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ARTICLE · 22 SEPTEMBER 2026

Can I Be Sacked For Having An Accident At Work?

JMW Solicitors LLP
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Having an accident at work is not, on its own, a fair reason for dismissal. Employers owe every member of staff a legal duty to provide a safe working environment, and the law does not allow them to legally dismiss employees simply because they were injured or intend to claim compensation. As such, you cannot be sacked for purely for the fact of having had an accident at work, though the circumstances involved can affect whether a later dismissal is fair.

United KingdomEmployment and HR
Sam McElroy
Sam McElroy

Having an accident at work is not, on its own, a fair reason for dismissal. Employers owe every member of staff a legal duty to provide a safe working environment, and the law does not allow them to legally dismiss employees simply because they were injured or intend to claim compensation. As such, you cannot be sacked for purely for the fact of having had an accident at work, though the circumstances involved can affect whether a later dismissal is fair.

This guide explains when a dismissal following an accident at work could be unfair or discriminatory, how this differs from a genuine redundancy or capability dismissal, what happens if you caused the accident yourself, and what to do if you have been dismissed.

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