When preparing to make a foot injury at work claim, you will need to gather as much evidence as possible to support your version of events. In this article, you will find information relating to what evidence is useful in helping to secure you compensation.
If you’ve been injured in the workplace, then you could be owed compensation. However, in order to claim, you will need to show that you were harmed as a result of your employer breaching their duty of care.
If you think you could have a valid claim, or if you simply have more questions about supporting a compensation claim, contact our team of advisors for a free consultation.
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Choose A Section
- Can I Make A Foot Injury At Work Claim?
- Examples Of Foot Injury Accident Scenarios
- What Evidence Could Support An Injured Foot Claim?
- How Much Compensation Is My Foot Injury At Work Claim Worth?
- Can I Appoint A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
- Further Guidance About Foot Injury At Work Claims
Can I Make A Foot Injury At Work Claim?
There are many different kinds of foot injuries that you could experience in the workplace. For example, you could experience a broken foot, a tendon injury or a soft tissue injury such as a laceration.
However, in order for you to claim compensation for your injuries, you would need to show that it happened because of a breach of duty of care.
Your employer owes you a duty of care in the workplace. This is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. According to this piece of legislation, your employer needs to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety in the workplace.
If they fail to do this, and your foot is injured as a result, then you could be owed compensation. However, you will need to provide evidence of your foot injury at work claim.
Get in touch with our advisors for free legal advice about strengthening your claim.
Foot Injury At Work Statistics
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) collect statistics relating to the prevalence of certain reportable injuries and accidents at work. These statistics relate to accidents and injuries overall and not just resulting from negligence.
In 2019/20, there were 14,938 injuries reported to the lower limb locations. Of these, 2,827 injuries were to the foot. In comparison, there were 4,889 injuries to the ankle.
Example Of Foot Injury Accident Scenarios
As we’ve already pointed out, you’re owed a duty of care when you’re in the workplace. This means that your employer needs to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety while in the workplace.
If they fail to do this, then it could result in an accident that causes you to be injured. This could lead to you making a foot injury at work claim.
Some examples of potential workplace accidents include:
- Slips, trips and falls. These accidents could be caused by hazards like wet floors that have not been cleaned or signposted or poor housekeeping. They could result in injuries such as a ligament sprain in the foot.
- Falls from a height. If workers are asked to work on high platforms or scaffolding without appropriate non-slip shoes, they could fall and fracture a bone in their foot as a result.
- Lack of training. You need to be trained on aspects of your role that could pose a risk of injury, including health and safety training. For example, you may not be trained on how to use a drill, causing you to drop it and suffer a laceration to your foot.
Get in touch with our team if you’ve been injured by negligence in a way we have not mentioned above. Speak with an advisor today for more information.
What Evidence Could Support An Injured Foot Claim?
After a workplace accident caused by negligence, you may want to start collecting evidence for a foot injury at work claim. Below, we have outlined some of the steps you should take to support your claim:
- Seek medical attention. This is important for your health and well-being; however, it also documents a record of the date of injury and your prognosis from a reputable source. As part of your claim, you might also be invited to attend an independant medical assessment as part of your claim, where your injuries and prognosis will be assessed by an indepenedant expert.
- Witness details. When possible, gather the contact details of those that witnessed your accident. They can give a statement at a later date.
- CCTV. If your workplace has video surveillance, you can request the footage.
- Seek legal advice. It may be useful to consult legal advisors prior to making your foot injury at work claim. After all, they have experience in helping claimants collect evidence in support of these kinds of claims. Furthermore, the guidance and support of a solicitor could help you feel more confident navigating the claims process.
For more information on the evidence that can be used to collect your claim, speak with an advisor today.
How Much Compensation Is My Foot Injury At Work Claim Worth?
The amount of compensation awarded for an injury at work varies depending on each individual case. However, the two heads of claim your settlement could consist of are called general and special damages.
