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Suffered A Broken Hand At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?
In this guide, we discuss broken hand at work compensation. However, even though an injury such as a broken hand is the main focus, much of the guide will also fit any injury at work claim. You will learn about the causes of such accidents, and the responsibility of your employer to keep you safe while you are at work. Additionally, we have provided information about how to start a claim.
A guide to broken hand at work compensation
Your potential claim would be based on your own unique set of circumstances. Due to this, you might find that you still have questions after reading this guide. That’s why our advisors are available 24/7 to give free legal advice. You can give them a call on 0800 073 8804.
What’s more, if you have a strong claim, they could pass you through to our solicitors. However, you’ll be under no obligation to proceed with these services. Why not call when you’re ready?
Select a Section
- A Guide To Broken Hand At Work Compensation
- Proving A Third Party’s Negligence For A Personal Injury Claim
- What Is A Broken Hand Injury?
- Examples Of Injuries To Claim Broken Hand At Work Compensation For
- What Scenarios Could Lead To Someone Suffering A Broken Hand At Work?
- Treatment For A Broken Hand Injury
- Broken Hand At Work Statistics
- How To Calculate Broken Hand At Work Compensation
- What Makes Up A Personal Injury Claim Settlement?
- Steps To Take After Suffering A Broken Hand At Work
- No Win No Fee Agreements For Broken Hand At Work Compensation Claims
- Why Legal Expert Are A Suitable Personal Injury Law Firm
- Contact Legal Expert To Start Your Broken Hand At Work Claim
- Additional Resources About Compensation Claims For Broken Hand At Work Injuries
A Guide To Broken Hand At Work Compensation
This guide aims to give you a firm grounding in the how and why of making a claim for broken hand at work compensation. We will look at how an injury at work can happen, and why this could result in your claiming work injury compensation.
Claims Deadlines Explained
It’s important to note that there is a time limit that you would have to start your workplace injury claim within. The general personal injury claims time limit is three years from the date of injury or the date you gained knowledge that negligence at least contributed to the injury. (This is known as the date of knowledge.)
However, there are some other factors that might come into play to change this time limit. For example, if the claimant is a minor, they would have three years to start a claim from the date of their 18th birthday. However, an adult could claim on their behalf before this. They’d need to act as a litigation friend.
If the claimant lacks the mental capacity to claim, a litigation friend could do so on their behalf. However, if the claimant recovers capacity before anybody has claimed for them, they would have three years to claim from the date of recovery.
If you’re unsure of how long you have left to claim, why not reach out to our advisors for no-obligation, free legal advice?
Proving A Third Party’s Negligence For A Personal Injury Claim
You might be able to claim for broken hand at work compensation if your employer put you at risk, resulting in an accident at work. However, you will need to prove your employer was at fault for your injuries to make such a claim.
Your employer has a duty of care to provide you with a safe place to work. Furthermore, they are tasked with proactively uncovering and mitigating risks that could lead to a workplace injury.
One of the main pieces of legislation in place to keep you safe at work, is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Your employer must comply with all applicable parts of this law.
To prove that your employer caused your injuries, you’d need to show that:
- They owed you a duty of care. (Employers owe employees a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.)
- They breached that duty of care, causing an incident or accident.
- You suffered a hand injury as a result of that accident.
If you need to find out if you have a valid claim or not, you can call and speak to our advisors. One of our advisors will evaluate your claim for you, and tell you whether you might be eligible for compensation.
What Is A Broken Hand Injury?
There are 27 bones in your hand. Some of these are quite small. Any of these bones can be fractured, and these can be painful injuries that may affect the function of your hand, perhaps even permanently.
According to the NHS, hand and finger fractures can take six weeks to heal. However, if the break fails to heal properly, you could be in pain for several months. You may even need surgery.
The severity of your injury can impact the amount of compensation you receive. If you can prove that your fractured hand was caused by negligence on the part of your employer, a claim might be possible.
