Struck By A Moving Object At Work – Can I Claim?

You may be able to claim compensation if you’ve been struck by a moving object at work because of negligence. This guide will clarify under what circumstances you could be entitled to claim. We’ll also look at the steps you can take if you’ve been involved in this kind of accident. 

Struck by a moving object at work

Struck by a moving object at work claims guide

If you have questions about claiming for being injured by a moving object, please get in touch with one of our advisors. They’re available 24/7, offer free legal advice and can inform you in just one phone call if you’re eligible to claim.

Furthermore, they may be able to put you through to our panel of No Win No Fee personal injury solicitors whose expertise could result in you receiving compensation. You can contact us using the details below. 

  • Call us using the phone number above. 
  • Contact us through our website. 
  • Write to us through our Live Chat window. 

Read on to learn more about how you could make an injury at work claim. 

Select a Section

  1. I Was Struck By A Moving Object At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?
  2. How Could I Be Struck By A Moving Object At Work?
  3. How Common Are Moving Objects At Work Accidents?
  4. What Can I Claim If Struck By Falling Objects At Work?
  5. Claiming For An Accident At Work On A No Win No Fee Basis
  6. Get More Help With Claims For Being Struck By A Moving Object At Work

I Was Struck By A Moving Object At Work, Can I Claim Compensation? 

If you’ve been struck by a moving object at work, the resulting injury can greatly affect your quality of life. The significance of the injury partly depends on what has struck you.

For instance, vehicles at work, such as pallet trucks or forklift trucks, can cause life-changing injuries if you get hit by one. This is because of the vehicle’s potential speed and weight. It could cause a crushing injury that could be serious or even fatal.

However, even smaller objects can cause injury. For example, you could be working in a kitchen when a knife falls from a shelf, cutting you.

An employer’s duty of care is set out in The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. They’re expected to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety while at work. If they fail to do so and you’re injured as a result, you may be able to claim. 

To make a successful personal injury claim, the below three things need to apply to your circumstances: 

  1. The third-party needs to have a duty of care towards you
  2. Their actions need to have breached this duty
  3. This breach needs to have caused your injury

Another important aspect of accident claims, as with any type of claim, is the personal injury claims time limit. This is clarified by The Limitation Act 1980. You need to start your claim within three years of the incident or three years of becoming aware that negligence led to your injuries. 

To learn more about claiming for being struck by a moving object at work, contact our advisors 24/7 using the details above. Otherwise, read on to find out more about how these kinds of injuries can happen. 

How Could I Be Struck By A Moving Object At Work?

As explained above, your employer has a duty of care to every employee. As part of this, they should be able to identify falling objects hazards and take steps to prevent unnecessary accidents from occurring.

Struck-by accidents in the workplace can occur from: 

  • Pallet trucks in a retail workspace
  • Falling boxes
  • Collapsing structures
  • Forklift trucks in the warehouse
  • Handtools and objects falling from height. This could happen in building and construction sites, for example. 

These are only some examples of how you could suffer an accident at work because of a falling or flying object. You may be able to make a successful claim if you’re able to prove that your employer has breached their duty of care in another manner. Evidence that could be used to support your claim includes CCTV footage, medical reports and witness statements. 

How Common Are Moving Objects At Work Accidents?

struck by a moving object at work statistics graph

The HSE also provide work-related injury statistics from organisations across Great Britain. Above are the five most commonly reported accident types resulting in non-fatal injuries to employees in 2019/20. As you can see, slips trips or falls on the same level accounts for 29% of the non-fatal injuries reported. The second and third-highest causes are handling, lifting and carrying (19%) and being struck by a moving object (11%), respectively. 

Your employer should be upholding their duty of care and taking all reasonable steps to prevent struck-by injuries. If you were injured as a result of their negligence, you may be able to claim.    

What Can I Claim If Struck By Falling Objects At Work?

You may be wondering what you can claim for when making accident at work claims. Compensation awards can be split into general and special damages.

General damages relate to the physical and psychological damage caused by the incident. Special damages, meanwhile, relate to the financial losses you’ve suffered due to the injury. For example, you might have experienced a loss of earnings whilst you’re recovering from the injury because you’re unable to work. 

Work from the Judicial College can help give you a better idea of the general damages amount you could receive for an accident at work claim. They analyse previous payouts, comparing them to the kind of injury sustained as well as the severity. Through doing this, they’ve created compensation brackets you can use to see how much your claim could be worth. 

Below is a list of injuries and their respective compensation brackets from the Judicial College. This could help you see what you could receive for being struck by a moving object at work. 

Type of InjuryAmount of CompensationDescription
Eye£8,550 to £19,690Injuries in this bracket cause permanent but minor impairment to vision in one or both eyes. This can include suffering from permanent sensitivity to bright light or intermittent double vision.
Chest£29,380 to £51,460Injuries in this bracket are ones that cause damage to lung(s) and chest that causes continuing disability.
Bowels£41,850 to £65,440Injuries in this bracket can include severe abdominal injuries causing functional impairment and often resulting in needing a temporary colostomy.
Neck- Moderate (i)£23,460 to £36,120This bracket includes dislocations or fractures causing immediate and severe symptoms which may lead to needing spinal fusion.
Back- Minor (iii) Up to £2,300This bracket is for sprains, disc prolapses, soft tissue injuries or less serious strains. To receive this level of compensation, the injured person must have made a full recovery within three months.
Clavicle£4,830 to £11,490This bracket is for a clavicle fracture. The amount of compensation awarded to the injured person depends on factors like the level of disability caused and the extent of the fracture.
WristIn the region of £6,970Injuries in this bracket include a Colles' fracture with no complications.
Psychiatric Damage Generally- Moderately Severe £17,900 to £51,460Injuries in this bracket lead to significant problems to the injured person's ability to cope with life, work and education as well as negatively impacting their relationships with friends and family. However, the prognosis will be more optimistic than in more serious cases.
Head Injury- Minor£2,070 to £11,980If there's any brain damage as a result of this kind of injury, it will be minimal.

Claiming For An Accident At Work On A No Win No Fee Basis

You may have heard the phrase “No Win No Fee” before in relation to a personal injury claim. But what exactly does it mean?

A No Win No Fee agreement sets out the conditions that your personal injury solicitor needs to meet before they get paid. This means that: 

  • You don’t have to pay legal fees at any point through the claims process. Also, you won’t have to pay legal fees if your claim is unsuccessful.  
  • You will only have to pay legal fees once your claim has been successful. This will be a small, legally capped percentage of your compensation. 

Additionally, our advisors can answer any questions or queries you have about claiming for being struck by a moving object at work. They offer free legal advice, are available 24/7 and can even provide you with a reliable compensation estimate over the phone.

Furthermore, they may also be able to put you through to a personal injury lawyer or solicitor who can work your case on a No Win No Fee basis. Contact us now using the details below. 

  • Call us using the phone number above. 
  • Contact us through our website. 
  • Please write to us through our Live Chat window. 

Get More Help With Claims For Being Struck By A Moving Object At Work

To learn more about ‘struck by’ injuries, please use the links below. 

Do you want to know more about reporting injuries at work? If so, visit the HSE website. 

To also read more about accidents and investigations at work, please read this page.

Please refer to the NHS website for information on how to tell if you’ve broken a bone. 

We also have a bunch of guides on accident at work claims which you can read below:

If you want to know more about how to claim for being struck by a moving object at work, please get in touch with our advisors at a time that works for you.