Office Chair Accident Compensation Claim

My flimsy office chair collapsed under me at work and I want to know whether I can make an office chair accident compensation claim against my employer.

You may be eligible to make an office chair accident compensation claim if it can be shown that your employer failed in his or her duty of care to you in some way; perhaps by issuing office equipment which was of poor quality that fell below appropriate standards in an effort to cut costs. There is a variety of ways which employers can lower their expenditure without putting the health and safety of their workers in jeopardy.

Office chairs provided from employees in Ireland must observe European safety standards, specifically the standard EN 1335-1 which applies to type A, B and C office chairs. Your employer will be deemed negligent in his or her duty of care if the chairs supplied in the office in which you work did not adhere to the minimum European standard, and it should be possible to claim accident on office chair compensation if your employer failed to provide you with a safe working environment.

When considering your office chair accident compensation claim, it should also be noted that your employer also has a duty of care to ensure that the office equipment that you are provided with is appropriate for your own personal requirements. Most office chairs are designed to be used for up to eight hours a day for individuals weighing up to 110kg. If you weigh more than 110kg and the chair you were supplied with was not appropriate for your own personal requirements, you may be able to claim compensation for being injured by a chair that collapsed in an office.

You would be well advised to consult with a personal injury solicitor about making an office chair compensation claim. An experienced solicitor would be able to guide you through the suitable procedures that you need to take when you pursue your claim and will also be able to handle the situation in a way in which a minimum degree of conflict arises between you and your employer. Additionally, an expert solicitor is required in order to make sure that your full entitlement to compensation for an office chair injury is awarded to you by the Injuries Board.