Examples Of Injuries To Claim Broken Hand At Work Compensation For
Your claim for broken hand at work compensation would be based on factors such as the severity of the injury you suffered, and how it affected your life.
Some hand fractures are more severe than others. For example, a fracture of the little finger might only be a minor inconvenience once it has been treated initially. However, a broken thumb or forefinger could affect your ability to carry out activities such as typing. This may impact your ability to work.
Furthermore, a wrist fracture or a broken arm could also affect the use of your hand. For example, a broken wrist may mean you can’t fully move your hand, limiting its function.
What Scenarios Could Lead To Someone Suffering A Broken Hand At Work?
There are many types of workplace accidents that could lead to a claim for broken hand at work compensation. We have already discussed how your employer should reduce or remove hazards from the workplace. However, accidents can and do still happen. Below are some examples of how you might suffer a broken hand at work.
- A heavy box falls onto your hand, crushing it, while you are stacking shelves.
- A faulty door spring causes a door to close too quickly, trapping your fingers in the door.
- You slip on an unattended wet floor at work and fracture a bone in your hand when you try to break your fall.
Not all causes of injuries at work involve employer negligence. However, if your employer’s negligence did cause your injury, you could claim. For example, if they knew about a faulty door but didn’t take measures to reduce or remove the hazard or didn’t provide proper manual handling training, they could be seen as negligent.
What Are The Most Common Workplace Accidents?
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is a government body that enforces workplace health and safety laws. It also releases statistics related to workplace accidents. By looking at these statistics, we can find out the most common types of accidents at work. Each of these could very easily result in a broken hand.
As reported by employers in 2020/21 the most common accidents causing non-fatal injuries are listed below.
- Slips, trips and falls are the most common workplace accident at 33%.
- 18% of workplace injuries are caused by handling, lifting or carrying.
- Being hit by a moving object accounts for 10% of accidents at work.
- Workplace violence accounts for 8% of the injuries suffered at work.
- 8% of accidents at work involve falling from a height.
Treatment For A Broken Hand Injury
The level of pain and suffering you go through can have a direct effect on the level of broken hand at work compensation you could receive. You may find that treatment involves:
- An X-Ray will be done, to find out exactly which bone or bones have been broken.
- Stabilising or securing the bone so that it doesn’t move. A splint or cast may be used.
- If needed, you will be given painkillers.
- A doctor may need to reposition the bones before they can heal, in the case of a non-union fracture.
You may also need treatment for any psychological suffering you endure because of the accident. You could claim for this as well as the physical injury. The psychological injury would be valued independently of the fractured hand, but would be taken into account in the same claim. This means the amount awarded could increase.
Broken Hand At Work Statistics
The Health & Safety Executive offer statistics that reflect annual reports of workplace injuries. In the graph below, you can see statistics relating to injuries to upper limb locations.
Workplace hand injury statistics graph
There were 3,200 non-fatal workplace injuries to the hand in 2020/21. However, there were slightly more for the wrist (3,782). There were considerably more for one or more finger/thumb(s) (5,181) and the rest of the upper limb (6,282). There were 543 reported injuries to several locations of the upper limb.
How To Calculate Broken Hand At Work Compensation
So, how much compensation for a broken hand? Well, we can’t give you an average figure for how much broken hand at work compensation you might get as the total settlement will depend on the circumstances of your claim.
To get a rough estimate of the value of your claim, you can use the compensation table below. We took the figures from guidelines that the Judicial College produces. These guidelines are used by legal professionals when they’re valuing injuries.
| Type of Injury | Level of Severity | Potential Damages |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Injury | Total or Effective Loss of Both Hands | £132,040 to £189,110 |
| Hand Injury | Serious Damage to Both Hands | £52,310 to £79,360 |
| Hand Injury | Serious Hand Injuries | £27,220 to £58,100 |
| Hand Injury | Severe Fractures to Fingers | Up to £34,480 |
| Hand Injury | Less Serious Hand Injury | £13,570 to £27,220 |
| Hand Injury | Moderate Hand Injury | £5,260 to £12,460 |
| Hand Injury | Fracture of Index Finger | £8,550 to £11,480 |
| Hand Injury | Serious Injury to the Thumb | £11,820 to £15,740 |
You could try using our personal injury claims compensation calculator to get a rough estimate of how much your claim might be worth. Alternatively, you can call our advisors who can value your claim for you.
