Civil Service Accident At Work Claim Guide – How To Claim Compensation Against The Civil Service For A Personal Injury?

The Home Civil Service’s main aim is to support the UK Government. The Civil Service forms an inseparable part of the government and and Civil Servants who are employed by the Crown may work within the Civil Service. It is very important to make clear that all public sector workers will not be considered as Civil Servants. Although there is no official definition as to what a Civil Servant is it may be assumed that such an employee is a servant of the country with no political implications.

In this guide particularly we are looking into the claim process from the point of view of an office employee who may work within the Civil Service.

Legal Expert are specialists within the area of personal injury, who have helped many secure compensation for work related injuries due to the knowledge base we have aboard our team of experts.

If you’d like to begin a claim today, call us on 0800 073 8804 and speak with an advisor.  If you want a bit more information to help you decide whether to claim or not, please continue reading.

Select A Section

• A Guide To Accident At Work Claims Working In The Civil Service
• What Is A Civil Servant Accident At Work?
• Examples Of Different Potential Office Accidents
• I Slipped In My Office, Could I Claim Compensation?
• Repetitive Strain Injuries In The Workplace
• What Are Manual Handling Injuries?
• Injuries Caused By Being Struck By A Falling Object
• Civil Service Office Worker Health And Safety Guidelines
• I Was Injured Working For The Civil Service, What Rights Do I Have?
• What Should I Do If Injured Working For The Civil Service?
• Personal Injury Compensation Calculator
• Financial Losses – What Can I Claim Compensation For?
• Could I Also Claim Injury Benefits From The Civil Service?
• No Win No Fee Accident At Work Claims Against The Civil Service
• How To Contact Us
• How Could I Find Out More Information?

A Guide To Accident At Work Claims Working In The Civil Service

If you are injured while working as part of the Civil Service you may be unsure whether you are eligible to make a claim for damages for an accident at work. In this guide we have aimed to examine the claiming process for accidents that occur in the workplace especially in office environments.

We’ll cover examples of the types of accidents that could potentially occur, liability as well as eligibility to claim damages, specific damage amounts injuries may receive and what other damages could be possibly claimed for.  Furthermore, we’ll cover your rights, what you should do following an accident and our No Win No Fee service.

We’ll try to answer questions like “Do you get paid if you have an accident at work?”, “Can I be sacked for having an accident at work?”  and “How long after an accident at work can I claim?”.

When you’ve read this guide, if you require clarification of whether you have a claim or not, please call to speak with one of our specially trained advisors who’ll happily point you in the right direction.

What Is A Civil Servant Accident At Work?

A Civil Service accident at work is simply an accident that occurs while working for the Civil Service in whatever role that may be.  It could be in an office, travelling to or from a work appointment, working in the workplace of another as a Civil Servant. It might happen in your normal place of work or somewhere you’ve had to attend to complete work tasks.

In order to pursue a claim for an accident that has happened within the work place that has caused an injury a personal injury solicitor will want to ensure the following is correct;

• A duty of care was owed to the claimant (by the defendant).
• That the duty of care was breached.
• And that injuries were sustained following an accident because of the breach of duty.

We’ll cover duty of care in more detail later in this guide, but in most instances, an employer owes a duty of care to ensure its employees are safe and provide a healthy working environment

It’s important to note that there is a 3-year time limit for making a personal injury claim in the UK.  This means you have 3 years from the date of the accident or 3 years from the date a doctor diagnosed your illness.

Examples Of Different Potential Office Accidents

In the up and coming sections the guide illustrates the different types of accidents that could potentially happen within a work environment.

If the workplace accident what resulted in an injury is not mentioned below please call Legal Expert and use the free consultation to have your case assessed. 

I Slipped In My Office, Could I Claim Compensation?

A slip, trip or fall in an office is one of the most common office accidents to occur. Here we have included examples that may explain why an employer may be liable for an employees injury;

• Obstacles left in hazardous places. It is vital that walkways and communal spaces in offices are left free from tripping hazards, boxes, files, office equipment and even rubbish left on the floor may cause an employee to fall and injure themselves.
• When a trip was caused by trailing cables. Cables such as phone cables, electrical wires, internet lines should not cause tripping hazards, fixing them securely to the floor leaving no room for gaps may reduce any hazard.
• Accidents caused by damaged carpet or floor tiles. Upturned carpets, loose cracked tiles and uneven floors are all reasons why a slip trip and fall may occur.
• If a floor was wet or slippery, causing you to slip. This could be because of a spillage, a leak or because of cleaning.  Any spillage should be cleared up quickly and warning signs used to highlight the risk.

