A Guide to Making an Office Injury Claim

There are many categories when it comes to work injury claims, and injuries sustained during work in an office environment is one of them. It’s easy to think of workplace injuries to be more in physical lines of work, such as manual labour, where accidents are more likely, but no matter where your work is based, an employer has a legal obligation to manage your safety, and this includes the office environment.

The following are important details regarding any claim made relating to an office injury.

What Counts as an Office Injury?

The types of injuries which are relevant towards a claim are as follows:

  • Repetitive strain injury. This is an injury most suffered by office workers, due to the long hours spent sitting at a desk, usually typing and using their hands in the same way for hours on end. This injury involves pain felt in the muscles, nerves, and tendons.
  • Any injury sustained from a wet floor. If the floor is not properly signposted to signal a hazard and you have fallen or slipped, any subsequent injury is relevant.
  • Any strain caused as a result of an incorrect procedure. This includes back strain from lifting objects which you have not been properly trained to lift.
  • Eye strain from overuse of laptops or VDUs.
  • Being injured as the result of a fallen object.
  • An injury sustained from faulty equipment. An example would be an electric shock; even if it is an injury from a faulty kettle in the break room, that equipment is still the responsibility of your employer.
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This is caused by excess pressure on the nerve in your wrist and can be exacerbated by typing at a desk for long periods with your wrists in the same position.

Check Your Responsibilities as an Employee

It’s important before making any claim that you are sure you have done everything expected of you as an employee in regards to health and safety. For example, if your employer has provided you with the best equipment to limit eye strain or repetitive strain injury, and you have chosen to not use it regularly or else have been misusing it, then this means your employer is not fully liable for the subsequent injury. If you know that you have fulfilled everything required of you as an employee and your injury is a direct result of your employer alone, then you are eligible to speak to an advisor about a claim.

What’s Involved?

Once the claim has been confirmed, the procedure will be as follows:

  • Gathering proof of the nature and extent of the injury. This could be obtaining medical records, checking the employer’s accident book, or potentially an independent medical assessment.
  • Proving that the injury was not unavoidable or a matter of chance. This is important, as it means being able to prove that the injury would not have occurred naturally, and is a direct result of the neglected work environment.

Speak with the team at The Compensation Experts for further advice.