In this guide, we will explore the steps you can take to get the Achilles tendon injury settlement you deserve. If your injury was caused by someone else failing to fulfil the duty of care they owed you, our guide could help you understand the rights you have.
The injury you sustained could have happened in an accident at work, a public place or a road traffic accident. If so, you may have been owed a duty of care. This guide will provide examples of the circumstances in which you’re owed a duty of care.
Achilles tendon injury settlement guide
In order to hold a valid claim, you must be able to prove that someone acted negligently. This means it must meet the three requirements of negligence.
Firstly, someone needs to have owed you a duty of care. Secondly, that person needs to have breached the duty of care they owed you. Finally, you need to have sustained an injury as a result. Our guide will look at examples of someone acting negligently.
We understand the premise of putting forward a personal injury claim may seem daunting. However, if you have any questions whilst or after reading our guide, please don’t hesitate to contact our team. You can:
- Call us on 0161 696 9685
- Chat with an advisor via live chat below
- Request a call-back by filling out your details on the contact form
Jump To A Section
- A Guide To How To Claim Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
- What Is An Achilles Tendon Injury?
- Risk Factors For Achilles Tendon Damage
- What Are The Different Types Of Achilles Injuries?
- What Could Cause Achilles Tendon Damage?
- Signs Of Achilles Tendon Injuries
- Diagnosis
- Surgical And Non-Surgical Treatment
- How Much Are Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements Worth?
- What Other Damages Could You Claim?
- Steps to Take
- No Win No Fee Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
- Talk To Legal Helpline Today
- Useful Claims Links
- FAQs On Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
A Guide To How To Claim Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
Any injury sustained in an accident caused by someone else’s failings can be disruptive and impact your enjoyment. However, as part of the personal injury claims process, you’re entitled to seek compensation for your pain and suffering.
Our guide will look at what your compensation settlement might include and how it may be calculated. For instance, they could explain the evidence you may need to support your claim and provide details of your injury.
Additionally, we’ll explore the impact this type of injury could have on you and how this may be considered when valuing your claim.
Most importantly, we’ll look at how a third party could have been liable for your accident. Remember, if your accident isn’t discussed in this guide, please remember you can call our team to discuss your case in more detail.
Additionally, we have an expert panel of solicitors who can help you with your claim. However, we understand you may be apprehensive about seeking legal help for financial reasons. If so, we have an option that could help; we will look at No Win No Fee agreements later on in this guide.
For more information, continue reading. Alternatively, please speak to a member of our team using the number above.
What Is An Achilles Tendon Injury?
The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscle to your heel bone and is one of the strongest tendons in your body. When injured, it can cause difficulty with mobility, such as walking, running or climbing stairs.
There are various ways it could be injured. However, it’s commonly injured when it’s suddenly forced up and overstretched. For instance, when jumping or playing other sports. In these cases, it may be an unfortunate accident rather than caused by third party negligence.
However, there are certain scenarios where this injury could happen due to someone failing to fulfil the duty of care they owed someone. For instance, slipping on a wet floor in a shop that wasn’t cleaned up or signposted.
For more information, call our team. Alternatively, continue reading to learn more about an Achilles tendon injury and how it could affect you.
Risk Factors For Achilles Tendon Damage
Certain groups of people may be more at risk of suffering this type of injury. For instance, people with rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.
Furthermore, an Achilles tendon injury can cause complications due to the nature of the injury. However, the risk of complications may depend on the type of injury you’ve sustained.
For instance, if you’ve ruptured your tendon either completely or partially, it can lead to difficulty walking and bearing weight. For that reason, you may be advised not to walk for a while until it’s healed.
However, this can lead to further complications such as Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). This is often a risk when you aren’t moving about and have to lie or sit in the same position for long periods, such as when resting an injury.
It can increase your chance of developing blood clots. These can have serious consequences if left untreated.
Additionally, in some cases, your injury may need to be treated with surgery. However, there are risks with this treatment, such as an infection of the wound.
What Are The Different Types Of Achilles Injuries?
The Achilles attaches to the calcaneus heel bone, otherwise known as the heel bone. There are several types of injuries that you could sustain to the different parts of the tendon, such as a sprain. This is where the ligament pr tendon is torn or twisted.
In other cases, you may have experienced a more severe injury. For example, you may have suffered from a ruptured tendon. This is where the tendon tears either partially or completely.
If you’ve experienced any of these injuries, or something similar, be sure to seek medical advice to avoid any complications from developing. If your injury was caused by the negligence of a third party, then we could offer you free legal advice about claiming.
