Claiming Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work

Broken your hand at work and unsure of what to do next? Worried about whether you are eligible to make a claim? Our guide can help you.

Our advisors are available to answer any questions 24/7. They give free legal advice and, if you have a favourable claim, could connect you with our panel of personal injury solicitors. They are there to help you through the legal process and find you the correct compensation.

You can get in touch with us by calling the number at the top of the page, contacting us via our website or using our live chat. Alternatively, click the banner above.

Choose A Section

I Suffered A Broken Hand At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?
How Can You Suffer Hand Injuries At Work?
How Can I Prove My Employer Breached Its Duty of Care?
Calculating Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work
Can A No Win No Fee Lawyer Manage My Broken Hand At Work Claim?
Who Can Advise Me On Making A Broken Hand At Work Claim?

I Suffered A Broken Hand At Work, Can I Claim Compensation?

If you have endured a broken hand at work due to employer negligence, you could be entitled to compensation by making a claim against them. This injury can be to any part of your hand and even your fingers.

Symptoms of a broken bone in the hand include:

Any swelling or bruising
Pain when moving
Hearing/feeling a snap or pop when the injury happens

Time Limits For Making Claims

For personal injury claims, there is a general time limit to begin a claim within 3 years of the date of the accident.

This could also be 3 years from the date you gained the knowledge that negligence at least contributed to your injuries. The Limitation Act 1980 has set this out. If you don’t make the claim within the 3-year limit then it could be time-barred.

However, there are exceptions to this. To find out more, follow the banner at the top of the page.

Statistics On Hand Injuries At Work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is a government body that enforces health and safety legislation. It also produces accident at work statistics for Great Britain. For the year 2020/21, there were 1.7 million people suffering from a work-related illness (whether it is a long-standing illness or a new illness).

3,200 people suffered a hand-related injury while in the workplace, according to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). These consist of non-fatal injury to employees as reported by the employer.

According to other HSE statistics, 33% of non-fatal injuries to employees were due to trips, slips and falls on the same level. 18% of non-fatal injuries to employees were caused by handling, lifting or carrying.

How Can You Suffer Hand Injuries At Work?

There are many different ways that you can suffer a broken hand at work. It can be a result of an employer’s negligence, for example. Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. 1974, it is the employer’s duty of care to ensure that they are taking reasonable steps to keep the work environment safe.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 is one of the most prominent pieces of legislation for governing health and safety within the workplace. Also known as the HSWA or HSWA 1974, it outlines the guidelines for employers to adhere to regarding their employees’ safety while on their premises.

A hand injury can occur when an employer doesn’t properly maintain any mechanical equipment on site. The lack of any protective guards over gears or chains could lead to deep lacerations on your hands.

Additionally, when handling corrosive materials, if the employer doesn’t offer the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where necessary or doesn’t provide any of the appropriate health and safety training, it could lead to severe burns or disfigurement.

How Can I Prove My Employer Breached Its Duty Of Care?

When you are beginning to make a claim for your broken hand, you can work through these steps. As it says in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, an employer’s responsibility is to reasonably ensure the safety of all employees under their care. If the employer’s negligence results in a workplace injury then a claim can be made.

The first step is one of the most important: if you are injured at work then seek out medical attention.

When gathering evidence, you could have a mixture of different mediums. These can be documents, for example, in the form of an accident book that mentions the injuries you have endured. You could assess that the accident has been logged correctly.

Next, you could obtain photos or CCTV footage of the event. Finally, you could obtain the contact details of any witnesses to the accident for statements at a later date.

All of this evidence could be used to help strengthen your claim.

Lastly, make sure to seek out legal advice for your claim—it could help with any misunderstanding you may have about the process. If you need any free legal advice now, why not contact our advisors? They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also contact us by clicking on the banner below.

Calculating Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work

When calculating the amount of compensation, there are many factors that are taken into account. One of these is the injury you have sustained.

There are two types of damages that could make up the total amount of compensation you could receive. The first is general damages. This is compensation for the physical and mental injuries caused by the accident.

In order to help your understanding of how much you could claim for a broken hand at work, we have provided the compensation table below. This table shows the brackets of potential compensation for hand injuries as outlined in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a publication that solicitors may use when calculating compensation for any injury.

Hand Injury	How Much?	Description
Total or Effective Loss of Both Hands	£132,040 to £189,110	For this amount to be awarded, there needs to be no effective use, even with a prosthesis.
Serious Damage to Both Hands	£52,310 to £79,360	For this to be awarded, the injuries will need to be a permanent, cosmetic disability and loss of function.
Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers	£58,100 to £85,170	The injury will need to have rendered the hand almost useless and the grip to be exceedingly weak.
Serious Hand Injuries	£27,220 to £58,100	For these injuries, the hand will have reduced to 50 per cent usage. Often losing a finger to amputation, then having it re-joined can be placed in this bracket.
Severe Fractures to Fingers	Up to £34,480	Leading to partial amputations, grip impairment and reduced mechanical function.
Less Serious Hand Injury	£13,570 to £27,220	Anything to do with a severe crush injury that has resulted in any impaired function.
Moderate Hand Injury	£5,260 to £12,460	This is awarded for any crush injuries, soft tissue/deep lacerations or any penetrating wounds.
Fracture of Index Finger	£8,550 to £11,480	This is appropriate when there has been a fracture that has mended quickly but resulting in the grip being impaired.
Serious Injury to Ring or Middle Fingers	£13,970 to £15,330	Any fractures or serious injury to tendons, resulting in loss of grip or stiffness.
Amputation of Little Finger	£8,110 to £11,490	Amputation of Little Finger

To prove the severity of your injuries, you would attend a medical assessment as part of the claims process. An independent medical professional would check over your injuries and make a report. They would include a summary of whether the injuries are consistent with those that could’ve been caused by the accident. That report can be used to help value your injuries.

The other type of compensation is known as ‘special damages’. This is compensation for any costs associated with your injuries, such as any care, travel expenses and loss of earnings. Special damages would be added to the total amount that you could receive.

You can prove special damages by supplying documentary evidence such as invoices, payslips or receipts.

Can A No Win No Fee Lawyer Manage My Broken Hand At Work Claim?

When you begin a claim, you might hear about No Win No Fee agreements. What this means is that a contract is made between you and your solicitor. If your claim is unsuccessful, you do not need to pay any of their fees.

However, if your claim has been successful, then the solicitor is entitled to a fee from your compensation. This fee is capped by law and is a small percentage that is taken out after your compensation has come through so you will not be put out. These agreements are put in place so that the claimant can access the aid of a legal professional, when making a personal injury claim, with reduced financial risk.

We Can Help With Your Broken Hand At Work Claim

Our panel of solicitors can guide you through the claims process and help you achieve the amount of compensation that you could be entitled to.

If you have any further questions, feel free to:

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Contact us through our website
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Who Can Advise Me On Making A Broken Hand At Work Claim?

Our advisors are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about claims for a broken hand at work. The below sources could also help you.

The NHS has advice and guidance on how to tell if you are suffering with a broken bone.

The HSE also has advice on upper limb disorders and how employers should ensure your safety in the workplace.

The NHS has advice on what to do if you have hand pain.

We also have other guides you can read, such as the following:

Don’t hesitate to ask any questions you may have—we’ll be happy to help.

Broken Hand At Work Guide