By Olivia Ivy. Last updated 26th February 2021. Welcome to our guide to claiming foot injury compensation. If you have sustained a foot injury due to an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to make a foot injury compensation claim.
Although often overlooked, the foot is a very complex and important part of our body. It is made up of both large and small bones, ligaments, tendons, joints and muscles that all work together to give us stability, balance and of course, mobility. Every day we use our feet to walk, run, stand, and drive. In order to carry out daily tasks we use our feet without a second thought all the time. However, if we were to suffer a foot injury, as well as suffering a lot of pain and discomfort, the ability to carry out many of the tasks we do daily, would be greatly reduced. Apart from being a real inconvenience, this could have a real impact on someone’s life and well-being, and could also have a huge impact on their livelihood.
Foot injuries can happen due to many different reasons. A foot injury may occur due to an accident at work, being involved in a car accident, slipping on a wet floor, or tripping over an uneven surface for example. If you have sustained a foot injury, regardless of how it happened, if it was due to an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to make a foot injury compensation claim. Legal Helpline is a specialist personal injury claims management firm that can help you to make your compensation claim.
Jump to a Section
- A foot injury compensation claims guide
- Foot injuries at work and other common causes
- Common types of foot injuries
- Foot Anatomy
- Foot injuries from a slip, trip or fall
- Foot injuries caused by an accident at work
- Foot injuries caused in a road traffic accident
- Determining how severe your foot injury is
- What action should I take if I suffer a foot injury that isn’t my fault?
- What can I claim compensation for?
- How much foot injury compensation can I claim?
- How to make a foot injury claim
- Foot injury claims – No Win No Fee
- Why make a foot injury claim with Legal Helpline?
- Speak to our team today
- Useful Links
A foot injury compensation claims guide
Suffering with a foot injury can cause a lot of pain and discomfort, and can be quite debilitating. Just doing regular things such as going to the shops, doing housework, engaging in hobbies, driving and going to work can become hugely difficult, and in some circumstances, impossible.
Foot injury compensation
If you have sustained a foot injury at work, or hurt your foot after being involved in a car accident or from tripping or slipping over, or any other type of accident or incident that wasn’t your fault, you could make a foot injury compensation claim.
This guide is full of useful information in regards to making such a claim. In this guide, we show what is involved in the claiming process, what you can claim for, what actions you should take if you suffer a foot injury that wasn’t your fault, average foot injury claim amounts and much more. We also advise on using a personal injury solicitor through a claims management company, such as Legal Helpline, and will tell you why its so important to do so.
Foot injuries at work and other common causes
There are a number of reasons of how a foot injury might be sustained and there are different variations of the types of foot injury people may suffer with. Common causes of foot injuries are injuries that happen at work, injuries due to having a slip, trip or fall accident, being involved in a road traffic accident, sporting accidents and many more.
Further below in the guide, we look at some of the more common causes in slightly more detail.
Common types of foot injuries
Often foot injuries restrict and even cease mobility making it either very difficult or impossible to carry out a variety of different tasks and activities. Therefore suffering a foot injury can potentially have huge implications on lifestyle and work life. In these cases, victims may seek foot injury compensation by making a claim.
The foot actually has a fairly complex structure as it is made up of a combination of bones, tendons, and ligaments, therefore suffering a foot injury could result in a number of different problems with the foot that will also differ in severity and the impact it has on the victim. When making a foot injury compensation claim, it is important to get a proper diagnosis to help determine its severity. This is due to the fact that the amount of compensation owed to the claimant will largely depend on the severity of their injury.
Due to the complexity of the foot, there are a number of different types of injuries that may occur following an accident. The most common are:
- Injuries to the toes – Fractures, breaks and crushing injuries could result in amputation.
- Metatarsal injuries – Fractures or breaks due to trauma and stress injuries to the bones. These are particularly common in sporting accidents.
- Calcaneus (heel bone) fracture – Fractures or broken bones around the heel and ankle.
- Contusions – This is bad, deep bruising normally around the ankle area of the foot.
- Sprains and strains – Injuries to the tendons and ligaments in the foot and around the joints in the foot.
