Hand Injury Claims
Claim Compensation for a Hand Injury
The information on this page from our solicitors will help you decide whether you want to make a hand injury compensation claim and how to go about it.
“This is an excellent PI team, who are highly respected in the PI sector. Their team includes bright, hard-working solicitors dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for their clients”
“Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.”
Whether you’re using your hand to operate a machine, hold a coffee or drive a car, there’s no doubt that our hands are both essential to everyday life and incredibly vulnerable to injury. A notable percentage of all Accident & Emergency visits are due to hand injuries, and year after year it’s the leading type of workplace injury. One out of every four non-fatal injuries in the workplace affect the hand.
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The most common types of hand injuries are lacerations, open wound injuries and fractures. They can occur in a variety of ways, such as work accidents, road collisions and sporting accidents.
If you have hurt your hand in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to get compensation for your injuries. Speak to our experienced personal injury solicitors about how we can help you secure the compensation that could help you while you recover from your hand injury.
Do I have a hand injury claim?
If all of the following apply to your situation, you may have a valid hand injury claim:
- You were involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault
- The accident resulted in a hand injury
- The accident occurred within the last three years (exceptions can be made for minors and those with diminished mental capacity)
Don’t get too hung up on who was responsible for the accident as your solicitor will investigate this for you. The first step is to explain what happened to an experienced solicitor. They will help you understand your rights and establish whether you have the right to make a claim.
What types of hand injuries can I claim for?
You can claim for any type of hand injury, no matter how minor or severe it may seem. The hand contains 27 bones and 36 joints, along with a complex network of nerves and tendons, and that makes it susceptible to a huge variety of trauma-based and overuse injuries.
Some of the most common hand injuries that people claim compensation for include:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Broken or fractured bones
- Burns and chemical injuries
- Crush injuries
- Nerve damage
- Amputations or loss of function
- Repetitive strain injury
- Occupational dermatitis
- Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS)
While some hand injuries will be short-lived and heal relatively quickly, others can have long-term consequences. For example, if you are a carpenter and suffer a crush injury or nerve damage, then you may not be able to continue working in your profession.
Hand injuries can also cause further complications down the road. Arthritis, limited mobility and chronic pain are just some of the known long-term effects of hand injuries.
That’s why your solicitor will request a medical report as part of your claim. An independent specialist will assess the long-term outlook and treatment of your injury. We use their report as a starting point in compensation negotiations, to ensure you receive the compensation you need to recover, both now and in the years to come.
What are the common causes of hand injuries?
Some of the most common accidents in the workplace are hand injuries. They can be caused in any number of ways as the following examples show:
- Cuts from commercial kitchen equipment, saw blades, farm machinery, knives used for opening boxes or hand-held construction tools.
- Fractures and crush injuries from getting the hand trapped in machinery or having heavy objects dropped on the hand, for instance, while working in industrial plants and warehouses.
- Burns, chemical burns and dermatitis from furnaces, cleaning products, and chemical compounds used in manufacturing or laboratory work.
- Repetitive strain injury due to performing the same hand movements over and over again, for example, in office roles while typing or using a computer mouse.
Besides work accidents, there are a many ways in which a hand injury can occur, including:
- Car accidents
- Cycling accidents
- Slips, trips or falls in public places
- Product defects or malfunctions
- Sporting accidents
- Dog bites
- Assault or criminal activity
This is not a complete list. If your hand injury resulted from any type of accident, and someone else is at fault, then you may be eligible for compensation.
Can I claim if a doctor caused my hand injury?
If you have suffered a hand injury due to medical negligence, then you may be able to make a claim against the doctor or healthcare provider responsible. Examples of medical negligence that can lead to hand injuries include:
- Missed hand fracture
- Hand tendon misdiagnosis
- Misreading scans and tests
- Delayed treatment or incorrect treatment
- Surgical errors
- Casting a fracture too tight (compartment syndrome)
- Negligent aftercare
Medical negligence cases can be complex. It is not enough to show that your doctor’s actions resulted in a hand injury. Your solicitor will need to prove that:
- The medical care you received fell below the accepted standard i.e. no reasonable doctor would have acted in the same way, and
- The substandard care caused your hand injury or made it worse. If, for example, your outcome would have been the same even with proper care, then you may not have a case.
To determine whether you have a claim, speak to one of our specialist medical negligence solicitors. They will review your case and let you know if you have a strong chance of success.
What’s a typical payout for a hand injury?
The most important question for everyone affected by a hand injury is how much compensation they can receive. But there is no general answer. The compensation figure for hand injuries is always case-by-case as all circumstances surrounding your injury are taken into account.
That said, your compensation will be made up of two types of damages.
General Damages
These are awarded to compensate for your pain and suffering, such as your intensity of pain, number of operations, whether you have been left with a disability, and the impact on your daily life. A wound that heals with stitches will result in less compensation than severe paralysing nerve damage, for example.
