A Guide About Claiming Compensation For Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident

You may be able to claim thousands of pounds in compensation if you’ve suffered tennis elbow from a car accident. The most important thing when claiming for any elbow injuries is that you’re able to prove that the injury was caused by another party’s negligence.

This guide will explain various tennis elbow causes, provide examples of when you may be able to claim and highlight the benefits of using a No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor.

tennis elbow from a car accident

Other vital questions will be also be answered in this guide like: 

  • What is tennis elbow pain? 
  • What are the symptoms of tennis elbow? 
  • Might I require physiotherapy if I’m suffering from tennis elbow? 
  • Can tennis elbow be caused by trauma?
  • Can I claim compensation for tennis elbow?
  • What’s the difference between a tennis elbow and a golfer’s elbow? 
  • What is the average payout for tennis elbow?
  • Is there a personal injury claims time limit? 

Our advisors offer free legal advice and are available 24/7, so you can call them at a time that suits you. They can also confirm in just a few minutes if you’re eligible to claim. They can even provide you with a reliable compensation estimate over the phone. Simply contact them using the details below. 

Please read on to learn more about making a personal injury claim after a road traffic accident.    

Jump To A Section

  1. A Guide Valuing Claims For Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident
  2. What Is Tennis Elbow?
  3. What Is The Function Of The Elbow Joint?
  4. Signs And Symptoms
  5. How Is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?
  6. Treating Tennis Elbow
  7. How Do You Get Tennis Elbow?
  8. How Do You Get Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident?
  9. What Is A Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident Worth?
  10. Special Damages Vs General Damages
  11. Steps To Take If Injured In A Road Traffic Accident
  12. How Many Road Traffic Accidents Happen In The UK?
  13. Claim For Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident With A No Win No Fee Solicitor
  14. Speak To Our Team
  15. Useful Links
  16. Frequently Asked Questions

A Guide Valuing Claims For Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident

Elbow injuries can be very debilitating due to how they can affect the mobility of your arm. With this in mind, they can lower your quality of life and leave you with severe joint pain. 

As described above, proving that your injury was caused by third-party negligence is crucial to making a successful personal injury claim. By proving that the injury was caused by someone else who had a duty of care towards you, from a legal perspective, you may be able to claim by proving that their actions were negligent and caused your injuries. 

Therefore, you need to prove the below three things for your claim to be successful:

  1. Firstly, that the third party in question had a duty of care towards you
  2. Secondly, that they breached this duty of care 
  3. Finally, that this breach led to your injury

It’s only by proving all three of these that you’ll be able to receive some form of compensation. Every road user in Great Britain has a duty of care as described in the Road Traffic Act 1988 and The Highway Code. They should use the roads with standard care and skill.

As this duty of care has been established, if you’ve been injured in a car accident, you will need to focus on whether the third party’s actions (or inaction) caused your injury. 

To learn more about proving negligence, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our advisors. They’re experienced, helpful and knowledgeable in personal injury claims, meaning that they’ll be able to answer any questions or queries you might have. Contact us today using the details above. 

Read on to know more about how you could claim for a tennis elbow from a car accident

What Is Tennis Elbow?

You may be asking yourself, “how do you get tennis elbow?” A tennis elbow is otherwise called lateral epicondylitis. It is often caused by overuse or a large amount of pressure on the elbow. It can be caused by repetitive movements but can also result from traumatic incidents, like a car accident. 

There are three bones in your arm: the radius and ulna are your forearm bones. They are linked to your humerus bone via the elbow joint.

The tendon that can be involved in this injury is called the extensor carpi radialis brevis. Pressure or overuse of the extensor muscles in your forearm can lead to tennis elbow. This type of injury could also result in your bicep or tricep being injured, depending on the extent of the injury. 

You could only claim compensation, however, in specific circumstances. If, for instance, you suffered a tennis elbow from a car accident, but the accident was proven to be your fault, you wouldn’t receive compensation. If the incident is partially your fault, you would only receive a percentage of the payout based on your deemed accountability for the incident. 

How Do Tennis Elbow And Golfer’s Elbow Differ?

You may also be wondering, “what is the difference between a tennis and a golfer’s elbow?” They are both similar in that they both can be caused by overuse. However, while a tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of the elbow, a golfer’s elbow causes similar aches and pains on the inside of it. 