- Dislocation – Due to the force of an impact to the foot, bones within the foot may come out of place.
- Injuries caused by crushing – these may result in something called compartment syndrome where excessive pressure may build up in the foot due to bleeding or swelling which in turn can cause blood flow restriction. Crushing injuries when very severe can lead to amputation.
- Burns
Whatever the injury you have sustained, it is always best to seek medical attention to have your injury looked at properly and fully diagnosed. A diagnosis can help largely with foot injury compensation claims as the severity and long term effects (if any) can be determined and put forward in your case which will have a baring on the overall amount awarded. As part of Legal Helpline’s policy, we can offer you a free local medical checkup for you, particularly if other symptoms have begun to appear since your injury first occurred.
Causes of foot injuries
Foot injuries are far from rare and knowing the most common reasons a foot injury may occur can allow preventative measures to be put in place to minimise the risk of a foot injury. Foot injury accidents can be classed as follows:
- Work Accidents – These may include slipping or tripping over, dropping items onto the foot, machinery or vehicle accidents that could cause the foot to be crushed.
- Road Traffic Accidents – Pedestrians, passengers and drivers can all be at risk from injury caused by a road traffic accident.
- Outdoor Activities – Often activities and sports that require strenuous movement can put the feet at risk from injury. Some indoor sports can also be risky.
- Trips, slips and falls – these accidents may happen at work, in a shopping centre, at the park or whilst walking along a public path for example due to obstacles or uneven surfaces.
Let’s take a look at injuries sustained in the workplace. According to self-reports from the Labour Force Survey, 693,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries between 2019 and 2020. The most common types of injuries in the workplace were due to:
- Slips, trips and falls
- Handling, lifting or carrying
- Being struck by a moving object
- Falling victim to violence
- Suffering a fall from a height
The rate of non-fatal workplace injuries has shown a largely downward trend, which has flattened in recent years. However, this isn’t to say that they don’t still happen.
Foot Anatomy
To be able to determine the extent of your injury and to be able to gauge the amount of compensation you may receive, it can be useful to know a bit about the foot’s anatomy. The foot is fairly complex as it has moving parts and is made up of a number of different parts and areas that all work together to enable us to walk, run, and stand balanced. The three main parts the foot is made up of are:
- The forefoot – This area is made up of five toes. The toe bones themselves are called phalanges and the long bones are called the metatarsals.
- The midfoot – This area has a shape like a pyramid and is made up of bones that make the arches of the foot. Also in the midfoot are three cuneiform bones as well as navicular and cuboid bones.
- The hindfoot – This area is made up of the ankle and the heel. The ankle is made up of the talus bone which supports the leg bones, the tibia and fibula. Further down is the calcaneus otherwise known as the heel bone which is the biggest bone in the foot.
As well as the bones in the foot, there are also tendons, ligaments and muscles that allow the movement of the foot which then allows us to walk and run. One of the tendons is the well- known Achilles tendon which connects to the calf muscle in the leg and is essential for any movement to be made.
Foot injuries from a slip, trip or fall
The most common of all causes of foot injuries are due to slip, trip, or falling due to a public pavement or pathway that has been insufficiently maintained. If the maintenance is someone else’s responsibility, and you get injured after a slip, trip or fall, then you should be able to claim compensation due to this negligence.
The same would apply if you were to slip, trip or fall in any commercial property or other public places, for example. If you sustain an injury and it was due to an accident that wasn’t your fault, then you may be entitled to claiming compensation for damages.
Foot injuries caused by an accident at work
Foot injuries in the workplace can occur due to many different possible accidents occurring. In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 employers are expected to provide a safe working environment for their employees by following a number of different requirements and procedures. If you have injured your foot at work and it is due to the employer’s negligence, then you can file a claim for compensation for a foot injury.
Work risk assessments should be carried out for all tasks and preventative measures should be taken to prevent accidents from occurring that could cause a foot injury. Appropriate footwear in the workplace such as steel-toe capped boots for example should be provided and insisted upon. There are different types of foot protection suitable to different occupations and employers should ensure their staff pay attention to shoe safety in the workplace requirements.
