A work injury settlement is an amount of compensation you receive after having sustained an injury at work where your employer was in some way responsible for the cause.
This may have been an accident involving machinery which had not been properly maintained, a slip or fall in the work environment due to a lack of care, an accident caused by a lack of training or an injury sustained over a period of time where health and safety procedures were not followed to prevent (for example) carpal tunnel syndrome.
Irrespective of the cause, there are two possible alternative courses of action available for employees wishing to pursue a work injury settlement:-
- Through the Injuries Board ofIreland
- Through the employer´s liability insurance scheme
There are positives and negatives for each.
The Injuries Board and Work Injury Settlements
When you claim for a work injury settlement through the Injuries Board, you can be assured that your work injury settlement claim is being processed with all due diligence and in the right fashion. The Injuries Board will make their assessment based on the guidelines published in the “Book of Quantum” and allow “special damages” to factor in additional expenses such as loss of earnings and the potential for ongoing medical costs. However, if the employer fails to agree that he was liable, or his insurance company declines to accept the Injuries Board Ireland´s assessment, the Injuries Board will only offer you an authorization to take the case to court – they will not intermediate on your behalf.
Insurance Companies and Work Injury Settlements
Claiming for a work injury settlement through an employer´s liability insurance scheme is barely necessary, because as soon as the employer admits liability, they will be at your doorstep offering an early settlement. Inasmuch as the short term injection of cash may be particularly welcome, insurance companies have their profits and the interests of their clients further up the list than they have yours. You may find that the amount of work injury settlement that they offer is insufficient to meet your financial obligations and support your family.
Whereas it might appear that you are thrust into a “lose-lose” scenario, there is help at hand. We have established a free advice service for employees who have been injured at work and wish to find out more about making a claim for a work injury settlement. The service is free, you are under no obligation to proceed with a claim and we will not inform your employer that you have called us. Our solicitors offer clear, helpful and practical advice to anybody who has been injured in a work related accident, their families or immediate partners.
Call us now on 1-800 989 995 or if you cannot speak now please fill in the form on the left and we will call you back.
Our Promise to You:
- 100% You will speak with an experienced personal injury claims solicitor
- 100% We will offer helpful and accurate advice to suit your circumstances
- 100% There is no obligation to use our services thereafter
- 100% All calls are treated with the utmost confidentiality
What can I expect?
Our solicitors are experienced in almost every type of claim for a work injury settlement. Yet, everybody´s circumstances are different, and we would be grateful when you call if you start from the beginning, explain how your accident happened and why you believe your employer has been negligent in his duties towards workplace safety.
We would also like to know what injuries you sustained and how they were treated. If there were any witnesses to the event or there is a history of this type of accident occurring, that information will also help us to compile an assessment of whether you have a work injury settlement claim that it is worth your while to pursue.
If we feel that you should proceed with a claim for work injury settlement, we will advise you of the procedure, how long you can expect it to take and, if possible, a general idea of the sort of work injury settlement you should expect to receive. You do not have to do anything just yet. Take this information away with you, speak with your family and call us back if you have any further questions.
Whether you choose to proceed with a claim for a work injury settlement or not, surely it is better to find out whether you have a case for negligence and how the procedure works? Our lines are open from 8.00am to 10.00pm on 1-800 989 995, and if you cannot call us right now, please leave your details in our call-back box below and one of our friendly team will be in touch.
