If you have sustained a hand injury at work due to your employer breaching their duty of care, you could be eligible to make an accident at work claim. We will explore the duty of care your employer owes in more detail throughout this guide.
In addition, we will explore the criteria your claim must meet in order to be valid. We also aim to answer questions such as:
- I had an accident at work what are my rights?
- Is there an injury at work claim time limit?
- How much can you claim for a hand injury?
Furthermore, we will look at the personal injury claims process, including what you can do to support your claim.
For more information about making an accident at work claim, please continue reading. Alternatively, you can speak directly to an advisor from our team. They are available to offer free legal advice. To get in contact:
- Use the live chat feature below
- Call us on the number at the top of the page
- Contact us via our website
Hand injury at work claims guide
Can I Claim For A Hand Injury At Work?
There are several hand injuries you could sustain, such as:
- Lacerations and cuts
- Fractures
- Breaks
- Amupatations
- Burns
Depending on the severity, a hand injury could have a major impact on your quality of life. The impact it has as well as the pain and suffering it causes are factors that can influence the compensation you could be awarded.
However, in order to seek hand injury at work compensation, you must demonstrate that your employer breached the duty of care they owed you at the time and place of the accident and caused you harm. This is known as negligence.
If you would like to know whether your workplace injury could lead to a claim, please get in touch with a member of our team. Alternatively, continue reading to learn about the duty of care your employer owes you.
Hand Injury At Work – Does My Employer Owe Me A Duty Of Care?
As per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your employer has a duty of care to ensure that the workplace, environment, equipment and facilities are safe.
As part of this duty of care, they must take steps that are reasonable to remove the risks posed by any known hazards or reduce the risk. This can include carrying out regular risk assessments on the work environment and equipment or providing adequate training to employees.
A failure to do so could result in a workplace accident. Examples of accidents that could occur at work include:
- Your employer might have failed to provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce the risks present on the construction site you were working on, such as gloves. As a result, you develop occupational dermatitis after working with hazardous substances.
- You might slip, trip or fall on trailing leads that weren’t adequately covered and sustain fractures to your fingers in an office accident.
- You may sustain a crushed hand injury in a factory accident after using faulty equipment in work.
If you have been injured in a situation similar due to your employer’s negligence, you could be entitled to make a hand injury at work claim. Get in touch with one of our advisors to find out more.
What Could I Receive For A Hand Injury Claim?
If you make a hand injury at work claim and it is successful, the compensation you receive could include two heads of claim.
Firstly, you could receive general damages for the emotional or physical pain and suffering that you endure due to your injuries. Accident at work solicitors can use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to aid them when they value this head of claim.
We have taken guideline compensation amounts from this document and included them in the table below. However, these compensation amounts are not guaranteed. This is because each personal injury claim is unique, and the settlement that you receive may be different.
| Injury | Compensation Payout (Guideline) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Hand Injuries (a) | £140,660 to £201,490 | Complete or effective loss of both hands. |
| Hand Injuries (c) | £96,160 to £109,650 | Complete or effective loss of one hand. |
| Hand Injuries (d) | £61,910 to £90,750 | The index and middle and/or ring fingers are amputated. |
| Hand Injuries (b) | £55,820 to £84,570 | Both hands are seriously damaged. |
| Hand Injuries (e) | £29,000 to £61,910 | Serious hand injuries such as those that reduce the hand to around a 50% capacity. |
| Hand Injuries (f) | Up to £36,740 | The fingers are severely fractured. |
| Hand Injuries (g) | £14,450 to £29,000 | A less serious hand injury , for example a severe crush injury that considerably impairs function but does not require surgery. |
| Hand Injuries (h) | £5,720 to £13,280 | Moderate hand injuries that such as crush injuries, penetrating wounds, deep lacerations and soft tissue damage. |
| Hand Injuries (i) | £12,170 to £18,740 | Total and partial loss of the index finger. |
| Hand Injuries (j) | £9,110 to £12,240 | A fracture to the index finger that has healed quickly but symptoms such as impaired grip and pain still persist. |
Special Damages In An Accident At Work Claim
Special damages accounts for financial losses that you sustain as a result of your injuries. For example, you might need to pay for a carer to come in and help you around the house due to your injuries. These care costs may be covered by special damages.
Other losses that could also be claimed back include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medical expenses
- The cost of home adaptations
It is important to keep a record of all monetary losses in order to be reimbursed for them.
Please contact one of our advisors for more information on how much compensation for a workplace accident you could be owed.
Potential Evidence Needed For Work Injury Claims
There are several steps you could take to support your hand injury at work claim. For example, you could:
- Seek medical attention for your injuries. This can ensure you receive treatment for your injuries and it can also generate medical records which can be used as evidence to support your claim.
- Fill out the accident book at work
- Acquire witness contact details for witness statements to be taken at a later date
- Take pictures of your injuries as well as the scene of the incident
- Keep hold of records such as receipts or bank statements to prove financial losses
Additionally, you should ensure you start your claim within the time limits set out. Generally, you have a 3-year time limit to start your claim as outlined by the Limitation Act 1980.
This may begin from the date of your accident or the date you associated your injuries with employer negligence. However, there are some exemptions to this time limit.
For more information on the time limit exceptions or the evidence that can be used to support your claim, get in touch with an advisor.
Can I Make An Accident At Work Claim With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
A No Win No Fee agreement could be offered to you by one of the accident at work solicitors from our panel.
Generally, they work under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which means there are no fees to be paid for their services upfront, whilst your case is ongoing or if your claim fails. If your hand injury at work claim is a success, a legally capped success fee will be taken from your compensation.
To learn more, get in touch with one of our advisors. They could put you in contact with one of the solicitors from our panel if you have a valid workplace accident claim.
Contact Us For Free To See If You Can Claim For An Injury At Work
An advisor from our team can offer you a free consultation and answer any further questions you might have about hand injury claims. To get in touch:
- Use the live chat feature below
- Call us on the number at the top of the page
- Contact us via our website
Learn More About Claiming For A Hand Injury At Work
Below, we have provided you with additional resources:
- Statutory Sick Pay – GOV
- Steps Needed To Manage Risk – Health and Safety Executive
- First Aid – NHS
Thank you for reading our guide on the steps you can take if you have sustained a hand injury at work. Please get in touch if you have any other questions.
Writer Beck Pickering
Editor Meg Martin
