Claiming for driving accidents at work

Most people know that following a car accident, you can claim compensation from those at fault. However, if you are injured while driving a vehicle at work, your claim would be against the insurance companies of other drivers, if they caused the accident, or could be bought against your employer.

Whether you are a delivery driver, forklift truck operator or agricultural worker, anyone who makes use of a vehicle at work can make a claim against their employer if they are injured doing so.

Accidents in work vehicles are the responsibility of your employer. It is your employer’s duty to provide you with a vehicle that is safe to use on the roads. It is also their responsibility to make sure that you have received adequate training in how to use the vehicle, no matter what type of contract you are on.

Get the best evidence

If you have suffered a vehicle accident at work, you should tell your employer as soon as possible. It is vital that you get the best evidence you can, so a full picture can be painted to show how the accident in the work vehicle occurred. It’s important to get the details of anyone else involved, take photographs of the incident and obtain any details from employees who witnessed the accident. If there is any fault in your vehicle you were driving that led to the accident, make sure these are photographed and documented to the best of your ability.

While responsibility is often admitted by an employer’s insurance company, they regularly dispute claims as well, so be prepared.

Keep an eye on the timing

As with any claim, it is important to act quickly when there is an accident at work involving a vehicle. Any accident that takes place on the roads must be reported to a police officer within 24 hours of it taking place. If you suffer a driving accident at work, this police report will be used as evidence if you wish to make a claim.

If you want to make a claim following a vehicle injury at work, make sure to seek legal advice as soon as possible. There is a time limit of three years in the UK from the date of an accident in which a claim for compensation can be made.

Our specialist work accident lawyers have decades of experience in winning cases, big and small, and work hard to secure the maximum amount of compensation in the shortest possible time. As a claimant-only law firm, we are committed to representing only workers and never employers.