Wrist Injury Claims

Claim Compensation for a Wrist Injury

Whether it’s a fracture, strain or ligament tear, wrist injuries are common and can be caused by a variety of accidents. Our lawyers can guide you through the process of making a Wrist Injury Claim.

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  • “Fielding a first class, very well resourced’ team of litigators, the personal injury department at Osbornes is rated for its diverse workload of complex, high-value injury claims.”

  • “Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.”

     

Introduction to Wrist Injury Claims

The wrist is a complex joint that connects the hand to the forearm. It comprises numerous small bones, ligaments, nerves, two major arteries—and myriad possibilities for injury.

Even minor injuries to the wrist can be painful and restricting. The wrist plays a critical role in our daily activities, and injuries can make it difficult to perform tasks you may take for granted such as dressing yourself or texting.

If you have injured your wrist in an accident that was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. This page will explain how to make a claim and what factors contribute to the amount of compensation you may receive.

Table of Contents

Can I claim compensation for a wrist injury?

You can make a claim if someone who had a duty of care towards you was negligent, and their actions caused your injuries.

Legally speaking, a duty of care means that someone has a responsibility to ensure your safety and wellbeing. This could be, for example:

  • An employer ensuring their employees have the necessary training and equipment to do their job safely.
  • A driver ensuring they are following traffic laws and being cautious on the road.
  • A property owner maintaining their premises to prevent someone from slipping and falling.
  • A product manufacturer ensuring their products are safe for use.
  • A doctor providing an appropriate standard of medical care.

You do not need to worry about establishing a duty of care as your solicitor will handle this for you. They will also gather evidence to prove that the other party was negligent and that their negligence caused your wrist injury.

What are the common types of wrist injury?

Wrist injuries range from relatively minor bruises and sprains to serious fractures and ruptures that rarely heal without surgery. They fall into two categories: traumatic and non-traumatic.

Traumatic wrist injuries

Fractures: The most common wrist fractures are distal radius fractures, where the radius bone breaks at the wrist, and scaphoid fractures that affect one or more of the small bones of the wrist. These fractures are hard to heal due to the anatomy of the blood supply to the wrist, and can cause long-term pain and weakness.

Dislocation: When the bones of the wrist are forced out of their normal position, it is referred to as a dislocated wrist. This can occur in high-speed accidents or sports where there is significant force applied.

Ligament injuries: Ligaments in the wrist are responsible for full wrist wrist motion and for stabilising the joint. They can stretch or rupture in a fall or if the wrist is hyperextended or bent backwards. Ligament injuries can be very painful and may require surgery.

Non-traumatic wrist injuries

Carpal tunnel syndrome: Carpal tunnel syndrome is when there is pressure on the nerves in the wrist, causing pain, tingling and numbness. The NHS carries out 53,000 carpal release surgeries every year. Surgery is usually a last resort if splints, rest and painkillers are not effective.

Tendonitis: Inflammation of the tendons which attach muscles to the bones of the wrist can be caused by repetitive movements, such as typing or playing an instrument.

Arthritis: Arthritis causes swelling of the body’s joints. Since the wrist is a complex and highly used joint, it’s especially susceptible to arthritis due to a previous injury.

What are the common causes of wrist injuries?

Traumatic wrist injuries can occur in any accident that applies a lot of force to the hand or wrist. Common causes include:

Non-traumatic wrist injuries are typically caused by repetitive strain or overuse of the wrist. This can occur in a variety of work activities such as typing, lifting and moving heavy items, using hand tools, and playing musical instruments.

In some cases, medical negligence may lead to wrist injuries. You may have a claim against the NHS or a private doctor if, for example, a doctor fails to diagnose a broken wrist, or if a surgical error leads to complications.

How much compensation can I claim for a wrist injury?

There is no set amount of compensation you will receive for a wrist injury. The amount you can claim depends on the severity of your injury and how it has impacted your life.

Your solicitor will assess your case and use medical reports to determine the extent of your injury, any ongoing symptoms, and the likely prognosis. They will also consider any financial losses and expenses you have incurred.

Generally, your wrist injury compensation could include:

  • The pain and suffering your wrist injury has caused
  • Loss of amenity, which covers the impact on your ability to do things you enjoyed before the accident, such as hobbies or sports
  • The mental health effects of your injury
  • Any income you have lost due to time off work
  • Income you may lose in the future if you have a long-term disability
  • Medical and rehabilitation costs
  • The cost of any aids, such as carpal tunnel splints or voice recognition software
  • Travel expenses

Average wrist injury compensation payouts

There is a published set of guidelines that lawyers and the courts use to value a wrist injury compensation claim. The guidelines give a bracket of sums for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity caused by different types of wrist injury.