Golfer’s elbow is often referred to as medial epicondylitis. It involves damage to the tendons and forearm muscles. It is often caused by strenuous or repetitive activity, much like tennis elbow. Similarly, there are usually exercises that can help relieve some of the pain caused by the injury. 

What Is The Function Of The Elbow Joint?

Elbow damage injuries can be so debilitating because of how important the elbow joint is to the functioning of your arm. As stated above, the elbow joint is the vital link between your forearm bones and the humerus. 

Therefore, if you’ve suffered a tennis elbow from a car accident, it can greatly impair your arm’s functionality. Furthermore, if you work in manual handling roles, for instance, it may result in you being unable to work until it’s fully healed. This could result in you needing tennis elbow physiotherapy, which will be described in greater detail below. 

Signs And Symptoms

This next section will explain tennis elbow pain and the potential symptoms that could suggest you’re developing the injury. After all, while certain incidents, like car accidents, can lead to the injury, tennis elbows can also be created by repetitive and strenuous acts meaning that the condition can be developed over the course of weeks or months. 

The pain caused by tennis elbow usually ranges from mild discomfort to severe pain that can even be felt when your arm is completely stationary. The injury tends to cause tenderness and pain on the outside of your elbow. You could also experience this pain in your forearm or the back of your hand. 

If you’ve experienced a tennis elbow from a car accident, you could experience pain:

  • From the outside of your elbow, travelling down your forearm when bending or lifting your arm.
  • When gripping small objects, such as a pen or a phone.
  • When twisting your forearm, such as opening a jar or unlocking a door.

You could also suffer from stiffness and pain when you’re fully extending your arm. Symptoms of a tennis elbow may last between six months to two years. 

If you’re unsure if you’re able to claim or have questions or queries about claiming, please get in touch. Our advisors can discuss your potential claim with you over the phone to give you a reliable compensation estimate. Contact them today for free at a time that works for you using the details above. 

How Is Tennis Elbow Diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider may perform a tennis elbow test by examining your elbow to understand the nature of the damage. In some cases, a physical examination may be enough. However, to fully confirm the diagnosis, they may perform:

  • An X-ray, which can help examine the elbow bones to see if you may have arthritis. 
  • A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, which can reveal the nature of the tears in the tendons caused by the injury. 
  • An Electromyography (EMG) of your elbow, which can show if nerve problems are resulting in the pain caused. 

Treating Tennis Elbow

Elbow injuries like this can have several treatment methods, depending on the extent and severity of the injury. In some cases, a tennis elbow can get better without treatment. If you’ve been told to simply wait for the condition to improve, the most important thing to do would be to make sure the arm gets enough rest so it can gradually recover. 

However, this may not always work by itself. Other types of treatment include: 

  • Taking painkillers and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which can be tablets, creams and gels, as they can help reduce inflammation without causing further medical complications. 
  • Performing tennis elbow physiotherapy. The physiotherapist may use manipulation and massage to help relieve some of the tension and pain. They can also show you exercises that can help strengthen your forearm muscles. 
  • Steroid injections. 
  • Shockwave therapy. High-energy shockwaves are passed through the skin to promote movement to the injured area. It can also help reduce pain. 
  • Surgery, if the tennis elbow is causing persistent and severe pain.

How Do You Get Tennis Elbow?

This section will answer questions like, “can tennis elbow be caused by trauma?” We will highlight the most common tennis elbow causes. They include:

  • Sports that involve putting repeated pressure on your elbow. This includes activities like tennis, squash and javelin. 
  • Using tools persistently. This could be hand tools, such as scissors or screwdrivers, or decorating tools like a paint roller. 
  • Activities that involve repetitive wrist and hand movements, such as sewing and typing. 
  • Activities that involve you having to bend your elbow. This can include playing the violin and playing pool. 

However, as you will see below, you can also suffer a tennis elbow from a car accident. 

How Do You Get Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident?

A motor vehicle accident can lead to various injuries due to the stress and trauma caused by the incident. They can range from scratches and bruises to life-changing injuries. You can also claim if you’re a passenger in a vehicle if you’re able to prove that the accident was caused by negligent conduct on the road. 