Repetitive Strain Injuries In The Workplace

RSI or Repetitive Strain Injury is a term used for injuries that are caused by doing the same task over a long period of time.  Injuries can include:

• Aching
• Stiffness
• Numbness or a tingling sensation
• Cramping
• Throbbing
• Weak muscles
• Tenderness

There are two types of RSI diagnosed by doctors, RSI Type 1 and RSI Type 2.  Type 1 is a musculoskeletal injury and Type 2 usually includes damage to nerves.  Each can lead to long term pain and suffering which may mean continuing to work as before may no longer be an option.

To avoid RSI in an office, a good chair is required to support the back.  Workstation assessments can be carried out by the Occupational Health department to identify any risks.  Changes can be made such as providing wrist rests, ergonomic keyboards and raising monitors to eye level.

If you are unsure whether your RSI qualifies for work based injury compensation call the specialists to day, Legal Expert has solicitors that have been in the field for more than 3 decades and could advise if your case has merits to succeed.

What Are Manual Handling Injuries?

If an employee is expected to lift or move heavy objects in the office, they should be trained in doing so properly. Any employee that is required to lift, carry, move, drag, pull objects as part of their work tasks should be trained to do so. If manual handling training is not provided then an employee may suffer a manual handling injury. Manual handling injuries often affect the lower back causing musculoskeletal disorders.

Injuries Caused By Being Struck By A Falling Object

In office spaces items that need storing should be done so using the correct procedure, over stacking shelves, placing items on shelves incorrectly, using shelves that are damaged and defected, racking that is not fit for purpose are all ways that could result in an accident. If items fall from a height especially particular heavy items may cause serious injuries possibly to the head and upper body.

To be eligible to make an accident at work claim for an injury caused from a falling item it is necessary to prove that your employer or another employee acted in a negligent way that caused the incident to occur

Civil Service Office Worker Health And Safety Guidelines

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty to “ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work” of all workers.

This means that they should undertake risk assessments and create health and safety procedures based on the risks highlighted. Staff should receive an induction and adequate training for all tasks they are expected to undertake.  They should also be provided with any safety equipment for tasks where risks have been highlighted and the need for protection is present.

If you are injured in an accident at work, which was caused because your employer didn’t honour their duty of care, you might be able to claim compensation against them.  Our experts have the knowledge and training to help you decide whether you have a valid claim or not, so please get in touch.

I Was Injured Working For The Civil Service, What Rights Do I Have?

Following an accident at work, you may be entitled to at least Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you have to have time off of work to recover.  Your employer may pay more than SSP, this will depend on your contract.

Many people worry that they will be dismissed for making a compensation claim against their employer. It’s not legal to be sacked or treated any differently for making a claim against your employer.  So long as the claim is truthful, your employer can not stop you from claiming.  Doing so could lead to further action being taken against them.

You have a right to claim compensation for your injuries if you feel they were caused due to negligence on the part of your employer or another employee. Any compensation that is awarded is done so to help you to get you back to, or as close as possible to, the position you were in prior to the accident.

Following an accident at work you might be entitled to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB).  You’ll need to fill in a form from the scheme’s website and undergo a medical assessment.   Following that, you’ll be given a percentage of disablement, from 1 to 100, which any payment will be based on.

What Should I Do If Injured Working For The Civil Service?

If you are ever involved in an accident at work, there are some steps you can take which might help with any future compensation claim.  These include:

• Report the accident to your employer. Under UK law, all accidents at work should be recorded in an accident report book.  This could be used as supporting evidence for your claim.
• Seek medical advice. Visit a doctor or a hospital to have your injuries assessed.  This will ensure you receive swift treatment and the severity of the injuries will be recorded.  Medical records can then be used as evidence in your claim.
• Photograph the scene of the accident. Take as many pictures as you need to show the scene of the accident.  Try to capture the root cause of the accident.  So, if you tripped on trailing cables, ensure they’re in the photograph.
• Take photos of any visible injuries. These could be used in conjunction with any medical records to demonstrate the severity of injuries.
• Ask any witnesses to write a statement. Ensure you obtain the witnesses contact details as well because your solicitor may need to contact them at a later date.
• Contact Legal Expert as soon as possible after your accident. Doing so early will give us plenty of time to gather evidence to support your claim and lodge it within the personal injury claims time limit.

