A Guide To £30,000 Compensation Payout For A Broken Hand In Accident At Work

By Marlon Redding. Last Updated 17th February 2023. On this page, we are going to present an example case study, that is aimed at demonstrating how compensation for a broken hand at work could amount to £30,000 or more. We will also look at some of the most common kinds of workplace accidents, and how a personal injury lawyer could be able to help you to make a personal injury claim in similar circumstances.

If you believe you have a valid workplace accident claim, you may have questions about the claims process. If you do, our team is available on 0161 696 9685. They will answer any questions that you have, and also explain the steps you can take to get your claim underway.

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Fractured And Broken Hands Caused By Accidents At Work

Along with the foot, the hand is the most concentrated cluster of bones in the body (more on this below). Many of these bones are quite fragile, meaning they can be fractured easily. A broken hand accident at work could result in injuries that prevent the victim from using their hand either in the short-term until it heals, or in the long-term due to some kind of permanent disability.

Broken hand injury

Broken hand injury

The acid test for any work-related injury claim is being able to prove that the employer was to blame in some way for the injury happening. This can be either directly or indirectly. Whenever an employer causes harm to an employer through oversight, omission or error, then they could be liable to pay compensation to the injured party. And in cases such as these, a personal injury solicitor could be able to process a personal injury claim on behalf of the injured employee.

If you are unsure whether your own workplace accident claim is valid or not, please speak to our team. One of our expert advisors will be able to advise you.

Anatomy Of The Bones In Your Hand, Phalanges, Metacarpals And Carpals

A human hand comprises of 27 separate bones, all connected using ligaments, tendons and muscles, to create a single, dextrous limb. Many of these bones are fragile and susceptible to fractures due to even a mild level of trauma. There are three main types of bones in the hand. These are the phalanges (finger bones), metacarpal bones (the metacarpus is the flat part of the hand), and the carpal bones, which form the wrist, which in turn connects to the radius and ulna of the lower arm. There are three different kinds of phalanges, the proximal phalanx, the middle phalanx, as well as the distal phalanx. Each finger comprises of one of each of these, and the thumb has only two.

The hand contains many joints, allowing the fingers to flex and the wrist to rotate and pivot up and down. The complexity of the hand means that it is very easy to injure. And once it has been injured, the loss of use of a hand, even for a short time, is a serious disability.

Different Types Of Accidents At Work Reportable To The HSE

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), some kinds of non-fatal workplace accidents are far more common than others. Each of these common kinds of accidents could potentially result in a hand injury. These accidents types are:

  • Falling from high up.
  • An assault or other act of violence in the workplace.
  • Being hit by a moving or falling object.
  • Injuries caused by lifting, carrying or handling heavy objects.
  • A fall, trip or a slip at work.

If you were to become the victim of a damaged hand due to any of these kinds of accidents at work, and you can prove that your employer was the cause, then you could be able to claim broken hand at work compensation. Please note that compensation payouts are driven by the level of pain and suffering the claimant is put through.

6 Potential Ways You Could Sustain A Broken Hand At Work

In the section above, we listed some of the different types of accidents at work which are more common than others. In this section, we will attempt to show how these kinds of accidents can result in a fractured hand, with some examples, thus:

  • Manual handling and lifting accidents – a person carrying a heavy item could crush their hand by getting it caught underneath the item as they are putting it down, causing a broken thumb and fingers.
  • Road traffic accidents – a pedestrian could be hit by a vehicle, running over their hand, causing a crush injury.
  • Machinery related accidents – a factory worker could get their hand caught in a malfunctioning machine, causing multiple fractures.
  • Inadequate or insufficient safety equipment – without protective gloves, a person could suffer a hand injury at work that could have been avoided.
  • Falls, trip and slips – a person could break a bone in their hand by trying to break their fall.
  • Blunt force trauma and crush injuries – a worker hit by a heavy falling object could suffer a fractured hand due to blunt trauma.

To answer the question, I broke my hand at work can I make a compensation claim? Is that in accidents similar to those detailed above, if you can prove that your employer was responsible for causing the accident, you could well have a valid claim. Speak to our team for more help about this.

Case Study: £30,000 Payout For A Hand Fractured At Work

In this section, we are going to present an example case study that will demonstrate how a claim for a broken hand and work would proceed. In this case, the victim is a young male apprentice working for an engineering firm. The apprentice was using a lathe as instructed, when they dropped a cutting tool into the machine. The victim lifted the protective screen away and attempted to retrieve the tool. The catch that was supposed to keep the protective screen held up and away from the lathe was broken, and the screen fell back down, trapping the victim’s hand and fracturing several fingers.

