Workplace Assault Claims

This page is for workers physically or psychologically assaulted by colleagues, customers or members of the public. We explain who can claim, what your employer must do to keep you safe, the kinds of injuries we see, what evidence helps, and how the claims process works in practice.

Who Can Claim

You may have a claim if you were injured in the course of your employment and your employer (or another party with a duty of care to you) failed to take reasonable steps to keep you safe. This includes employees, agency workers, apprentices, and in many cases contractors and self-employed workers carrying out work on premises controlled by another business. The duty applies whether you were a long-serving permanent member of staff or had only just started.

Common Causes

• Lack of lone-worker protection
• No risk assessment for violent customers
• Insufficient staffing
• Failure to provide de-escalation training

Common Injuries

• Physical injuries from assault
• Psychological injuries including PTSD
• Anxiety and depression
• Long-term loss of confidence

Your Employer’s Duties

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, your employer must carry out suitable and sufficient risk assessments, provide safe equipment and a safe system of work, give appropriate training and supervision, and provide personal protective equipment where necessary. Specific regulations may also apply depending on the nature of the work, including PUWER 1998, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, COSHH 2002, and CDM 2015. A breach of these duties — where it caused or materially contributed to your injury — will usually support a claim.

What Evidence Helps

• Accident book entry, RIDDOR report, or internal incident report
• Photographs of the scene, equipment, and your injuries
• Names and contact details of witnesses
• Your medical records (GP, A&E, hospital, occupational health)
• Risk assessments, training records and method statements
• Your wage slips and any sick pay records, to evidence loss of earnings
• Receipts for treatment, travel, and out-of-pocket expenses

If some of this is missing, do not assume you have no claim — a solicitor can use formal disclosure, GDPR data requests and witness evidence to build the picture.

What Compensation May Cover

• General damages for pain, suffering and loss of amenity
• Past and future loss of earnings, including pension loss where significant
• Medical and rehabilitation costs, including private treatment where reasonable
• Care and assistance from family members
• Travel costs to medical appointments
• Adaptations to your home or vehicle, where required

Time Limits

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the general rule is that you have three years from the date of the accident — or from the date of knowledge if your condition developed gradually — to bring a claim. In Scotland the equivalent period is also three years. Different rules apply to children and to those lacking mental capacity. Do not delay in seeking advice; evidence and witness recollection deteriorate quickly.

How common is violence at work?

HSE estimates that around 61,000 workers in Great Britain sustained a non-fatal injury from physical violence at work each year (average of 2022/23 to 2024/25), about 10% of all workplace non-fatal injuries. Employers reported 5,900 violence injuries to employees under RIDDOR in 2024/25, and around 82% of workers injured by violence work in public services such as health and social work, education and public administration. Source: HSE, Violence at Work statistics, 2024/25.

What must employers do to prevent violence at work?

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, regulation 3 — the risk assessment must cover foreseeable violence from customers, patients, service users and the public
• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, section 2 — a general duty to provide safe systems of work, training and supervision, which can include staffing levels, lone-working arrangements, alarms and screens
• RIDDOR 2013 — physical violence causing a reportable injury, such as more than seven days off work, must be reported by the employer

HSE guidance on assessing the risks of violence sets out what a reasonable employer is expected to do.

Have employers been prosecuted over violence to staff? A real case

In July 2023 two Priory Group companies were fined a total of over £400,000 following an HSE prosecution after staff at the former Priory Hospital in Aberdare were repeatedly assaulted by patients between 2014 and 2017. Parkcare Homes (No.2) Ltd was fined £363,000 and Priory Central Services Ltd £40,000. Failings included inadequate risk assessment, training and investigation of incidents. Source: BBC News report.

What should I read before I claim?

• Accident at work claim time limits
• How much compensation an accident at work claim is worth
• How the accident at work claims process works
• Accident at work claims in London
• Accident at work claims in Leeds
• Accident at work claims in Birmingham

Frequently Asked Questions