Following an accident at work, you may not want to spend time gathering evidence but it could be really helpful for your personal injury solicitor and could improve the chances of being awarded compensation.

Personal Injury Compensation Calculator

If you’re looking for a personal injury claims calculator to work out how much compensation you could receive, take a look at the table below:

Remember that this table shows one part of a compensation claim.  The next section will explain other parts of a claim that could be made.

Financial Losses – What Can I Claim Compensation For?

In the section above, the table outlined compensation that is known as ‘General Damages’.  This is compensation awarded to the victim for their pain and suffering.   There are however more parts of a claim that a personal injury lawyer could include making a claim.  They are known as ‘Special Damages’ and are usually paid for financial losses that have been caused by an accident.

The special damages that could be awarded include:

• Travelling Expenses
  If you incur expenses because you need to make trips to the doctor, physio or other appointments linked to your injuries, you may be able to claim the cost back.
• Medical Costs
  Although NHS treatment is free, the cost of prescription and other medicines can soon build up. In some cases, the cost of medicines can be included in a compensation claim.
• Personal Property Damage Costs
  During your accident, if any item of personal property is damaged, such as clothing, mobile phones or jewellery, you might be able to claim the cost of replacing the item.
• Loss of Earnings
  Following your accident, if you need to take time off to recover, you could claim any lost earnings back as part of your claim.

Each of these elements could be claimed by your solicitor when they are linked to the accident in some way.  The idea is to ensure that you’re in no worse a financial position than you were before the accident happened.

Could I Also Claim Injury Benefits From The Civil Service?

Some civil servants can claim a payment from the Civil Service Injury Benefit Scheme (CSIBS) following an accident at work if it reduces their earning capacity.

CSIBS is designed to bring the income of a member back up to a guaranteed level if their earning capacity is reduced.  Eligibility requirements are that the claimant is injured while on duty, at work and completing work tasks.

There is no need to prove any evidence of who caused the accident.  The scheme operates on a no-fault basis.  This means the Civil Service aren’t accepting any responsibility for your injuries.  It’s also worth noting that eligibility for CSIBS doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be eligible for a compensation claim.

The scheme is not a compensation claim and doesn’t stop you making a separate claim.  If you do successfully make a work place accident claim, you will have to pay back any benefits you’ve received from the scheme. Therefore, you could use the CSIBS while your personal injury claim is being processed to help maintain your income.

No Win No Fee Accident At Work Claims Against The Civil Service

We know that clients worry about the costs involved with beginning a claim.  This is why we offer a no win no fee service for all claims we undertake.

But do you really know what no win no fee means?

Using A No Win No Fee Service
Using a personal injury solicitor who offers a no win no fee service has one major advantage. If they lose the case, you don’t have to pay them anything. You’ll sign an agreement which states the no win no fee clause.  It’ll also states a success fee if they win the case.  This is a percentage of your compensation (limited to 25%) that the solicitor will retain should they win the case. 

Although using a no win no fee agreement means you lose some of your compensation, it also means you remove the risk of paying for a traditional solicitor if they lose.  Many of our clients have told us that, if we didn’t offer this service, they wouldn’t feel comfortable when making a claim.

How To Contact Us

We hope that this guide has provided you with all the information you need.  If you’d like to begin a Civil Service accident at work claim today, please get in touch.  You can contact us by:

• Telephone: Call and speak with an advisor on 0800 073 8804
• Live Chat: Our live chat advisors are available 7 days a week.
• Email: Send an email with details of your accident at work claim to info@legalexpert.co.uk.
• Online: Fill in a simple online form to begin a claim.

We always begin by offering a free, no obligation, consultation.  This is where we’ll answer any queries you may have.  We’ll also assess how the accident happened, your injuries and who was at fault if anyone.  If we believe your injury at work has a good chance of compensation, we’ll offer you a no win no fee agreement.  When you’re happy, we’ll begin the claim for you.

How Could I Find Out More Information?

Thanks for taking the time to read this guide about making a workplace personal injury claim.  For further guidance, we’ve linked to a few more useful resources.

Accident at Work Claims – Covers the accident at work procedure and what to do if you’re injured.  This guide is more generic, not just about Civil Servant accident at work claims.

Slips or Trips at Work – This guide covers the accident at work law where slips, trips and falls occur.  Includes detailed injury information and compensation amounts.

Health and Safety at Work – Information from the government about Health and Safety for employers.

Office Health and Safety – Guidance from the Health and Safety Executive about Office health and safety.

If you require any more information, please speak with an advisor today.

Edited By Melissa.