Stress at Work Claims

Stress in the workplace is a major cause of ill health in the UK. The Health and Safety Executive reported that 1.7 million workers suffered from work-related health issues in 2023/24, with approximately half of those caused by stress (776,000 cases).

Stress at work is particularly problematic in certain professions, including medical and law. The NHS Staff survey 2023 showed that 42% of all staff felt unwell because of work-related stress. Doctors in particular experience high levels of stress with 62% reporting suffering with depression, anxiety, stress, burnout, and emotional distress, and being three-to-four times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.

If you have suffered from stress in your workplace and your employer did nothing to address it, we can help you make a claim. We represent people in a variety of roles, such as:

• Doctors, nurses, and NHS managers
• Solicitors and other legal professionals
• Pilots and aviation industry management
• Accountants and financiers
• Executives, directors, senior and middle management
• Marketers
• Recruitment
• IT Professionals

PTSD can be triggered at work if you have been involved in or observed a frightening or distressing accident, or after a prolonged traumatic experience. It is said to develop in approximately one in three people who have suffered because of severe trauma.

If you have had depression or anxiety in the past, you are more likely to develop the condition. Furthermore, factors like having a lack of support from family and friends is said to contribute.

When at work, PTSD could develop if you saw a fellow employee being hurt in an accident or if you were in an accident yourself. Your employer has a duty to keep you safe and must follow health and safety regulations to prevent your risk of being in an accident.

There are many PTSD symptoms you could experience after an accident at work, including:

• Re-experiencing: You could suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, repetitive images and sensations or physical sensations such as sweating, trembling and nausea.
• Avoidance: To stop being reminded of the event, you might start avoiding certain people and places and avoid talking about the accident. You could also distract yourself to stop thinking about what happened.
• Hyperarousal: PTSD can make it difficult for you to relax, causing irritability, angry outbursts, insomnia and difficulty concentrating.
• Other mental health problems: Your condition could cause anxiety, depression and severe phobias.
• Destructive behaviour: Sometimes PTSD can lead people to self-harm or to seek solace by misusing drugs and alcohol.
• Physical symptoms: These include headaches, dizziness, stomach aches and chest pains.

By making a claim, we can help you access the psychotherapy you need to reduce the impact PTSD has on your life. We can also ensure that something similar doesn’t happen in your workplace again, preventing others from being injured in accidents and experiencing psychological problems.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets out legal requirements for employers to follow so that you don’t experience an injury at work. Many job roles involve physically demanding tasks, such as lifting heavy items, which can easily cause back, neck or head injuries when guidelines aren’t followed.

To prevent back pain and stop existing conditions from becoming worse, employers should:

• Consider how to make jobs easier: Sometimes by providing you with assistive equipment, adjusting the heights of worktops etc.
• Talk to you: They should find out about your health and wellbeing to understand your concerns.
• Take action: After finding out what your needs are, and those of other staff, your employer should take action to improve your working environment.
• Quick response: If someone reports experiencing back or neck pain, an employer should act promptly to find out how they can help.
• Risk assessments: These should be conducted regularly and changes should be made in accordance with your employer’s findings.

If your employer didn’t follow these guidelines and you experienced an injury as a result, we could help you make a claim.

You could make a claim against your current or past employer if you have suffered an injury at work, including to your head, neck, back or eyes. We know that claiming against your employer can be daunting, but we’re here to make things as easy as possible.

By making a claim, you will also be highlighting that a safer environment is needed in the workplace. This could protect other members of staff from getting similar injuries as safety precautions will be put in place.

The law states that your employer should have liability insurance, which means it will be protected in the event of a claim. This insurance will also mean that it won’t be damaged financially if you make a successful claim, as your compensation will be paid by the insurer.

You could also be worried about your future with the company and being dismissed for making a claim against it. By law, employers can’t terminate your contract for this reason and we can provide you with expert employment advice in this area if you have any questions.

If you are thinking about making a claim, contact our experts today to set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case.