Skip to content 
Although small, hairline fractures can be incredibly painful, disrupting your independence and day-to-day life. However, if you sustained such injuries due to the negligent actions of a third party, you may be entitled to hairline fracture compensation.
At Legal Helpline, we have an excellent panel of solicitors who specialise in personal injury claims. They have the necessary legal skills and knowledge to help you pursue a claim to receive compensation for your suffering.
Key Takeaways
- A hairline fracture, also known as a stress fracture, is a small crack or bruise that can occur in any bone in the body.
- It is important to visit a medical centre after sustaining a hairline fracture to receive appropriate treatment and prevent long-term harm.
- Harline fractures can be suffered in workplace accidents, in public places and on the roads.
- Compensation may be awarded for your physical and mental suffering as well as any financial losses associated with your injury.
- You may receive legal representation for your hairline fracture claim from our excellent panel of No Win No Fee Solicitors.
Contact our advisors for a free consultation regarding your eligibility to claim compensation for your hairline fracture.
Jump To A Section
- What Is A Stress Fracture Or Hairline Fracture?
- Can I Claim Hairline Fracture Compensation?
- Common Causes Of Bone Fractures
- Hairline Fracture Medical Negligence Claims
- What Risk Factors Are Associated With Hairline Fractures?
- How Much Hairline Fracture Compensation Can I Claim?
- What Other Damages Could I Be Awarded?
- How To Claim For A Hairline Fracture On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Frequently Asked Questions About Broken Bone Claims
- Learn More
What Is A Stress Fracture Or Hairline Fracture?
Stress or hairline fractures are small and faint cracks that may appear on any bone within the body. Such injuries often cause pain, swelling and tenderness for several weeks, which may reduce a person’s ability to complete daily tasks and activities.
Hairline fractures may occur as a result of one traumatic accident or gradually develop over a period of time. Although it typically takes a few weeks to recover from such an injury, it is important to seek medical attention, as it may progress to a full fracture or multiple small fractures without proper treatment.
If you sustained a hairline fracture in an accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. So, discuss your accident and injury with our advisors today.
Can I Claim Hairline Fracture Compensation?
Yes, you may claim for hairline fracture compensation if you can prove your injury was caused by the negligent actions of a third party. Essentially, your case will need to demonstrate:
- You were owed a duty of care by the third party. You are legally owed a duty of care in most settings. This means that another person or organisation is responsible for taking necessary steps to ensure your health and safety.
- The third party breached their duty of care. This means that the third party was negligent and failed to take reasonable steps to legally fulfil their duty of care to keep you safe. For example, failing to complete health and safety inspections.
- This resulted in your hairline fracture. If the third party’s negligent conduct or omissions breached their duty of care and resulted in your hairline fracture, you may be eligible to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation.
It is also important to obtain evidence to demonstrate that you meet the claims criteria, such as photographs, medical reports and CCTV footage.
Additionally, you need to start your claim within the 3-year time limit as set out within the Limitation Act 1980.
Get in touch with our advisors today for a free consultation regarding your eligibility to claim hairline fracture compensation.
Common Causes Of Bone Fractures
Some common causes of bone fractures include car accidents, unsafe working conditions, and slips and trips. Below, we explore some further examples in more depth:
Road Traffic Accidents
All road users owe each other a duty of care. To fulfil this, they must adhere to the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code, to use the roads safely and responsibly to avoid harming others.
Road traffic accidents may result in hairline fractures if a road user:
- Fails to slow down on time at a zebra crossing, hitting a pedestrian
- Changes a lane when it is not safe to do so, colliding with a cyclist
- Is distracted while approaching a red light, hitting the rear of a stationary car
Accidents At Work
All employers owe their employees a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. So, they must take reasonable steps to ensure employees’ safety.
Workplace accidents may cause hairline fractures if an employer:
- Fails to provide required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety boots or hard hats
- Fails to complete health and safety inspections to maintain trip hazards
- Doesn’t regularly maintain workplace machinery and equipment, causing it to malfunction and resulting in fractures
Public Liability Accidents
All those in control of a public place owe visitors a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. To fulfil this, they must take necessary steps to ensure visitors are reasonably safe.
