Can You Make a Mechanic Injury Claim?
If you work as a mechanic, vehicle technician or in a motor repair workshop, you’ll know that no two days are the same. Whether you’re servicing vehicles, carrying out MOT repairs, replacing tyres or working beneath a car on a vehicle lift, the job comes with risks. While minor cuts and knocks are often seen as part of the trade, serious workplace accidents should never be accepted as “just one of those things”.
We regularly speak to people who have been injured in garages after a vehicle has fallen from a lift, they’ve slipped on oil, been struck by moving equipment or suffered injuries while lifting heavy parts such as engines, gearboxes or wheels. One of the first questions they ask is whether they can make a mechanic injury claim. In many cases, the answer is yes, particularly where the accident could have been prevented.
Garage owners and employers have a legal responsibility to provide a safe place to work. That includes maintaining lifting equipment, keeping workshop floors free from unnecessary hazards, providing suitable training and ensuring staff have the equipment they need to carry out their job safely. When those responsibilities aren’t met and someone is injured, it may be possible to claim compensation.
In this guide, we’ll explain how garage accidents happen, the injuries mechanics commonly suffer, what evidence can support a mechanic injury claim and the practical steps to take after an accident at work.
Quick Links:
- How Do Most Garage Accidents Happen?
- What Injuries Do Mechanics Most Commonly Suffer?
- Can I Make a Mechanic Injury Claim?
- What Should I Do After a Garage Accident?
- What Evidence Will Help Support My Mechanic Injury Claim?
- How Much Compensation Could I Receive?
- How Long Do I Have to Make a Mechanic Injury Claim?
- Why Does Specialist Legal Advice Matter?
- Speak to Stonehewer Moss
If you’ve been injured while working in a garage, body shop, MOT testing station or vehicle repair workshop, call 01606 872200 or arrange a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your mechanic injury claim with one of our solicitors.
How Do Most Garage Accidents Happen?
When people think about garage work, they often picture routine servicing or changing tyres. In reality, mechanics and vehicle technicians work in environments where heavy vehicles, lifting equipment, power tools, hazardous substances and moving machinery are part of everyday life. While the job naturally carries some risks, many workplace accidents happen because something has gone wrong that could and should have been prevented.
We often hear clients say they blamed themselves at first or assumed the accident was simply part of the job. After talking through what happened, it sometimes becomes clear that basic safety procedures weren’t followed or equipment wasn’t safe to use.
Some of the most common causes of garage accidents include:
- Vehicles falling from ramps, lifts or axle stands
- Cars rolling because they were left in gear or not properly secured
- Slips on oil, coolant, brake fluid or fuel spillages
- Manual handling injuries while lifting engines, gearboxes, tyres or batteries
- Faulty vehicle lifts, jacks or workshop equipment
- Burns injuries from hot engines, exhaust systems or cooling systems
- Eye injuries caused by grinding, cutting or flying metal fragments
- Crush injuries involving vehicles or heavy mechanical components
These types of accidents can happen in independent garages, franchised dealerships, MOT testing centres, tyre fitting businesses, body repair shops, commercial vehicle workshops and recovery depots. Although every workplace is different, employers are expected to identify risks, maintain equipment properly and provide a safe environment for their staff.
If your accident happened because equipment failed, a known hazard wasn’t dealt with or appropriate safety measures weren’t in place, you may have grounds to make a mechanic injury claim. Understanding how the accident happened is often the first step towards establishing whether compensation may be available.
What Injuries Do Mechanics Most Commonly Suffer?
Garage accidents can leave mechanics with anything from relatively minor injuries to life-changing conditions that affect their ability to work. The extent of an injury often depends on the force involved, the part of the body affected and how quickly medical treatment is received.
While some people recover within a few weeks, others face surgery, lengthy rehabilitation and time away from work. For self-employed mechanics in particular, even a short period off work can have a significant financial impact.
Some of the most common injuries include:
- Back injuries that make lifting, bending or standing difficult
- Shoulder, knee and joint injuries that restrict movement
- Broken bones requiring hospital treatment or surgery
- Burn injuries that may result in scarring
- Eye injuries that affect vision
- Hand and finger injuries that limit grip and dexterity
- Crush injuries that can cause long-term mobility problems
- Cuts and lacerations that may leave permanent scarring
For many mechanics, the biggest concern isn’t just the injury itself. It’s whether they’ll be able to return to the job they’ve done for years. Some injuries heal quickly, while others can make it difficult to continue carrying out manual work or use tools safely.
If your injuries were caused by a workplace accident that could have been prevented, you may be entitled to make a mechanic injury claim. A solicitor can assess the circumstances of your accident and explain the options available to you.
Can I Make a Mechanic Injury Claim?
Yes, if you’ve been injured while working as a mechanic or vehicle technician, you may be able to make a mechanic injury claim if the accident happened because your employer failed to provide a safe working environment.