General damages are awarded to compensate for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity as a result of an accident at work. They can vary depending on the injury you’ve sustained. For example, a serious broken ankle claim may attract a higher workers’ compensation award than a mild sprain, strain or another minor ankle injury.
Guidelines from the Judicial College can be used to help value compensation claims. We have included some of these in the table below:
Injury | Payment Bracket | Notes |
---|---|---|
Amputation (a) | £158,970 to £189,110 | Both feet are amputated. The injury is treated like a below knee amputation due to the loss of the useful ankle joint. |
Foot injury (c) | £78,800 to £102,890 | Very severe. The injury will produce permanent and severe pain or serious permanent disability. |
Foot injury (d) | £39,390 to £65,710 | Severe. Both heels fractured or with a substantial restriction of mobility . Considerable and permanent pain. Included is unusually severe injury to a single foot. |
Toe injury (a) | £34,270 to £52,620 | Amputation of all toes. |
Toe injury (b) | In the region of £29,380 | Amputation of the great toe. |
Toe injury (e) | Up to £9,010 | Moderate injuries including straightforward fractures or the exacerbation of pre-existing degenerative conditions. |
Achilles Tendon (a) | In the region of £36,060 | Most serious. Where the tendon has been severed and cramp, swelling and movement restriction occur as a result. |
Achilles Tendon (c) | £51,460 to £108,620 | Moderate. Partial rupture or significant injury to tendon. |
Ankle Injuries ( b) | £29,380 to £46,980 | Severe. Extensive period of treatment required followed by time in plaster. Pins and plated have to be inserted with significant residual disability. |
Ankle Injuries (d) | Up to £12,900 | Modest undisplaced fractures, sprains and injuries to ligaments. |
Special damages are awarded to compensate for actual out-of-pocket expenses and financial costs you incur as a result of your injuries This could include:
- Short term medical expenses: Prescription medication and equipment for injuries with a recovery time of a couple of months.
- Long term medical expenses: Long term domestic care and medication.
- Transportation costs: Any mode of transport used to go to and from the hospital.
- Loss of income: If you have to take time off work, or cannot return to work at all, then you could be compensated for your loss of earnings.
You will need to provide proof to support your special damages claim. For example, payslips could demonstrate the earnings you are losing out on.
For more information on making a foot injury at work claim, speak with an advisor today.
Can I Appoint A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
It is your decision whether to represent yourself or work with a solicitor when filing a lawsuit for an injury at work. However, opting to use a solicitor may make the process of claiming compensation a little less daunting. Furthermore, your solicitor has the experience and knowledge needed to give you advice and guidance.
Should you choose this option, your solicitor may offer to enter a No Win No Fee agreement. This is another term for a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
This is a financial arrangement that means you don’t have to make any upfront or ongoing payments. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any of your solicitor’s costs.
If your case is successful, however, you will pay a success fee. This will be agreed upon before the claim starts. It’s also legally capped, so you’re always entitled to the majority of the compensation you’re awarded.
If you have further questions or would like to discuss making a foot injury at work claim, contact our team of advisors.
You can:
- Call us on the number at the top of the page.
- Use our online chat for instant answers.
- Contact us through our website.
To See Further Guidance About Foot Injury At Work Claims
You may find these links useful:
- Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)- Gov.uk
- How Do I Know If I Have Broken A Bone?- NHS
- Health And Safety Made Simple- HSE
Below we’ve also included links to more of our guides:
- How To Gather Evidence For An Accident At Work Claim
- Steps To Take After Suffering A Hand Injury At Work
- Electric Shock At Work Claims
- Accident At Work Due to Faulty Equipment Claims
- Using An Accident At Work Helpline To Get Advice
- What Can We Learn From Accident At Work Statistics?
- How Do I Report My Injury In An Accident At Work Book?
- Inadequate And Poor Quality PPE Claims
- Construction Health and Safety – Accident At Work Claims
If you have any more questions about making a foot injury at work claim, speak with an advisor today.
Writer Ryan Winters
Publisher Fern Stein