Tennis elbow could be caused by the force of the car accident jolting your braced arm or your elbow striking the car’s frame, for example. Being involved in such an accident can also cause psychological issues that would be assessed as part of your injury.

With personal injury claims, every type of injury that has been caused by the accident should be evaluated before determining if your claim has been successful. 

This means that you could receive compensation for several different injuries as part of the same claim. If you’d like to learn more about the claims process, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our advisors offer free legal advice, are available 24/7 and can answer any questions or queries you may have. 

What Is A Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident Worth?

The potential worth of elbow damage injuries depends on many factors. If you’re able to prove that your injury was caused by third-party negligence, there are two potential heads of claim that could result in you receiving compensation: special damages and general damages. We look at special damages in the next section.

When claiming for any injury, such as suffering a tennis elbow from a car accident, general damages is significant because it covers you for physical and psychological damage. However, you may be wanting to know more about how you could receive a compensation estimate. 

The Judicial College analyses previous general damages payouts, comparing them to the severity and extent of the injuries. Through doing this, they’ve been able to create compensation brackets that reliably reflect what you could receive for specific types of injuries. We use this information to make sure we provide you with as reliable an estimate as possible. 

Below is a list of injuries and their relevant compensation brackets. The Judicial College supplies these figures.

Area of InjuryAmount of CompensationHow Severe?Description
Elbow£36,770 to £51,460Severely DisablingAn elbow injury in this bracket is an injury of a severely disabling nature.
Elbow£14,690 to £30,050Less SevereInjuries in this bracket lead to impairment of function and don't cause any significant disability and don't require any major surgery.
ElbowUp to £11,820Moderate or MinorInjuries in this bracket include simple fractures, lacerations and tennis elbow syndrome.
Arm£90,250 to £122,860SevereInjuries in this bracket are ones that fall short of requiring amputation but are still extremely serious and leave the injured person only slightly better off than if the arm had been lost completely.
Arm£36,770 to £56,180Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial DisablementThis bracket includes serious fractures to either forearm or both causing either a functional or cosmetic residual disability that is significant and permanent.
Arm£18,020 to £36,770Less SevereWhile injuries in this bracket will still lead to significant disabilities, a substantial degree of recovery will be expected or will have taken place.
Arm£6,190 to £18,020Simple Fractures of the ForearmInjuries in this bracket tend to be simple forearm fractures with no long-lasting or permanent consequences.

If you’d like our advisors to give you a free estimate of what you could claim, why not reach out?

Special Damages Vs General Damages

The second potential head of claim is special damages. This relates to financial losses you’ve suffered due to the accident. However, it’s important to note that if you don’t receive general damages compensation, you won’t be able to receive special damages compensation either. 

This is because if you don’t receive compensation for general damages, it’s deemed that the third party in question was not liable for your injuries. It’s also important to prove the value of the financial losses you’re looking to claim. You can do this by providing evidence such as receipts, invoices and bank statements. 

The types of financial losses you could claim include:

  • Travel costs
  • Loss of earnings
  • Loss of future earnings 
  • Prescription/medicine expenses
  • Care costs, such as the cost of requiring a care nurse

This is why it can be difficult to answer questions like, “what is the average payout for a tennis elbow?” Personal injury claims can be very complex and based on what you’re able to prove. Therefore, as special damages could add a lot of compensation to your claim, it’s difficult to provide an average for what you could receive. 

Personal Injury Claims Time Limit

Please also bear in mind that you need to claim within the personal injury claims time limit. As such, generally, you need to claim within three years from the date of the injury or three years from when you became aware of the injury being caused by negligence. This is outlined in more detail in the Limitation Act 1980

Steps To Take If Injured In A Road Traffic Accident

You may be wondering what the appropriate steps are when you’ve experienced tennis elbow from a car accident. It’s important that, immediately after the accident, you do the following:

  1. Call the emergency services if anyone is seriously injured. 
  2. Contact the police if someone was injured, a driving offence was committed or insurance details weren’t exchanged. You should also contact them if the road is blocked. 
  3. Get the other driver’s details, including their name, address and the name of their insurer. 
  4. Contact your insurer to make them aware of the incident. 
  5. Take any contact details of people who witnessed the accident. Your personal injury lawyer may request witness statements from them. 
  6. Take photographs of the scene. 

