Much has been made of the increase in accident compensation claims, but does this increase reflect an increasingly litigious society, or is it a reflection of improved access to justice and increased awareness of legal rights?

accident compensation claimCompensation claims for accidents at work used to be unheard of in everyday life. They existed, of course, but there was not the same level of awareness on the subject and most claims were dealt with without any fanfare or impact on society. The only claims that pierced the consciousness of the general public were claims involving well-known personalities or claims where exorbitant sums were awarded.

Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that there has been an increase in claims made by ordinary members of the public or employees who have suffered an accident at work. Some argue that this is because people are quick to jump at the chance to receive money, but others state that this is due to more people being aware of their rights and what they can expect if they have suffered an injury through no fault of their own. Whatever the reason, we can be sure work accident compensation claim lawyers will not be going out of work any time soon.

Health and Safety at Work

It seems likely that the true reason for the increase in claims for injuries received at work is down to the working knowledge that employees have about their rights, not to mention what is expected of them. Health and safety rules lay out very clearly how employers must take steps to take care of their employees and any breach of these rules that results in an injury occurring is more than likely to result in a claim. Industry experts are sure work accident compensation claim occurrences springing from health and safety breaches are due to employees exercising their rights not only for their own benefit, but also for the benefit of their fellow employees, who need to be protected from negligent employers.

Other Reasons Include:

A need to cover medical expenses resulting from the accident

A desire to see the person responsible for the injury accept some responsibility for their actions

The requirement to see justice being done

To send a message to other employers that they need to be aware of how their actions affect others

Whatever the reason for a claim, it is the right of an injured party to seek compensation from the person who has directly or indirectly caused them to suffer an injury. There will always be the occasional person who sees claiming as a way of making some ‘easy’ money, but these people are in the minority. Although you cannot ever be sure work accident compensation claim procedures won’t encourage fraud, in practice the system is rarely abused; indeed, it provides a valuable lifeline for those innocent parties who are left dealing with potentially life-changing illnesses and injuries.

AUTHOR BIO

Tom Brown is a personal injury lawyer who has a particular interest in work accident claims. He worked for many years dealing with health and safety breaches and is sure work accident compensation claim abuses are in the minority, with most claims being brought by honest workers who need the law’s protection.Follow him on Google+