What to do next: Your action plan after a work accident

Written by Chris Salmon Share:

Don’t know what to do first after a work accident? We’re here to help.

Our expert insights and actionable advice will help you understand your options and reduce stress, helping you to feel informed and supported throughout your recovery.

We’ve written a structured, step-by-step plan to help you navigate the aftermath of your accident at work. This guide aims to help injured workers focus on their health, understand their rights, secure compensation and return to work.

The first 24 hours after a work accident

It’s unlikely you will be reading this article on the day of your accident, so don’t worry if you have missed some of these steps. The sooner you can tick these off the better, but your first priority should be to your health and safety.

If you are unable to follow any of these steps, don’t worry - ask a colleague, friend or family member to help if you need it.

  • Ensure you are safe - Check that hazardous tools and machinery are safely turned off or made safe. If possible, ensure that any other hazards (like a wet floor or loose cable) are sign-posted and ideally made safe too.
  • Get medical attention - Get your injury checked by a first-aider or on-site medical staff, and consider going to A&E or to your GP, for further assessment and treatment. A record of your visit and the treatment you receive will also be valuable medical evidence if you decide to claim compensation.
  • Notify your supervisor, safety rep or manager - This helps to ensure the cause of your accident can be promptly investigated and, if possible, made safe. You should keep any SMS, email or Whatsapp messages you have with management, as these could help your claim.
  • Gather evidence - Identify witnesses and take photos of the scene of the accident and any equipment involved. If you are too injured to do this, ask a colleague to help.
  • Formally report the accident - Your supervisor may have already started the formal process of reporting the accident. If you are unsure if the accident has been recorded properly, check your company handbook or ask HR for details about the reporting process and ensure the incident is recorded in the company’s accident book. You can also ask for a copy of this report.

The first week - Prioritise your health

Getting prompt, suitable medical care can make a big difference to the speed and success of your recovery.

If you plan to claim compensation, you also have a duty to ‘minimise your losses’. This means that you must act to prevent your injuries from worsening without treatment. If you don’t get medical help, and your recovery takes longer as a result, you cannot claim compensation for the additional recovery time caused by your delay.

  • Visit your GP or a hospital - Get a thorough checkup, if you have not already done so. Follow your doctor’s advice, and attend specialist appointments as recommended.
  • Keep records - Start a journal describing your symptoms, and keep receipts, emails, messages and anything else related to your injury, your medical treatment and to the accident.

If you feel well enough, you can also:

  • Follow up on reporting the accident, and get a copy of the accident book report if you haven’t done so.
  • Continue to gather evidence, including the contact details of witnesses, and photos or other evidence from the scene.

The second week - Understanding your rights

If your injuries are likely to keep you off work for some time, check what steps you need to follow to receive sick pay from your company.

  • Notify your employer - Almost all UK workers are entitled to sick pay if they must take time off work for an injury or illness. Make sure you formally notify your employer that you are sick and unable to work, to ensure your sick pay is processed properly. Don’t wait and assume you will get sick pay automatically (especially if you work for a smaller company).
  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) - By law, if you have been unable to work for at least 4 consecutive days, your employer must pay SSP for up to 28 weeks. The current rate of sick pay is £116.75 per week.
  • Company sick pay - You may be entitled to more sick pay than the current rate of SSP. Check your contract or speak to your manager if you are unsure if you are entitled to more.
  • Other benefits - If you are unable to work for a longer period, you may be entitled to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). ESA provides money to help with living costs and help returning to work when you are ready.
  • Keep records - Make sure you keep all correspondence you have with both your employer and your doctors about your ill health and about your ability to work. Once you have an indication from your doctor about when you may be fit enough to return to work, you can notify your employer so they have time to make adjustments and prepare for your return.
  • Trust yourself - You should not feel any pressure to return to work until you are ready. If you have concerns, you should raise them with your doctor.

Read more:

Will I get full sick pay if I am injured at work?

The first month - Get legal advice and find out where you stand

You can discuss your claim with a solicitor on a free, no obligation call, whenever you feel able and ready to. The sooner you contact a lawyer to discuss your options, the easier it will be to gather evidence and the sooner your claim will be processed.

When you speak to a specialist work accident solicitor, you can discuss:

  • Your options for recovering compensation
  • Whether you have a strong case
  • Whether you are eligible to make a no win, no fee claim
  • How long you have to start a claim
  • How long your claim will likely take
  • What evidence they will need to win your case
  • What the next steps are for starting a claim

If you are feeling overwhelmed or just want to focus exclusively on your recovery, you don’t need to formally start a claim until you are ready. This first call will give you a clear picture of where you stand, so you can plan ahead and understand how long it could take to recover compensation.

Read more:

How do I claim work accident compensation

What happens next - Your work accident claim

Once you have instructed a solicitor to handle your work accident claim, you will be able to focus on your recovery and return to work. Your lawyer will handle the claims process, and will update you as your claim progresses. During your claim, your solicitor will:

  • Gather evidence, including a medical assessment, witness statements and photos.
  • Determine liability for your accident to find whether your employer or a third party is legally responsible for your accident.
  • Notify your employer and their insurer of the claim.
  • Arrange interim compensation payments, if necessary.
  • Negotiate a fair compensation amount, based on the severity and impact of your injuries.
  • Finalise your claim, ensuring you receive your compensation you need.

Your solicitor will answer your questions at each stage of the process, and won’t agree a settlement amount without your approval.

Long-term considerations - Returning to work

As your recovery progresses, you may feel ready to return to work. Depending on your circumstances, you may need or want to return to work before you are fully recovered. The key to a successful return to work is communication, with your doctor and with your employer:

  • Discuss your plan to return to work with your GP or medical specialists - Understand your limitations, and follow medical advice regarding when you can safely return to work, what work tasks you can safely perform, and for how long.
  • Discuss your requirements with your employer - Your employer has a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to help you safely return to work. These changes could include schedule changes, extra support and training or ergonomic equipment.
  • Your job role - Your ongoing health and recovery may mean that you are unable to perform all the same tasks as before. You should discuss this with your manager or HR rep, including how these changes will be communicated with others. The company may also have made changes to their processes during your absence (perhaps in response to your accident), so you may also need additional training and orientation before you can fully return to work.
  • A safer workplace - You should feel safe returning to work. If you are unhappy with the steps taken to make your job and work environment safer, you should raise these concerns as soon as possible.

Read more:

Returning to work after an accident

Where to find additional resources

There is a wide range of resources available to injured workers, from government agencies to charities, patient organisations and support groups. Wherever you are in your recovery and rehabilitation journey, and whatever your needs, help will be available.

Workers’ rights

If you are have questions about your employer’s conduct, or are concerned about your rights, you can contact:

Charity support

UK workers are supported by many injury and industry-specific occupational charities, including:

Mental health

Support is also available to help workers handle the stress and emotional strain brought on by an accident at work, including:

Your GP or specialist consultant should also be able to recommend local resources and groups to help support your recovery.

How do I start a work accident claim?

The first step is to contact a solicitor for a FREE initial claim assessment.

You can find out if you have a claim in minutes by speaking to a legally trained advisor on 0800 376 1001. Your solicitor will put no pressure on you to proceed with a claim.

If you have any questions, or would like to start a No Win No Fee work accident claim, we are open:

Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9:30am-5pm

Alternatively, you can arrange a call back from a friendly, legally-trained advisor:

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Chris Salmon, Director

Author:
Chris Salmon, Director