The victim was provided with first aid treatment, and then taken to the hospital for proper broken hand treatment. The broken finger bones were pinned in place using surgical pins and rods and then the whole hand immobilised. This meant that the claimant was unable to use their hand for many weeks, until the fractures had healed. This caused a significant negative impact on the claimant’s life, as they were unable to carry out day to day tasks such as cooking, feeding themselves, dressing themselves, etc. They were forced to hire a nurse to care for them. Furthermore, the apprentice was forced to take an extended period away from work, and did not receive their full pay for the time they were absent.

Following a compensation claim, the victim was awarded £30,000 in compensation, with the employer admitting liability due to the fact it had failed to maintain the lather properly, resulting in a faulty protective shield causing the accident. This payment for compensation for a broken hand at work included damages to cover the pain and suffering the victim went through, loss of earnings and to cover the cost of hiring in a nurse, as well as tertiary damages for travel costs, etc.

If you have fractured your hand at work in an accident that wasn’t your fault, then you too could be able to make a compensation claim. Speak to our team today for further assistance

Broken Hand At Work Compensation – Payout Examples

If you are interested in making a claim, you may be wondering how much you could receive should your broken hand at work compensation claim succeed. Generally, there are two types of compensation you can pursue in an accident at work claim: these are general damages, and special damages.

General damages aim to compensate you for the suffering and pain you may have endured as a result of your injuries. However, there are no average payouts for general damages. This is because the amount you could receive depends on a number of unique circumstances, including the severity of your injuries, how it has affected your mental health, and how long it will take for you to recover.

However, the 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can give you an idea of what you could receive. The JCG often helps legal professionals assign a value to personal injury claims, as it provides guideline compensation brackets for a number of illnesses and injuries. You can find some examples of these in the table below.

Type of Injury?How Severe?CompensationInformation
Injured handModerate£5,260 to £12,460This category would include crush type injuries, deep penetrating wounds, as well as lacerations and other skin/flesh damage such as burns. Additionally, all injuries that were originally more serious, but have been partially treated using surgery. These injuries may leave the victim with some kind of impairment but fall short of a disability.
Injured handLess serious£13,570 to £27,220As an example, a bad crush injury of the hand that leaves the victim with some loss of function, that will never heal, even if corrective surgery is used.
Injured handSerious£12,460 to £79,360This level of injury will have reduced the function of the hand by around 50 percent. This would include injuries such as amputated fingers being reattached, resulting in loss of grip, suppleness and dexterity.
Injured handAmputation£102,890to £189,110Loss of one hand or both hands.

Broken Hand Compensation – Special Damages

Special damages is the amount of compensation you could seek for any injury-related financial losses.

As an example, if your broken hand had led to:

  • Income losses because you were unable to work
  • Spending costs towards your treatment or care
  • A requirement for aids to help you perform day-to-day tasks

Then you could present evidence of these losses as part of your claim.

Any compensation you seek should take into account both losses you have already suffered and losses you expect to suffer until your injury heals. Our advisers could be able to provide you with a free estimate for your broken hand compensation claim if you get in touch.

No Win No Fee Fractured And Broken Hand At Work Cases

You can use a No Win No Fee lawyer to process your claim, and this will remove many of the financial risks of making a claim. The lawyer will not collect their pre-agreed fee until such time as they have received a compensation settlement for you. They will take their fee out of the money received at this stage, and you will be given what is left.

So, there is no fee to begin a claim, and no fee while the claim is processed. You are also not expected to pay a fee if the claim isn’t a success. If you would like more information about the way this kind of fee structure works, then please speak to one of our advisors. They can provide the help you need.

How Do You Claim Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work

Starting a workplace accident claim is quite simple. As long as you are within the personal injury claims time limit (our team can tell you which applies) and you can prove that your employer caused your injury, we can likely help you.

To get the help you need to get a claim started, just reach out to our team on the number below. An advisor will talk through your claim with you, let you know what legal options you have, and advise you on the simplest way to move forward.

Talking To Legal Helpline

Have you suffered an injury such as a broken hand at work, that was caused by an accident that wasn’t your fault? Do you believe that you can prove your employer was to blame? If so, we could be able to help you. You should speak to our team, you can contact them on 0161 696 9685. They can explain how we can be of assistance in helping you get the compensation you are entitled to.

Guides Related To This Case

HSE Information On Workplace Injuries

Info From The NHS About Hand Pain

How To Tell If You Have Broken A Bone

These other guides might also be useful:

Workplace Accident Claims

Claiming For A Fatal Accident At Work

How To Claim For A Hand Injury

Case study by Mac