Can I Claim Compensation for Loss of a Finger at Work?

Losing a finger in an accident at work can obviously be extremely painful and shocking. It could also cause psychological suffering and affect your ability to function normally. If you’ve lost a finger at work, in some cases, you may be entitled to claim compensation. This guide explains how to claim loss of finger compensation and how much you could receive. You’ll also learn about the types of evidence you could use to improve the chances of winning your claim.

We can help if you need advice on claiming compensation for a finger amputation. If you call our team, an advisor will review what happened and explain your legal options for free. If they suspect that you have a valid chance of being compensated, you could be referred to an accident at work solicitor from our team. Crucially, because they provide a No Win, No Fee service for accepted lost finger claims, you’ll only pay for their work if compensation is won.

To talk to us about a loss-of-finger claim, you can:

• Call our legal advisors on 0333 241 2519.
• Connect to our live chat service to ask questions at any time of day or night.

We’ll explain more about how to claim for a lost finger throughout this guide, but please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Can I Claim Compensation for Losing a Finger at Work?

Legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Act 2013 mean employers must take precautions to try and prevent workplace accidents.

As such, they should:

• Train you on how to do your job safely.
• Provide free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where needed.
• Maintain workplace machinery or fix any faults swiftly.
• Conduct risk assessments around the workplace regularly.

If your employer has failed to keep you safe and you suffered a finger amputation as a result, you could be entitled to compensation for any subsequent suffering.

As such, a work injury solicitor from our team may offer to help you claim loss of finger compensation if you can show that:

• Your employer owed you a duty of care; and
• Your employer’s negligence caused a work accident; and
• You lost a finger at work in that accident.

Whether you’ve lost a whole finger, multiple fingers or suffered a partial finger amputation, our team is ready to help. To clarify whether you have grounds to claim for an amputated finger, call our legal advisors to explain what’s happened.

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to Finger Amputations in the Workplace?

To help demonstrate when compensation for finger amputations at work could be claimed, we’ve listed a few scenarios below:

• A machine operator had her finger chopped off in a factory accident because a cutting machine’s safety guard was missing.
• While fixing a blocked hopper in a recycling centre, a worker’s finger was crushed beyond repair because the machine started working independently.
• An employee slipped on a wet floor at work due to a lack of warning signs and lost a finger after their hand went through a glass window in the fall.
• An apprentice kitchen worker chopped off the tip of his finger because they’d not been trained on how to use knives safely.
• A tree surgeon lost multiple fingers because their employer had knowingly provided them with a faulty chainsaw that kept jamming.

If you’ve lost a finger at work, please let us know what happened. Even if we’ve not described your accident here, we could still help you to start a claim.

What Should I Do If I’ve Lost a Finger at Work?

If you’ve lost a finger in an accident at work, the NHS recommend:

• Do not wash the finger.
• Wrap the finger in cling film or place it in a plastic bag.
• Put a soft fabric wrapper around the plastic.
• Place the wrapped finger in a container containing crushed ice, making sure the finger doesn’t touch the ice.
• Take the finger with you to the hospital.

As well as seeking treatment at a hospital, the other steps you should take include:

• Informing your employer about the accident as soon as possible.
• Ensure the incident has been logged in the company’s accident report book.

Together, these steps can help your employer to understand how the accident happened and to try and prevent similar incidents in the future. Furthermore, they could give you some of the evidence you need to claim compensation for the loss of a finger at work if you decide to take action at a later date.

What Evidence Can Be Used for a Lost Finger Compensation Claim?

The best way to build a strong personal injury claim against your employer is to file as much evidence as possible that proves your version of events. So, if you’ve lost a finger at work, you could try to collect any of the following to help prove your case:

• Photographs of your hand after your finger was amputated.
• Pictures of any machinery defects or issues that caused the accident.
• A copy of an accident report form to confirm when and where the accident occurred.
• Medical records that confirm that your finger was amputated.
• CCTV, mobile phone or bodycam footage of the incident.
• Witness statements (these are usually collected by a solicitor if needed).

Whether you have all of this evidence or not, it’s still a good idea to call our legal advisors to have your case reviewed for free.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Finger Amputation Compensation?

The usual time limit for a personal injury claim is 3 years, which is set in law by the Limitation Act 1980. For most finger amputations, the time limit normally begins on the date that the accident happened.

If you try to claim after this period, your case may be statute-barred, meaning you could lose the right to any compensation. That’s why it’s generally best to start the process as soon as possible. Beginning early allows enough time to gather medical evidence, speak to witnesses, and make sure your claim is filed on time.

How Much Compensation for an Amputated Finger at Work?

Compensation awarded for an amputated finger at work will normally be based on:

• The extent of your suffering and any loss of amenity (general damages).
• Costs, expenses and financial losses linked to your injuries (special damages).

Usually, accident-at-work solicitors will book an appointment with an independent medical expert to prepare a report about a) your injuries and b) how they have affected you to evaluate the extent of your suffering. They will also request copies of your medical records.

To calculate the appropriate amount of compensation for general damages, solicitors can refer to settlement ranges listed in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). As such, we’ve used JCG data in our finger loss compensation examples below. However, please understand that the figures are not guaranteed.

• Loss of part of the little finger – between £4,820 and £7,150.
• Amputation of the ring and little fingers together – in the region of £26,620.
• Total or partial loss of the index finger – between £14,850 and £22,870.
• Amputation of index and middle and/or ring fingers – between £75,550 and £110,750.

Special damages in a lost finger compensation payout could cover:

• Any short-term loss of income.
• Medical costs such as prescription fees.
• Travel costs.
• Future loss of earnings if your lost finger reduces your ability to earn.
• The cost of specialist devices i.e., kitchen aids to improve your grip.
• Care and support costs.

When claiming for an accident at work, it’s important to consider all aspects of your suffering before agreeing to settle. For that reason, if you work with an accident-at-work solicitor from our team, they’ll review any settlement offer carefully with you.

Do You Need a Solicitor to Make a Loss of Finger Claim?

We believe that a solicitor specialising in workplace injuries can make the claims process much easier for claimants. They will use their experience to try and achieve a higher settlement than you might be offered directly by your employer’s insurance provider.

Some of the services solicitors might provide include:

• Evidence gathering.
• Filing your claim with your employer and their insurer.
• Sending you regular updates.
• Arguing your case to try and counter any objections raised.
• Fighting to secure as much compensation as possible.

Crucially, the solicitors from our panel use a contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) to provide a No Win, No Fee service for all accepted finger loss claims.

Within the CFA, you’ll read about a success fee. This is an agreed percentage of your compensation that will be deducted if the claim is won. Legally, when a CFA is used, success fees can not exceed 25 per cent of your payout.

Why not call our legal advisors now to see if you can claim compensation for the loss of a finger at work?

Can I Be Sacked for Making a Work Injury Claim?

Your employer cannot sack you simply for making a work injury claim for a lost finger. If they did, this could be considered unfair dismissal. However, if you broke health and safety rules or ignored workplace training, your employer could take disciplinary action for that, but that is separate from your right to claim compensation.

Contacting Us About a Loss of Finger Compensation Claim

To speak with someone right away about claiming compensation for the loss of a finger at work, you can:

• Call now on 0333 241 2519.
• Use our free live chat option.

Once again, if your case has good grounds and is accepted by an accident-at-work solicitor on our panel, you’ll benefit from their No Win, No Fee service for the duration of the loss of finger claims process.