Home
» Claims Advice
» Can I Claim Compensation if I Didn’t Record My Injury in the Accident Book?

Can I Claim Compensation if I Didn’t Record My Injury in the Accident Book?

By Ian Morris | Updated July 4th, 2024

163 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Quick Answer: Yes, you can still make a claim for personal injury compensation even if your accident wasn’t recorded in an accident book. While an accident book entry is helpful evidence, there are other ways to prove your claim occurred.

A very important element in making sure your claim for personal injury compensation has the best possible chance of success is to ensure that the details of the incident have been properly reported and recorded. Usually, this would include an entry in an accident book.

Accident books are an important tool for recording workplace injuries and incidents in public places. However, many people worry that if they didn’t record their injury at the time, they’ve lost their right to claim compensation. Here we explain why you can still claim without an accident book record of your injuries, and provide strategies for strengthening your case.

Why Accident Book Entries Matter

Understanding the importance of accident book entries can help you appreciate their role in personal injury claims, as well as recognise why alternative forms of evidence are equally valuable.

An accident book entry provides:

An official record of the incident
Details of how the accident occurred
Information on the initial injuries sustained
A timeline of events

Anyone who has suffered a personal injury has the right to request that the details of their accident and injuries are reported and recorded. But while valuable, accident book reports are not the only evidence that can support your claim.

Reasons Why Accidents May Go Unrecorded

There are numerous valid reasons why an accident might not be recorded in an accident book. Common ones include:

You were seriously injured and taken to hospital immediately
You didn’t realise the severity of your injury at first
The responsible party refused to record the incident
You were unaware of the accident book’s existence
The accident occurred outside of normal business hours

Alternative Ways to Prove Your Claim

If you don’t have an accident book entry, don’t despair. There are several other methods you can use to document your accident and strengthen your claim. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Write a Formal Report

Send a detailed letter to the relevant party (employer, business owner, etc.) describing the accident
Use recorded delivery and keep a copy for yourself
Request that they add this information to their accident book

2. Gather Witness Statements

Collect contact information from anyone who saw the accident
Ask colleagues or bystanders if they’d be willing to provide a statement
Independent witnesses can be particularly valuable

3. Seek Medical Attention

Visit your GP or hospital as soon as possible
Ensure the cause of your injury is recorded in your medical notes
Keep all appointment records and prescriptions

4. Collect Physical Evidence

Take photographs of the accident scene and your injuries
Preserve any damaged clothing or personal items
Request CCTV footage if available

5. Document Your Recovery

Keep a diary of your symptoms and how the injury affects your daily life
Save receipts for any expenses related to your injury
Record any time off work or lost earnings

The Importance of Acting Quickly

While the law allows a considerable period to make a claim, there are significant advantages to starting the process as soon as possible after your accident.

While you generally have three years to make a personal injury claim, it’s best to start the process as soon as possible:

Evidence is easier to collect
Witness memories are fresher
You demonstrate the seriousness of your claim

How a Solicitor Can Help

Navigating a personal injury claim without an accident book entry can be challenging. This is where the expertise of a personal injury solicitor becomes invaluable.

A personal injury solicitor can:

Advise on the strength of your claim without an accident book entry
Help gather additional evidence to support your case
Navigate the legal process on your behalf
Negotiate with the responsible party’s insurers

While an accident book entry is helpful, it’s not essential for making a personal injury claim. By taking prompt action and gathering alternative evidence, you can still build a strong case for compensation. Remember, every situation is unique, so it’s always best to consult with a qualified personal injury solicitor for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

If you have been injured in an accident which hasn’t been recorded, know someone who has or just want to find out more about making a claim, call us on 01225 430285 or if you prefer and we’ll gladly help.

Frequently Asked Questions

163 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming...

I was injured while working in a scrap yard and suffered a nasty cut to the side off my face which has left a scar I am unsure if my employer made a record in the accident book I have now left my workplace am I still entitled to claim?

The fact that you have left the employer is irrelevant as you would still be entitled to make a claim as long as the accident was less than 3-years ago. The lack of an accident book entry could cause problems down the line, but it wouldn’t stop us from being willing to pursue this matter for you. If you would like us to start a claim for you, you can use the previous link or if you prefer call us 01225430285 and we’ll get your claim up and running.

