My employer is trying to discourage me from claiming compensation for a thumb injury at work, even though the accident was his fault. He told me I would incur high legal costs and I would get next to nothing in compensation. Is this true?
It is important that you speak with a personal injury solicitor about your case to find out if you are entitled to claim compensation for thumb injury at work, and to find out the level of damages that can be claimed. Compensation amounts for thumb injuries can range from a few hundred Euros to several thousand depending on the severity of the injury, how it affects your everyday life and ability to work, and if you are likely to be left with any permanent disability. Your employer is not the best judge of compensation amounts applicable for your injury or the costs associated with making a claim.
Your employer is no doubt concerned about having to pay an excess on his insurance policy as, while his insurance company will cover the majority of your compensation award, the excess on employer’s liability insurance policies can be considerable.
It is important to find out what you stand to receive in terms of compensation by making a thumb injury claim against an employer, and any costs which you will be liable for. These are best explained by a personal injury solicitor in relation to the specific circumstances of your case. In the majority of cases, the costs associated with making the claim are relatively low compared to the compensation that is claimed and, if your case is successful, your employer’s insurance company will be required to cover the majority of your costs.
Once you are aware of how much compensation for thumb injury at work you are entitled to claim, and the costs you are likely to be liable for, you can make a decision as to whether it will be worth your while taking legal action.
Your employer’s insurance company may even contact you directly with an offer to settle your case. It may seem advantageous to accept the offer and to avoid paying any legal costs for pursuing a thumb injury claim against an employer, but you should wary about insurance company offers. Insurance companies are renowned for limiting liability to pay compensation, and settlement offers are typically very low – far less than a plaintiff would be entitled to receive if the Injuries Board were to assess the claim.
If you receive an offer of compensation from your employer’s insurance company, you should consult a personal injury solicitor to have the offer independently assessed. If you have a strong case and stand to recover a substantially higher level of compensation by making a work accident claim for a thumb injury, it may be worth your while to reject the offer and to take legal action to recover an appropriate level of damages by making a claim for an accident at work.
If the offer is fair, or if you do not stand to recover a significantly higher level of damages by taking legal action, your solicitor will recommend that you accept the offer.