Firefighter injury
compensation claims

If a firefighter injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a firefighter injury, we can help. If your injuries were caused by your employer or a co-worker, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee work accident compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

You are not alone - Around 2,000 UK firefighters are injured each year

Firefighters face unique risks daily, facing the risk of injury from exposure to extreme heat, smoke inhalation, defective equipment, and potential building collapses. Injuries can include burns, lung damage, or trauma from emergency response activities.

Although the past decade has seen a general downward trend in the number of injuries sustained by firefighters at work, accidents still occur. According to figures compiled by UK fire and rescue authorities, there were 2,424 injuries sustained in by firefighters in 2022/33.

There were 2,776 incidents involving fire and rescue service vehicles (fire engines, cars and vans). Although the majority caused vehicle damage only, the accidents resulted in injury to 104 service personnel and 27 non-service personnel.

Over half the injuries occurred when the vehicles were not responding to an emergency.

According to UK government statistics, there were 2,278 firefighter injuries in 2021-22 (gov.uk).

If you decide to make a firefighter injury claim, your work accident solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

Am I eligible for firefighter injury compensation?

You will be able to claim compensation if you've been injured or diagnosed with an illness in the last three years and it wasn't your fault.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

Can I claim compensation if I was partly at fault?

The law concerning liability (or blame) for an accident is complex, and varies depending on the situation.

In our 2024 Work Injury Claimant Survey, 26.02% of injured workers believed they were partly responsible for their injuries, or were uncertain.

A claim could still be possible if your actions contributed to your injury or illness. If you were injured at work, you can claim compensation from your employer even if you or a co-worker caused your injury or illness.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long after a firefighter injury do I have to start a claim?

In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.

If you were injured due to someone else's negligence but didn't realise it at the time, the clock starts ticking from the 'date of knowledge' - the day you become aware of your injury.

How much compensation can I claim for a firefighter injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

If it can be proved that your injury left you unable to work, special damages can be awarded for any lost earnings, loss of commission or bonuses, and loss of pension contributions. It may also be possible to claim for loss of future earnings, if the medical prognosis establishes that you won't be able to work for any period in the future.

These damages will also cover the cost of any medical procedures you might need to treat or recover from your injury such as emergency care, burn care, physical therapy and inhalation treatment.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Training and routine activity injuries

Firefighters sustain more injuries when carrying out training and routine activities than they do through attending operational incidents.

Training exercises, which are intended to be as close to real-life situations as possible, were the cause of 32.5% of all injuries sustained. This may have been due to insufficient planning, preparation and risk assessment, leading to the exercises not being carried out safely.

23.6% of the injuries were incurred during routine activities. These workplace injuries may have mainly been caused by slips, trips and falls due to spillages or poorly maintained premises.

48 of those injuries sustained during training or routine operations were classed as 'major injuries' by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations).

Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022

The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022, effective from April 6, 2022, require employers to provide free PPE to all workers, including self-employed and zero-hours contract workers. This expands from the previous 1992 regulations that mandated PPE only for formally contracted employees.

For firefighters, this includes helmets, masks, fire-resistant gloves, boots, and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to minimize injury risks from various hazards.

Inadequate PPE provision can lead to injuries, potentially resulting in compensation claims. Despite a general decline in major injuries over the past decade, there was a 15% increase last year in injuries during operational incidents.

The Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 requires Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) to fully train workers and to ensure they fully understand the practices and procedures necessary to work as safely as possible.

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Work accident claims

Claiming if injured in the line of duty

If a firefighter sustains injury whilst carrying out his work - whether during training, at an incident, or travelling to and from an incident he may be entitled to claim for compensation from his employer.

A firefighter who sustains an injury whilst in attendance at a road accident may be able to bring a claim through the insurers of the driver responsible for the crash, depending on the circumstances.

Where a firefighting vehicle is involved in an accident with another vehicle, the fire vehicle's driver and passengers may be able to bring a personal injury claim against the negligent drivers insurers.

Employers' liability claims claims

Work accident claims are also known as employers' liability claims. Click on the icons below for more information:

Work accidents Other accidents

Citations

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.