Increase in fatal workplace accidents by 2025 is a cause for concern – what's happening?

News

July 14, 2025

Every industrial accident is a personal and financial tragedy

Increase in fatal workplace accidents in 2025: By mid-2025, forty people will have already died in serious workplace accidents. That is nearly as many as in the whole of 2024, when 52 employees died due to a workplace accident. The Labour Inspectorate calls the rise “alarming” and “difficult to explain”. Where does this increase come from?

Important to know

The increase in fatal industrial accidents is worryingly high.
The political ambition to achieve zero fatal occupational accidents by 2040 is thus disappearing from view.
The number of reports of serious industrial accidents also increased in 2024.
This trend will continue into 2025, although no figures are known yet.
There are several reasons for the increase in (fatal) victims.

Increase in fatal industrial accident victims 'worrying'

There were 72 fatal workplace accidents in 2023. Fortunately, that number dropped to 52 in 2024. Unfortunately, the trend is rising again. By mid-2025, 40 people had died from workplace accidents. If this continues, the number of fatalities in 2025 will reach approximately 80.

Personal and financial drama

The victims' relatives are their partners, children, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and friends. They must continue on without their loved ones.

In addition to their grief, immediate family members often face financial worries . It is therefore important that the surviving relatives know their rights following a workplace accident, such as the possibilities for compensation, in order to create financial peace of mind during a difficult period.

Increase in total number of (fatal) industrial accidents 2025

We also see an increase in the total number of reports of serious work incidents in 2025 compared to 2023 (approximately 2,400) and 2024 (more than 3,200).

What is the cause of this increase?

According to the Labour Inspectorate, several causes play a role:

A shortage of staff and high workloads lead to a relaxation of safety measures.
In smaller organizations, safety is often not a priority.
Migrant workers are more likely to have an industrial accident: they often work in high-risk sectors such as construction, industry, agriculture, horticulture and transport, and often receive inadequate training.

Who is most at risk?

The risk of a construction accident, industrial incident, or accident in agriculture or horticulture is statistically highest. Older workers, young seasonal workers, and (including Polish) migrant workers are particularly affected. In the construction sector, the rate is as high as 106 fatalities per 100,000 jobs.

Behavior as a determining factor

In the rise in fatal workplace accidents by 2025, human behavior, in addition to workplace circumstances, often plays a significant role. Fatigue, time pressure, or a poor safety attitude can lead to injuries or worse. Therefore, safety must be structurally embedded in the company culture.

Furthermore, it is often unclear to those involved in a workplace accident how to proceed. It is precisely then that assistance with a workplace accident of great importance – both legally and emotionally.

Our role as Van der Toorn Personal Injury

We help victims of serious workplace accidents recover damages for their personal injury. Workplace accidentsresult in injury and long-term absence from work. We ensure fair compensation for our clients. At the same time, we are committed to raising awareness and preventing workplace accidents.

Fatal industrial accident or injury after an industrial accident?

Have you, as an employee or freelancer, suffered a workplace accident? Did you sustain an injury and are you wondering what to do next? Feel free to contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can explain the situation and provide you with the best course of action.

We offer legal assistance for workplace injuries – fast, expert, and always with an eye for the person behind the case.

As a manager or HR officer, you can always contact us for information. After all, you play a key role. What should you do with your employee who has suffered a workplace accident? How can you take that seriously? Can you help your employee find a specialized personal injury firm? If in doubt, always contact us. We're here to help – including with questions about your liability as an employer in the event of a workplace accident.

Increase in fatal industrial accidents by 2025.

What customers ask

Is your help really free for me?

Absolutely, our help is truly FREE.

Your counterparty is also obligated to reimburse your legal costs (i.e., our firm's fees). This is stipulated by law (Section 6:96 of the Dutch Civil Code).

At Van der Toorn Personal Injury, you'll receive a written cost guarantee upfront with a clear explanation. This also clearly states what you can expect from us and what we can expect from you.

We guarantee that the liable party will reimburse our costs. If they don't, it's our business risk. You'll never receive a bill from us. We promise!

Still unsure? Just contact us. We'd be happy to explain how our cost guarantee works.

If you'd like to learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance, click here. Clarity is paramount!

When can I claim personal injury damages?

You can claim damages for personal injury if you have suffered an injury (been injured) due to the fault of another person

Personal injury can be caused by, for example:

In addition, you may think of injuries sustained during:

organized trip
unsafe product or
fall at someone else's home, in a shop or on the street

It's best not to wait too long to file a personal injury claim. It's best to do so immediately after the accident.

Even if it is not yet clear at that time what your injury and its financial consequences consist of.

However, someone else must liable and must have taken out liability insurance for this (AVP/AVB/WA).

However, even if you caused the accident yourself, you can sometimes still claim compensation for personal injury. For example, if you SVI (Passenger Injury Insurance) or SVO (Opzittende Inschadende).

Are you unsure whether and when you are entitled to personal injury compensation?

Don't hesitate to contact us now for a free, no-obligation consultation. It's free , and you'll know exactly where you stand. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with our advice.

What injuries do you treat?

We can actually help you with all types of personal injury

Van der Toorn Personal Injury can help you with all types of injuries. We specialize in handling "serious personal injuries," such as:

brain injury (ABI)
spinal cord injury
burns
dystrophy
bone fractures and
cosmetic injury.

