How Do I Make A Finger Injury At Work Claim?

By Danielle Fletcher. Last Updated 7th June 2023. In this guide, we’ll look at whether you’re eligible to make a finger injury at work claim. Your employer is responsible for your health and safety when you work. However, if they breach the duty of care they owed you and caused you to sustain an injury to your finger as a result, you may be able to seek compensation. We’ll explore how you can do so by making a personal injury claim.

There are many different ways that a finger injury can happen at work. For instance, they could occur if work equipment is faulty or if an employer does not provide a worker with necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as gloves. We will look at different ways you could injure your finger in a workplace accident caused by your employer’s negligence.

For more information, our team could help. You can:

  • Call us on 020 3870 4868 to speak to an advisor
  • Use the live chat feature to get instant advice
  • Start your claim online by filling out the form with your query

Finger injury at work

Finger injury at work claim guide

 

 

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The Criteria For Making A Finger Injury At Work Claim

In order to hold a claim that has validity, you must be able to show the following:

  • That your employer owed you a duty of care.
  • That your employer breached their duty of care.
  • And finally that you sustained harm as a result of your employer failing to uphold their duty of care.

All employers are expected to uphold the duty of care they owe employees as per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The act states that they should take all reasonable steps to prevent their employees from sustaining harm.

Whilst the steps they should take will vary depending on the workplace, they should carry out regular risk assessments to ensure any hazards that pose a risk are controlled or removed.

If you can prove that your employer failed to take all reasonable steps to prevent the accident that caused you harm, call our team. They can advise whether you’re eligible to make a finger injury at work claim.

Is There A Time Limit For Making A Finger Injury At Work Claim?

Under the Limitation Act 1980, there is a three-year time limit for making a personal injury claim. The time limit may begin on the day of your accident at work or the day you became aware that your employer’s negligence caused or contributed to your injuries.

However, some exceptions to this rule may apply. For example, if the injured person is below the age of 18 or the person has a reduced mental capacity.

For more information on these exceptions, call our team on the number above. They could advise on whether any apply to your finger injury at work claim.

Common Types Of Finger Injuries

There are various types of finger injuries that could occur, such as an amputation, fracture, dislocation, nerve damage, burn or laceration. The examples below highlight how an employer’s negligence could cause someone to sustain a finger injury at work.

  • Cluttered work environment: Your employer may have failed to ensure the storage area in your workplace was organised. As a result, you may have sustained a broken finger or a fingertip fracture as a result of heavy objects falling on you.
  • Defective equipment: Your employer may have failed to maintain the safety of equipment in work. As a result, the emergency stop button on a piece of equipment may have failed to work causing you to sustain a crush injury to your finger. This may have led to you requiring a partial finger amputation due to the severity of the damage.
  • Lack of PPE: Your employer may have failed to provide you with gloves when it was necessary to do so. As a result, you may have sustained a chemical burn to your fingers as a result of working with hazardous substances.

If you have experienced a similar incident, please get in touch on the number above to discuss your finger injury at work claim in more detail.

How Do I Prove A Claim For A Finger Injury At Work?

If you wish to make a finger injury at work claim, there are various steps you could take to ensure you build a strong case. For instance, you should seek the appropriate medical attention for your injuries. This can ensure you receive the correct treatment and can produce a medical record of the harm you sustained.

Doctor or hospital reports could provide details on the diagnosis and treatment you received which could be used as evidence in your claim. Also, you may be invited to attend a medical appointment to assess the current state of your injuries.

You should also gather other evidence to support your claim, such as:

  • CCTV footage
  • Records of your accident in a workplace accident book
  • Contact details of any witnesses
  • Photographs of your injuries and the accident

In addition to gathering relevant evidence, you may find it beneficial to seek legal advice. A solicitor could help you obtain the evidence needed to support your claim. They could also arrange for you to attend a medical assessment in your local area.

For more information on how you claim if you’re injured at work in the UK, call our team.

Compensation Payouts In Injury At Work Claims

When making a finger injury at work claim, the compensation you receive will vary. Generally, though, your claim may comprise:

  • General damages: These provide compensation for your physical and psychological injuries.
  • Special damages: These seek to reimburse you for any financial losses incurred as a result of your injuries. These might include loss of earnings, care costs or travel expenses. However, you will need evidence to prove these losses, such as receipts or payslips.

The value of your injuries will depend on several factors including the extent to which your injuries have impacted your quality of life and the severity. Medical evidence may be used to assess the full extent of the harm you sustained.

In addition, a document called the Judicial College Guidelines may be used alongside medical evidence to help when valuing your claim. The document sets out bracket compensation amounts for several injuries. We have used these amounts to create the table below.

Please only use the figures in the table as a guide as your actual settlement will vary.

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Type Of Finger Injury Damages Comments
Loss of the thumb – (R) £35,520 to £54,830 Where the thumb has been completely lost.
Severe finger fractures – (F) Up to £36,740 Fractures that may lead to partial amputations leading to reduced function, loss of grip and other issues.
Very serious thumb injury (S) £19,600 to £35,010 Injuries could include where the thumb was severed at the base and grafted back. It will have left the thumb mostly useless.
Amputation of the little and the ring fingers – (P) In the region of £21,810 Where the ring finger and the little finger has been amputated.
Total or partial loss of the index finger – (I) £12,170 to £18,740 Injuries might have an impact on grip and there could be deformities.
Serious thumb injury (T) £12,590 to £16,760 Injuries might include where the tip has been amputated, damage to the nerves or a fracture where wires need to be inserted.
Serious injuries of the ring or middle finger – (K) £10,320 to £16,340 Injuries might include a serious tendon injury, fracture or total loss of the middle finger.
Fracture of the index finger – (J) £9,110 to £12,240 Index finger fracture that has mended quickly. There may still be an impairment of grip and pain.
Amputation of the little finger – (M) £8,640 to £12,240 Where the little finger is amputated.
Loss of part of the little finger – (O) £3,950 to £5,860 Partial loss of the little finger where the tip remains sensitive.

What Else Can A Personal Injury Claim Payout Include?

As we discussed above, you might also be awarded special damages as part of your personal injury claim payout. This is to compensate you for any expenses incurred due to suffering a finger injury at work.

To include special damages as part of your workplace accident claim, you should submit evidence regarding your expenses, such as bank statements and receipts.

Examples of expenses you could be compensated for under special damages include:

  • Loss of earnings, including past, present and future losses.
  • Medical expenses, such as the cost of over-the-counter painkillers and physical therapy.
  • Vehicle adaptions if they are required to cope with your injury.

Get in touch with our advisors to discuss what could be included in your claim for your injury at work. They can also give you a personalised valuation of your potential compensation settlement.

Make A No Win No Fee Workplace Accident Claim

If you wish to hire legal representation, there is an option that you may find beneficial. Our panel of solicitors could handle your claim on a No Win No fee basis. This is a way for you to fund legal representation without paying a fee upfront.

As part of the No Win No Fee agreement, you will need to pay a success fee which is subject to a legal cap and taken from your compensation. However, for claims that don’t succeed, the success fee isn’t paid to the solicitor.

For more information about making a finger injury at work claim on this basis, our advisors could help. Alternatively, they can provide further clarification on anything of which you’re unsure. Either way, to get in touch, you can:

  • Call us on 020 3870 4868 to speak to an advisor
  • Use the live chat feature to get instant advice
  • Start your claim online by filling out the form with your query.

Learn More About Accident At Work Claims

The following guides may be helpful if you wish to make a workplace injury claim.

The following external resources may benefit you.

We appreciate you taking the time to read our guide to making a finger injury at work claim. If you have any questions after reading, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on the number above.