Have you had an accident as a carer?
Experiencing an injury at work is a traumatic experience. We spend a lot of time at work, meaning we often feel safe and content in our working environments, much like we do in our own homes.
Couple that with our dependency on our salaries and an accident at work can feel stressful, shocking and can be life-changing.
Every day we speak to people like you who have suffered an accident at work, so we know that suffering an accident as a carer or a healthcare assistant often means a reduced wage and time off. On top of everything else, you may feel worried about patients or service users as you're not able to look after them.
We're here to help you by listening to your experience, making sure we understand the full impact of your accident and injury so that we can let you know whether you could start a claim.
We offer this help for free because we believe you should be able to seek justice, financial compensation and support if you've been unfairly injured, whether it was because of an accident or unsafe practices at work.
If you've suffered an accident at work as a carer due to unsafe practices or are still recovering from an injury, you can contact us for a free chat on . Don't worry about feeling rushed or pressured during our call. We're here to help and will never push you into starting a claim.
Was someone at fault for your injury?
We realise you may find it hard to tell if anybody was at fault for your accident, particularly if your accident was the result of repetitive movements or repeated practices over time.
While each case varies, if you've had an accident at work because of unsafe practices, a lack of training or a lack of support then your employer may be at fault for your accident.
For example, you may not have been given the correct training on how to use equipment and carry out your job safely, or you might have been left to a work on a task that should have taken two or more people.
When you sign a contract of employment with your employer, they become legally obligated to keep you safe from harm at work. To do this they must take all reasonable precautions to make sure you're not injured in the workplace from any task they give or equipment they provide for you.
If they fail to uphold this duty of care, then they may be responsible for your accident. Some examples of when your employer may have failed to uphold their duty to you as a carer are:
- Not providing training on how to lift, move or help a care home's service users
- Not providing the correct equipment for you to safely care for a service user
- Failing to have the correct staff numbers for a shift or activity
- Failing to maintain and regularly check equipment
- Not providing the correct personal protective equipment (PPE)
You might have also been injured in a car accident, slip or trip, or attack while at work. If that's the case, then it may be clear that somebody was at fault for your accident. However, we can still answer your questions and help you find out if you can make a claim on for free.
Your sick pay and compensation
It's likely that you've taken some time off work to recover after your injury. During this time, you may have received reduced pay or even statutory sick pay.
Statutory sick pay, and any sick pay agreed by your employer, is there to help you when accidents happen and you're unable to work. However, it's often less than you would usually earn, which can cause you to feel rushed to return to work and in some cases, it can even cause financial problems by putting you in debt.
Making a compensation claim can help to ease the financial impact of your injury, recovering any expenses you've had to cover and any lost earnings you and your family have suffered because of your accident.
To get an estimate of how much compensation you could receive, you can try our industry-leading compensation calculator here.
Find out if you can make a carer's claim
To be able to make a compensation claim for your accident as a carer, your accident should have:
- Happened in the last three years
- Been caused by somebody else, either through reckless or negligent behaviour
- Caused you an injury
We realise you may still feel unclear about whether you can make a claim, or would like to find out more information. We're here to talk about your experience and how we can help for free on . Don't worry about feeling pressured into claiming, there are no obligations when you get in touch with us and we'll always listen to everything you have to say.
Claiming won't put your job at risk
We know that one of the things that puts people off contacting us or starting a claim is the fear of their employer firing them for making a claim.
It's against the law for your employer to dismiss you for making a claim and it is also illegal for them to treat you any differently.
When you contact us, we won't notify your employer until you've signed the agreement with your solicitor to confirm that you're ready and want to make a claim. Then your solicitor will negotiate with your employer and their insurance company on your behalf.
If you have any questions about making a claim or are just looking for a little help about the claims process, please call us for free on .