Quick Answer: If You’re Injured at Work, Do You Have a Right to Claim?

Yes. Employers have had a statutory duty to protect workers since 1974. In 2024/25, 124 workers were killed and 680,000 suffered non-fatal injuries at work in Great Britain — the overwhelming majority in circumstances that were preventable. If your employer failed in their duty and you were injured as a result, you may have a right to compensation.

Claim timeline: 3–12 months typically  |  Time limit: 3 years from the date of injury  |  No Win No Fee

📊 The 2024/25 HSE Workplace Injury Statistics in Full

According to the Health and Safety Executive’s annual statistics for 2024/25:

• 124 workers killed in workplace accidents across Great Britain
• 680,000 non-fatal injuries to workers (employer-reported and self-reported)
• 1.9 million workers suffering from work-related ill-health
• 40.1 million working days lost due to workplace injury and work-related illness
• Falls from height remain the single biggest cause of fatal workplace accidents — accounting for over a quarter of all deaths

In 2025, the HSE handed down the largest fine in its history: £6 million. That single penalty reflects what’s now possible when employers are held properly accountable for the consequences of ignoring their legal duties.

“A worker doesn’t fall because they were unlucky. They fall because someone decided the protection wasn’t worth the cost. That decision — and its consequences — is exactly what employers are legally accountable for.”

Chris Carter, Managing Solicitor, Carter & Carter Solicitors

⚖️ What 50 Years of Health and Safety Law Actually Requires of Employers

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 places a duty on every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all their employees. That includes:

• Providing and maintaining safe systems of work
• Ensuring safe use, handling and storage of equipment and substances
• Providing adequate information, instruction, training and supervision
• Maintaining a safe working environment with suitable welfare facilities

This is not guidance. It is a statutory duty — and breaching it is a criminal offence. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 added a further layer: employers must carry out risk assessments and act on what they find. If an injury occurs and the risk assessment was inadequate — or non-existent — that failure doesn’t just embarrass the employer. It becomes evidence.

✅ Your Rights After a Workplace Injury — The Key Points

• Your employer has a statutory duty of care to protect you at work — this has existed since 1974 and cannot be contracted away
• If that duty was breached and you were injured as a result, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, lost earnings, and any ongoing costs
• A compensation claim is separate from any HSE prosecution — you don’t need the HSE to have investigated or acted
• You can still claim even if your employer says the accident was your fault — contributory negligence may reduce the amount, but it does not eliminate your right to claim
• The time limit is three years from the date of your injury — in some circumstances, from the date you first became aware of it
• All claims are handled on a No Win No Fee basis — nothing is paid upfront and nothing is owed unless your claim succeeds

⚡ Steps to Take After a Workplace Accident

1. Get medical attention — even for injuries that seem minor. A medical record created close to the accident is your most important piece of evidence.
2. Report the accident — insist it is recorded in the accident book. If your employer refuses, note that refusal and when it happened.
3. Preserve evidence — photograph the scene, the equipment involved, and your injuries. Take names and contact details of any witnesses.
4. Keep records of every cost — time off work, travel to medical appointments, medication, any adaptations at home. These all form part of what you can claim.
5. Don’t discuss blame — report facts, not fault. What you say in the immediate aftermath can be used later in proceedings.
6. Speak to a solicitor — a free initial assessment will tell you clearly whether you have a claim and what it may be worth. You pay nothing to find out.

🔗 Related Guides from Carter & Carter

• → Accident at Work Claims — Full Hub
• → Falling From Height — Compensation Claims Guide
• → What Is the Employer Duty of Care?
• → Your Guide to Work Accident Claims
• → How Much Compensation Can You Claim for a Workplace Injury?
• → Why Work With Carter & Carter?
• → 247 Client Reviews — Read What Our Clients Say