Hi, I had a fall in the car park at the premises where I work which resulted in me having stitches,and a black eye and a knee injury. I think I was knocked unconscious too but there was no one to tell me that. I had a week off work and 2 months later I’m still suffering from concussion. I didn’t put it in the accident book (business centre with 32 businesses) but I have got the cctv of my accident and it looks like I was out for a good minute and a half. Because it was a Saturday there was nobody there and I was in my own. Can you advise me please. Thanks

The CCTV footage that you have is something you should protect and retain as it could provide important evidence to support your claim if one can proceed. Whether or not you can claim compensation for the injuries you sustained will depend on what caused you to fall. Our staff will know whether the cause of your fall is something that you can hold the car park owner responsible for and whether or not you can make a tripping accident claim in this case.

You can call us on 01225430285.

I suffered a bad eye injury in an incident at work about 8 months ago. I am still receiving ongoing medical treatment and probably will for rest of my life. My accident wasn’t recorded with HSE until some months later (due to my employers mistake) although it has been now.

My question is if I make a claim for compensation, will my employers insurance company still pay out or could they use this as a reason to not cover the accident and force my employer to cover the compensation awarded to me? The reason I ask is that I work for close family and would consider not making a claim if they were liable to pay any compensation awarded to me as this could ruin their business. Thanks

Of course, we cannot speak for the actions of an insurer but it is very unlikely that the insurers would be able to withdraw responsibility simply because an employer failed to take action with reporting an accident to the HSE immediately.

The key as to whether or not you will succeed with a claim for your eye injury will rest on how the accident happened and whether the employer has been negligent towards your health and safety. Perhaps they didn’t provide the correct training, protective eyewear or safety guards on machinery. However, in any case the employers insurance is where the claim will be addressed and it is for this reason that businesses and employers pay for employer liability insurance cover. As such, we don’t think that you should worry about any claim damaging your employer if they do have insurance.

Your medical records will show that you were injured at work and there could be an accident book entry with the employer to confirm the same – and this is different to making a report to the HSE.

Given the apparent severity of your eye injury and the fact that you are likely to require medical treatment for many years if not permanently, you really should consider making a claim for compensation. The eye is a very delicate part of the body and as you will know, damage to the eye can be painful, have an impact on sight, mobility and independence. As such, compensation amounts can be quite high.

Can I still record my accident at work months after the event? I was too embarrassed at the time. It happened in January 18 and it’s now March?

You can ask your employer to make a record of your accident and it would be wise to try and do so, even after a few months.

If your employer won’t let you use the accident book given the time delay between your accident and now, you should write to the employer by email or post outlining what happened to you, how you were injured, what your injuries were and why you hadn’t made an immediate report of the accident. If you have any witnesses who can confirm your version of events, it would be helpful to mention their details in any report you make.

We would be happy to discuss your accident with you with regards to any claim for compensation.

I’ve had an operation for a repetitive strain injury in my shoulder. I’d had physiotherapy, an injection and then ended up having it operated on due to the injury sustained whilst working for a cleaning company. In my job, I have been doing the work for almost two years now. I moved to another building with loads of office tables like 640 having to clean and dust and also had to vacuum constantly each night (four nights a week). The employers have not been helpful and they haven’t put the details of my injury in the accident book even though I reported everything properly. The employer is now denying that anything happened and won’t take responsibility for the damage of my arm. Do I have a claim?

Clearly, it would help if your employer had placed on record the details of the injury that you have reported to them. Their refusal to enter any information in to their accident book goes against the responsibilities that an employer has. In order to protect your rights, we suggest that you make a formal written report to the employer regarding your injury, the symptoms you have had and how your work caused the damage. If the employer failed to provide adequate training or regular breaks from the work then you should make note of that in your report to them too. You should send the report to the employer by signed for mail and retain a copy for your records.

We would be happy to try and help you with a claim against your employer.

I picked up what I believed to be a very minor knee injury whilst lifting a 20kg box of mail at work. As I straightened my knees I felt a pop in my left knee.

The knee started swelling about 48 hours later, at which point I called my supervisor informing him and asking that a report was made. However, I have no idea whether this was actually done.

I have now been off sick for 2 months on SSP and have been diagnosed with a complete rupture of the ACL, a torn medial meniscus cartilage and subsequently started to develop arthritis in the joint, diagnosed via an arthroscopy in December. I am now waiting for my surgeon to arrange for ACL reconstruction surgery mid February. This will then be followed by 4 to 6 months of physio before work will permit me to return to work.

As mentioned I am unsure as to whether an official record of the accident was ever made, is it likely that I would be able to pursue a claim?

Many thanks.

We would be very keen to speak to you regarding your knee injury as we feel that you may well have a valid claim for work accident compensation. Much will depend on the working environment in which you are operating and what level of training your employer has provided you with.

