Personal injury claims drop at work
It has been revealed that personal injury claims have dropped in the workplace.
It is thought that compensation claims have dramatically reduced in the employment sector because of the financial downturn causing higher levels of unemployment.
According to the injuriesboard.i.e in Ireland, work accident claims reduced by 6% in 2009. Patricia Bryon, chief executive of the group, noted that construction and manufacturing services, previously liable for around 50% of the claims, headed the reduction.
Initial statistics for last year show that around 4,000 claims for work-related injuries were filed - a 6.5% decline on the figure for 2008. However, the overall number of personal injury claims increased by about 5% to 25,919.
Some 8,645 awards amounting to €200 million were made to claimants, with motor and public liability claims soaring by 7.5% and 6% correspondingly.
Nearly three-quarters of awards (72%) were for injuries caused by car accidents, whereas the rest was divided between workplace (11%) and public space (17%) accidents.
The average award of €23,163 in 2009 was 6% lower than in 2008, but 5% higher than the 2007 average. The lowest and highest awards last year were €1,000 and €493,902. However, despite an increase in the number of claims, the total paid out fell by some €17 million.
Ms Bryon commented on the findings: ““The volume of new motor and public liability claims submitted to us has picked up in the last quarter of 2009, but there is little evidence yet of a sustained surge in personal injury claims arising from the recession, as some had forecast.
“Each year, we handle an entirely new set of claims so variations in the average award will occur. In the year ahead, we would anticipate the average award may fall as we deal with fewer workplace accidents, which tend to attract the higher awards.”
Ms Byron said the terrible winter weather had not yet resulted in a surge in claims: “Despite the high number of injuries sustained from trips and falls in recent weeks, the expectation is that few will result in claims as compensation would only arise if the injury arose from negligence by another party.
“As to whether they’re all due to the negligence or malfeasence of another party, like someone throwing a bucket of water outside their gate, is hard to say.”
Drop in UK construction injuries
In similar news, it has been shown that major injuries at work fell in the UK too, marking a 9% reduction since 2000, according to figures from the HSE.
Work related illnesses also dropped, along with work deaths falling by 5% to 229. According to the HSE, the UK has one of the lowest rates for work fatalities and injuries. However, the organisation noted that improvement is still needed.
Judith Hackitt said. “Any improvement in the number of people being injured or made ill by work must be welcomed.”
“However, there is a need for a step change. Of particular concern are the agriculture, construction and waste and recycling industries. I am also concerned that slips and trips - which can have an enormous impact on peoples' lives - are still not reducing,” she concluded.
Updated on 28/01/2010