Kitchen & Catering Accident Claims

Hurt working in a kitchen or catering role?

Whether you’re a chef burned by hot oil, a waiter who slipped carrying plates, or a kitchen porter with a back injury from lifting deliveries, we can help you claim compensation. No win, no fee on most claims.

If you have been injured working in a commercial kitchen, restaurant, hotel or catering business, you may be entitled to compensation from your employer. Osbornes Law has handled catering and kitchen injury claims for decades and is ranked in Chambers UK and the Legal 500.

Your employer’s duty to keep you safe

Commercial kitchens are dangerous workplaces. Hot oil, open flames, sharp knives, wet floors and time pressure combine to make accidents common. Your employer has a legal duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 to take reasonable steps to keep you safe.

That duty includes:

• Carrying out proper risk assessments and acting on them
• Providing training on safe knife use, hot oil handling and lifting
• Installing and maintaining non-slip flooring, with HSE-compliant cleaning routines
• Supplying personal protective equipment such as heat-resistant gloves and non-slip footwear
• Keeping all equipment maintained and safe to use under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
• Ensuring proper rest breaks under the Working Time Regulations 1998

If your employer fails in any of these duties and you are injured as a result, you can usually claim compensation. Most claims are settled by the employer’s insurer without going to court.

Common catering and kitchen accidents we handle

Slips on kitchen floors

Slips cause more kitchen accidents than any other hazard. Spilled oil, water, ice or food scraps create unpredictable surfaces, and busy staff carrying hot or heavy items can suffer serious injuries when they fall. The Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on safety flooring for commercial kitchens. Where an employer ignores that guidance, or fails to clean up known spills, they can be held liable.

Burns and scalds

Hot oil, steam, oven contact and boiling liquids cause some of the most serious kitchen injuries. Burns can take months to heal and may leave permanent scarring or restricted movement. We have acted for chefs scalded by faulty fryers, burned by spitting oil from poorly maintained equipment, and injured by colleagues passing hot pans without warning.

Knife and equipment lacerations

Commercial kitchens use mandolins, electric slicers, meat cleavers and other powered equipment alongside sharp knives. Where these are unguarded, poorly maintained or used without training, the resulting cuts can sever tendons or cause permanent loss of finger function.

Lifting and manual handling injuries

Lifting heavy stockpots, sacks of flour, kegs of beer and incoming deliveries causes a steady stream of back, shoulder and hernia injuries. Your employer must assess manual handling risks and provide trolleys, lifting aids or two-person lifts where needed.

Repetitive strain injuries

Hours of chopping, stirring, plating and washing up can cause carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow and other repetitive strain injuries. Employers must rotate tasks and provide rest breaks. Where they don’t, RSI claims can succeed even though there was no single accident.

Front of house and waiter injuries

Waiters and waiting staff face their own risks: hot plate burns, broken glass from glassware, slips on spilled drinks, doors with no viewing panel and lifting heavy trays. We act for front of house staff across pubs, restaurants and hotels.

Case study: industrial dishwasher leak, fractured elbow

Mrs B ran a busy commercial kitchen. The industrial dishwasher developed a fault and started leaking water onto the floor. She reported the problem repeatedly but her employer failed to repair or replace it.

A few days later she slipped on a pool of water she had not noticed, falling onto her elbow and suffering a serious fracture. She needed surgery, was off work for months, and was left with a long-term disability that meant she could no longer do the heavier work in the kitchen. She also missed caring for her disabled son during her own rehabilitation.

Her employers admitted liability. She was compensated for the injury, her loss of earnings and the psychological and domestic impact on her family.

What types of catering and kitchen injuries can I claim for?

Commercial kitchens and catering environments combine heat, sharp tools, heavy stock and wet floors. We have recovered compensation for chefs, waiters, pot washers and kitchen porters with:

• Ankle injury claims from slips on wet or greasy kitchen floors
• Arm injury claims from hot oil splashes, steam scalds and contact with ovens or hot pans
• Back injury claims from lifting heavy stockpots, sacks of ingredients or kitchen deliveries
• Elbow injury claims from knocks against worktops or repetitive prep work
• Finger injury claims from knives, mandolins, slicers and meat cleavers
• Hand injury claims from burns on hot pans, oven contact, knife lacerations and broken glassware
• Hip injury claims from slips on greasy kitchen floors or falls from step stools
• Knee injury claims from slips on kitchen floors or long shifts on hard tiled flooring
• Leg injury claims from scalds, deep-fat-fryer splashes and burns on hot oven doors
• Neck injury claims from slips and falls in busy kitchens or strain from carrying heavy trays
• Shoulder injury claims from repetitive chopping, stirring or lifting heavy stockpots and kegs
• Wrist injury claims from knife cuts, repetitive prep work and tray carrying

If your injury isn’t listed, get in touch. We act for chefs, waiters, pot washers, kitchen porters and other catering staff on every kind of physical and psychological injury, including burns, scalds, lacerations and post-traumatic stress.

