Last Updated 25th March 2025. Just because an accident or injury is considered minor, it does not mean that the victim doesn’t suffer painful injuries or that their life is not affected. Put simply, even a small injury can have dire consequences for the victim. That’s why we put together this guide on making a minor injury at work claim.
Below, we look at the process of claiming compensation after a workplace accident. We look at the eligibility criteria and the types of minor injuries you could claim. We also explain how our expert No Win No Fee solicitors can help you with a compensation claim.
If you’d rather speak with someone now about claiming compensation for a minor work injury, you can contact us directly:
- Call 0800 073 8804.
- Use our online claim form.
- Speak to us anytime via the Live chat below.
Select A Section:
- Could I Make A Minor Injury At Work Claim?
- Do I Need To Report A Minor Injury In The Workplace?
- Examples Of Minor Injuries At Work
- Compensation Payouts In Minor Injury At Work Claims
- Can I Make A No Win No Fee Compensation Claim?
- Learn More About Making A Minor Injury At Work Claim
Could I Make A Minor Injury At Work Claim?
Sustaining a minor injury at work can have lasting effects on your day-to-day life. As such, you may be wondering when you could make a personal injury claim for minor accident compensation.
To be entitled to accident-at-work compensation, you must be able to meet the personal injury claims criteria:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- This duty of care was not fulfilled.
- You suffered harm as a result.
Your employer’s duty of care to their employees is set out by the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). This legislation states that your employer has a responsibility to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety in the workplace.
If your employer fails to fulfil this duty and you suffer a minor injury as a result, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact our team of advisors today to learn more.
Do I Need To Report A Minor Injury In The Workplace?
If you’ve suffered a minor injury at work, you may wish to know whether it needs to be reported. Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR), your employer must report certain kinds of injuries at work to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSE is Britain’s regulatory body for health and safety in the workplace.
Your employer needs to make a RIDDOR report if it is a reportable incident, which means:
- It was a work-related accident
- It has resulted in a reportable injury
A reportable injury could include the following:
- A death due to a work-related accident
- Specified, reportable injuries such as fractures, crush injuries, amputation or severe burns
- An employee is unable to report to work for over 7 consecutive days due to their injury
So, while your employer may not be legally required to report a minor injury under RIDDOR, it can still be beneficial to log your injuries in the accident book. This can help make the workplace safer for others, and it can also be used as evidence if you decide to make a claim.
Get in touch with us for more information on collecting evidence for minor injury at work claims.
Examples Of Minor Injuries At Work
Minor injuries can be caused by many kinds of accidents and by many hazards. Examples of minor injuries at work include:
- Head injuries at work caused by being struck by a falling object.
- Back injuries at work caused by manual handling accidents.
- Foot injuries at work caused by a slip, trip or fall accident.
- Minor whiplash injuries caused by a road traffic accident involving a work vehicle.
These are examples of how common accidents can inflict minor injuries on employees. In each case, the employer was to blame for the hazard that caused the accident, and the employee had a basis for a compensation claim.
For information on slip, trip, and fall accidents, please see the next section of our minor injury at work claims guide.
Compensation Payouts In Minor Injury At Work Claims
The amount of compensation that you could receive for a minor injury depends on a number of different factors, including the severity of your initial injury and how long it will take to recover.
There are two heads of compensation you could pursue in your personal injury claim. The first, general damages, focuses on your injuries and the effect they have on your life.
Legal professionals often use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to value this head of claim. This document offers settlement guidelines for different injuries according to severity and type.
| Type of Injury | Severity | Guideline Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Minor Injuries Plus Financial Loss | Significant | Up to £75,000 or more |
| Brain Damage | Less Severe | £18,700 to £52,550 |
| Arm | Simple Fractures | £8,060 to £23,430 |
| Ankle | Modest | Up to £16,770 |
| Foot | Modest | Up to £16,770 |
| Knee | Moderate (ii) | Up to £16,770 |
| Head Injury | Minor | £2,690 to £15,580 |
| Thumb | Moderate | £11,800 to £15,370 |
| Leg | Simple Fractures or Soft Tissue Injuries | Up to £14,450 |
| Toe | Moderate | Up to £11,720 |
The second head of compensation is special damages, which addresses the financial losses you suffer as a result of your injuries. For example, if a fall at work results in a minor concussion, you may be unable to drive while you recover. In this case, special damages could help you recoup the cost of train tickets or taxis to medical appointments.
To learn more about minor injury at work compensation, contact our team today or use our compensation calculator.
Can I Make A No Win No Fee Compensation Claim?
A No Win No Fee service is a good way to make a minor injury at work claim without the usual financial risk. Under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), your solicitor won’t charge for their services unless your claim is successful.
If you succeed, your solicitor takes a small and legally capped percentage of any compensation and sends you the rest. There are no solicitors fees to pay before your case begins and none to pay whilst it progresses.
We recommend you speak to one of our advisors on the number below for more information about the claims service we offer.
You may think a minor injury is not worth a compensation claim. This couldn’t be further from the truth. As you can see from the information above, you can seek compensation for a minor injury at work so long as you can prove its effects on your health and finances.
You have nothing to lose by speaking to one of our expert advisors. They can advise whether you have a valid personal injury claim, provide an estimated value, and, if you wish to proceed, connect you to one of our expert solicitors.
- Call 0800 073 8804.
- Use our online claim form.
- Speak to us anytime via the Live chat below.
Learn More About Making A Minor Injury At Work Claim
These external links all contain information that relates to minor injuries in the workplace:
- NHS advice on treatment for minor injuries
- Health & Safety Executive information on trips, slips and falls
- The Occupiers Liability Act of 1984
Below, you can find lots of guides on claiming compensation for a workplace accident:
- Learn more about the accident-at-work claims and find out if you could be entitled to compensation.
- Read our top 10 things to know about accident-at-work claims and learn more about compensation claims.
- Find out what to do if injured from work activities and if you could claim compensation by using our helpful guide.
Thanks for reading our guide to making a minor injury at work claim.
