By Chris Carter, Managing Solicitor, Carter & Carter Solicitors | March 2026

Most people who’ve been hurt at work talk themselves out of calling a solicitor before they’ve picked up the phone. The injury didn’t seem bad enough. They didn’t go to A&E. They were back at work within a few weeks. Surely it wasn’t serious enough to bother with?

It’s one of the most common reasons people don’t claim. And it’s based on a misunderstanding of what the law actually requires.

Is There a Minimum Level of Injury Required to Make a Claim?

No. There is no legal minimum. English personal injury law does not draw a line and say “above this, you have a claim — below this, you don’t.” The question is always the same: was your employer negligent, and did that negligence cause your injury? The size of the injury affects the value of the claim. It doesn’t determine whether the claim exists.

Judges use the Judicial College Guidelines to value injuries — a recognised framework that covers everything from catastrophic spinal injuries down to minor soft tissue strains. Minor injuries have a value. They’re in the guidelines. They have always been in the guidelines.

What Does Your Employer’s Legal Duty Actually Cover?

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, your employer has a legal duty to ensure your safety at work — so far as is reasonably practicable. That duty doesn’t switch on when injuries reach a certain severity. It exists from day one. If your employer breached that duty and you were hurt as a result, the law is on your side. The size of the bruise is irrelevant to the question of whether the duty existed.

And crucially — when a workplace injury claim succeeds, the compensation isn’t paid by your employer directly. It’s paid by their employers’ liability insurer. Under the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, every UK employer is legally required to hold that insurance.

It exists precisely for this situation. You are not harming your employer by claiming — you are using a system they have been legally required to fund since 1969.

What About Injuries That Felt Minor at the Time?

This is where people most commonly underestimate themselves. A sprained wrist that kept you up for three weeks. A back strain that meant you couldn’t lift your children for a month. A cut that needed stitches and left a small scar. These are real injuries. They have real values under the Judicial College Guidelines. And they happen at work every day to people who never claim a penny because they assumed they weren’t serious enough.

The honest answer is that we can’t tell you from a description whether your specific injury qualifies. Every claim is different. But we can tell you this: the threshold is lower than most people expect. Much lower.

Is My Injury Worth Enough to Make a No Win No Fee Claim?

This is a slightly different question — and it’s worth being transparent about it. For a No Win No Fee claim to be commercially viable, the general damages element of your claim typically needs to reach around £1,500. Below that level, the claim falls within the small claims track and solicitor costs aren’t recoverable from the other side.

In practice, £1,500 is a lower bar than it sounds. Most injuries that required any medical treatment — a GP appointment, a visit to A&E, physiotherapy, even a trip to a walk-in centre — and that left you with symptoms for three to four weeks or more are likely to get there. But we’ll tell you honestly on that first call. No forms, no commitment. Just a straight answer from a senior solicitor in a few minutes.

Does It Matter How Long Ago the Accident Happened?

Yes. Under the Limitation Act 1980, you have three years from the date of your workplace accident to bring a claim. That sounds generous — and in most cases it is. But evidence disappears quickly. CCTV footage is typically deleted within 30 days. Accident book entries get misplaced. Witnesses move on. The earlier you call, the stronger your claim is likely to be — regardless of how minor the injury seemed at the time.