Prison Officer Compensation Claims

The prison service has a legal duty of care to ensure that all employees are safe in the workplace, but accidents and injuries are common among prison officers. If you were injured due to negligence, you may be eligible to make a prison officer compensation claim.

Assaults and accidents such as slips, trips and falls can cause various injuries to prison officers, including stab wounds, severe lacerations, fractures, and head and back injuries.

If you suffered an injury whilst working in a prison, call 0800 470 0474 or request a call back for a free consultation. A legal adviser will assess your case, explain your rights, and confirm whether you are eligible for compensation.

Find out if you can claim

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Table of Contents

• Am I eligible to start a prison officer compensation claim?
• What is the duty of care of HM Prison Service towards prison officers?
• What is the time limit to start a prison injury compensation claim?
• How do I claim for an injury as a prison officer?
• How much prison officer compensation could I receive for my injuries?
• Can I benefit from a No Win No Fee service?
• What evidence do I need to claim prison officer compensation?
• What are the most common incidents leading to a prison officer injury claim?
  • Slips, trips and falls
  • Prison officer assaults
  • Manual handling injuries
  • Injuries while breaking up fights
• Common injuries sustained by prison officers and staff
• Could I lose my job if I make a prison officer compensation claim?

Am I eligible to start a prison officer compensation claim?

Yes. If you have been injured as a prison officer, you might be entitled to compensation. As an employer, the Prison Service is responsible for ensuring your safety and well-being, and you will be able to claim compensation if:

• This duty of care was breached through negligence.
• The negligence caused an accident to happen within the prison.
• You suffered injuries as a result.
• You are within the legal time limit to start a claim for compensation.

If you were injured in a violent assault, but your employer had taken all reasonable safety measures, you may instead be able to claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which compensates blameless victims of violent crime.

A personal injury solicitor can quickly confirm whether you qualify for compensation, identify who is liable, and guide you through the claims process.

What is the duty of care of HM Prison Service towards prison officers?

Like every other employer, the HM Prison Service has a legal duty of care to provide prison officers with a safe working environment. This duty stems from the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and many other regulations, and includes:

• Carry out a full risk assessment of the workplace.
• Provide adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), such as protection vests, PAVA spray and ratchet cuffs.
• Provide the appropriate levels of staff to break up fights or restrain prisoners.
• Make sure prison officers have the proper training and education to perform their jobs safely.
• Ensure the correct level of security for inmates with a history of violence.
• Maintain a safe work environment to prevent slips, trips, and other accidents.
• Explain all the risks and precautions to staff.
• Carry out risk assessments for manual handling tasks.

If you suffered any injury due to substandard safety measures, you could be entitled to make an accident at work claim for compensation.

What is the time limit to start a prison injury compensation claim?

As a general rule, you have three years to make a prison injury claim, starting from the date of the accident. Alternatively, the time may begin from the date your injury was diagnosed. Exceptions to this rule include:

• If you suffered a severe injury and lack the mental capacity to start a claim, the time limit is suspended until you recover. In the meantime, a litigation friend could claim on your behalf.
• The time limit to claim through the CICA for a criminal injury is two years after the incident.

How do I claim for an injury as a prison officer?

A personal injury compensation claim against your employer will usually follow these steps:

• A free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer.
• Gathering supporting evidence, including a medical assessment.
• Sending a letter of claim to the defendant outlining the accident details and the compensation you seek.
• A letter of response from the other party, denying or admitting liability.
• Negotiations or court proceedings, depending on the defendant’s position.
• Receiving your compensation if you make a successful claim.

How much prison officer compensation could I receive for my injuries?

The amount of compensation you could receive following a prison officer assault or accident will depend on your injuries and their impact on your life. Your final settlement will consider two types of damages included in your claim:

• General damages cover the physical injury and how it has affected you. These include pain and suffering, emotional trauma, loss of amenities and reduced quality of life.
• Special damages are awarded for all the financial losses related to your injuries. These could be lost wages, care and assistance, the cost of medical aids, or travel expenses.

You can find examples of awards for different types and severities of injuries on our compensation calculator page.

Can I benefit from a No Win No Fee service?

Yes, if you are entitled to make a personal injury claim, your solicitor will offer you a no win no fee service. Under this arrangement, you will not have to pay them any upfront costs, and there will be no hidden charges.