While you’re recovering from the injury, it can also be useful to compile a list of the treatments/medication you’ve been on due to it. This could help deliver a clearer picture of the pain and suffering the injury has caused. This is useful regardless of the injury you’ve suffered, whether it’s a simple tendon injury or a fracture. You could also be treated for psychological issues, like anxiety, as a result of the incident. 

Medical Assessment: Personal Injury Claims

As part of the personal injury claims process, you’d attend a medical appointment. The purpose of this assessment is for the independent medical professional to:

  1. Establish whether your injuries were caused, worsened or not linked to the accident.
  2. Assess the severity of the injuries.

The resulting report can be used by your solicitor to value your injuries as well as act as evidence.

You can also potentially receive compensation if an untraceable or uninsured driver has injured you. To do this, you would need to claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). However, a solicitor could help you with this. 

How Many Road Traffic Accidents Happen In The UK?

tennis elbow from a car accident statistics graph

The Department for Transport provides road traffic accident statistics concerning Great Britain. Above are statistics for a selected group of male driver age groups, comparing the number of accidents to the number of casualties created. Casualties can range from minor injuries to genuinely life-threatening ones that completely change your quality of life. 

In the age ranges of the above graph alone, there were 17,053 reported casualties in 2020. There are, of course, limitations to this data. From the graph above, we aren’t fully aware of the severity of such injuries as we don’t know their nature. However, it doesn’t change the fact that, despite lockdown regulations, there was still a considerable amount of road casualties.

If you want to know if you can claim, please get in touch with our advisors. Our advisors are friendly, helpful and experienced at dealing with personal injury claims. They can inform you in just a few minutes if you’re able to claim. Contact them using the details above.  

Claim For Tennis Elbow From A Car Accident With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

There are many benefits to using the services of a No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor. This includes:

  • Not having to pay solicitor fees upfront or during the claim. 
  • Only paying solicitor fees if your claim is successful. This is because your solicitor will take a small, legally capped compensation percentage to cover the cost of their work. (You’ll know of this before you agree to use their services.)
  • Not having to pay any solicitor fees at all if the claim is unsuccessful. 

Our panel of lawyers offer their services on a No Win No basis for all accepted claims. Why not reach out to see if our advisors could connect you?

Speak To Our Team

Our advisors offer free legal advice, are available whenever you are and can confirm with you in just a few minutes if you’re able to claim. They can also provide you with a reliable compensation estimate.

Our panel of personal injury solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. They’re hard-working, diligent and have years of experience, meaning they could give you the best chance of receiving thousands of pounds in compensation. 

Contact our advisors today using the details below. 

Useful Links

For more useful information, please use the links below. 

To get medical advice about tennis elbow, including the recommended physiotherapy exercises, visit this NHS webpage. 

To learn more about managing and treating tennis elbow pain, read this NHS guidance. 

Wanting more information about recovering from elbow and arm pain? If so, view this NHS webpage. 

Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to FAQs about personal injury claims, please see below. 

Who makes the claim if my child has been injured?

You can claim on your child’s behalf if they want you to. You can be designated as their litigation friend. Alternatively, they can make a claim directly. They have three years from the date of their eighteenth birthday to claim. 

Do claims have to go to court to get compensation?

No, they don’t have to go to court. Many road traffic accident claims don’t go to court as a resolution, including a potential settlement amount, is agreed upon by both sides before it gets to that stage. 

When are people eligible for interim payments?

It depends on your financial situation and the financial losses you’ve suffered due to the injury. To learn more about this, you can speak to a personal injury lawyer or call our advisors when that works for you. 

What is the effect of the Whiplash Reform Program? 

For any injuries from road traffic accidents valued at less than £5,000, you would need to claim through a different method. This is detailed in The Whiplash Injury Regulations 2021

Can I claim compensation for tennis elbow?

You can if you’re able to prove that your injury was caused by third-party negligence. So, for example, if you’ve suffered a tennis elbow from a car accident, you would need to show that another road user’s negligent conduct caused the injury. 

Written by MOD

Edited by RV