Finger Injury
Suffering from a finger injury can cause more than just discomfort; it can lead to significant disruption in your everyday life, especially if the injured fingers are on your dominant hand. While some finger injuries are simple bruises or small cuts, sometimes finger injuries can be severe. There are many circumstances that may lead to a finger injury, whether that be an accident at work, a slip or fall, a machine malfunction or any other occurrence where someone’s negligence is to blame. It’s crucial to assess whether the incident that caused the injury to your hand was beyond your control. If it was, you may be eligible for compensation.
Finger injury compensation claims are not one of the most common forms of personal injury claims, but they are extremely important. If your fingers are injured, you may need to take time off work, which may result in a loss of income. You may also incur medical expenses, not to mention the physical and mental pain that you may feel. All of these are things to consider if you need to make a claim.
At The Claims Partnership, we understand the importance of getting you the compensation that reflects the suffering and difficulties that you have been through. We can help you to navigate the complexities of the legal process to ensure you get the compensation you hope for.
Claiming Compensation for a Finger Injury?
If you want to make a finger injury compensation claim there are some things to consider. In order to be successful in your claim, you must be able to prove:
- The accident caused damage to your finger directly.
- The accident was a result of negligence by a third party.
- The accident led to the worsening of an already existing finger injury.
In order to prove this, you will need to gather the necessary evidence. This may include photographs, witness statements from people who were present at the incident and any official reports. Official reports (such as incident reports) are commonly filed when there has been an incident at work and are some of the most vital pieces of evidence to obtain. When gathering your evidence, it is always worth considering if the evidence provides substantial proof of the defendant’s wrongdoing.
Negligence Which May Lead To A Finger Injury
There are many examples of incidents that may lead to a finger injury, but not all of them will be a result of someone’s negligence. Here are some of the incidents you may be able to claim for:
Workplace Incidents
- Accident at work as a result of no prior risk assessment being carried out.
- Inadequate workplace training directly leading to an injury.
- A faulty or poorly-maintained machine which led to finger damage.
- Repetitive strain caused by repeated actions, such as using a keyboard without the appropriate support.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome relating to pressure on the wrist.
- Vibration white finger (VWF) – a condition caused by the use of vibrating tools, especially in cold or wet conditions.
Government Or Organisational Neglect
- A manhole cover which the council failed to inspect, and you, or someone else, tripped over it.
- Children experiencing a finger injury as a result of negligence from childminders or another authority figure who was meant to look after them.
- Finger injuries as a result of playing sports on an incorrectly laid surface.
Other
- Fingers crushed by a previously damaged chair collapsing.
- Finger injuries as a result of a road accident.
Things To Consider Before Making A Claim
Before making a finger injury compensation claim, there are certain factors you should consider. These factors will help to determine how much compensation you would be happy to receive. Some of the factors include:
- The physical pain suffered from the finger injury.
- Has the injury resulted in a mental health condition such as post-traumatic stress disorder?
- Medical expenses.
- Have you been unable to carry out care as a result of your injury? If so, you may want to claim care costs back.
- Travel expenses relating to your claim.
- Loss of income due to time off work.
- Loss of enjoyment in your everyday activities.
How Much Compensation Can You Get For a Finger Injury in the UK?
UK courts have generally ruled that some fingers are more important than others, especially when considering the full use of the hand and motor tasks. The thumb, index, and middle finger are generally considered to be more important, and injuries to these fingers generally result in a higher compensation settlement.
While it is always difficult to pinpoint an exact amount of compensation, past cases can give us a good indication of how much compensation you may expect.
It is commonly advised that a non-complex fracture of any finger is likely to result in a compensation settlement of around £2,000- £5,500.
As we get beyond simple cases into more complex claims, the exact amount of compensation becomes harder and harder to determine. Some helpful guidance is that compensation for partial loss of a finger starts at around £6,000, going up to around £18,500 for partial loss of an index finger. Serious finger injury claims start from around £10,320. They can go up to around £25,000 for serious forms of finger injury (such as amputation or loss of the terminal phalanges of the index finger).
Severe fracture claims start from around £35,000, and the most severe finger injuries can result in compensation of around £110,000.
While these figures are very helpful, they are by no means set in stone. Before considering the amount of compensation you may be entitled to, you should always consult with a legal professional.
Contact The Claims Partnership For Finger Injury Claims
If you need to make a finger injury claim, please contact The Claims Partnership today. We have years of experience when dealing with a variety of different personal injury claims and we are standing by to help you.