Machinery accident

The easiest way to find out if you have a claim for your injury is to give us a call on  for free. We can tell you in minutes if we think you have a claim and what the next steps are.

However, it's likely that you can make a successful compensation claim if you answer ‘yes' to the following three questions below:

• Did your accident happen within the last three years?
• Were you injured as a result of your accident?
• Was somebody else at fault for your accident?

We know that it can sometimes be confusing to know whether someone else was at fault for your accident, especially if it happened at work. We can talk through this with you when you call us on. Or, alternatively, you can read on for some more information about the laws and regulations protecting you in your workplace.

Your employer's responsibility

Your employer is required by the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) to minimise the risk to you where dangerous machinery is used. That means there are clear regulations outlined by the Government regarding your safety in the workplace.

These include making sure all dangerous machinery is:

• Used for the correct task
• Used by employees who have the correct training and experience
• Safe for use, and inspected regularly
• Equipped with the right safety protection, warnings and emergency stop buttons

Where dangerous machinery is used, your employer must consider the dangers to you and your colleagues and take them very seriously. Failure to take action by your employer means they were negligent in their duty to you, as outlined in PUWER.

Your employer is also responsible for any dangerous equipment not supplied by them, as long as it's in a workplace that they're responsible for.

With that in mind, if your company provided a defective piece of machinery, or provided you with equipment that was not fit for the task at hand, and you were injured, then we can help you make a compensation claim.

You may also be able to make a compensation claim against your employer if they failed to provide you with the correct training for the piece of machinery you were handling, or if they didn't tell you about the risks involved in using dangerous machinery.

Your employer has to take your safety seriously. While we know most employers do consider their employees' safety, there are instances where companies fail to consider the risks posed to you and your colleagues. Where this has happened in your workplace, then you're entitled to compensation.

If you've experienced any of the above, we can help you start a claim for compensation that can help you get back on your feet and cover any costs that you've incurred due to your injury.

Please contact us for free on . We're here to listen and advise you. You are under absolutely no pressure to claim when you do contact us.

Your rights as an employee

You may feel that you're partly responsible for your injury, either because of your previous experience using a piece of machinery or because you'd received training on how to use the machinery that injured you.

We understand that this may put you off seeking the compensation you deserve. Quite simply, being trained isn't always enough when dangerous machines are involved. Chatting to us could help you understand whether the circumstances of your specific incident were a result of negligence.

As an employee, you have rights. These are outlined fully by the Health and Safety Executive and include your right:

• To work in a safe environment
• To have the correct training for your task and relevant equipment
• To work with the relevant safety equipment, under the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992

Where dangerous machinery is handled as part of your job, this means that even if you did receive training on a piece of machinery, if that equipment was not regularly inspected or wasn't the right equipment for your task then your employer was at fault for your accident. Or it may mean that you received the correct personal protective equipment, but the machinery did not have the correct safety guards or fail-safes in place.

If any of your rights were broken, then you could make a compensation claim.

European law and accidents involving machinery

European law also regulates the use of dangerous machinery in the workplace.

Under the Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 and 2011, when a new machine is purchased and installed in a workplace the machinery should:

• Have a CE mark - meaning that the equipment complies with the relevant EU regulations, including environmental protection and health and safety
• Include instructions in English
• Have a declaration of conformity - meaning the manufacturer confirms the machine meets all necessary regulations and is fit for purpose

If you believe your injury is the result of a machine that doesn't meet the above regulations, we can help. Contact us on  for a free and confidential chat about your experience.

Although we've helped people just like you claim for accidents at work, we're unable to advise exactly how much your compensation might be before you claim.

This is because your compensation is calculated on the effect your injury has had on your life and finances. Things like your annual salary, the severity of your injury and any additional spend since your accident affect your compensation amount. Every accident is unique, and we take a bespoke approach to each case.

However, you can get an estimate of the amount of compensation you could receive by using our compensation calculator. Our calculator asks you questions about your experience and provides an approximate figure.

What is no win no fee?

We also handle your claim on a no win no fee basis.*

With no win no fee there is no risk to making a compensation claim with us, because if your claim isn't successful, you don't pay a penny.

If your claim is successful, however, your solicitor will have already agreed on a fee for their services with you. You'll discuss any fees with your solicitor before you start your claim - there won't be any surprises.

You can read more about no win no fee, or call us to discuss it on .

* There are some rare exceptions to our no win no fee agreement. If they apply to you, your specialist solicitor will make you aware before you start your claim.

While we can't fully understand what you're going through, we can use our experience to help you recover your lost earnings and help you take the first steps to getting your life back.

If you're ready to start your compensation claim or are looking for free advice and information, call us today for free on . You could be speaking to us in minutes.

Or, if you'd rather we call you, just leave your details in one of our forms and we'll call you back within 30 minutes during normal opening hours.