One of the side effects of the recession is that workers feel so insecure about their employment prospects that many of them are reluctant to report accidents at work, industrial or otherwise.
I increasingly hear stories of workers being left injured, scarred or disabled to some extent by accidents that have happened over the last few years, as the economy slowed and workplace safety lost priority.
The worrying thing is that many of these people feel they dare raise a claim against their employer in case they lose their job.
The real danger is that these workers may have been injured to an extent that will affect them in their personal life, when working or when applying for another job in the future.
The law in Scotland allows you three years from the date of an accident (or the date from which you knew you were injured or became ill) to raise a claim in court. This period is designed to allow those in a difficult position to consider their options before taking a view on claiming compensation.
Therefore, if you were injured in an accident at work in the last 3 years, and didn’t claim compensation due to workplace pressure, the door may still be open. If you are unsure, explore your options, with your trade union, citizens advice or consult a Solicitor.
Apart from compensation, by alerting employers to dangerous practices, you may help prevent the same accident happening again, perhaps with a more extreme outcome for the person involved.
Act now. If you wait too long the door will close, and you may be left disadvantaged.