But of course, we are also very happy to be there for you if someone else has sustained an injury. Such as neck injuries, whiplash, back injuries, bruises, sprains, dog bites, temporary injuries, and you name it.

We cannot help with all types of personal injury

The only thing we cannot help you with is personal injury caused by:

violence
medical errors and/or
situations of abuse.

In that situation, we will of course refer you to a party that is specialized in this.

Always request free, no-obligation advice on personal injury claims

Do you have questions about your personal injury? Or are you unsure if we're the right place for you?

Please do not hesitate to ask us for a complete and free, no-obligation personal injury claim consultation.

When should I contact you?

You don't have to! But it's in your best interest to contact us as soon as possible

Only then can you be certain that there is someone who thinks solely of your interests . Because that is our job: thinking of *your* interests.

But what is: as quickly as possible?

Sometimes an insurance company will contact you very shortly after the accident. They'll ask how you're doing and also ask for all sorts of other information.

You cannot know whether that insurer is asking “too many questions” from a legal perspective. About your health before the accident and which doctors you visited. You would rather avoid that, wouldn't you? So never wait too long to engage a personal injury firm.

It's also likely that you'll quickly incur significant expenses . Or your incomemay disappear. We'll handle the initial damage payments from the other party. Then you can focus on your recovery.

Would you like to know what's best for you? Don't hesitate to contact us , without obligation

We'll give you clear advice right away . Then you can decide for yourself what to do with it.

If we think we can help you, we will let you know right away.

At the same time, we guarantee that our legal assistance completely free of charge .

To learn more about our FREE personal injury assistance services, click here.

What personal injury compensation amounts am I entitled to?

The personal injury compensation amounts you are entitled to are:

Allowances for additional assistance, such as:

household help, shopping, taking children to school, etc.
help in the garden and
help with the maintenance and painting of your home.

In addition, your personal injury may have consequences for your income, such as:

income that is not fully paid (self-employed person, temporary worker, zero-hour contract, etc.)
no more irregular hours allowance
no longer being able to work overtime
missed promotions and
missed pension accrual

Finally, you can consider other equally important personal injury compensation amounts, such as:

Study delay
Reintegration costs for guidance to other work
Costs associated with admission to a hospital or rehabilitation center
Travel expenses
Medical expenses
Non-pecuniary damages
Economic vulnerability
Statutory interest
Furthermore, all costs that you would not have incurred without the accident…
For example, the wages you did not receive because you could not go to work.
Gasoline because you had to go to the hospital or the physiotherapist.
Medicines that were covered by your deductible.

In addition, you are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, also known as non-material damages.

This is compensation for "loss of enjoyment of life." Your damages should compensate you for your grief, pain, and anything else that might have made you less happy than before the accident.

Unfortunately, Dutch law is not generous in awarding damages for pain and suffering. Therefore, the amounts awarded in the Netherlands are not considered "fair enough.".

If you'd like to learn more about non-pecuniary damages, click here. If you'd like to learn more about personal injury damages, click here.

Calculating non-pecuniary damages

Calculating non-pecuniary damages:

You are always entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. This is the "non-pecuniary component" of your personal injury compensation.

What is non-pecuniary damages?

Pain and suffering compensation is not in itself a “hard legal term”. It is compensation for damage that cannot be expressed in monetary terms.

So, everything that doesn't fall under additional costs or lost income. It's essentially compensation for your "mental damage.".

How to calculate non-pecuniary damages

People often ask us at the very beginning of their personal injury case how much compensation they are entitled to.

That question is actually impossible to answer. And any personal injury lawyer who claims otherwise is mistaken.

When can you calculate my non-pecuniary damages?

Your compensation for pain and suffering can only be definitively determined at the end of your personal injury case.

Only then will it be known what psychological consequences your injury has had and/or will have for you.

Because it is the psychological consequences that largely determine your compensation for non-pecuniary damages.

Important factors in calculating non-pecuniary damages

Important factors for calculating your non-pecuniary damages include:

the nature of your injury
the severity of your injury
your age
your gender
your level of consciousness
whether you will have permanent scars and where those scars are located
whether you have physical limitations that affect your quality of life
how much pain have you suffered and continue to suffer
how long your recovery period was and
whether you have recovered at all or whether there is permanent damage.

Indication calculation of non-pecuniary damages:

We cannot predict exactly how much your compensation for non-pecuniary damages will be.

What we can do is give you a general indication of the amount of your compensation for pain and suffering.

If this sounds appealing, contact us today for a free, honest consultation. Afterward, you can decide for yourself what to do with it.

We are happy to help you calculate and claim your compensation for pain and suffering and other personal injury damages, such as your additional costs and lost income.

And if you choose our legal assistance, we guarantee you in writing in advance that our assistance will always FREE .

Calculating non-pecuniary damages? Ask for advice! We're happy to help. Want to know more about calculating non-pecuniary damages? Click here.

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As a result of an accident I needed legal assistance, Van der Toorn Personal Injury provided me with excellent support in settling the damage

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My experience with the team at Van der Toorn has been truly excellent. They truly understand and stand by your side. Keep up the good work.

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I was helped enormously by the sound advice. They acted very effectively and were very punctual. I hope I don't have to recommend a personal injury lawyer to anyone, but if I do, it will be this one!

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a relief that everything was arranged so well

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Van der Toorn Personal Injury assisted me very discreetly at the time. The other party's insurer paid me compensation in no time.

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