If your claim is successful, you pay your solicitor a fee of up to 25% of your compensation award. If your case fails, you do not owe them a penny.

What evidence do I need to claim prison officer compensation?

If you want to make a claim for prison officer compensation, you will need evidence to show that you were the victim of negligence or wrongdoing. This could include:

• A copy of an accident report made with your employer will prove the date, time, location and circumstances of how you suffered the injuries.
• Medical reports that show the type and extent of the harm you suffered and the treatments you received.
• Your own written account of how the events unfolded and how these have affected your life in as much detail as possible.
• Statements from witnesses to the incident may help prove liability and confirm your version of the events.
• Photographs or a video of the accident scene and any hazards that contributed to your injuries.
• A copy of CCTV footage if surveillance cameras captured your accident.
• Documents for any financial losses and expenses you incurred as a direct result of the accident, such as receipts, invoices and bank statements.

Your solicitor will help you gather all the evidence you need to make a no win no fee prison accident claim.

What are the most common incidents leading to a prison officer injury claim?

Prison staff can face various hazards and risks while carrying out their duties. Situations that can lead to a prison officer compensation claim include:

Slips, trips and falls

Slips and trips are among the most common types of workplace accidents, despite being preventable. They could be due to:

• Wet or slippery floors.
• Poor lighting and housekeeping.
• Uneven steps or pavements.
• Damaged flooring.
• Objects left on walkways.

Prison officer assaults

Violence from inmates is a major risk to prison officers. Between June 2018 and 2019, there were 10,424 assaults on prison staff, a 10% increase compared to the previous year.

These incidents can lead to serious physical injuries as well as psychological trauma, anxiety or PTSD. You may be able to claim prison officer assault compensation if:

• You did not receive sufficient training.
• You were not given proper protective equipment.
• You were understaffed.
• There were no risk assessments.
• No safety precautions were taken against an inmate with a history of violence.

Manual handling injuries

Prison officers often need to move heavy objects or restrain inmates during altercations. Without proper training or support, this can cause strains, sprains and musculoskeletal injuries. Claims for manual handling accidents often arise from:

• Inadequate manual handling training.
• Lack of lifting aids or equipment.
• Poor ergonomics.
• No risk assessment for lifting tasks.
• Lack of sufficient breaks.

Injuries while breaking up fights

Prison officers often intervene to break up fights among inmates or control prison riots. While doing so, they can be exposed to physical harm. You may be entitled to make a claim if you were injured because of negligence, such as:

• Lack of training in how to safely break up fights.
• Lack of protective gear, such as helmets or shields.
• Poor communication or coordination among prison staff.
• Defective equipment or malfunctioning alarms.

These and other situations may result in a range of injuries while working in a prison. If your employer has failed to protect your health and safety, you might be able to make a prison officer compensation claim.

Common injuries sustained by prison officers and staff

Prison officers and staff can suffer a wide range of injuries due to assaults, slips and trips, and other workplace accidents:

• Sprains and strains are injuries to muscles, ligaments, and tendons that may result from a slip and trip or manual handling.
• Laceration injuries may result from an assault or accident and could leave permanent scars.
• Back injuries can range from slipped discs to severe spinal cord trauma with life-changing consequences.
• Concussions and other head injuries could result from accidents or assaults and may have severe long-term effects.
• Stab wounds during assaults by prison inmates with improvised knives or shivs.
• Broken bones and dislocations may require surgery and physical therapy and take several months to recover.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues are common consequences of violent crimes and severe accidents.

If you were injured doing your job and it wasn’t your fault, a solicitor could help you claim compensation for your pain and suffering.

Could I lose my job if I make a prison officer compensation claim?

No, you cannot legally lose your job for making a genuine prison accident compensation claim. UK employment law protects employees from being dismissed, disciplined or treated unfairly for exercising their right to claim compensation.

If your employer sacked or disciplined you in any way, you may be entitled to take further action at an employment tribunal for unfair or constructive dismissal. The tribunal will consider your circumstances and offer compensation or order your employer to reinstate you.

To find out if you can claim prison officer compensation using no win no fee, arrange a free consultation with a legal adviser. You can do this by calling 0800 470 0474 or requesting a call back.

Last edited on 6th Dec 2025

With over 15 years’ experience in the legal sector, Nicholas Tate (LLB Hons, LLM in Health Law) has extensive experience across all areas of personal injury and medical negligence claims.