Whilst you cannot be certain whether or not an accident book record has been made, you should not let that stop you from trying to pursue a claim against your employer. You clearly have a nasty injury and have already lost 2 months income due to this accident at work and therefore, you should seek to reclaim your losses and obtain compensation for your injuries. Whilst a lack of an accident book can cause problems, those problems can be overcome in some situations and our expert Solicitors will work hard to ensure that your claim succeeds if it can be pursued.

With regards to the accident book with your employer, now that you are off, you should contact the HR department at your workplace to discuss the details of your injury and describe, as you have in your comment here, what happened. You can state that you didn’t make an initial record as you had no idea of the severity of the injury and that it was only 48 hours later that you contacted your Supervisor to inform them and request that a record was made. You can put this in writing to them and request that they record the same.

Could I claim? I fell around 12 months ago in previous employment. It was a walk in freezer that didn’t have an anti slip floor, it was just pure concrete. I’ve had a bad back ever since about 2 months ago I finally went to the doctors and they sent me for x ray which has shown that I have fractured my spine. I’m now currently undergoing different bone mass tests and always in agony. I didn’t fill an accident report out at the time cause I didn’t think anything of it so there is no proof.

The lack of an accident book record or a proper report or record of your accident at work could make it harder to succeed with a claim for compensation against your former employer, but it should not prevent you from pursuing a claim. It could be that former colleagues could provide witness evidence to corroborate your description of the cause of your injuries and that your medical records indicate that you told the Doctor that you had fallen at work and suffered your back injury as a result. If so, this would provide some evidence to support your claim.

The failure to apply a non-slip floor surface to the walk-in freezer in your former workplace is an area that may well lead to our being able to demonstrate employer negligence and a successful claim.

We would be happy to discuss your accident and injuries with you with a view to helping you make a No Win No Fee claim for accident at work compensation. You have nothing to lose by investigating this further and we’d only need a few minutes on the phone with you to be able to give you an initial view as to your prospects of succeeding with a claim.

Can I make a claim? I recently fell at work on a wet floor that had no wet floor sign, landed on my back and its been aching since, I have photos of the bruises from my arms but other than that the only evidence is from CCTV however I don’t know if the company will still have the footage. The manager said he was too busy to write it in the accident book so there is no evidence there either, would I have to contact my doctor first for them to assess my pain? How long do companies keep the CCTV footage for?

You can certainly make a claim for compensation here. The lack of a hazard warning sign at an area where water had made a floor surface slippery would give strengthen any claim you were to make. The employers failure to report the matter in to the accident book is a breach of health and safety regulations and you could report that to the authorities.

I would suggest that you write to your employer – either by email or recorded delivery to advise them of the accident and of your injuries, citing your Manager’s failure to add the incident to the accident book. You can read more about what to do if your employer won’t let you use the accident book. This would ensure that the matter had been properly reported and recorded with the employer.

You do not need to see your Doctor ahead of starting the claims process with us as we can take the initial details and get the claim up and running, although it would be wise to see your Doctor in order to ensure that you have the medical evidence you need to maximise the settlement value of any claim settlement you could receive if you were to win your claim.

Hi I was digging a hole at work and felt a twinge in my knee thought nothing of it but later felt a lot of pain seen doctor 3 weeks later got sent for MRI just had results back and I need surgery on knee got two ligament problems and fluid in back of knee and a floating piece of bone which needs removing no accident reported as I thought it was nothing at the time, can I claim?

We would need to speak with you to find out more about your work, what training you had been given and the nature of the job you were doing at the time of the injury to be able to properly advise you as to whether or not you can make a claim for compensation.

In a brief telephone conversation, our expert staff would be able to identify if there is any employer negligence that can be used to form the basis of a claim for accident at work compensation. Please forward your contact number to us at: justice@direct2compensation.co.uk and we’ll call you to find out more and offer you the advice you need.

I got burned quite badly when a machine fell onto me while it was on the wrong trolley and didn’t fit on, manager didn’t log in accident book, and claimed after that the trolley is the correct one, despite using a different larger one since then.

Your accident at work sounds awful and i’d imagine painful too. It would seem to be a clear case of employer negligence here and something we would be willing to look further into for you.

An accident book entry would be helpful, but if there is not one available or the employer refuses to allow access to one, there are steps you can take to protect your rights and record the accident. You can email or write to the employer (via recorded delivery) to report the details of the incident in which you were injured. You can cite the lack of an accident book entry and request that the employer acknowledges your accident and records the same. Any such letter/email should explain the incident in which you were injured, describe what happened and what the injuries were. If there is an area of negligence that feel was part of the cause (such as the wrong trolley), you should mention that also.