If a company fails to adhere to the standards and requirements set out in the HSE and Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and you sustain foot injuries at work, then they may be found to be in breach of their duty of care and sued for negligence.
Foot injuries caused in a road traffic accident
Road traffic accidents are another common cause of injuries to the feet. Not many vehicles include protective features in their design especially to protect the feet and so that area of the body is fairly vulnerable when someone is involved in an accident.
If you have suffered a foot injury in a road traffic accident that wasn’t your fault, then you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim.
Determining how severe your foot injury is
One of the most important contributing factors that will largely affect the amount of compensation you may receive for an injury, is the severity of the injury.
However, gauging how severe an injury is can be quite difficult initially and not always clear to start with and so although a medical professional should be seen as soon as possible, follow-up appointments are also important. Sometimes when there is bruising and swelling present, an injury cannot be fully realised and diagnosed until the swelling or bruising subsides a little. Once the injury is fully diagnosed, only then can the correct full treatment be recommended and the severity will then become more clear.
As part of our service at Legal Helpline, we will offer a free local medical checkup where your injury can be checked again and any changes noted. The future impact of your injury can also be evaluated. The severity of the injury may include any long term complications and effects, and also the likelihood of the injury reoccurring will also be taken into account. By assessing the severity of the injury and looking at all areas where your injury may have an impact, and at how big the impact may be, we can put together a claim that will get you the compensation you deserve.
What action should I take if I suffer a foot injury that isn’t my fault?
Sustaining a foot injury can happen in a variety of different ways. First and foremost, if you have injured your foot, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible. Once you have received some treatment for your injury, you may then start to think about claiming compensation if the injury was caused by someone else.
To make a successful foot injury compensation claim, having the correct evidence and documentation is crucial, as with any claim, liability needs to be proven. By carrying out the following steps where possible, you will be making a start on building your case:
- Medical Report – Once you’ve seen a medical professional, a medical report will be put together which documents your injury, what treatment has been recommended and any next steps.
- Photos – Take photos of where the accident took place and photos of what caused the injury. Also, take photos of the injury itself as visual proof of your pain and suffering.
- Witnesses – If there were any witnesses to your ordeal, try to get their contact details so that a witness statement can be acquired at a later date if necessary.
- Accident book – If the accident took place at work or in a public place such as a supermarket, make sure the details are written in the accident report book. This is actually a legal requirement. Ask for a copy of the report.
- CCTV / Emergency Services report – Try to get a copy of any CCTV footage that may have recorded the accident taking place. Also if the Emergency Services were needed to attend, they will also need to have written a report of events. Having a copy of this could be very beneficial.
What can I claim compensation for?
Although the type and severity of your injury is a large deciding factor on how much compensation you may receive should your claim be successful, there are also a number of other things to take into consideration that should be included in your claim and will therefore also have a bearing on the final award amount. Things that should be included in your claim are:
- General Damages – These cover the physical and psychological aspects of your claim. This is where the severity and long term effects of your injury matter. General damages cannot be quantified mathematically and can sometimes be difficult to assess. General damages are for the pain and suffering you have endured and any future physical and psychological effects.
- Medical Expenses – Any medical costs such as prescription fees, physiotherapy costs or the costs of any special equipment you have needed to purchase for example, that directly relate to your injury should be included.
- Travel Expenses – As well as the obvious travel costs to and from medical appointments, any costs incurred due to the necessary adaptions to your vehicle can be included.
- Care Claim – If you have needed home help from a relative, neighbour or friend, the person providing the help may be able to make a claim.
- Loss of earnings – Any earnings lost or potential future earnings lost should be included.
How much foot injury compensation can I claim?
As can be seen from above, the average settlement for a foot injury compensation claim is going to vary from case to case. This is because there are so many contributing factors that make up the final compensation amount awarded. Each and every case is unique and so it would be impossible to give an exact figure to everyone that asked how much compensation they will receive.
