small accident in work

A

andy

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ok to cut a long story short a few weeks ago when i was in work (retail industry) we have a shop counter and a sharp nail was sticking out from the counter and as i leaned down to pick up an item the nail cut a 4 inch deep cut on the top of my head, there was allot of blood etc and i patched it up as a trained fist aider now several weeks later it has left a scar on my head visible for all too now see which i am not too happy about, now question is from experience is it worth while seeking some form of compensation for my injury? i dont want to be one of these people claiming at the first sign of trouble but a permanent visible scar is not something id ever want in a hurry, and if i do decide to go ahead with seeking compensation do i have to leave my job or am i at there mercy to start to people manage me out of the business indirectly
 
Did you report the injury to a supervisor or manager? Did you incur hospital bills or do you plan to get plastic surgery to correct the scar? how much money would make you feel better about the scar?
 
What seems odd to me is that given that it was 4 inches long and "deep" and that there was "alot of blood" that you as the "trained first aider" didn't take yourself to your doctor to get it stitched.

If had been stitched the scar wouldn't be so bad.
The scar will look worse for about a year and then improve.
You need to keep total sun block on it.

Go and consult a plastic surgeon and see if they can improve the situation or advise leaving it be and observing how the scar matures.
 
The scar will go in time. Approx 1 year. I assume it wasnt stiched as you would have mentioned it in your post.
 
Is the nail still there?
If it is take lots and lots of photos.
Do not alter the photos, or use photoshop etc. Back up all photos.
Keep records of when you took the photos, what camera was used etc.

Report the accident and the nail.
This nail should not have been left there, the manager must ensure this nail is removed

You need medical advice about going to a doctor to get a tetnus shot.
 
To answer your questions:-

1. You do not have to leave your job, although remaining on could lead to some discomfort.

2. Report the incident verbally and back it up with a written report. Your employer will have to report the matter to the relevant Safety Body.

3. If you feel an entitlement to compensation, you should consult with a solicitor immediately.
 
sorry for the late response, the incident was fully reported to my manager and then forwarded to the safety department so they are aware of the situation and photo's were taken of me and the incident area and now the nail has been fully removed to prevent future mishaps aparently the area was flagged as a disposable safety hazard over a month before my incident and it was not corrected, with regards to plastic surgery i never even thought that far ahead at the minute i guess like it feels somewhat excessive however i may just ask for the opinion of a solicitor just incase
 
I don't think the HSA would appreciate every minor or even medium cut , graze, bump , bruise been reported to them. There are legal requirements to report , 3 day lost time, amputations, fractures of long bones, blinding, death. to HSA, however the smaller stuff must be reported internally in a company or there will never be improvement.
The nail is gone, there was first aider, it wasn't stitched so unlikely to leave a disfiguring scar. As this has happened to you , why don't you offer to take on a safety role in your job?, safety rep?.
 
If an employee did that in my workplace and then said "Look, I have a scar on my head from that accident and it will cost X to get it removed" I'd be happy to pay it and their wages while they were out. That would be a very reasonable course of action to take.
 
Best thing to do is check out the citizen's information site.

You'll probably have two options if you want to claim either go through the InjuriesBoard.ie (less hassle and no dealing with solicitors) or go through a solicitor (few bits about that [broken link removed], normally a bigger pay out than injuries board though).
 
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