Enterprise Bill ‘grossly unfair’ to injured workers

Posted: April 18, 2013

Posted in: Workplace Injuries 

A Government proposal which would undermine the rights of injured workers returned to the House of Commons on 16th April, after being thrown out by the House of Lords.

The Government plan will put the burden of proving an employer has caused needless injury or death back onto the victim, says the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL). This tilts the playing field in favour of negligent bosses, who hold all the cards, and against vulnerable workers, who hold none. The employer always has the upper hand – he controls the workplace, he controls the work equipment used, and knows all the systems of the business inside out.

“This proposal is grossly unfair,” said Karl Tonks, president of APIL. “

It will make bringing some valid claims for compensation extremely difficult, and many people are likely to shy away from bringing a claim altogether.

“It is the duty of employers to provide safe workplaces, not the duty of employees to keep negligent bosses in check,

“Peers recognised the problems the Government’s proposal would cause during detailed debate in the House of Lords and MPs must understand that if the House of Lords amendment isn’t accepted tomorrow, many injured workers could be deterred from claiming the damages they need to put their lives back on track, leaving the state to pick up the tab.”

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