While every case is different, compensation tables provide a guide. These are the starting point for solicitors when they are trying to put a value on your claim. The following amounts are taken from the latest tables and can give you a rough idea of what you may receive for your hand injury:
- Minor hand injury that heals in a few months – Up to £4,750
- Moderate hand injury such as open wounds and fractures that restrict your function for a period of time – £5,720 to £13,280
- Serious hand injury that reduces the hand’s function by 50% – £29,000 to £61,910
- Major loss of function to the hand – £55,820 to £84,570
- Loss of one hand – £96,160 to £109,650
- Loss of both hands – £140,660 to £201,490
Special Damages
In addition to general damages, special damages are awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses incurred as a result of your hand injury. They include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medical bills
- Travel costs
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Medical equipment and aides
- Home or car adaptations to accommodate your injuries
- Loss of future earnings if you can no longer work or must work at a lower salary because of your hand injury
How long do I have to claim?
In most cases, you have three years to bring a claim. The time starts:
- From the date of your accident, or
- From the date you became aware that your hand injury was caused by someone else’s negligence. This may be relevant if your injury was caused by a gradual process such as repetitive strain.
If a child has suffered a hand injury, they have until their 21st birthday to make a claim.
If you do not make a claim within three years, then you will lose your right to compensation. Therefore, it is extremely important to speak to a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible after your hand injury.
Why choose Osbornes Law?
If you have suffered a hand injury, it is vital to choose the right solicitor to handle your claim. Osbornes Law is one of the leading personal injury law firms in the UK. That’s not just because we say so, but also because independent legal directories such as The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners rank us as such.
By choosing Osbornes Law for your hand injury claim, you will benefit from:
- Expertise – our personal injury solicitors have extensive experience in handling claims involving all types of hand injuries. We understand the complexities involved and know how to build strong, evidence-based cases that maximise your chances of success.
- Personalised service – we’ve built our reputation on treating our clients with compassion. Our team is always available to answer any questions you may have and provide support every step of the way.
- No-win no-fee – Hand injury claims can usually be funded through a no-win no-fee agreement. This means that you will not have to pay any upfront fees or legal costs unless we win your case.
- Support in every aspect of your claim – our service goes beyond just handling the legal aspects of your claim. We work with a network of healthcare professionals, charities and support groups to ensure that you are connected to the best possible services while we fight for your right to compensation.
What other types of injuries can I claim for?
We have helped clients claim compensation for a wide range of injuries including:
Questions about Hand Injury Claims
What is hand-arm vibration syndrome?
Hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) is a medical condition associated with the prolonged use of vibrating hand-held machinery. It’s a cumulative and potentially disabling disorder that affects the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and joints of the hand, wrist, and arm. HAVS is particularly prevalent in industries where workers frequently use power tools, such as construction, mining, forestry, and manufacturing.
There is no cure for HAVS, so treatment focuses on managing symptoms and preventing further progression of the condition.
Employers have a legal obligation to protect workers from the risks of vibration exposure. In the UK the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 sets out employers’ responsibilities to protect workers from risks to health from vibration.
Early diagnosis is crucial for managing HAVS, as it can severely impact the quality of life of people with the condition if not adequately treated.
Osbornes prepares cases well; the whole team is good and lawyers there know their stuff.
They deal with people compassionately and take on the right amount of detail. The firm has some really brilliant key solicitors.
The personal injury team is responsive and its level of service towards clients and other professionals is exceptional and high quality
The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.
It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work
Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.
Their team includes bright, hard-working solicitors dedicated to achieving successful outcomes for their clients from partner level to paralegal. Their client care is exceptional.
They are a team who are highly respected in the PI sector.
This is an excellent PI team doing a broad range of PI work.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims, with notable strength in acting for European clients for whom English is not a first language.
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims
Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims.
"Osbornes always provides work of excellent quality and the advice is sound."
"The firm has the ability to handle the most sophisticated and complex matters."
"Osbornes is always client-focused and works tirelessly to obtain the best outcomes."
'The team deals with multi-million pound, often multifaceted claims, involving such factors as severe brain, psychiatric, gynaecological and spinal injury, major trauma, amputation and fatality.'
"They are a boutique firm with highly experienced partners who are well-respected in the industry."
"The team at Osbornes deals with catastrophic injury claims with the same professionalism as the largest firms, but provides a much more client-focused experience."
"A really first-rate team, well capable of dealing with the most serious and complex injuries."
"This team has carved out an exceptional reputation in catastrophic injury work."
"Osbornes has impressed me with their personal touch for clients whilst offering a first-class handling of catastrophic injury claims. The partners all have vast experience and are highly respected in their field."
"This is a really excellent personal injury team that can be regarded as one of the major players in the London claimant personal injury market."
"Osbornes have managed to recruit a team of outstanding catastrophic injury lawyers who are at the top of the game."
"They punch well above their weight. The quality of service they provide equals that of any of the larger top-name firms in this area"
Ben Posford is fiercely bright, with an unrivalled passion for his clients’ cases. His encyclopaedic knowledge of all things PI is second to none. His foresight and commercial nous have propelled Osbornes into the highest echelons of the market where they rightly belong.
