Nearly half of Brits worry they’ll lose their job if they claim against their employer

Leading personal injury company, National Accident Helpline, which offers trusted advice and support to people who’ve been injured through no fault of their own, calculates that at least £1.4bn remains unclaimed in 2022 from no-fault accidents.

Part of that unclaimed amount is from employees who have suffered an accident at work.

According to a detailed survey by National Accident Helpline, 18% of Brits who had a no-fault accident in the last three years suffered an injury or illness at work.

Accompanying research reveals a surprising level of confusion and worry about making legitimate personal injury claims, despite the cost-of-living crisis.

Half (47%) of respondents worry there is a stigma around making a personal injury claim, and 44% worry they could lose their job if they made a claim against their employer.

A quarter of those who could have made a claim (24.60%) say they had ‘no idea’ they were entitled to compensation.

A similar number of people, 24.21%, did not pursue a claim because they thought the ‘process felt too complicated’.

Other reasons for not claiming were ‘the cost of making a claim’ (22.62%), ‘being seen as a time waster’ (19.44%) and ‘worried the process would take too long’ (17.06%).

Jonathan White, Legal and Compliance Director said: “Accidents at work should not be lightly dismissed, and it is important we reiterate the legitimacy of making workplace injury claims. Lost earnings through injury can leave people unable to pay household bills, care for their family or meet other commitments, but we know there can be a fear or stigma attached to making a claim, particularly at a time of economic downturn when people rely on their jobs so much.

These are legitimate claims arising from accidents which often have a significant impact people’s lives. Seeking compensation to rebuild your life after a workplace injury is entirely proper and it’s illegal to be fired for making a claim. It would be a massive reputational issue for employers to do so.

Many people have concerns about making a work injury claim against their employer, but all employers are required by law to take out employers’ liability insurance. Any compensation is usually paid by an employers’ insurance – not by them personally.”