Your employment status has no bearing on your ability to make a claim. You can make a claim whether you an unemployed, unemployed but on benefits, employed part-time, employed full-time or self-employed. The legal system does not work on employment status so if you are unemployed and you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault, then you can make an injury claim.
Is there a time limit to make a claim when unemployed?
You can make a claim when unemployed within three years of your date of limitation, also known as your date of knowledge. This is the date your injuries became clear – so it may not be the date of your accident, but a week or a month afterwards, because some injuries can take a while to develop. The three year time limit actually applies to everyone, regardless of their employment status at the time of their accident or right now.
I was employed at the time of my accident but I am now unemployed. Can I claim?
Yes, absolutely. Your employment status when you had your accident and your employment status in the aftermath of your accident has no bearing on your ability to make a personal injury claim, but the time limit mentioned above still applies.
I am on benefits. Will this affect my ability to make a claim?
Being in receipt of benefits, no matter what they may be, will not affect your ability to make a claim in the slightest. You can make a claim if you are on Jobseeker’s Allowance, receive Child Benefits or any other type of benefit. In fact, the benefits you receive will not even be disclosed to the other party, unless your accident caused you to lose any of your benefits because you can claim any loss of benefits back, in the same way that you can claim back a loss of income and overtime. At https://ukclaimlawyers.co.uk/ for example, your solicitor will put in a strong claim for any benefits you have missed out on because of your accident.
I had an accident at work. Can I still make a claim?
Yes. Employers are required to have employer’s liability insurance and this insurance is there to protect employers from claims. Your claim will be against your employer but with their insurance company. If you have been fired as a result of your accident and that is why you are unemployed, then you may also be able to make a claim for loss of earnings including guaranteed overtime. It is also important to consider that it is against the law for a employer to fire or punish an employee for making a personal injury claim.