Injuries are classified as mild, moderate or severe. The following figures give you an idea of what your wrist injury claim may be worth:

  • Minor wrist injury e.g. a simple fracture recovering within one year – £3,530 to £4,740
  • Moderate wrist injury e.g. a complex fracture taking around a year to heal – £6,080 to £10,350
  • Severe wrist injury causing ongoing chronic pain and stiffness – £12,590 to £24,500
  • Severe wrist injury permanently harming the use and function of the wrist– £47,620 to £59,860

How long do I have to start a wrist injury claim?

When claiming compensation for a wrist injury, a three-year time limit will apply. The time begins from:

  • The date of the accident
  • The date your injuries were diagnosed. This may be relevant if you have only just discovered you have carpal tunnel syndrome, for example.

If the claimant is under 18 years of age at the time of the accident, they have until their 21st birthday to make a claim.

There is a lot of work to do to make a wrist injury claim. It is important to contact a solicitor as soon as possible so they have enough time to gather evidence and arrange for medical reports to build a strong case.

Why choose Osbornes Law?

Our multi-award-winning personal injury lawyers have secured millions of pounds of compensation for people just like you who were injured through no fault of their own. With specialists in all types of accidents and medical negligence cases, we can help you get the compensation you deserve.

Our team will explain the claims process in plain English and offer you support throughout your case. We can arrange home visits if you are unable to come into our London office.

We operate on a no-win-no-fee basis so there is no financial risk to you. You don’t pay any costs upfront, and we will only take a fee if your claim is successful.

What types of injuries can I claim for?

We have helped clients claim compensation for a wide range of injuries including:

Questions about Wrist Injury Claims

Can I claim compensation for a scaphoid fracture?

A scaphoid fracture is a break in one of the small bones in the hand close to the wrist. Scaphoid fractures often occur after a fall onto an outstretched hand. Symptoms of a scaphoid fracture typically include pain and tenderness in the area just below the base of the thumb.

If the fracture was the result of an accident that was someone else’s fault, such as a workplace accident, a slip, trip or fall in a public place, or a road traffic accident, you may have grounds for a claim.

 

How much compensation can I claim for a broken wrist?

Wrist injuries are classified as mild, moderate or severe. The following figures give you an idea of how much compensation can I claim for a broken wrist:

  • Minor wrist injury e.g. a simple fracture recovering within one year – £3,530 to £4,740
  • Moderate wrist injury e.g. a complex fracture taking around a year to heal – £6,080 to £10,350
  • Severe wrist injury causing ongoing chronic pain and stiffness – £12,590 to £24,500
  • Severe wrist injury permanently harming the use and function of the wrist– £47,620 to £59,860

Speak to us about a wrist injury

For a free initial conversation call 020 7485 8811

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    • Osbornes fields a solid team of high quality practitioners, active in a range of catastrophic injury claims.

      Legal 500 2025

    • Osbornes prepares cases well; the whole team is good and lawyers there know their stuff.

      Chambers UK 2024

    • They deal with people compassionately and take on the right amount of detail. The firm has some really brilliant key solicitors.

      Chambers UK 2024

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      Chambers UK 2024

    • The team offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims and regularly acts for foreign nationals.

      Chambers UK 2024

    • It has considerable experience in cases arising from motor accidents and accidents at work

      Chambers UK 2024

    • Osbornes is a well-regarded personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims.

      Chambers UK 2024

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2024

    • They are a team who are highly respected in the PI sector.

      Legal 500 2024

    • This is an excellent PI team doing a broad range of PI work.

      Legal 500 2024

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2024

    • Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims

      Legal 500 2024

    • Osbornes’ ‘highly respected‘ personal injury team is experienced in a range of complex, high-value claims.

      Legal 500 2024

    • "Osbornes always provides work of excellent quality and the advice is sound."

      Chambers UK 2023

    • "The firm has the ability to handle the most sophisticated and complex matters."

      Chambers UK 2023

    • "Osbornes is always client-focused and works tirelessly to obtain the best outcomes."

      Chambers UK 2023

    • '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.'

      Legal 500 2023

    • "They are a boutique firm with highly experienced partners who are well-respected in the industry."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "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."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "A really first-rate team, well capable of dealing with the most serious and complex injuries."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "This team has carved out an exceptional reputation in catastrophic injury work."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "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."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "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."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "Osbornes have managed to recruit a team of outstanding catastrophic injury lawyers who are at the top of the game."