How much compensation can you claim?

Compensation has two parts. General damages cover the injury itself, the pain and suffering, and any long-term effects. The amount is set with reference to the Judicial College Guidelines and ranges from a few thousand pounds for a minor injury to six figures for a serious permanent injury such as severe burns or significant nerve damage.

Special damages cover your financial losses. These include lost earnings, medical and treatment costs, care and rehabilitation, travel to appointments and any future loss of earning capacity. For serious injuries, special damages can be much larger than the general damages.

We assess every claim on the specific injury, your role, your earnings and the impact on your day-to-day life.

How long do I have to make a claim?

The standard three-year time limit applies to catering and kitchen injury claims. The clock usually starts on the date of the accident, or on the date you first realised your injury was caused by your work (relevant for RSI and gradual-onset injuries).

If you were under 18 when you were injured, you have until your 21st birthday. Different rules apply for protected parties who lack mental capacity. If you are unsure whether you are still in time, call us. We can often act even where the deadline is close.

How a kitchen injury claim works with Osbornes

1. Speak to us. A short call to understand what happened, the injury and whether you have a claim. No cost, no obligation.
2. We agree no win, no fee. If we take the case on, we sign a Conditional Fee Agreement. You pay nothing if we lose. If we win, our fees come out of the compensation, capped at a percentage agreed up front.
3. We build the case. Medical records, accident reports, HSE notices, witness statements and your employer’s risk assessments.
4. We notify the employer’s insurer and put the claim formally.
5. Interim payments where needed. If your injury is serious and you cannot work, we can often secure interim payments to cover lost earnings and treatment before the case settles.
6. Settlement or court. Most claims settle without court. If court is needed, our personal injury team has the trial experience to run it.

Why choose Osbornes Law for your kitchen injury claim

Osbornes Law has acted for chefs, waiters, pot washers, kitchen porters and other catering staff for decades. Our personal injury team is ranked in Chambers UK and the Legal 500. Sophie Davies leads the personal injury department and Jo Wescott is managing partner.

When you choose us, you get:

• Specialist personal injury solicitors who handle accident at work claims every day, not as a sideline
• No win, no fee on most catering injury claims, so cost is not a barrier
• Direct contact with the solicitor running your case, not a call centre
• A network of medical experts and rehabilitation providers to support your recovery alongside the claim

Speak to a kitchen accident claim solicitor

Call us on 020 7485 8811 or fill in the contact form below. We can usually tell you on the first call whether you have a claim and what the next steps look like.

Frequently asked questions

How much compensation will I get for a kitchen accident?

It depends on the injury and how it has affected you. A minor burn that heals fully might be worth a few thousand pounds. A serious back injury that stops you working could be tens of thousands. Severe burns or permanent loss of hand function can reach six figures. Compensation also includes lost earnings, care, treatment and future losses.

Can I still claim if the accident was partly my fault?

Usually yes. If you contributed to the accident, your compensation may be reduced to reflect your share of responsibility (this is called contributory negligence), but you can still claim. We have run successful claims where the worker was found to be 25% or 50% responsible.

Will my employer be sued or punished?

Your claim is against your employer’s insurer, not your employer personally. The Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires all UK employers to carry insurance for exactly this kind of claim. The HSE may separately investigate the accident, but that is a different process.

Will I lose my job if I claim?

It is unlawful for an employer to dismiss or treat you unfairly because you have made a personal injury claim. If they do, you may have a separate employment claim. In practice, most claims are handled through the insurer with very little employer involvement.

Do I have to go to court?

Almost always, no. The large majority of catering and kitchen injury claims settle through negotiation with the employer’s insurer. We only issue court proceedings if the insurer refuses to make a reasonable offer.

How long does a kitchen injury claim take?

Straightforward claims often settle within 6 to 12 months. More serious claims involving ongoing treatment or disputed liability can take 18 months to 3 years. We push for interim payments where injury and time off work mean you need money before final settlement.

What if I’m a zero hours or agency worker?

You still have rights. The employer who controlled your work has a duty of care, regardless of contract type. We have acted for zero hours, agency and self-employed catering workers and helped them claim compensation.

Is there a time limit for kitchen injury claims?

Yes. You usually have three years from the date of the accident or from the date you realised your injury was work-related. Different rules apply for under-18s and protected parties.