As part of the claims process, you’d need to attend a medical assessment. An independent medical professional would check your injuries and create a report. This report would assess:
- The severity of your injuries
- Whether your injuries are consistent with those that could be caused by the accident
If you use the services of a personal injury solicitor to claim, they can use the report to value your injuries. They can also use it as evidence.
What Makes Up A Personal Injury Claim Settlement?
If you win your claim for broken hand at work compensation, there are up to two categories of damages that you could receive. These are general damages (for pain and suffering caused by the accident) and special damages (for financial losses caused by the accident).
Firstly, let’s look at general damages. These cover both physical and psychological injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or depression. The injuries in the compensation table above illustrate general damages.
Special damages compensate you for financial losses caused by the accident, including those you have already faced, or those that you may encounter in the future. To claim for financial loss, you need proof. For example, you could use payslips, invoices or receipts to show your losses.
Special damages can include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medical costs such as prescriptions
- Costs of travel to medical appointments
- Care costs, such as hiring a carer to help you at home or gracious care provided by your family or friends
If you want a free estimate of what you could claim, call and speak to our advisors.
Steps To Take After Suffering A Broken Hand At Work
You should seek medical advice after your injury because, in addition to getting the appropriate care, you could be able to use the relevant medical record entries as proof to support your claim.
To prepare for claiming broken hand at work compensation, here are a few steps you may wish to take.
- Take photographs of the cause of the accident.
- Gather contact details from any witnesses for statements at a later date.
- Make sure the incident is recorded correctly in the company accident book.
- Get copies of any applicable CCTV footage.
- Keep records of financial losses.
If you’re unsure of how to take these steps or you believe you have other evidence that you’d like to check can be used, why not contact our advisors for free legal advice?
No Win No Fee Agreements For Broken Hand At Work Compensation Claims
If you have a valid claim, you might be able to use the services of a lawyer working under a No Win No Fee agreement (also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement) to help you claim broken hand at work compensation.
Under a No Win No Fee agreement, you won’t have to pay an upfront lawyer’s fee, and will not need to pay the lawyer’s fee if the claim fails. If the claim is a success, you’d pay the lawyer’s fee, bu this is capped by law. Additionally, the fee would only be deducted after the compensation comes through and you’d discuss the success fee with the lawyer before the claim is taken on.
Why Legal Expert Are A Suitable Personal Injury Law Firm
Our solicitors have solid experience and can support you with empathy and legal knowledge. What’s more, they can work for you from anywhere in the country. That means they can communicate with you in whatever way is best: via online video, over the phone or via email, for example. You could get through the claims process without having to visit the solicitor at their offices.
What’s more, our solicitors only accept claims on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning that, if the claim loses, you wouldn’t need to pay the solicitor their fee.
Our solicitors can help to ensure you have the best chance possible of winning your claim for broken hand at work compensation. Call our advisors to learn how to start a claim.
Contact Legal Expert To Start Your Broken Hand At Work Claim
Are you ready to start a claim for broken hand at work compensation? Then use the contact details below to get in touch with us. A claims advisor can answer your questions and go over the personal injury claims process.
Telephone: 0800 073 8804
Email: info@legalexpert.co.uk
Or use our contact form.
Additional Resources About Compensation Claims For Broken Hand At Work Injuries
Here are some other guides that might be useful to you:
What To Do If You Are Injured At Work
Your Rights After An Accident At Work
And here are some useful links:
Work Accident Compensation For Expenses
How To Report An Accident At Work
If you have any more questions about broken hand at work compensation, why not get in touch today?
Written by Wheeler
Edited by Victorine
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