Hello, a few weeks ago I was in a bar, I slipped on the wet floor in the bar and damaged my left knee, resulting in being in a splint and crutches. The bar was wet everywhere, wet dripping off the walls, towards the toilets, around the bar, dance floor. They were mopping some up with a mop and bucket and some with kitchen towel. At no point was there any cones or warning signs placed. I’m unsure if there was any witnesses apart from my partner and I didn’t log into accident book as at the time i thought I’d just twisted my leg a bit and sleeping would help. Went back to the hotel via a taxi, hobbled with help of partner but couldn’t walk the following morning so he took me to an a and e department, where they advised about my injuries. Can I make a claim? I have been off work for 2.5 weeks with no date of return or recovery as of yet.

Obviously, the lack of any accident book entry or independent witnesses may hinder your claim. However, all is not lost and this is something we would still like to look in to for you.

I would strongly advise that you contact the bar in question by writing to them – either by email or via Royal Mail Recorded Delivery (if you opt for Royal Mail, retain a copy of your letter for your records and your proof of postage) – to advise them of the incident, what happened, when and how. You should advise them that you didn’t realise the severity of the injury at the time, but want it recorded now as it is quite serious.

I would imagine that you advised the A&E staff of the way that you sustained your injuries and this should be noted on your medical records – that could be of help.

Please call us on 01224430285 so that we can obtain some further details and then get a specialist Solicitor to contact you to discuss this further.

Had an accident at work in walk in freezer the boxes fell over on me due to someone overstacking extreme height, caused a back injury since april 2016, a member of staff helped me get the boxes off me as i had to shout for them as i was trapped, the team leader said they have no accident report book as it has to be done online and said it was to much hassle of doing it that way now, have had many doctors Appointments and medications and now doctor has signed me off work due to the pain i am suffering due to this, would this be worth claiming for work injury?

Michelle

Thank you for informing us of your accident at work. Whilst it would be helpful if the employer had recorded the details of the accident, the lack of an accident book entry should not prevent you from pursuing a claim for compensation against the employer. Given the lack of support from your team leader with the accident book, I would suggest that you contact the company by email or letter to raise this issue and report your accident to them. You should inform them of what happened, who helped you and what injuries you have sustained as a result.

I am confident that our specialist solicitors would be keen to run this claim even though the accident report has not been completed.

I was a volunteer at a country park, we were in the process of demolishing a bird hide. I hit my knee full force with a metal mallet, I told the supervisor but he dismissed it just telling me about his unfortunate events in work, although I stated I was in quite a lot of pain! It was not noted in the accident book and I didn’t receive any medical attention in fact I had to continue. Is there any ground for compensation as the knee is now an on going problem or is there not as I was a volunteer?
Thank you.

Shannon

Volunteers are afforded the same protection when it comes to Health & Safety as any employee. In this case, the country park would be responsible for your Health & Safety whilst ‘working’ for them – even if it were on a voluntary basis.

We would be happy to investigate this matter for you and look in to pursuing a claim for compensation for your knee injury.

You have mentioned that there has been no official record made of the injury within an accident book and this could represent an issue going forward. However, there are steps you can take to make sure you report the incident and injury to the relevant people. I would suggest that you email the country park outlining what happened with the injury, what you were doing at the time and that you want it to be recorded. If you believe that there was any breach of health and safety, you should also note that.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Ian

Last March, while pushing a faulty trolley, full of ice, I felt a back strain which was later diagnosed as a bulging disc.
After a couple of months working with this back pain, in a stressful work environment, I was advised by the doctor to take a rest.
While off sick, I asked the person in charge for health and safety in the store, to record the injury in the accident book, and she told me that it would not be possible as I did not fall on the floor, or nothing, no equipment fell on me, and things like this.
At the time I underestimated the issue, and last July I left the job on medical ground.
I have spent a lot of money to recover from this injury which was caused by a faulty equipment, and I have a witness who can confirm that the trolley was faulty.
Now my question is simple: Can I still ask for compensation, without my injury recorded in the company accident book?
Thanks a lot and regards
Lorenzo

Lorenzo

Hi, you can certainly still try to make a claim for workplace injury compensation. Whilst it would be good if there were an accident book entry, the fact that you have a witness is a great help.

We would be happy to help you with this claim.