A public liability accident may cause a visitor to sustain a hairline fracture if:
- A local council fails to repair a reported raised pavement within a reasonable timeframe, creating a trip hazard
- A supermarket fails to place a wet floor sign near a wet floor or clean it up, causing a customer to slip and fall
- A library fails to repair a faulty handrail on a staircase, causing a visitor to fall down them
If you suffered a hairline fracture in an accident that was not your fault, get in touch with our advisors to see if you could pursue a personal injury claim.
Hairline Fracture Medical Negligence Claims
You may pursue a hairline fracture medical negligence claim if you suffered avoidable or unnecessary harm due to a medical professional’s substandard care.
All medical professionals have a duty of care to provide their patients with the correct standard of care when treating them. If they fail to do so and this causes the patient to suffer unnecessary harm, this amounts to medical negligence.
Some examples of how such claims arise include:
- Failing to recognise symptoms. For example, you may visit a walk-in centre for gradual hip pain. However, they fail to refer you to a hospital for an X-ray scan, delaying treatment for your fracture and causing avoidable future pain.
- Misinterpreting scan results. For example, a radiologist may review an X-ray scan of your leg injury. However, they may have failed to examine it from different angles and to notice a faint hairline fracture, thereby delaying treatment.
- Misdiagnosing a hairline fracture. For example, you may visit your GP with ankle pain and swelling after falling. However, the GP performs a physical examination and misdiagnoses your injury as soft-tissue damage.
Contact our advisors to learn more about pursuing a hairline fracture medical negligence claim.
What Risk Factors Are Associated With Hairline Fractures?
There are many serious risk factors associated with hairline fractures when left untreated, such as worsening fractures that require longer treatment. Some examples of this include:
- Developing into a full break or creating multiple cracks within the bone.
- Causing chronic pain and discomfort in the bone or surrounding joints.
- Affecting mobility and destabilising weight-bearing abilities.
- Requiring future surgeries, long-term recovery, and rehabilitation.
- Causing mental suffering due to lasting pain and reduced or loss of independence.
To prevent future complications, it is important to seek medical attention if you sustain a hairline fracture. This ensures you receive the correct treatment early, preventing long-lasting harm and suffering.
Get in touch with our advisors if you suffered from complications of a hairline fracture to determine if you are entitled to compensation for this.
How Much Hairline Fracture Compensation Can I Claim?
The amount of compensation you may claim for a hairline fracture depends on where you suffered the fracture, its severity, and its impact on your daily life.
General damages are awarded for the physical and psychological harm your injury has caused you. A solicitor will value this compensation based on an independent medical assessor’s report of your injuries. They can also refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them.
The JCG contains a list of injuries, such as fractures, and provides suggested compensation brackets for each.
The table below provides examples from the JCG of suggested compensation amounts for fractures. Remember, these figures are guidelines only, not guarantees. Furthermore, the top entry of this table has not come from the JCG.
| Injury | Compensation | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries and Significant Financial Losses | Up to £100,000 plus | For multiple injuries that are serious and incur significant financial losses such as medical expenses, travel costs and lost wages. |
| Severe Pelvis And Hip Injuries (iii) | £47,810 to £64,070 | Suggested for an acetabulum fracture causing degenerative changes or an arthritic femur or hip fracture requiring a hip replacement. |
| Moderate Back Injuries (i) | £33,880 to £47,320 | Suggested for a lumbar vertebrae fracture with a substantial risk of osteoarthritis, pain and suffering. |
| Moderate Neck Injuries (i) | £30,500 to £46,970 | Suggested for moderate neck fractures that require a spinal fusion. |
| Arm Injuries | £8,060 to £23,430 | Suggested for simple fractures to the forearm |
| Less Serious Leg Injuries (ii) | £11,120 to £17,180 | Suggested for simple femur fractures that have not damaged the articular surfaces. |
| Modest Ankle Injury | Up to £16,770 | Suggested for less serious or undisplaced ankle fractures. This award is determined by mobility and recovery. |
| Modest Foot Injuries | Up to £16,770 | Suggested for simple metatarsal fractures. Continuing symptoms and lacerations are taken into account. |
| Serious Toe Injuries | £11,720 to £16,770 | Suggested for fractures to two or more toes causing some permanent disability, pain and discomfort. |
| Index Finger Fracture | £11,120 to £14,930 | Suggested for fractures to the index fingers that impair grip. |
Discuss your hairline fracture with our advisors for more information about how much compensation you may be entitled to.
