How Much Compensation for a Broken Thumb at Work?

Your day-to-day life can be quite badly affected if you break your thumb at work. As your ability to grip and grab will be degraded, you will probably be less able to drive, work or help out at home. Crucially, if your thumb was broken as a result of a workplace accident caused by your employer, you might have grounds to claim compensation. In this article, we’ll explore when you could claim compensation for a broken thumb at work and potential compensation levels.

If you wish to claim broken thumb at work compensation, we can help. If you contact us now, your claim will be looked at by a specialist in a free initial consultation. Free legal advice may be offered about your chances of being compensated and we’ll answer any questions that arise. If your broken thumb claim is feasible, we could connect you with a No Win, No Fee accident-at-work solicitor from our panel.

To find out more about how we can help, you can:

• Call 0333 241 2519 to discuss your options with an advisor.
• Use our free live chat service (open 24 hours a day).

There’s lots more information on how to claim for a broken thumb at work throughout this article but please feel free to call now with any questions.

What Types of Broken Thumbs Can We Help With?

The thumb is formed of two main bones: the distal and proximal phalanges. The distal phalange is the bone at the tip of the thumb (by the fingernail) while the proximal phalange is found at the base of the thumb (adjoining the trapezium bone in the wrist).

A broken thumb is where either of the phalanges is broken or fractured. Medically, you may hear doctors refer to a broken, cracked or fractured thumb but all three describe the same injury.

Common types of broken thumb injuries we could help with are:

• Distal Phalanx Fractures: These are fractures of the tip of the thumb and can occur from direct blows or crushing.
• Proximal Phalanx Fractures: These fractures occur in the bone closest to the hand. They can be caused by direct impact or severe bending.
• Metacarpal Fractures: Breaks to the first metacarpal bone which forms the base of the thumb.
• Bennett’s Fracture: This is a fracture at the base of the thumb and is a common injury associated with thumb trauma and often requires surgical intervention to ensure proper healing and function.
• Rolando Fracture: Similar to Bennett’s fracture but more complex, involving a comminuted fracture (the bone is broken into several pieces) at the base of the thumb.
• Sesamoid Fractures: Small bones found in the tendons around the thumb joints, sesamoid bones can also fracture due to direct impact or repetitive stress.

Treating a broken thumb injury may involve a doctor trying to straighten the thumb under local anaesthetic. Once the thumb is straight, the bones may take up to 8 weeks to fully heal. To protect them during this time, you may be told to wear a splint or have a plaster cast fitted. Painkillers may be prescribed to help ease the pain caused by a broken thumb.

Can I Make a Broken Thumb at Work Claim?

In reality, no workplace will ever be completely free from risk. However, employers have a legal duty of care to minimise those risks in an effort to keep staff as safe as possible whilst working. This requirement is set out in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Some of the ways employers could meet their obligations in preventing broken thumbs at work include:

• Carrying out regular risk assessments of the workplace.
• Ensuring that staff receive adequate job-related and safety training.
• Providing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in situations where hazards can’t be removed.
• Providing tools and equipment that is fit for purpose and well maintained.

If your employer does not uphold their duty of care towards your well-being, they could be deemed to have been negligent. As such, you may have grounds to start a broken thumb at work claim if:

• Your employer owed you a duty of care at the point you were injured.
• The accident occurred in the last three years as a result of your employer’s negligence.
• Your thumb was broken in that accident.

Please contact our legal advisors now to find out if you have a claim worth pursuing.

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to a Broken Thumb at Work Claim?

Here are a few examples of when an accident at work could result in a broken thumb compensation claim:

• You tripped on a torn carpet in your workplace and broke your thumb when using your hands to break your fall.
• While sitting on a faulty office chair, it gave way and your thumb was trapped and broken.
• An untrained colleague started a piece of machinery while you were clearing debris from it and your thumb was crushed badly as a result.
• Your thumb was broken after items fell onto your hand from damaged racking.
• You dropped a heavy load whilst moving it in a warehouse and your thumb was fractured because of a lack of training.

If you’re to sue your employer for a broken thumb at work, your accident must have occurred as a result of your employer’s negligence.

What Should I Do If I Sustain a Fractured Thumb in the Workplace?

If you are involved in an accident at work and suspect your thumb is fractured, you should:

• Visit A&E or a minor injuries unit rather than relying on first aid so that your thumb is assessed and treated correctly.
• Let your employer know about the accident as soon as you can.
• Ensure the incident is logged in your employer’s accident report book.

While these steps won’t necessarily result in you being compensated for your broken thumb, they may provide you with some of the evidence you’ll need if you decide to begin a claim.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Broken Thumb Compensation Claims?

