A serious workplace injury can change your life in an instant. Whether it’s a fall from height, a crush injury from machinery, or long-term harm from unsafe working conditions, the effects are often devastating—not just physically, but financially and emotionally too.
Under UK law, employers have a clear duty of care to protect the health and safety of their employees. When they fail in that duty and someone suffers a serious workplace injury as a result, they can be held legally responsible.
In this article, we explain what qualifies as a severe workplace injury, what your employer’s responsibilities are, and what steps you can take if you’ve been seriously injured at work.
What Is a Severe Workplace Injury?
Severe workplace injuries are those with long-term or permanent consequences. They often involve:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputation or loss of limb
- Crush injuries
- Head and brain injuries
- Severe burns or chemical exposure
- Loss of sight or hearing
- Multiple fractures or long-term mobility issues
These injuries may prevent you from working again, require lifelong treatment or adaptations, or cause serious psychological trauma.
Your Employer’s Duty of Care
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers are legally required to take reasonable steps to protect their employees from harm. This includes:
- Providing a safe working environment
- Supplying appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Maintaining machinery and equipment
- Carrying out regular risk assessments
- Providing adequate training and supervision
If an employer neglects these duties and a serious workplace injury occurs as a result, they may be liable for negligence. Understanding Compensation: What You Can Claim For in a Personal Injury Case.
Common Causes of Severe Workplace Injuries
Some of the most serious workplace injuries arise from:
- Falls from height (e.g. scaffolding, ladders, mezzanines)
- Defective or unguarded machinery
- Lack of PPE in hazardous environments
- Vehicle accidents on construction or industrial sites
- Fires, explosions, or exposure to harmful substances
- Manual handling accidents involving heavy lifting
These incidents often happen in industries like construction, manufacturing, agriculture, logistics, and healthcare—but they can occur in any workplace if proper safety procedures aren’t followed.
Making a Claim After a Serious Workplace Injury
If you’ve suffered a severe workplace injury due to employer negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. A claim can help cover:
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Lost earnings (including future losses)
- Cost of care and home adaptations
- Pain and suffering
- Psychological trauma
The amount of compensation you can claim will depend on the nature of your workplace injury, how it has impacted your life, and how long your recovery is expected to take. You can learn more about what to do after a workplace injury by reading our article on gathering evidence.
Do I Have a Workplace Injury Claim?
You may have a claim if:
- Your workplace injury happened during your employment
- It was caused by unsafe conditions, lack of training, faulty equipment, or missing PPE
- The injury has had a serious and lasting impact on your life
Even if you’re unsure whether your employer is to blame, it’s worth speaking to a solicitor. At Specters, we can help assess the strength of your case and guide you through your options. to learn more, you can read our guide to Understanding Compensation: What You Can Claim For in a Personal Injury Case.
Contact us today
At Specters, we’ve supported clients with serious workplace injury claims for over 25 years. We understand how life-changing these incidents can be, and we’re here to fight for the compensation you deserve.
- We offer No Win, No Fee agreements where appropriate
- We specialise in severe injury and high-value workplace injury claims
- We work with leading medical experts and barristers to build strong cases
If you’ve suffered a severe workplace injury and believe your employer failed in their duty of care, don’t wait.
Call us on 0300 303 3629 for a free, no-obligation consultation with our expert team.
Or make an enquiry online and one of our solicitors will get back to you.
