Head Injuries in the Workplace

It goes without saying that we all want to feel safe at work. However, injuries at work occur from time to time, and if you suffer from a head or brain injury at work, this can sometimes have significant consequences for you, and your ability to work. Here are a few simple pointers to think about after an incident to help you or a person close to you cope with the aftermath, and any legal concerns that might result where the incident was caused by the fault of another person.

• Getting medical help is always the top priority. If you did not receive immediate medical treatment in hospital, make sure that you visit your doctor or clinic to ensure that you get checked out, and receive the right medical advice.
• If you are told that you may have suffered from a head injury, ask if the doctor or hospital can provide you with further information about what a head injury means for you. You may be given a head injury observation sheet for when you leave hospital, for things to look out for and report to the doctor if problems arise.
• Make sure that your accident has been reported to your employer, as they are obliged by law to keep certain records and in some circumstances to notify the  health and safety executive or local council. Your employer may want to carry out an investigation into the incident – if you are asked to co-operate or to give a statement you may want to seek legal advice or speak to your trade union representative if you have one.
• If you need time off work, ask your employer about your entitlement to sickness and absence pay. Your contract of employment should also spell out your entitlement in terms of absence and payments.
• Check your insurance policies, or ask someone close to you to check on your behalf. You might qualify for financial or other support for example under a health or medical insurance policy, legal expenses cover or an income protection scheme. Strict time limits often apply so don’t leave this too long!
• When you feel well enough, seek legal advice. You may not feel up to it, in which case it may be possible for you to ask a close relative or friend who you trust to make enquiries on your behalf. It is generally much better to seek advice sooner rather than later- it will help any investigations proceed more smoothly and quickly.
• Keep notes of who you have contact with and what they do. You may not feel up to this, and someone might be able to do this for you. After an accident, you might have contact with lots of different people and it is useful to have their names and numbers listed, for example trade union officials, health and safety investigators, head office managers, doctors and solicitors.
• If possible, it's a good idea to keep a diary. Again, you may not be well enough and someone else might help with this - recording details of appointments and making short notes on your progress.
• If you suffer from ongoing symptoms, ask about where you might get further care or rehabilitation. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a specialist head injury service as an out patient. You might need to contact your local social services if you think that you will need regular help with daily care or activities. If you have contact with a solicitor, they should be able to help you with this too.
• Certain charities and other organisations produce excellent fact-sheets and guides on different aspects of head and brain injury. For example, Headway - the Brain Injury Association produce helpful information sheets on a wide range of topics such as returning to driving and returning to work after head injury. Most major brain injury support groups/charities have helpline numbers and websites.
• There may be local head injury support groups in your area that you or your family could visit or get involved with.
• You might be worried about your finances. If you have appointed a solicitor, or have contact with a social worker, talk to them about your worries, they may be able to point you in the right direction. In certain cases you might qualify for state benefits because of your injuries - visit our financial support section for more details.