One question we’re often asked is whether an accident has to be someone’s fault before a claim can be made. The answer is that not every workplace accident leads to compensation, but where an injury has been caused by negligence or avoidable safety failures, you may have legal grounds to bring a claim.
A mechanic injury claim may be possible if your accident happened because:
- A vehicle lift, jack or axle stand failed
- A vehicle wasn’t properly secured before work began
- Oil, coolant or other spillages were left on the workshop floor
- Faulty tools or equipment were provided
- You weren’t given suitable training for the task
- Heavy components had to be lifted without suitable lifting equipment
- Known hazards weren’t dealt with properly
- Appropriate personal protective equipment wasn’t provided
Every garage is different, but employers have a responsibility to reduce foreseeable risks wherever reasonably possible. That includes maintaining equipment, carrying out risk assessments, providing suitable training and ensuring that safe systems of work are followed.
If you’re unsure whether your circumstances amount to negligence, it’s worth seeking advice. A conversation with a solicitor can often clarify whether the accident could have been prevented and whether a mechanic injury claim may be available. Even if you’re not certain you want to pursue compensation, understanding your options can help you decide what to do next.
What Should I Do After a Garage Accident?
If you’ve been injured while working in a garage, it’s completely normal to feel shaken or unsure about what to do next. Whether you’ve been hurt by a vehicle falling from a lift, slipped on oil or suffered an injury while lifting heavy parts, your first priority should always be your health.
Seek medical attention as soon as you can, even if the injury doesn’t seem particularly serious. Some injuries, especially those involving your back, shoulders or joints, can become more painful over the following days. Having your injuries assessed also creates a medical record, which may become important later.
Once you’re able to, let your employer know what has happened and make sure the accident is recorded in the workplace accident book. If you’ve been taken to hospital, ask a colleague or family member to check that the incident has been reported for you.
Many people worry about returning to work too quickly, particularly if they’re concerned about losing income or letting colleagues down. Try not to rush back before you’ve recovered or ignore medical advice. Your health should come first.
If the accident has left you out of pocket, keep hold of anything that shows the financial impact. This might include receipts for medication, travel costs to hospital or physiotherapy appointments, and details of any earnings you’ve lost while you’ve been unable to work.
Finally, if you’re unsure whether you may have a mechanic injury claim, there’s no harm in asking. An early conversation with a solicitor can help you understand your options, answer any questions you have and give you a clearer idea of what happens next. You’re under no obligation to make a claim, but getting advice early can help you make an informed decision.
What Evidence Will Help Support My Mechanic Injury Claim?
One of the questions we’re asked quite often is, “What evidence do I actually need?” The answer depends on how the accident happened, but don’t worry if you weren’t able to gather everything at the time. It’s common for people to be more focused on getting medical treatment than collecting evidence.
When we investigate a mechanic injury claim, we’re looking to establish three things: how the accident happened, what caused it and how your injuries have affected you. The more information that’s available, the easier it is to build a clear picture of what went wrong.
Evidence that can help support a mechanic injury claim includes:
- The workplace accident book or incident report
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Photographs of the vehicle, lift, jack or equipment involved
- CCTV footage, where available
- Witness details from colleagues or customers
- Medical records and hospital reports
- Maintenance and inspection records for workshop equipment
- Training records and risk assessments
It’s not unusual for important evidence to remain with your employer. Vehicle lift inspection records, servicing logs and maintenance reports can all be relevant if faulty equipment is thought to have contributed to the accident. Likewise, if a vehicle slipped from a lift or jack, inspection records may help establish whether the equipment had been properly maintained.
If you contact us shortly after the accident, we’ll advise you on what evidence is likely to be most useful based on your circumstances. Every garage accident is different, so we tailor our investigations to the way the incident happened rather than relying on a standard checklist.
How Much Compensation Could I Receive?
It’s completely understandable to want to know what your claim could be worth. One of the first questions people ask us is, “How much compensation will I receive?” The honest answer is that every mechanic injury claim is different, so it’s impossible to give an accurate figure without understanding exactly what happened and how your injuries have affected you.
Compensation isn’t based solely on the type of accident. It also takes into account the seriousness of your injuries, how long your recovery takes and whether the accident has affected your ability to work or carry out everyday activities.
Most mechanic injury claims include two types of compensation:
- General damages, which compensate you for the pain, suffering and impact your injuries have had on your life.
- Special damages, which cover financial losses resulting from the accident.
Depending on your circumstances, special damages may include:
- Loss of earnings
- Future loss of income if you’re unable to return to the same role
- Medical treatment and rehabilitation costs
- Travel expenses
- Prescription charges
- Care or assistance provided by family members or professionals
We’ve acted for clients whose injuries kept them away from work for several weeks, while others have been unable to continue working as mechanics because of long-term damage to their back, shoulders or knees. That’s why it’s important not to value a claim too early, particularly if you’re still receiving treatment or your recovery is ongoing.
