Evidence for an accident at work claim: a UK checklist

Why does evidence matter?

The accident report and accident book

RIDDOR duty to report; how to obtain your accident book entry under GDPR/Subject Access Request; what to do if no entry was made

Medical records and treatment history

GP notes, A&E attendance, hospital discharge letters; how to request records; why contemporaneous medical records are the most powerful evidence

Photographs and video evidence

Take immediately if safe to do so; photograph the hazard, the scene, and your injuries; metadata timestamps matter

Witness statements

Colleagues as witnesses; how statements are taken; what happens if witnesses are reluctant to give evidence against an employer

CCTV footage

Request immediately — usually overwritten within 28 days; formal written request to employer; data subject access request under UK GDPR

Payslips and employment records

For calculating lost earnings, overtime, bonuses

Training records and risk assessments

Disclosure from employer; how to request these; what absence of a risk assessment means for a claim

Expert medical evidence

Medico-legal report from an independent consultant; who arranges this and when

What if you have none of these?

Your own written account; GP records; late accident report; build the evidence from what exists — a claim can still succeed] CHECKLIST BOX (styled component): □ Accident book entry obtained □ GP or A&E visited — records requested □ Photographs taken of the hazard and your injuries □ CCTV preservation request sent (in writing, within 7 days if possible) □ Names and contact details of witnesses noted □ Payslips gathered for the 3 months before and after the accident □ Employer's risk assessment and training records requested