Aiding your Recovery from your Workplace Accident
When at work, the health and safety of employees is paramount. Employers are bound by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 which means they legally have a responsibility to ensure the welfare of their staff whilst at work.
Unfortunately, accidents do occur which may leave a person injured and unable to work for some time. Many individuals need some form of rehabilitation to aid their recovery or help them return to work.
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What is Rehabilitation?
Rehabilitation after a workplace accident is the process of restoring an individual’s quality of life as close as possible to the one they had pre-injury or illness. This includes their physical health, mental health and social interaction.
This doesn’t necessarily mean rehabilitation to get someone back to work. Often a person needs rehabilitation to be able to function as normally as they possibly can in their personal lives, depending on the severity of their injury.
Main Causes of Injuries that Cause Rehabilitation
Types of Injury which usually result in rehabilitation being necessary:
- Crush Injuries
- Fractures
- Burn injuries
- Brain injuries
- Vibration Injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Industrial Disease
Types of rehabilitation can include:
- Physical therapy
- Home and work adjustments including travel needs
- Health care
- Treatments
- Equipment needed
- Respite care
- Psychological services e.g. counselling, treatment for anxiety and depression
- Training needed upon return to work
Employees Responsibilities
Employees have a duty to take reasonable care of themselves whilst in the workplace which includes following any safety procedures which have been implemented. Usually, an employee will receive health and safety training which is especially important when working in an environment with increased hazards. Workers should always be aware of the dangers around them and how their actions may impact upon the health and safety of other people.
Employers Responsibilities
All places of work are bound by the law in their duty of care to protect employees from harm within practical reason. Specific procedures may vary, depending on the workplace and there are many regulations relating to specific aspects of health and safety. In general, when looking at how a workplace should uphold health and safety regulations, the following should always be in place:
1. Risk Assessments
- Regular risk assessments are required to identify risks to employee health and safety
- If immediate action cannot be taken for risks, a prioritised action plan should be implemented
- Risks should be eliminated wherever possible, employee exposure limited or the risk reduced as much as possible
2. General health and safety guidance
- Each employee should have basic health and safety training, whatever their role
- This includes aspects such as manual handling and knowing where fire exits are
3. Procedures for working with dangerous materials, equipment or vehicles
- With hazardous materials and equipment which could cause harm to the user, there should be a set procedure for the handling of such items
- This may also include the storage of such materials
4. Suitable Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
In any process involving exposing an employee to increased risk of harm, suitable PPE should be mandatory
5. Appropriate training
- Only those with the appropriate training should use equipment or be exposed to increased risks
The Rehabilitation Code
The Rehabilitation Code is a framework that was first introduced in 1999 and was updated in 2015 to put the claimants needs at the heart of an injury compensation claim. This involves considering all the rehabilitation, needs and services an individual requires to restore their quality of life as much as possible post-injury or illness.
The code:
- Recognises a claimant’s need to restore some form of normality to their lives
- Promotes rehabilitation being implemented as soon as possible after the incident
- Considers what the needs of the claimant are including treatments, rehabilitation services, and adaptations
- Helps to implement any immediate aids or adjustments which may help a person get back to normal including if they want to return to their workplace
- Involves the claimant, compensator, injury lawyers and others who may be necessary to the process such as the injured party’s medical practitioner. An independent assessor may be necessary to establish the claimant’s needs
- Encourage both the claimant and the employer to work together to find the right compensation necessary for the injured party
- Puts the quickest and the best recovery at the heart of the claim
- Considers all the cost implications for the claimant
How Can We Help?
At Injury Lawyers UK, we understand how stressful a time it can be after an accident that requires rehabilitation. We know it can seem daunting to claim against an employer but we will take the hassle from you and take you through the process step by step. One of our team of legal advisors will talk through your potential claim and let you know whether you are eligible to claim compensation.
We have a team of experienced, qualified lawyers who will only ever speak with you in clear, plain language so you do not feel overwhelmed by confusing legal jargon. Putting people and their families at the heart of what we do means your understanding of the process is paramount to us. When you are trying to recover and fight to get life back on track, Injury Lawyers UK can help take some of the pressure away.
We always aim to secure 100% of any compensation you are eligible for. Operating a no win, no fee policy means you do not owe us anything unless we win your case.
TALK TO INJURY LAWYERS UK TODAY
If you want to know if you’re in a position to make a claim contact Injury Lawyers UK on 0800 285 1411 today or fill out an online enquiry form. We’ll be happy to provide you with the advice you need to pursue any action, and work with you to secure the compensation you deserve.