What Could Cause Achilles Tendon Damage?
There are various ways you could have damaged your Achilles tendon, such as sporting activities that involve you pushing off your foot with force. Alternatively, a fall or car accident could also lead to this type of injury.
However, to put forward a valid claim, you need to be able to prove that someone acted negligently. For instance:
- Falling from a defective ladder at work due to your employer failing to check it was safe to use.
- Falling down a defective maintenance hole that the council left uncovered and with no warning signs.
- A head-on collision with another driver who was texting while driving and not paying attention to the road. The collision of the two cars could cause your foot on the pedal to be forced backwards, ser
If you sustained your injury in a different type of accident, get in touch with our team for more information on whether someone was liable. Additionally, they can advise on whether you could claim to seek an Achilles tendon injury settlement.
Signs Of Achilles Tendon Injuries
Depending on the severity of your injury and the type of damage done to your tendon, Achilles tendonitis symptoms may vary. However, according to the NHS, some common symptoms might include:
- Pain in the tendon that becomes worse with movement
- Difficulty moving or walking on the affected area
- Feeling a grating or crackling sensation when moving the affected area
- Swelling around the calf
- Bruising
For any medical advice, please visit the NHS website or speak to a medically trained professional. Alternatively, see below for information on how a doctor might diagnose a tendon injury.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of an Achilles tendon injury may vary depending on the nature of the damage. However, generally, the doctor may carry out examinations such as checking:
- Your mobility functions
- Whether there is any swelling or bruising
- The movement of your foot
Your doctor might use manual manipulation to confirm whether or not you have ruptured your tendon. If you have, they may be able to feel a gap in the heel. Additionally, they may organise for you to have an ultrasound scan or MRI scan if they need more information to make an accurate diagnosis.
Furthermore, your doctor thinks you may have ruptured your tendon, they may refer you to a specialist for further assessment and treatment.
Surgical And Non-Surgical Treatment
If you’re wondering how to treat Achilles tendonitis, the treatment you receive may depend on the diagnosis you’re given. Generally, though, your doctor will often recommend non-surgical treatment first, such as rest and completing Achilles tendonitis exercises.
Additionally, a doctor may treat your injury using a cast or brace to support your lower leg and allow the tendon to heal. You may also require crutches to help you move around, as a doctor may advise you not to put any weight on your leg while the tendon is healing.
Furthermore, your doctor or surgeon may recommend physiotherapy to help you regain strength and movement in your ankle and lower leg.
Alternatively, if your injury is more severe, they may suggest surgical treatment depending on the severity of your injury.
Surgical treatment involves bringing the torn ends of your tendon back together. The surgeon may suggest open surgery or another less invasive option depending on your type of injury.
For more information, seek advice from your doctor or another trained medical professional. Alternatively, see NHS patient information for further information.
How Much Are Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements Worth?
Generally, your Achilles tendon injury settlement may be made up of general and special damages. General damages compensate you for your physical or psychological injuries.
When valuing your injury, consideration will be given to how severely it’s impacted your quality of life. For instance, the severity of your injury and whether it’s caused any long term issues will be taken into account when your claim is valued.
As you can see, settlements may vary from case to case as each one is unique. However, we have included a table that shows examples of compensation figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines, which is sometimes used to help value claims.
| Injury | Other details | Award |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles Tendon | a) Most Serious: Where the tendon and peroneus longus muscle has been severed leading to swelling, cramp and limited movement in the ankle. | In the region of £36,060 |
| Achilles Tendon | b) Serious: The severed tendon will have been repaired but there will still be weakness and restriction in ankle movement that may not improve. | £23,460 to £28,240 |
| Achilles Tendon | c) Moderate: Where the tendon has been partially ruptured. | £11,820 to £19,770 |
| Achilles Tendon | d) Minor: Where there has been some damage to the tendon due to the ankle turning over. | £6,820 to £11,820 |
As part of your claim, you will usually be invited to an independent assessment with a medical expert. They will assess your injuries and complete a report with their findings. This report will be used to work out how much compensation you’re entitled to.
The figures in the table above are only a guide, and your actual settlement figure will vary as other evidence will be used to help value your claim.
However, if your injury isn’t listed, call our team. They can provide an estimate of how much your claim may be worth.
What Other Damages Could You Claim?
As well as general damages, you may also be entitled to seek compensation for any financial losses you’ve incurred. You may claim these under special damages, which cover past or future losses directly incurred by your injury.