      Legal 500 2023

    • "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"

      Chambers UK 2022

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2022

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2022

    • Great expanding team with expertise and respect in the sector. Led by a commercially savvy and business minded team.

      Legal 500 2022

    • A really excellent group of PI solicitors, notable for their individual quality.’

      Legal 500 2022

    • A niche firm that punches well above its weight in the catastrophic injury sector, borne out by the quality of work they obtain.

      Legal 500 2022

    • This combination of experience and diligence reaps massive rewards for clients, Osbornes being well known in the industry as a fantastic firm.

      Legal 500 2022

    • The Osbornes personal injury team now comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business.

      Legal 500 2022

    • Ben Posford is one of London’s best catastrophic injury lawyers, in my view. He is a real brain injury specialist.

      Legal 500 2022

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2022

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2022

    • 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'

      Legal 500 2022

    • "Osbornes comprises some of the most technically adept and hard hitting lawyers in the business"

      Legal 500 2022

    • "A small but high-powered team, dealing with cases of significant value and complexity."

      Legal 500 2021

    • "An excellent firm which achieves fantastic outcomes for clients."

      Legal 500 2021

    • "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."

      Legal 500 2021

    • "Really good at dealing with people who have suffered a serious injury."

      Chambers UK 2021

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      Chambers UK 2021

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      Chambers UK 2021

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2020 - Personal Injury

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2020 - Personal Injury

    • 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.

      Legal 500 2020 - Personal Injury

    • A firm going from strength-to strength-which retains its client care whilst being able to offer a full personal injury service.

      Legal 500 2020 - Personal Injury

    • 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.

      Legal 500

    • "Clients say he is very impressive, in terms of both his experience and his management of the personal injury team."

      Chambers UK

    • "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."

      Chambers & Partners Directory 2020, Personal Injury

    • "Solid personal injury practice well equipped to advise on high-value and high-profile claims arising from fatalities and severe head and spinal injuries."

      Chambers UK

    • "Offers specialist expertise in cycling-related injury claims."

      Chambers UK

    • "Offers specialist expertise in cauda equina syndrome cases."

      Chambers UK

    • "An exceptional outfit. They take on difficult cases, fight hard and win."

      Chambers UK

    • "Stuart Kightley is an incredibly empathetic solicitor who is very knowledgeable about traumatic brain injury."

      Chambers UK

    • "They are an outstanding firm to work with. They are consistently impressive in their work."

      Chambers UK

    • "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 Legal 500

    • "The hard-working, thorough and committed Robert Aylott, who brings significant heavyweight personal injury experience."

      Legal 500 2019

    • "Key team members include the energetic and personable Stuart Kightley who is head of the personal injury department."

      The Legal 500

    • "Osbornes has a growing influence and impressive work load and is gaining a reputation for handling complex catastrophic work."

      The Legal 500

    • "Catastrophic injury cases head Ben Posford is an excellent practical litigator who offers exceptional service."

      The Legal 500

    • "Stuart is also very experienced in advising on fatal accidents and workplace accidents."

      Chambers UK

    • Thank you for the hard work and patience and for being so patient with my constant questions.

      Personal Injury Client

    • "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".

      Client Review

    • Very good efficient service. Would not hesitate to use again.

      Personal Injury Client

    • I will use Osbornes for any future needs.

      Personal Injury Client

    • I don't think I could have asked for anything more. One of the best dealings I've had with the legal profession.

      Personal Injury Client

    • Sam was excellent and very professional in dealing with our claim.

      Personal Injury Client

    • 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.

      Chambers UK

    • As a real specialist in spinal cord injuries, Ben Posford is always looking at new angles on how to maximise his cases.

      Chambers UK

    • Ben Posford is one of the best catastrophic injury lawyers around.

      Chambers UK

    • They provide exceptional service, great knowledge and understanding of the law, excellent client care and tactical nous

      Chambers UK

    • 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.

      Chambers UK

    • 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.

      Personal Injury Department Client

    • 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.

      Personal injury department client

    • Ben Posford … is ‘tactically astute’ and ‘one of the best personal injury solicitors around’.

      Legal 500

    • Ben Posford ‘knows how to maximise the value of the claim for his clients’.

      Legal 500

    Personal Injury Accreditations

    • The Times Best Law Firms 2025
    • The Law Society Personal Injury Accreditation
    • Legal 500 2025 - leading firm
    • Chambers UK 2025 - Firmwide