accident compensation claim, such as those below.
• Office chairs
In many offices, people sit on the same chairs day in, day out for years on end without them being checked or replaced by their employer.
Regardless of an individual’s weight, having chairs checked regularly for things like loose screws can prevent them collapsing and help an employer reduce the likelihood of an accident compensation claim being made against them.
• Car parks and entrances
Accident compensation claims often arise from situations outside the actual working environment. Employers have a duty of care to make sure staff can get to and from the building where they work safely.
Common causes of slips, trips and falls include ice in office car parks, and large pot-holes which have been left to form with no warning signs or cones around them to bring them to people’s attention.
• Canteens
While most large employers will use an outside catering firm for the food in their canteens, some companies will employ their own staff to provide breakfasts and lunches.
An accident compensation claim may come about as a result of a bad burn from a faulty coffee machine, or a plate that’s too hot for example.
• Reporting of spillages
An employer can only deal effectively with spillages if they know they’ve happened. Staff have an important role to play in the reporting of spillages in the workplace so colleagues can avoid being injured.
In the case of spillages, everyone has a duty of care to make the workplace safe and if a spillage is spotted, they should deal with the situation so any suitable warning signs can be placed around the affected area.
*source: http://www.scotsman.com/news/transport/bus_driver_sues_for_whiplash_injury_suffered_in_canteen_1_2039390
Visit www.injurylawyers4u.co.uk to find out more about making an accident compensation claim and how the process works. If you’ve had an accident at work that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation and InjuryLawyers4U will make sure you get 100% of any sum you’re entitled to.
