Compensation for Being Electrocuted by Office Equipment due to Faulty Wiring

Am I entitled to claim compensation for being electrocuted by office equipment due to faulty wiring in the photocopy machine at work? My employer says not because he did not know the photocopy machine was faulty.

Question:

Am I entitled to claim compensation for being electrocuted by office equipment due to faulty wiring in the photocopy machine at work? My employer says not because he did not know the photocopy machine was faulty.

Answer:

A claim for compensation for being electrocuted by office equipment due to faulty wiring is an occasion when the lack of prior knowledge does not relieve a negligent party from their liability. Irrespective of whether your employer was aware or not of the fault with the photocopy machine, he still retains the obligation to provide you with a safe environment in which to work.

Therefore, even if the photocopy machine had been recently serviced and your employer was unaware of any problems with the equipment, he is still liable for compensation for being electrocuted by office equipment due to faulty wiring if it can be proven that the wiring was indeed faulty and that you did not suffer an electrocution injury from any other source or due to your own negligence.

This is where complications arise with a claim for being electrocuted by office equipment, as immediately an injury has been reported it is likely that the equipment has been withdrawn from use. If it has been sent for repair or an engineer summoned, it may be possible to establish that your injury was attributable to being electrocuted by office equipment. However, if the photocopy machine was disposed of, the source of your injury may be hard to substantiate.

Ideally, you would have reported the incident as soon as you had received medical attention for your injury and the event was witnessed by work colleagues who can support your claim for electrocuted by office equipment injury compensation. As is the case regarding your employer´s lack of previous knowledge, it is not important for work colleagues to have been aware that the photocopy machine was faulty, just that it was this particular item of office equipment that was responsible for your injury.

As your employer has indicated that he does not believe his is responsible for your injuries, it is advisable that you discuss your claim for being electrocuted by office equipment compensation with a personal injury solicitor at the first possible opportunity. A solicitor will make a full assessment of your case and advise you whether you have a claim for being electrocuted by office equipment compensation which is worth your while to pursue.

Your solicitor should also inform you how much compensation you may be entitled to receive – a potentially valuable piece of information to have in the event that you are approached directly by your employer´s insurers with an inadequate offer of electrocuted by office equipment compensation in return for an early settlement of your claim. All such offers should immediately be referred to a solicitor whether you have already instructed one or not.