Factory Accidents*

Working in a factory can be fraught with potential dangers leading to many different types of factory injuries. When the Factories Act was introduced in 1955, it sought to make factories a safer place to work in, and forced employers to be responsible for preventing factory injuries. Many things have changed since those days, but the current Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act (2007) maintains the belief that employers have a legal responsibility to ensure the work environment protects employees from potential factory injuries.

The main focus of the original legislation would have been the prevention of burns and scalding, ensuring that machinery was safely maintained and that the premises in which people worked were kept in a suitable condition. Half a century later, the prevention of factory injuries such as acoustic shock, white finger vibration injuries and repetitive strain injury are now included in the legislation. Employers not only have to perform risk assessments of potential factory injuries but ensure that they have a fully trained workforce familiar with the legislation and health and safety practises.

Nonetheless, factory injuries still occur, and if you have been the victim of an injury where an employer has been negligent or there is evidence of a “lack of care”, you are entitled to claim compensation for your factory injuries.

Making Compensation Claims for Factory Injuries

When making a compensation claim for factory injuries, there are two items that – wherever possible – you should submit with your application for compensation to the Injuries Board Ireland. The first is a medical report which shows what injuries you have sustained. This is absolutely essential as the Injuries Board Ireland cannot assess your factory injuries without it. The second item is a copy of your employer´s “Accident Report Book” which shows the entry where your accident is recorded. In cases of repetitive strain injury, work contact dermatitis or similar “non-accident” factory injuries, there may be no entry in the “Accident Report Book”, but this should not prevent you from making a claim.

Where issues exist in your compensation claim for factory injuries, they are more likely to be instigated by an employer denying responsibility for your factory accident or the Injuries Board Ireland making an assessment of your claim which is inadequate for the amount of trauma you have experienced and any subsequent loss of earnings. If you find that the Injuries Board Ireland assessment is a fair amount, there is the possibility that your employer may choose to dispute the assessment.

It is for reasons such as these that the vast majority of people making compensation claims for factory injuries choose to use the services of a specialised personal injury claims solicitor, and to answer any questions you may have about making a claim, we have established a legal claims advice helpline. Our service is completely confidential and will allow you to speak with a solicitor, receive practical and helpful advice and seek clarification on any conflicting information you have received from family and friends.

Call us now or if you cannot speak now please fill in the form below and we will call you back.

Our Promise:

What You Can Expect

We have many years experience of dealing with work-related personal injury claims and are familiar with all the procedures required to ensure that you get a fair and adequate award of compensation for your factory injuries.

Consequently we will be aware of the trauma you have suffered and possibly the anger that you feel about being injured in a scenario that could have been prevented with proper care and consideration.

We will listen attentively while you tell us how you came to sustain your factory injuries, what medical treatment you received and what impact your injuries have subsequently had on your quality of life.

We will assess your entitlement to claim compensation for your factory injuries, advise you whether you have grounds for a claim which is worth your while to pursue, and advise you how long the process should take.

We are also aware that many victims of factory injuries will have been approached by their employer´s insurance company with an offer of early settlement. We are happy to review their offer to advise whether it is appropriate.

We usually conclude our initial telephone conversation with a list of options for you to consider and get back to us with any further questions you may have. You are under no obligation to act on our suggestions and no pressure will be put on you to proceed with a claim.

We hope we have put your mind to rest about calling our legal claims advice helpline. We appreciate that many people may be experiencing a dilemma about suing their employer: however, we can assure you that it is possible to make a claim for factory injuries without the worry of a potential workplace confrontation.

We look forward to hearing from you. Our lines are open twenty-four hours. every day of the week, and we also operate a call-back service. So, if it is not a suitable time to call right away, please leave your contact details in the form at the bottom of the page and one of our helpful and friendly team will be back in touch with you.