I used to work at McDonald’s and I badly burned my arm when I went to pick up a fry basket from the deep fat fryer and the weight was too heavy and I dropped it on my arm. This left me at the time with scabs and blisters. I informed at the time my colleagues and managers and was told to only put my arm under cold water, they never wrote the incident in the accident book despite my managers knowing about what’s happened. To this day I have a permanent scar which causes me embarrassment and can lead to difficult and embarrassing questions. Could I claim anything?

Jessica

Hi, thanks for commenting. I’m sorry to hear about your accident and how you now feel about the damage to your arm.

You are still entitled to make a claim and we would be willing to help with this, but it is worth being aware that there are a couple of possible barriers in the way of you succeeding with your claim. As you state, your employers failed to record the details of your accident in their accident book – despite you reporting it to them. Therefore, when a claim is made against your employer, they are likely to come back to the initial claim and say that they have no record of an accident. Therefore, proving your accident happened at work will be an issue. Did you receive medical treatment at a GP Surgery or Hospital? If so, did you advise them as to how the injury was sustained? If your medical records show treatment for burns caused at work, that could help.

The second barrier will be how long it has been since the accident? You have 3 years from the date of your accident (or until your 21st Birthday – whichever is longer) to register your claim in the courts (or with a firm like Direct2Compensation). If you are beyond the 3 years and over 21 years of age, there is nothing you can do. If you are within the 3 year period, I suggest that you contact us and let us see what we can do. We would certainly be willing to investigate this for you and may well be able to succeed with a claim.

I will email a copy of this response to you separately.

Many thanks and kind regards – I look forward to hearing from you.

Ian

Hi i was working at a caravan park part time alongside my main job and one day we got to a caravan that had to be done. It had no steps to get in at this point so we told the manager, they said climb in so we did and the drop was quite high and on the way down my big toe landed funny. It hurt a bit at first then the pain went so i never logged it, also i didn’t know where the book was to log it. But since then i’ve had really bad pain with it and it’s affecting my main job now. I’m just wondering what i can do, i’ve seeked medical advice. Thanks

We’re sorry to hear about your accident at work. Of course, from the point of view of making a claim for compensation, it is easier when an accident is recorded within an accident book. However, it could still be possible to claim injury compensation. May I suggest that you contact us so that we can discuss things in greater detail?

We very much look forward to hearing from you.

Hi, I’m currently off work as a postman. I injured my toe out delivering. I told my manager but he didn’t put it in the accident book as he thought it wasn’t an accident at work? I’m now in fear of losing my job as they have strict attendance procedures and because I rushed back to work, I’m now on my 3rd absence as my toe was broken then the blood clotted! Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi Edward,

I am sorry to hear about your situation. Recovering from a broken toe is not fun but to have the added worry about how your injury may affect your job and your Manager’s refusal to record your injury in the accident book cannot be helping.

I am pleased that you have made this comment as we often have contact from people who have been refused access to the work accident book and need advice. Thankfully, Direct2Compensation can help you. There are some useful tips for how to go about handling an employers refusal to record your accident or let you use the accident book. May I point you (and those in the same situation as you) to our article entitled: ‘My employer won’t let me use or see the accident book, what should I do?‘ as it gives some top tips to help you to protect and enforce your right to get the details of your accident and injuries recorded.

In your case, we have now spoken on the telephone about your situation. I am pleased that the information that I have given you and advice on this issue has been helpful and put your mind at rest and we look forward to helping you.

Yours sincerely

Ian Morris

I slipped in a nightclub on a wet floor on damaged the ligaments in my leg , I asked to report it in the accident book but the bouncer refused and barred me from the club, I went to hospital the following morning by ambulance and was on crutches for 2 months and recieved physio, my girlfriend witnessed what happened if that’s any help? Thanks

Thank you for your enquiry. I’m sorry to hear about your accident and the injury to your leg. Ligament injuries are often very serious and certainly restrict mobility and physical ability. We’d certainly be happy to help you make a claim for injury compensation.

It is a pity that the nightclub staff and doorman were unsupportive as it would have been a help for the incident to be recorded within an accident book. However, it is not your fault that you were prevented from reporting the incident properly. Although time has now passed since your accident, it is not too late to attempt to get the incident recorded with the nightclub. There are two ways to do this, firstly you could email the nightclub explaining what happened, where it happened and when and that you tried to report it but were refused access to the accident book by the doorman. You should inform them of the injury sustained and how it has affected you. You could also do the same in writing and send it to the nightclub by recorded delivery, keeping a copy of the letter and proof of postage (Royal Mail receipt).
We would certainly be willing to assist you with pursuing a claim for slipping accident compensation against this nightclub and look forward to doing so.