Injured at work in London? Find out if you can claim

Who can claim after a workplace accident in London?

You can usually claim if your employer, or someone your employer was responsible for, failed to take reasonable care and that failure caused your injury. It makes no difference whether you are on a permanent contract, agency books, a zero-hours arrangement or working through a labour supplier on a large project. The capital relies heavily on subcontracted and agency labour, and where several companies share a site the claim may be against the principal contractor or the company that controlled the work, rather than the business named on your payslip.

London salaries and day rates are often higher than elsewhere, so if you have lost time off work, your claim for lost earnings is worked out on what you actually earned, including London weighting, overtime and regular shift premiums.

Which London jobs lead to the most accident at work claims?

• Construction and refurbishment — falls from scaffolds, ladders and edges on high-rise and basement projects, and injuries from plant and falling materials
• Hospitality and catering — burns, knife injuries, and slips on greasy kitchen floors in restaurants, hotels and event venues
• Transport and aviation — bus, rail, Underground and airport ground staff hurt by manual handling, vehicles or unsafe equipment
• Healthcare and care work — patient-handling injuries, needlestick injuries and assaults on NHS and care staff
• Retail, security and night-time work — assaults by members of the public, lone working without protection, and stockroom accidents
• Office and financial services — trips, stairwell falls and workstation-related strain injuries

Road accidents while driving or riding for work, including couriers and delivery riders, are usually claimed against the at-fault driver's motor insurer instead, and may follow different rules. Tell us how the accident happened and we will tell you which route applies.

Where are serious workplace injuries treated in London?

The most serious workplace injuries in London are taken to one of the capital's four major trauma centres (London Ambulance Service): the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, St George's Hospital in Tooting, King's College Hospital at Denmark Hill and St Mary's Hospital in Paddington. Hospital records from your admission, including the ambulance and emergency department notes, are important evidence in a claim, and your solicitor can request them with your permission.

If your injury is life-changing, your claim can include the cost of rehabilitation, care, adapted housing and future loss of earnings, and your solicitor can ask the insurer to fund early rehabilitation while the claim is ongoing.

Do I have to go to court in London?

Most accident at work claims settle with the employer's insurer without a court hearing. If court proceedings are needed, personal injury claims worth under £50,000 must start in the County Court, and a London claim would usually be heard at a County Court hearing centre such as the County Court at Central London in the Thomas More Building at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand. Higher-value claims can be started in the High Court. Your solicitor deals with all of this for you.