Accident at Work Claims in Scotland

Workers in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and across Scotland have the same right to compensation for a workplace injury caused by their employer’s failure as workers elsewhere in Great Britain. What differs is how the claim is run: Scotland has its own limitation rules, its own courts, and its own rules on no win no fee funding.

Who handles Scottish claims

WorkClaim UK is run by Edward & Amaury Solicitors, a law firm in England regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The firm does not handle claims for accidents that happened in Scotland, because those claims are run under Scots law and through the Scottish courts. If you were injured at work in Scotland, you can still contact us: with your agreement, we will refer you to a law firm in Scotland that can assess your claim and, if it takes your case on, act for you. That firm will set out its own funding terms. We will not pass your details on without your agreement.

How Scottish law differs

Health and safety law in Scotland is the same as in England and Wales — the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and its associated regulations apply across Great Britain, so your employer owes you the same duties. The key procedural differences are below.

The time limit is three years

Under section 17 of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, a personal injury court action must usually be raised within three years of the date of the injury — the same period as in England and Wales. If you did not know straight away that your injury was serious, that it was caused by someone’s act or omission, or who was responsible, the three years can run from the later date when you became aware (or could reasonably have become aware) of those facts. This is most relevant to conditions that develop gradually, such as occupational deafness or vibration white finger.

• Children: time while the injured person is under 16 is not counted, so someone injured as a child usually has until their 19th birthday (compared with the 21st birthday in England and Wales).
• Lack of capacity: time does not run while the injured person lacks the mental capacity to manage a claim.
• Late claims: a court can allow a late action to proceed if it considers it equitable, but this is discretionary and should never be relied on.

Our time limits guide compares the rules in Scotland, England and Wales, and Northern Ireland side by side.

Scottish courts

Most workplace injury claims settle through negotiation without a court action. Where one is needed, claims worth up to £100,000 must be raised in the sheriff court. The National Personal Injury Court in Edinburgh (originally the All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court) hears personal injury actions from across Scotland, including accident at work claims worth more than £1,000. Higher-value claims can be raised in the Court of Session. A court action in Scotland has to be conducted by a solicitor entitled to practise in Scotland.

No win no fee works differently in Scotland

In Scotland, no win no fee claims usually run under a success fee agreement regulated by the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018. For personal injury claims the success fee is capped at 20% of the first £100,000 of damages, 10% of damages between £100,000 and £500,000, and 2.5% of anything above that. If the claim does not succeed, you pay no success fee. Section 8 of the same Act also means a court will not normally order an injured person to pay the other side’s legal expenses, unless they have acted fraudulently, manifestly unreasonably, or abused the court process. These rules differ from the 25% cap explained on our no win no fee page, which applies in England and Wales.

Common workplace accidents in Scotland

Nationally, 59,219 non-fatal injuries to employees were reported to the Health and Safety Executive under RIDDOR in 2024/25, and 126 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2025/26 (HSE, Key figures for Great Britain). HSE does not publish city-level breakdowns, so the risks below reflect industries that are significant employers in Scotland, not local accident counts.

• NHS Scotland and care — manual handling back injuries and slips in clinical settings
• Construction — city-centre regeneration, the Clyde waterfront, residential expansion and transport projects
• Engineering and shipbuilding — machinery accidents, and industrial disease from historic work on the Clyde
• Logistics and distribution — manual handling and forklift accidents around the M8 corridor
• Hospitality and tourism — slips, trips and falls, especially in the busy summer season
• Financial services and the public sector — workstation RSI and DSE injuries (the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 apply in Scotland too) and office slips

Starting a Scottish workplace accident claim

Call 01228 272395 or use the contact form and tell us your accident happened in Scotland. With your agreement, we will refer you to a law firm in Scotland that can advise on your claim. Act promptly — evidence such as CCTV and accident records is easier to secure early (see our evidence guide), and the three-year time limit applies in Scotland just as it does in the rest of Great Britain.

Frequently asked questions

Can WorkClaim UK handle my Scottish accident at work claim?
Edward & Amaury Solicitors, who run WorkClaim UK, do not handle claims for accidents in Scotland. If you were injured at work in Scotland, contact us and, with your agreement, we will refer you to a law firm in Scotland that can assess your claim. We will not pass your details on without your agreement.

Is the time limit for accident at work claims different in Scotland?
For adults, no — it is three years in Scotland as in England and Wales. Under section 17 of the Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973, you usually have three years from the date of the injury, or from the later date you became aware of it, to raise a court action. For children the rules differ: time under 16 is not counted, so the usual deadline is the 19th birthday, compared with the 21st birthday in England and Wales.

Which court handles Scottish workplace accident claims?
Most claims settle without a court action. If one is needed, claims worth up to £100,000 must be raised in the sheriff court — either the local sheriff court or the National Personal Injury Court in Edinburgh, which can hear accident at work claims worth more than £1,000. Higher-value claims can be raised in the Court of Session.

Can I claim for an industrial disease from historic shipbuilding or engineering work in Scotland?
Potentially, yes. Conditions such as asbestosis, vibration white finger (HAVS) and occupational deafness can be claimed for where exposure at work caused them. The three-year time limit usually runs from when you became aware the condition was serious and linked to your work, not from when the exposure happened. Mesothelioma claims have their own specialist rules, so take advice early.

Can a seasonal, agency or zero-hours worker claim in Scotland?
Yes. Seasonal, temporary, agency and zero-hours workers are owed the same health and safety duties as permanent staff. Your employment status does not stop you claiming, although it can affect who the claim is made against.