Making A Broken Leg At Work Claim: What You Need to Know

Have you suffered from a broken leg at work? Was your employer responsible for this? If so, you may be eligible to claim compensation for your injuries and surrounding losses. This guide will explain everything you need to know when making an accident at work claim.

Broken legs can be incredibly painful and may prevent you from engaging in work and other activities for weeks or months. If your employer caused your broken leg, you may be compensated for this. We will show you how this compensation could be calculated.

Lastly, we will explain how you can claim on a No Win No Fee basis with the help of a solicitor from our panel.

Speak to our helpful advisors today:

A man sitting at home with his right leg in plaster after breaking it at work.

Jump To A Section:

  1. Who Could Make A Broken Leg At Work Claim?
  2. Causes Of Broken Legs In The Workplace
  3. Broken Leg Claims – Your First Steps
  4. How Much Compensation Could You Get From A Broken Leg At Work Claim?
  5. How Long Can A Broken Leg At Work Claim Take To Resolve?
  6. What Are The Benefits Of Claiming On A No Win No Fee Basis?
  7. Get More Information On Accident At Work Claims

Who Could Make A Broken Leg At Work Claim?

All employers must adhere to the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSAWA). In doing so, they have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of their employees at work. If they fail to do this, and your leg becomes broken at work, you may issue an accident at work claim.

Here are the specific criteria to make an accident at work claim for a broken leg:

  • Your employer must owe you a duty of care
  • Your employer breaches this duty
  • This results in your broken leg at work

For example, there may have been a spillage on the stairs in your office. Although your employer is aware of this, they may have failed to put a wet floor sign near it or clean it up. If you then slip on the stairs and fracture your leg, you may be eligible to start a compensation claim.

To make a broken leg at work claim, contact our advisors today.

Causes Of Broken Legs In The Workplace

Here are some further examples of how a broken leg could happen at work:

  • A heavy piece of machinery on a construction site isn’t correctly secured. The machine may fall on your leg, resulting in crush injuries. 
  • Due to unsafe working practices and conditions, a co-worker is told to use a forklift truck without being trained properly. They lose control whilst operating it and collide with you, breaking your leg.
  • Scaffolding is incorrectly erected and no safety checks are performed. Whilst working at height, the scaffolding collapses, and you fall to the ground landing heavily on your leg.

There are, of course, many other ways a leg break could happen at work. To discuss your specific accident circumstances for free, why not contact an advisor to see if you are eligible to claim?

An employee has broken their leg at work.

Broken Leg Claims – Your First Steps

If your leg has become broken at work, there are a number of things you could do that may strengthen your claim.

Gathering Evidence

  • Seek medical attention.
  • Make a note of the incident in a workplace accident report book and request a copy.
  • Obtain CCTV or dashcam footage of your accident.
  • Keep the details of any witnesses to your accident, as they may be able to provide a statement in support later.

The expert accident at work solicitors from our panel can help you with the evidence you need. To find out if you have a potential claim contact us for a free case assessment.

How Much Compensation Could You Get From A Broken Leg At Work Claim?

If you have sustained a broken leg at work due to your employer’s breach of duty, you could potentially be eligible for compensation. This compensation can be from two heads of loss: general damages and special damages.

General damages compensate you for any physical or psychological suffering you sustained following your workplace accident. Those responsible for calculating your general damages may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG).

The JCG is a document that can be used to value your general damages. It contains a list of injuries and suggested compensation brackets for them. Here are some examples from the JCG, including both injuries and compensation brackets, but please note that the top row is not from the JCG:

InjurySeverityCompensation
Very Serious Injuries and Substantial Special LossesSeriousUp to £1 million plus
Leg AmputationAbove-Knee Amputation of One Leg£127,930 to £167,760
Below-Knee Amputation of One Leg£127,930 - £167,760
Severe Leg InjuriesThe Most Serious Injuries Short of Amputation£117,460 to £165,860
Very Serious£66,920 to £109,290
Serious£47,840 to £66,920
Less Serious Leg InjuriesFractures (Incomplete Recovery)£21,920 to £33,880
Simple Fracture of the Femur£11,120 to £17,180
Simple Fracture of the Tibia or Fibula, or Soft Tissue InjuriesUp to £14,450
Psychiatric Damage GenerallyModerate£7,150 to £23,270

Special damages compensate you for any financial losses you incurred resulting from your injuries. Some examples of what you may be compensated for under special damages include:

  • Loss of income/wages.
  • Special work benefits (e.g. bonuses or pension contributions).
  • Medical expenses.
  • Special equipment (e.g. walking frame, wheelchair, etc.).
  • Home adjustments (e.g. ramps, stairlift, etc.).

To find out more information, contact our advisors today.

A patient is in a hospital bed with a broken leg.

How Long Can A Broken Leg At Work Claim Take To Resolve?

Unfortunately, it would be impossible to state how long your claim would take to complete. This is because the circumstances of each claim differ.

Factors that affect how long your case could take include:

  • If the defendant accepts fault quickly.
  • How severe and/or complex your injuries are as multiple medical reports may be necessary to value the potential size of the claim accurately.
  • The complexity of the legal issues in the case.
  • The court timetable should court proceedings become necessary.

For more information on accident at work claims, contact our advisors today.

What Are The Benefits Of Claiming On A No Win No Fee Basis?

Our panel solicitors are specialists in accident at work claims and can use their expertise to assist you in your claim. They can walk you through the claim process, help you obtain evidence and explain any key legal terms or documents.

They can proceed on a No Win No Fee basis by offering you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This has benefits for you, such as:

  • You pay no upfront or ongoing solicitors costs.
  • If you lose your case, you do not have to pay anything for the work your solicitor has done on your case.

A success fee is deducted from the compensation in successful cases. This is on a percentage basis. The size of this percentage is agreed upon before the case begins, and it is also subject to a legal maximum, so you keep the majority of the compensation.

A solicitor works on a broken leg at work claim with a client.

Get In Touch

If you want to start a claim, speak to our helpful advisors today:

Get More Information On Accident At Work Claims

Here is access to further information on accident at work compensation claims:

References:

Thank you for taking the time to read this guide on making a broken leg at work claim.