Once we’ve had the opportunity to understand your injuries, review the medical evidence and discuss how the accident has affected your life, we’ll be able to give you a clearer idea of what your mechanic injury claim may be worth.
How Long Do I Have to Make a Mechanic Injury Claim?
One of the questions we’re asked most often is, “Is it too late to make a claim?” Thankfully, many people are relieved to hear that it usually isn’t.
In most cases, you have up to three years from the date of your garage accident to start a personal injury claim. Although that may sound like plenty of time, we’d always encourage people to seek advice much sooner if they can. Waiting doesn’t usually help, and in many cases it can make investigating the accident more difficult.
From our experience, the biggest challenge isn’t the three-year time limit. It’s what happens in the weeks and months after the accident. CCTV footage may be deleted, damaged vehicle lifts or equipment repaired, and colleagues who witnessed the incident may leave the business or simply struggle to remember exactly what happened.
If you contacted us shortly after your accident, one of the first things we’d do is look at what evidence is still available. We’d check whether the accident had been recorded, whether maintenance records exist for the equipment involved and whether witnesses can still be contacted. Taking those steps early often puts us in a much stronger position when investigating a mechanic injury claim.
There are circumstances where different time limits apply. For example, claims involving children or individuals who are unable to manage their own legal affairs are subject to different rules. If you’re unsure whether these apply to you or someone in your family, we’re always happy to explain your options in plain English.
Even if you haven’t decided whether you want to make a claim, having an early conversation with a solicitor can help you understand where you stand. It doesn’t commit you to taking legal action, but it does give you the best chance of protecting important evidence while it’s still available.
Why Does Specialist Legal Advice Matter?
After a garage accident, it’s easy to think the circumstances are straightforward. However, once insurers become involved, it’s not uncommon for questions to be raised about how the accident happened, whether the correct safety procedures were followed or if the injuries are as serious as first reported.
That’s why getting specialist legal advice early can make a real difference. A solicitor experienced in workplace accident claims will know what evidence to look for, whether that’s inspection records for a vehicle lift, maintenance logs for workshop equipment, CCTV footage or witness statements from colleagues.
If your accident happened while working in a garage, body shop, MOT testing station or commercial vehicle workshop, it may also help to understand how your claim fits within the wider area of accidents at work claims. Although every case is different, the same legal principles apply where an employer has failed to provide a reasonably safe place to work.
Many of the workplace accidents we investigate involve issues that could have been avoided with better maintenance, suitable training or safer working practices. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides guidance for motor vehicle repair businesses on managing common workshop hazards, including vehicle lifting equipment, manual handling and workshop safety.
Our role is to investigate what happened, explain your options in plain English and help you pursue the compensation you’re entitled to where negligence has caused your injuries. We’ll also deal with insurers on your behalf, allowing you to focus on your recovery while we focus on building the strongest possible mechanic injury claim.
Speak to Stonehewer Moss
If you’ve been injured while working as a mechanic, vehicle technician or in a motor repair workshop, we’re here to help. We understand the impact a serious workplace accident can have on your health, your income and your future, and we’ll take the time to understand exactly what happened.
Stonehewer Moss Solicitors is an APIL-accredited personal injury law firm with experience handling workplace accident claims across England. Whether your accident happened in an independent garage, franchised dealership, MOT testing station, body shop or commercial vehicle workshop, we’ll explain your options clearly and support you throughout the claims process.
We offer a free 30-minute consultation, instant access to a solicitor and, where appropriate, can represent you under a No Win, No Fee agreement.
To discuss your mechanic injury claim, call 01606 872200 or arrange your free 30-minute consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you may still be able to make a mechanic injury claim even if you think you were partly responsible for the accident. If your employer failed to provide safe equipment, adequate training or a safe working environment, you could still be entitled to compensation. A solicitor can assess the circumstances and advise on your options.
Some of the most common garage accidents include vehicles falling from lifts or axle stands, slips on oil or coolant, manual handling injuries when lifting heavy parts, burns from hot engines or exhausts, crush injuries and accidents involving faulty tools or workshop equipment.
Yes. Whether you work in an independent garage, franchised dealership, MOT testing station, body shop or commercial vehicle workshop, your employer has a legal duty to take reasonable steps to keep you safe. If your injury was caused by negligence, you may be able to make a mechanic injury claim.
Many people worry about this, but your employer cannot lawfully dismiss or treat you unfairly simply because you’ve made a genuine personal injury claim. In most cases, compensation is paid through the employer’s liability insurance rather than directly by the business.
The amount of compensation depends on several factors, including the seriousness of your injuries, how they’ve affected your ability to work and any financial losses you’ve experienced. Once a solicitor has reviewed your circumstances and the medical evidence, they can provide a more accurate assessment of what your mechanic injury claim may be worth.