What Other Damages Could I Be Awarded?
You may also be awarded special damages as part of your overall payout. This head of claim compensates you for any financial losses you incurred as a direct result of your hairline fracture.
Some examples of financial losses associated with hairline fracture injuries include:
- Lost wages and work benefits, such as pension contributions
- Medical costs for prescriptions, treatment and support
- Payments for rehabilitation sessions and mental health services
- Costs for supportive equipment such as medical beds or mobility aids
- Home adaptation costs, such as payments for bathroom adjustments
- Travel costs for going to and from medical or therapy appointments
You must have evidence of the losses you incurred to support your claim for special damages. This may include invoices, payslips or receipts.
For help calculating your financial losses, please reach out to our helpful advisors.
How To Claim For A Hairline Fracture On A No Win No Fee Basis
To claim compensation for a hairline fracture on a No Win No Fee basis, it is worth pursuing your claim with us here at Legal Helpline.
Understanding the financial impact a personal injury may have on you, our panel of solicitors offer their legal services on a No Win No Fee basis through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is so you can receive professional legal support without having to pay for their services:
- Upfront
- While the claim is underway
- If the claim is unsuccessful
If your claim is successful, your solicitor will take a small success fee from your compensation. However, the percentage this fee can be is legally limited, ensuring the majority of the compensation stays with you.
Some other benefits of pursuing a hairline fracture claim with our panel of solicitors is that they will:
- Thoroughly walk you through the personal injury claims process
- Utilise their decades of combined experience, training and education
- Simply explain legal jargon and important documentation
- Assist you in collecting evidence to support your claim
- Fairly and accurately value your compensation
- Set you up with an independent medical assessment
- Provide you with mental health service information
- Help you apply for interim payments for medical costs
At Legal Helpline, we prioritise both the health of our clients and getting them the compensation they deserve.
Contact Legal Helpline Today
Contact our helpful advisors at Legal Helpline for a free consultation regarding your hairline fracture claim. Get in touch by:
- Calling them on 0333 000 0729 to go through your free eligibility assessment
- Sending them any questions you may have on their free and private live chat
- Contacting us online
Frequently Asked Questions About Broken Bone Claims
Here are the answers to our most frequently asked questions associated with broken bone claims.
What Does A Hairline Fracture Look Like?
A hairline fracture looks like a thin crack in a bone. However, it often causes swelling and redness of the external area.
How Are Breaks And Fractures Treated?
Bone breaks and fractures are treated with casts and splints to immobilise the bone, typically taking up to 8 weeks to heal. However, more serious breaks may require orthopaedic surgery to reposition the bone.
How Could A Fracture Be Misdiagnosed?
Fractures may be misdiagnosed if healthcare professionals provide substandard care. For example, they may fail to recognise symptoms, fail to send patients for scans or fail to interpret scans correctly.
What Could Happen If The Injury Is Not Correctly Treated?
If a break or fracture is not treated correctly, this may cause severe, long-term or irreversible pain, discomfort, mobility problems and life-altering harm.
Can I Claim If An Existing Fracture Was Made Worse?
Yes, you may pursue a fracture claim if your existing injury was made worse due to the negligent conduct of another person. However, you could only claim for how the injury was made worse, not the initial fracture you already had prior to the incident.
Learn More
Learn more about personal injury claims by reading our informative guides linked below.
- Information about child injury compensation
- Guidance on how to win a personal injury claim
- Learn about how long compensation takes to come through
References:
- Access an emergency treatment centre, NHS.UK
- Examples of injury recovery support, NHS.UK
- Information about statutory sick pay, GOV.UK
Thank you for reading our guide on claiming hairline fracture compensation.