The firm has an excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants, managed by recruiting paralegals with multi-language skills – an impressive route for expansion of the caseload.
Great expanding team with expertise and respect in the sector. Led by a commercially savvy and business minded team.
A really excellent group of PI solicitors, notable for their individual quality.’
A niche firm that punches well above its weight in the catastrophic injury sector, borne out by the quality of work they obtain.
This combination of experience and diligence reaps massive rewards for clients, Osbornes being well known in the industry as a fantastic firm.
The Osbornes personal injury team now comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business.
Ben Posford is one of London’s best catastrophic injury lawyers, in my view. He is a real brain injury specialist.
Excellent coverage of personal injury, and traumatic brain injury. There is a real specialism in claimants who do not speak English as a first language.
The group is noted for its expertise in matters relating to cycling injuries, and is the official legal partner of the London Cycling Campaign charity.
To complement its strong reputation for high-value and complex personal injury work, the firm continues to develop its 'excellent and innovative line in cases involving non-English speaking claimants'
"Osbornes comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business"
"A small but high-powered team, dealing with cases of significant value and complexity."
"An excellent firm which achieves fantastic outcomes for clients."
"Osbornes Law have captured the magic of keeping the customer service levels of a smaller firm whilst having all the expertise and power of the biggest firms."
"A superb boutique catastrophic injury firm."
"Really good at dealing with people who have suffered a serious injury."
"Affable and charming with very good client-handling skills."
"superb firm with consummate professionals and a human touch."
Osbornes now has a team of highly experienced personal injury lawyers; particularly strong on high-value quantum cases, workplace accidents and claims involving foreign workers injured in the UK.
The team provides fantastic strength-in-depth for personal injury claims. It is also particularly well placed to service clients from Eastern Europe with specialist native language speakers. From the smallest case to a multimillion-pound spinal injury case, Osbornes has the right staff to manage every claim.
Ben Posford remains pre-eminent in his field with expert understanding of litigating cases of the upmost severity. His experience builds on Stuart Kightley’s running of the firm with recent partner additions of Rob Aylott making a fantastic addition.
A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.
Beneath Ben Posford’s calm and reassuring presence, which clients love, lies a formidable tactical and legal brain. His experience tells and he gets it right at every stage of the process from arranging the best possible rehabilitation, to ensuring, so far as possible, a polite relationship with those acting for the defendant in order to ensure best and early resolution of the claim.
"Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team."
"They have an expanding profile in personal injury and clinical negligence and offer a superb, broad service in accidents abroad, enabled by their recruitment of bilingual legal executives who can guide non-English speakers through complex litigation."
"Solid personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims arising from fatalities and severe head and spinal injuries."
"Offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims."
"Offers specialist expertise in cauda equina syndrome cases."
"An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."
"Stuart Kightley is an incredibly empathetic solicitor who is very knowledgeable about traumatic brain injury."
"They are an outstanding firm to work with. They are consistently impressive in their work."
"Osbornes often handles claims valued at over £1m, particularly relating to severe brain and spinal cord injuries and niche areas such as cauda equina syndrome and cycling accidents."
"The hard-working, thorough and committed Robert Aylott, who brings significant heavyweight personal injury experience."
"Key team members include the energetic and personable Stuart Kightley who is head of the personal injury department."
"Osbornes has a growing influence and impressive work load and is gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work."
"Catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford is an excellent practical litigator who offers exceptional service."
"Stuart is also very experienced in advising on fatal accidents and workplace accidents."
Thank you for the hard work and patience and for being so patient with my constant questions.
"I have found Osbornes to be thorough, clear and understanding from the initial call. They do exactly what they say they will and with passion! I would recommend them to anyone".
Very good efficient service. Would not hesitate to use again.
I will use Osbornes for any future needs.
I don't think I could have asked for anything more. One of the best dealings I've had with the legal profession.
Sam was excellent and very professional in dealing with our claim.
Head of the personal injury department, Stuart Kightley is a first-rate practitioner, wholly focused on getting his client the best outcome in a pragmatic, sensible and consensual manner.
As a real specialist in spinal cord injuries, Ben Posford is always looking at new angles on how to maximise his cases.
Ben Posford is one of the best catastrophic injury lawyers around.
They provide exceptional service, great knowledge and understanding of the law, excellent client care and tactical nous
Stuart Kightley is praised for his expertise in catastrophic and fatal claims. Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team.
My claim was dealt with efficiently and professionally. Communication was excellent, and timely. Shrewd and sound advice was provided at every stage of the claim from beginning through to completion. On the basis of my personal experience I would strongly recommend Osbornes.
I just wish to thank you for your hard work and successful outcome. I am pleased with the result and would recommend you and your firm to anyone in the future.
Ben Posford … is ‘tactically astute’ and ‘one of the best personal injury solicitors around’.
Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.
