Am I able to claim toe injury compensation? A co-worker recently broke my toe after dropping a heavy load on it, and I wish to claim compensation for medical expenses and being unable to play sports. Can this be done, and how?
Provided that you have sustained an injury in the workplace for which you were not to blame, you may be entitled to claim toe injury compensation. This will depend on the circumstance in which the injury occurred. In this case, it is possible that your employer will be liable for your injury as it may be determined that your co-worker did not receive sufficient training in lifting a heavy load or was unsuited for the task which was assigned. In order to determine liability for your injury, you are advised to consult a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity.
Your immediate priority after an accident, rather than pursuing toe injury compensation, should be to seek immediate medical attention for your injury. This will strengthen your claim as not only will your injury be noted in your medical history, but it will prevent your injury from deteriorating. This is crucial as if you fail to seek immediate medical attention and your injuries become worse as a result, the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled can be reduced as a result of your own negligence.
In order to gather evidence to support your toe injury compensation claim, you are advised to consult a personal injury* solicitor. Your accident should be noted into the Accident Report Book of your employer if this has not already happened. This report can be used as evidence to support your claim. Evidence can also be gathered from CCTV footage of your accident, eyewitness accounts and from your medical records.
Once sufficient evidence has been gathered to support your claim, a Letter of Claim will be sent from your solicitor to your employer stating that compensation is being sought. Three weeks are given for your employer — or their insurance company — to acknowledge this letter, after which three months are provided to make an investigation of their own into the accident. If liability is accepted, negotiations can begin into the amount of compensation that you are entitled to claim. If liability is challenged, court action may be initiated, although the claim may be settled out of court before this happens. Nonetheless a claim for compensation can become complicated, and in order to ensure that your case is handled professionally and with care you are advised to contact a personal injury* solicitor at the earliest opportunity if you have a valid claim for toe injury compensation.