Special damages can include:
- Care costs
- Medical expenses, for example, walking sticks, wheelchairs or physiotherapy
- Travel expenses such as bus or taxi fares to and from hospital appointments
- Loss of earnings
However, as not every claim will include these, they will be calculated separately and added to your overall Achilles tendon injury settlement. Furthermore, you will need to provide evidence of any financial losses that you’ve accumulated. For instance:
- Receipts for medical or travel expenses
- Payslips to show any lost earnings
- Invoices for any care costs
If you’re unsure whether you’d be able to claim a particular cost back as a result of special damages, speak to our team today. Our advisors can offer free legal advice about what you can include in your claim and the evidence you will need to collect.
Steps To Take
There are certain steps you can take to build a strong personal injury claim. These include:
- Seek medical advice: This can help ensure you receive the correct treatment for your injury. However, it can also help provide medical evidence that can prove you sustained your injury in the accident in question. It may also help to value your claim by showing the current state of your condition, the severity of your injury and the impact it’s had on you.
- Obtain evidence of negligence: You may need to provide other forms of evidence to prove that someone acted negligently. For instance, CCTV or dashcam footage, pictures of the accident and your injury, accident book logs outlining details of the incident, and witness details.
- Speak to a personal injury solicitor: Seeking legal advice can help you understand how you need to proceed. Furthermore, they can provide clarification on the often complex legal jargon and keep you updated at each stage of your claim. Most importantly, they can help you get the Achilles tendon injury settlement you deserve. It’s not a legal requirement but is something we recommend.
We understand if you have apprehensions about seeking legal advice. However, the next section will look at an option that could help.
No Win No Fee Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
At Legal Helpline, our panel of solicitors all represent claimants on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that if they are unsuccessful with your claim, you won’t be asked to pay solicitor fees.
If they are successful, you will be required to pay a small success fee. However, your solicitor will inform you of this before you go ahead with your claim. Furthermore, the fee is legally capped, so solicitors can’t take more than the capped percentage.
Although claiming without legal representation bears no initial costs, certain costs may incur while your claim is ongoing. For instance, fees for medical evidence and court fees if your claim ends up going to court. What’s more, if you pay a solicitor in the usual way, then you could be faced with large solicitor bills with no guarantee that you will receive compensation.
Whereas, if you claim with a solicitor from our panel under the No Win No Fee agreement, it allows you to avoid upfront costs and those costs that may incur while your claim is ongoing.
We understand you may still have questions about this type of agreement. If so, please get in touch with our team, and they can provide further clarification on anything you’re unsure of.
Talk To Legal Helpline Today
We hope you’ve found our guide exploring how to seek an Achilles tendon injury settlement helpful. However, we expect you may still have questions about the process of making a personal injury claim. If so, our team of expert advisors can help.
They can assess your claim to determine whether your case is valid and provide an estimate of how much your claim may be worth.
Additionally, if they feel your claim has a good chance of success and you’re ready to make a start, they can appoint a personal injury solicitor from our panel to your case.
A solicitor can then help you through the next steps and begin to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Alternatively, they can answer any questions you may have if you’re not yet ready to begin your claim. Either way, they are available 24/7 to help. Simply get in touch using the details below:
- Please ring us on 0161 696 9685
- Chat with an advisor via live chat below
- Request a call-back by filling out your details on the contact form
Useful Claims Links
If you’re looking to claim a broken bone, our guide could help.
Were you involved in a hit and run accident? If so, see our guide for more information on how to proceed with your claim.
Did you sustain an injury in a public park? If so, our guide could help you understand your rights.
For more information on accident prevention, see the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).
See the government website for further details on seeking compensation after an accident.
The government website provides information on litigation friends.
Get information on making a 50/50 accident claim and who pays for what with our helpful split liability claims guide.
FAQs On Achilles Tendon Injury Settlements
The following section will look at commonly asked questions about an Achilles tendon injury.
What is the most common Achilles tendon injury?
We don’t have any statistics showing the most common kinds of Achilles tendon injuries. However, some injuries that you could sustain includes a ruptured tendon and tendonitis.
What happens if there are delays to diagnosing or treating your Achilles tendon injury?
If there are delays in treating an injury to the Achilles tendon, it can cause some ongoing issues with mobility.
Could I claim for a delayed diagnosis of an Achilles tendon injury?
If you have evidence to prove that a medical professional failed to diagnose your injury correctly due to providing a substandard level of care, you may be entitled to seek compensation.
Thank you for reading our guide exploring how you could make a personal injury claim to seek an Achilles tendon injury settlement.
Written by MMI
Edited by FS