However, we can show an estimated and averaged amount awarded for certain injuries to at least give you some idea of what may be achievable.
| Reason for Compensation | Average Amount Awarded | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Very Severe Foot Injuries | £78,800 to £102,890 | Severe pain and discomfort with the risk of arthritis developing. The higher payment would be for severe permanent pain and disability due to extensive damage to the foot. |
| Moderate Foot Injuries | £12,900 to £23,460 | Metatarsal fractures where pain is present and a continuing limp, to more severe fractures and damage to the ligaments causing a permanent deformity, pain and potential risk of osteoarthritis. |
| Modest Foot Injuries | Up to £12,900 | Simple foot injuries such as simple fractures, lacerations, and contusions etc where full recovery is expected over time. |
| Amputation of One Foot | £78,800 to £102,890 | Similar to a below the knee amputation as the ankle joint is lost. |
| Amputation of Both Feet | £158,970 to £189,110 | Similar to a double below the knee amputation as the ankle joints are lost. |
If you would like to discuss your individual case in more detail, just call Legal Helpline for free help and advice.
How to make a foot injury claim
Once you have received medical care for your injury and gathered some evidence, it is a good idea to seek legal advice from a solicitor or claims management company that regularly deals with personal injury claims.
At Legal Helpline, we offer a free consultation in which you can discuss what has happened to you with a personal injury lawyer. This helps to establish the facts surrounding your case and assess if you have a legitimate claim. During the consultation, you can ask us as many questions as you need in order to understand the process of making a compensation claim and what is involved in doing so. We will obtain from you any evidence you have collected so that we can then start to put together your case.
If you then decide you’d like us to carry on with your claim on your behalf, we will set to work on gathering more evidence to build a strong case.
We will also offer you a free local medical if we feel this could be of benefit.
Foot injury claims – No Win No Fee
Legal Helpline offers a No Win No Fee service. What this essentially means is that if we do not win your compensation claims case, then you will not be required to pay any of our legal fees.
No Win No Fee is another name for a Conditional Fee Agreement. In this agreement, our responsibilities to you as your legal representative are outlined, as well as what we also expect from you as our client. The agreement clearly defines what our roles are within the working relationship.
Our payment terms are also written clearly. As already stated, if we do not win your case for you, you do not need to pay us anything. However, if we are successful and win your case, then we will require payment. This is taken as a small percentage of your award and is legally capped. What’s more, with our No Win No Fee service, there are no upfront costs or any costs during the whole process.
For someone with limited funds or whose finances are already feeling the strain of lost earnings due to their injury, the No Win No Fee service is a welcomed opportunity to get the compensation they deserve without any financial gamble.
Why make a foot injury claim with Legal Helpline?
Legal Helpline is a claims management company that specialises in personal injury claims with a fantastic reputation. We offer brilliant customer service, and the solicitors making up our panel have many years of experience and are completely committed to doing the very best for our clients.
We offer a very competitive service with our No Win No Fee policy, free advice and consultations, and the ability to provide a local medical free of charge. There is no financial risk involved and we provide informed legal assistance every step of the way during the claiming process. We really care about our clients and genuinely want to get them the best compensation award we can for them as quickly as we can so that they can move on with their lives.
Foot Injury Compensation FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding foot injury compensation claims.
How much is a foot injury worth?
It’s impossible to say how much an average foot injury is worth, as compensation is valued according to the amount of each victim’s suffering. For a free estimate, please call Legal Helpline today.
How do I calculate my personal injury claim?
As well as being able to recover costs spent as a result of your injury, you can also be compensated for the pain and suffering your injury caused you. This is valued through a medical assessment with an independent specialist. They’ll assess everything from the severity of your injury to the effects it had on your life. For a free estimate, please call Legal Helpline today.
Speak to our team today
Call our team today on 0161 696 9685 for an informal chat about what we can do for you as your legal representative when making your compensation claim.
Useful Links
Slip, trip, and fall compensation claims guide
This is our guide to claiming compensation if you have injured your foot in a slip, trip, or fall accident.
This is some information from the NHS regarding foot pain and what might be causing it. Also, it gives some advice on how to treat it and when to go to the A&E.
NHS guide on common strains and sprains injuries.
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