Case Study For A £50,000 Broken Ankle At Work Compensation Payout

By Megan Stanley. Last Updated 1st December 2022. On this page, we are going to present a example case study, that will demonstrate how it could be possible to make a claim for broken ankle at work compensation. We will take a look at how an injury such as a fractured ankle bone, could result in a compensation settlement of £50,000 or more. We will look at how a personal injury lawyer could be able to help you to make a personal injury claim in certain circumstances.

If this case study strikes a note with you, and you believe you may have a valid claim based on similar circumstances, then we may be able to help you. Call our team on 0161 696 9685 today to get some good, free advice. Or contact us through our website.

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Fractured And Broken Ankle Accidents At Work

Every employer in the UK has to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. This Act and associated regulations is intended to ensure that employees are provided with a safe and healthy working environment, at all times.

Broken ankle injury

Broken ankle injury

If an employer fails to comply with these legal requirements, and this results in an employee suffering an injury such as a broken ankle, then the injured party could be able to claim compensation for a broken ankle at work. When it comes to securing a settlement in such a case, the broken ankle compensation amounts are driven by the severity of the injury, the level of pain and suffering the victim was subjected to, and whether there will be any permanent impairment or disability.

If you have suffered some kind of ankle injury, and you can prove that your employer was somehow to blame, then you may have a valid reason to make a claim. Speak to our team for more information about this.

Anatomy Of The Ankle

The ankle is one of the largest of joints in the body. It takes the weight of the torso, and helps balance it. There are three bones in the ankle, and these are:

  • The tibia (also known as the shin bone).
  • The fibula (this is the thin bone that runs alongside the tibia.
  • The talus or foot bone, that is positioned on top of the heel bone.

If you were to look at a skeleton, you would notice that there are several bumps on it, and these are called:

  • The lateral malleolus – this is on the outside of the ankle and can be easily felt.
  • The medial malleolus – on the opposite, inside of the ankle, also easily felt.
  • The posterior malleolus – the rear of the ankle and not so easily felt as it sits close to the bottom of the tibia.

The ankle movies in multiple directions. It can move up and down, allowing the foot to hinge. It can also rotate from side to side allow the foot to twist. Strong ligaments are attached to the ankle and help to give it its strength. These ligaments also attach the ankle to the foot. When the ankle is made to move beyond its normal scope, this can result in injuries such as a twisted ankle.

Common Kinds Of Workplace Accidents As Identified By The HSE

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), some kinds of non-fatal workplace accidents that could cause an ankle injury are more common than others. This includes:

  • A slip, trip or fall is a common cause of ankle injuries such as a fracture.
  • When lifting or handling heavy items a wrong step could twist the ankle.
  • A worker that is struck by a moving object, such as a box dropping in their foot, could end up with an injured ankle.
  • If an employee falls from a height and lands on their feet, and ankle could suffer multiple fractures.

Regardless of how the accident that caused you to injure your ankle happened, as long as you can prove that your employer was to blame, you may have a basis for a work-related injury claim for compensation for a broken ankle.

5 Ways You Could Suffer A Fractured Or Broken Ankle At Work

In this section, we will look at 5 ways an ankle could be injured due to a workplace hazard. And these are:

  1. You are struck by a company-owned vehicle such as a forklift truck, shattering your ankle. You could be able to claim broken ankle accident compensation for a work-related injury.
  2. Whilst stocking shelves at work, a box could drop from higher up, and the blunt force trauma could fracture your ankle, leaving you in a position to claim workers compensation for a broken ankle.
  3. After being asked to carry a heavy object from one place to another, you twist your ankle due to the heavy load making you fall over, resulting in a claim for compensation.
  4. Oil spilt on the floor of a garage could cause your leg to slip out from under you, spraining your ankle.
  5. A faulty automatic door to a lift in an office, could close too early trapping an employee’s foot, and causing lacerations to the ankle.

As we can see, there are many ways an ankle can be injured at work, these are just some examples. The answer to the question, broke my ankle at work can I make a claim? Is that if you can prove your employer was to blame, you may be able to. How much compensation that is paid for a broken ankle at work depends on the level of pain and suffering the claimant went through.

Case Study: Compensation Payout For A Broken Ankle At Work

In this section, we will present a case study for a claim for broken ankle at work compensation in the UK. The victim is a young railway worker. Whilst working on maintaining a length of railway track, his foot became trapped under a damaged sleeper. Losing his balance, he fell over, but his foot was still trapped, causing his ankle to bend backwards, breaking it. The railway worker was not wearing safety boots that may have protected his ankle, because none were available to use in his size.

He was taken to hospital for fractured ankle treatment, and it was found that he had a compound fracture of his tibia. His ankle was put into a cast, and he was provided with crutches to help him walk with the cast on. The fractured ankle recovery was slow and he had limited movement to his foot also he had multiple foot injuries that delayed recovery time and being able to walk properly, and during this time the railway worker did not receive his wages for the time he took off.

After contacting a personal injury solicitor to discuss whether personal injury claims were possible in these circumstances, he was advised that he could be eligible for a broken ankle and multiple foot injury compensation amount of approximately £50,000. This included damages for the physical harm suffered, and also the loss of income.

