Slaughterhouse Accidents

A slaughterhouse also referred to as an abattoir, is a facility where farm animals are killed to supply meat products. Due to the intensity of the machinery that is used throughout a slaughterhouse, as well as the large scale of the operation, there is a risk that injury could occur. If you have suffered an injury that wasn’t your fault at a slaughterhouse, you could possibly be owed compensation. Talk to us about slaughterhouse accidents.

Call our team on 0800 342 3206 today to find out if you could claim. Alternatively, complete our online form to request a call-back.

Accidents at work in a slaughterhouse

All employers have a duty of care towards their employees to ensure that safety standards are met. If your work environment is unsafe this could result in an accident that causes an injury. Slaughterhouses can be especially dangerous due to the purpose of the machinery used. For example, being pulled into machinery is one of the most common causes of injury in a slaughterhouse.

Slaughterhouse injuries

Possible injuries that can occur in a Slaughterhouse include:

• Amputation
• Fractured fingers or other bones
• Head trauma
• Infection, such as the bacterial infection brucellosis, which can occur due to being in contact with animals as they die/are recently deceased
• Crushing injuries – caused by being caught in a rolling machine
• Burns due to proximity to machinery or substances
• Chemical injury – perhaps due to fluids used during the slaughter process

Ensuring workplace safety in a slaughterhouse or abattoir

Slaughterhouses can be especially dangerous places to work. Therefore, it is essential that your employer meets ensure health and safety standards to create a safe working environment for everyone.

Some steps that your employer should take to ensure your safety include:

• They should provide you with work boots. It is important that you have adequate footwear to ensure that you can grip onto any surface. Your feet should also have some protection against anything that might fall onto them.
• They should conduct risk assessments. Regular risk assessments of your work environment should be conducted to ensure that all machinery is functioning properly and that any other risks have been accounted for and solved if possible.
• They should provide proper training. Adequate training on how to handle and operate any machinery that you will be using should have been conducted. Proper training on how to safely kill animals and not risk contamination should have also been conducted by your employer.

If your employer has failed to follow any of these steps, or a health and safety standard is not listed, and if this has resulted in an accident then you may be entitled to compensation.

Slaughterhouse Compensation Claims

If you have experienced any of the injuries or slaughterhouse accidents listed above, or any other type of injury, due to negligence at work then you may be entitled to compensation. While a workplace compensation claim will provide compensation for any suffering caused by the injury, it could also cover any travel costs or other expenses that were incurred due to the accident. If you have been unable to return to work due to the injury, then you could also be entitled to loss of earnings compensation.

As each case of workplace negligence is unique, our expert personal injury solicitors will assess each case on an individual basis. If you believe that you have suffered an injury that wasn’t your fault, contact Jefferies Solicitors today to start your compensation claim.

WHAT TO DO AFTER A SLAUGHTERHOUSE ACCIDENT HOUSE?

• Seek medical attention.
• Report the incident so that an official record can be made of the accident.
• Take photos of what has happened-injuries and the scene of the accident.
• Get the details of any witnesses to the accident.
• Evidence of a loss of earnings if your injury has resulted in you needing time off work. Documents related to other financial expenditures connected to your injuries may also be required. This could include travel receipts to and from medical appointments.

HOW DOES THE CLAIMS PROCESS WORK?

At Jefferies Solicitors, once we have carried out an initial consultation, we will take care of the paperwork required to get your case underway.

A letter will be sent to you following an initial consultation with your solicitor. This will be a summary of the discussion you had and will confirm that they are happy to take on your case. It will highlight who will be your contact and estimate how long the process will take. The letter will also detail how you will be funding the case and an estimate of costs. If you need to provide any further information this will also be included.

A letter will then be sent to the defendant, providing details of the accident. The defendant has a fixed period in which they can reply and in their reply, they must state whether or not they are denying or accepting liability for your injuries. If they do accept liability, your solicitor will endeavour to settle the case out of court.

AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSE ACCIDENTS

All personal injury cases are unique and so the amount of compensation that is awarded in each case is also unique. The amount of compensation that is awarded is determined by looking at two distinct factors – general damages and special damages.

GENERAL DAMAGES

The pain and suffering that your injuries have caused is the main factor that is used to determine how much compensation you are owed. This will usually be determined by undergoing a medical examination, from which a report is created that outlines the length of time the injuries will take to heal as well as their severity.

Our compensation calculator gives an indication of how much you might be entitled to based upon your injuries. Jefferies Solicitors will take these different details relating to your injury into account when calculating how much compensation you should be awarded, which will then be put forward to the opposing side and the judge.

SPECIAL DAMAGES

However, compensation also takes into account any financial losses that you might have suffered as a result of your injuries, such as a loss of earnings due to being unable to return to work. If you have had to pay for treatment or travel to treatment, compensation may also be able to cover this as well. Therefore, you should keep any receipts or other documents that help to outline the extent of your financial losses, as caused by your accident/injuries.

Except for children, there is a three-year time limit on making a personal injury claim. This time limit begins from the date that the accident occurred. You should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible to assess your case.

Contact Jefferies Solicitors Today to start your slaughterhouse injury claim

Our experts at Jefferies Solicitors are well experienced in dealing with a range of workplace accident cases. We understand how traumatic sustaining an injury can be and so we want to make the process of claiming compensation as stress-free as possible.

At first, we will need some initial details about the specifics of the injuries you have received.

Please contact us today on 0800 342 3206 or through our online form to get started. A member of our friendly team will quickly be in touch to discuss your case.