What Will Happen When I Make A Claim?
After you’ve contacted us, we’ll set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case and whether you have a legal claim. We’ll discuss what funding options are available to you to pay for your claim, including No Win No Fee agreements *.
We’ll then get in touch with those responsible for your accident at an early stage to see if they accept the blame for your injuries. If they accept responsibility, we’ll try to secure interim compensation payments which can fund private medical care and ongoing expenses, before your claim fully settles. Any interim payments will be taken out of your final compensation award.
Our lawyers will look into your case in detail, gathering evidence from independent medical professionals and health and safety specialists. These experts will analyse why your accident happened and can determine any future implications to your health. They’ll also advise us on the care you’ll need in the future.
We’ll always try and negotiate claims out of court, keeping the claim process as short as we can. However, if your employer doesn’t accept responsibility or doesn’t agree with the amount of compensation we feel you need, we’ll start court proceedings.
Even when trial dates have been set, claims are still often settled before reaching court. If your claim does need to go to court, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way, talking you through what will happen so you feel as comfortable as possible.
Read more about what happens if your case goes to court .
What Can Compensation Pay For?
Compensation can make a real difference to your life, ensuring that you can access the healthcare and support to make the best recovery you can. By making a claim with us, we can get you funds which can help pay for:
Private healthcare treatment
Physiotherapy
Psychological therapy
Expenses (such as travel costs to hospital appointments)
Loss of income
Household adaptations
The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and the likelihood that you’ll make a full recovery. We’ll seek expert opinions on what care you’ll need to ensure that the compensation we claim will be sufficient.
If your employer accepts responsibility for your accident, we could help you get early compensation payments. Often known as interim payments, these funds will be taken from your final settlement and can help pay for ongoing care costs and expenses, before your claim has settled.
Who Can Make A Claim?
We could help you make a claim if you’ve been injured because of a manual handling accident in the workplace, whether you’re an employee, contractor, a member of the public or a visitor.
Even if you’re a casual worker or consider yourself to be self-employed, you might still be considered as an employee under UK law, giving you the same rights as other workers when it comes to health and safety.
If you’re an agency worker who has had an accident at work involving manual handling, both the agency you work for and the owners of the business should take responsibility for your safety. They should work together to make sure that precautions are in place to protect you.
We can also help with claims being made on behalf of others including:
On behalf of a child who has been in an accident before their 18th birthday
For someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to handle their own case
On behalf of a loved one who has unfortunately passed away
If you’ve sadly lost a loved one in a manual handling accident, we can help you with:
Recovering compensation for their pain and suffering, to account for financial losses caused by their death and to cover funeral expenses
Representing you at inquest
Getting you the answers and apology you deserve from those responsible
Our lawyers could also help you access a statutory bereavement award , a flat rate of £15,120 which is provided when a wrongful death has occurred. This is available if you’re the spouse, civil partner or parent (if under 18) of the person who died.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim?
You normally have three years to make a claim from the date of your accident. However, there are some exceptions to this rule:
Under 18s – you can claim on behalf of a child who was on work experience or working part-time. No time limits apply in these circumstances until the child turns 18. When the child turns 18 they can make their own claim but the three year time limit will then apply.
Mental capacity – you can make a claim on behalf of someone who doesn’t have the ability to do so themselves, including when someone has suffered a serious head/brain injury as a result of their accident. In these circumstances, no time limits apply.
Fatal claims – if you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one who died, you’ll either have three years from the date of their death or the date of the accident to make a claim.
If you have any concerns about the time limits for claiming compensation, we’ll be able to talk through your options in a free initial consultation .
Can I Make A No Win No Fee Claim?
Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk* to you when making a compensation claim.
At the start of your claim, we’ll discuss the funding options available, advising you which we think is the most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI), or can access support through trade union membership, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household and car insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.
If we think you’re best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we’ll explain the process clearly. This involves setting up an insurance policy that will protect you, at no cost to you. You’ll only have to pay anything when your claim is successful – your opponent will pay most of our fees.
Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.
Meet Our Experts
We have experienced solicitors based across the country who specialise in helping people to claim compensation after accidents at work. We know the issues that you and your loved ones may be facing, and we can answer all of your questions in plain English.
As well as helping you claim compensation, we can also help with your rehabilitation and recovery. If you can’t work because of your injuries, then we can also advise you on benefit entitlement and arrange for the best possible support to help you recover.
Having helped many other clients who were injured in manual handling accidents, we can use our experience to get a positive outcome for you and your family.
Meet the team