A claim was successfully made due to the fact that the rail company that employed the claimant had failed to provide adequate safety equipment. This is in direct contravention of the Health & Safety regulations we introduced further up this guide. This short case study shows how, if you suffer an ankle injury due to an accident that your employer is even partially to blame for, you could be able to engage a lawyer to process a claim for you.

Ankle Injury Compensation Calculator

When making a claim for a broken ankle, your compensation settlement could include both special and general damages.

Any financial losses you have suffered due to your injury could be compensated under special damages. Some of the things you could claim for under special damages include:

  • Medical costs.
  • Travel expenses.
  • Loss of earnings.

Providing evidence of these losses could help support your claim, e.g., payslips, bank statements and invoices.

The pain and suffering your injury has caused you, as well as how it has impacted your quality of life, could be compensated with general damages.

When trying to find out how much you could receive for your broken ankle, a compensation calculator may be recommended to you. This could show you how much you could be owed in general damages by asking you questions relating to your accident and injury.

Alternatively, you could use the following table that we have created. We have used the amounts listed in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) (updated April 2022), when creating this table. This is a document that assigns compensation brackets to different injuries and is used by many legal professionals to help them value claims.

It is important to remember that when making a claim for a broken ankle, the compensation payout you could be eligible for could vary from the amounts listed. This is because how much you could receive will depend on the specific circumstances of your claim.

INJURYNOTESCOMPENSATION
Severe Foot InjuriesBoth feet or heels have been fractured which causes considerable and permanent pain.£41,970 to £70,030
Moderate Foot InjuriesDisplaced fractures that cause continuing symptoms and a deformity that is permanent.£13,740 to £24,990
Very Severe Ankle InjuriesTransmalleolar fractures with serious soft-tissue damage that cause a deformity.£50,060 to £69,700
Severe Ankle InjuriesInjuries that may have required plates,pins or time in plaster to heal.£31,310 to £50,060
Moderate Ankle InjuriesFractures or tears to the ligaments that make it difficult to stand for a long time.£13,740 to £26,590
Modest Ankle InjuriesUndisplaced fracture, ligamentous injuries and sprains. Whether a full recovery has been made will affect how much is awarded.Up to £13,740
Most Serious Achilles Tendon InjuriesSevered tendon that causes limited ankle movement and swelling.In the region of £38,430
Serious Achilles Tendon InjuriesCases where the tendon has been divided but repaired successfully. However issues such as a limp still persist.£24,990 to £30,090
Moderate Achilles Tendon InjuriesFor partial ruptures or significant tendon injuries. Various factors such as how much recovery has been made will affect how much is awarded.£12,590 to £21,070
Minor Achilles Tendon InjuriesTurning of the ankle causing damage to the joint and tendon.£7,270 to £12,590

Do not hesitate to call one of our advisors today if you would like to discuss your potential claim in more detail.

No Win No Fee Broken Ankle At Work Compensation Claims

A No Win No Fee lawyer can provide you with the legal help you need to make your claim, without exposing you to the financial risks of doing so. You won’t have to pay any new claims fee, or any ongoing fees while the solicitor processes your claim. You also won’t pay anything if the claim is a failure. The solicitor will only collect their pre-agreed fee once they have received a compensation payment for you.

How You Could Claim Compensation For My Broken Ankle

If you believe you have a valid claim for ankle fracture compensation, we can help you. Our team will talk you through a simple three-stage process, that covers:

  1. Speak to the team on the number below. Get answers to your questions, and learn more about the process of making a claim.
  2. An advisor will evaluate your claim for you, and provide any key information you need to know, such as the personal injury claims time limit.
  3. We can advise you on the way that a solicitor can help you, and process a claim on your behalf.

Follow these three simple steps to get the legal help and advice you need.

Contact The Team At Legal Helpline And Start Your Claim

Have you had an accident at work resulting in a broken ankle? Was your employer to blame not you? You may be able to claim for the harm you have suffered. Talk to our team, you can contact them on 0161 696 9685, they will provide you with the legal advice you need to move your claim forward.

Related Claims Guides

These external links could provide useful information:

NHS Information About A Broken Ankle

NHS Explanation Of How An Oil Company Protects Employees Ankles

Trades Union Congress Information About Protective Footwear

You may also like to read these other guides:

Claiming For Ankle Injuries

Workplace Accident Claims

How To Claim For A Foot Injury

Other Claims We May Be Able To Help With

  1. Knee injury claims.
  2. Rib injury claims.
  3. Gym injury claims.
  4. Hand injury claims.
  5. Slip, trip and fall claims.

FAQs

How much should I settle for a broken ankle in the UK?

Each personal injury claim has its own unique set of circumstances. Because of this, things like the severity of your injury could affect how much you could be awarded in compensation. Therefore, it’s important to seek legal advice before accepting any settlement. Otherwise, you may be missing out on the maximum amount of compensation that could be owed to you.

Get in touch with our advisors today, and we can take you through an ankle injury compensation calculation that will give you a better idea of what your specific injury may be worth.

I broke my ankle at work, how long do I have to claim?

The Limitation Act 1980 tells us that, generally, you have 3 years from the date you were injured to start a personal injury claim. However, there can be certain exceptions to this rule. Some examples include:

  • Child injuries
  • Injuries to those with a reduced mental capacity
  • Not being aware of your injuries until a date later than you sustained them

Reach out to us today, and we can help you figure out if you can still claim.

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