Examples of the types of evidence that could increase the chances of you being awarded compensation for a broken thumb at work include:

• CCTV footage and photographs that help to prove the cause of the accident.
• Medical records and X-rays to prove your diagnosis.
• A copy of an accident report form that confirms where and where the accident happened.
• Photographs of your thumb that show any visible symptoms (cuts, bruises, swelling etc).
• Contact details of any potential witnesses.

If you haven’t started gathering evidence to support your claim as yet, don’t worry. We could still help you to begin the claims process. If your case is feasible and taken on by a solicitor, they could help to collect the required evidence as part of their service.

Therefore, why not contact us now to check your eligibility to claim for a broken thumb at work?

How Long Do I Have to Claim Broken Thumb Compensation?

You will normally have 3 years from the date of your accident to claim compensation for a broken thumb. This rule is set by the Limitation Act 1980. If you were below the age of 18 you would have to make the claim by your 21st birthday.

Crucially, claims made outside of the 3 years can become statute-barred. This means that if your claim is started too late, your employer could simply refuse to compensate you regardless of the facts in the case.

As such, we’d suggest that you contact a legal advisor at your earliest opportunity to avoid any chance of missing out on any compensation you might be entitled to.

How Much Compensation for a Broken Thumb at Work?

The level of compensation paid following a successful broken thumb claim is largely based on the person’s suffering.

General damages (the first element to take note of) cover your physical pain and suffering, loss of amenity and any emotional suffering too. To help quantify this, your solicitor will gather medical evidence including independent reports in many cases.

To calculate how much compensation a broken thumb is worth, they may use figures listed in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) and look at similar claims. As such, we’ve used JCG data in our broken thumb compensation list as a guide. Please understand that the list isn’t comprehensive and the amounts are not guaranteed payouts.

• A broken thumb at work which is minor in nature and has healed in six months might be worth up to £4,750 compensation.
• A broken thumb which is considered a moderate injury might see a pay out of £9,670 – £12,590.
• A seriously fractured thumb that requires the insertion of wires and results in problems such as ultra sensitivity and a loss of grip, £12,590 – £16,760.

Any compensation payment you receive could also include special damages to cover any costs of financial losses linked to your broken thumb including:

• The cost of aids or devices that make tasks around the home easier if your grip has been reduced for instance.
• Travel costs for medical appointments.
• Loss of earnings.
• Rehabilitation and medical expenses.
• Support costs if you needed help in your recovery.
• Future loss of earnings for more serious thumb fractures that reduce your earning capacity.

Any special damages you claim for must be substantiated by receipts, bank statements and other financial documents. Your work injury solicitor will explain what they’ll need to file the claim.

Can I Claim for a Broken Thumb at Work if I’m Not Employed Full-Time?

Contractors, agency staff, zero-hours workers, self-employed staff and part-time workers can all expect the same level of protection as full-time employees when it comes to workplace health and safety.

Therefore, if you broke your thumb at work whilst working as a contractor, one of our solicitors may be able to help you claim compensation.

So long as the incident in which you were injured was caused by your employer’s negligence, you could be eligible to start a claim. Why not get in touch now to find out more?

Do You Need a Solicitor to Make a Broken Thumb Claim?

If you decide to claim for a broken thumb, your employer is likely to hand the case over to their insurance provider. While it is possible to deal with them directly, they may try to dismiss the claim or offer a settlement that doesn’t fully cover your suffering.

If you’re represented by a specialist solicitor, the claims process might be easier and their experience and legal training could improve the chances of the case being won and a fair level of compensation being awarded.

Crucially, our solicitors will work on your broken thumb claims on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means that they can start working on your case without being paid upfront once you’ve signed a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

The only time you will need to pay your solicitor’s success fee is if you are awarded a compensation payout. The success fee will be a percentage of your settlement that’s agreed upon upfront in the CFA and is legally capped at 25 per cent for your peace of mind.

To see if you could start a No Win, No Fee broken thumb claim, please contact a legal advisor now.

How Long Does a Workplace Injury Claim Take?

The duration of broken thumb claims largely depends on the extent of your fracture and your employer’s willingness to accept liability for your accident.

For instance, compensation could be awarded in a matter of 3 to 4 months if you have fully recovered quickly and your employer admits that they were responsible for what happened.

Conversely, if your symptoms are ongoing, your claim could take 9 months to a year (or more in some cases). The extra time may be needed so that your prognosis can be better understood before your claim is settled.

If you’d like to know how long your broken thumb claim might take, please call now for a free assessment of your case.

Contacting Us About a Broken Thumb at Work Compensation Claim

We’re ready to help if you’ve decided to claim compensation for a broken thumb at work. To contact one of our specialist advisors you can:

• Call them now on 0333 241 2519.
• Make use of our 24/7 free live chat service.

Your case will be assessed in detail, you’ll be offered free legal advice and any questions you might have will be answered. Any broken thumb at work claim taken on by our solicitors will proceed on a No Win, No Fee basis.