Have you been involved in an accident due to your employer’s negligence? Have you suffered a broken finger as a result? If so, our guide on how to sue for a broken ring finger could help you get the compensation you deserve.
Deciding to claim against your employer can be daunting, and you might feel worried about causing tension in your workplace. However, you have a legal right to seek compensation for an accident caused by third party negligence. The implications of an injury such as this can be far-reaching. A compensation settlement may go some way to mitigate the pain and suffering you experienced as a result of your broken finger.
How to sue for a broken ring finger
Our guide will explain your rights in more detail, as well as the personal injury claim process. We’ll use a case study that we’ve created based on our past experiences with similar cases to demonstrate how your claim might progress.
We understand how vulnerable you might be feeling, and we are here to help. Our panel of advisors are on hand 24/7 to provide you with free legal advice on any questions you may have.
Please call us for more information about how we can help you on 0800 408 7827 and start your claim today. Otherwise, please continue reading for more information on suing your employer.
About Broken Ring Finger Injuries
- A Guide On How to Sue For A Broken Ring Finger At Work
- What Is A Broken Ring Finger Injury At Work?
- Causes Of Finger Injuries In The Workplace
- How Much Compensation Do You Get For A Broken Ring Finger At Work
- What Are Special Damages In Workplace Accident Claims?
- Case Study – £26,000 Workplace Accident Compensation For A Broken Ring Finger
- How To Sue For A Broken Ring Finger With A No Win No Fee Agreement
- Getting Free Legal Advice On Workplace Accident Claims
- Start A Claim And Get Free Legal Advice
- Related Services
- Frequently Asked Questions
A Guide On How to Sue For A Broken Ring Finger At Work
We aim to provide you with the tools and information you need to claim against your employer. In this article, we’ll look at the process of claiming for a broken ring finger caused by employer negligence.
To begin, we will look at the symptoms that a broken ring finger might cause in an injured person. Here, we will examine the effect that an injury of this nature might have on your quality of life.
This guide will go on to look at the kinds of injuries that might occur in the workplace due to employer negligence. Furthermore, we will look at the rights you have when injured in an accident at work caused by a breach of duty of care.
We will go on to look at a case study in which someone was paid £26,000 for a broken ring finger sustained in an accident at work. This case study will look at the claims process in full, from the accident occurring to the compensation being awarded.
Finally, we will look at what No Win No Fee means in relation to personal injury claims and examine the benefits that an agreement like this can offer when seeking legal representation. To conclude, we will provide you with some answers to commonly asked questions about this kind of accident.
If you still have questions after reading this guide, why not get in touch with our team today? Our helpful and friendly advisors are on hand to collect information on your claim and let you know how much it could be worth.
Statistics On Non-Fatal Injuries In The Workplace
According to RIDDOR, 65,427 non-fatal injuries were reported by employers between 2019-2020. In comparison, 693,000 non-fatal injuries were reported by employees to the Labour Force Survey for 2019-2020.
Of the 65,427 reported accidents, 18,535 were fractures to various parts of the body. These figures will encompass instances of broken ring fingers. There isn’t one overarching cause for the accidents that caused these injuries. However, the most common accident kinds reported by RIDDOR in 2019-20 were:
- Slips, trips or a fall on the same level which made up 29% of accidents
- Handling, lifting or carrying, which made up 19% of accidents
- Being struck by a moving object, which made up 11% of accidents
The graph below shows statistics from RIDDOR about the various causes of non-fatal injuries in the workplace.
What Is A Broken Ring Finger Injury At Work?
If you have suffered from a broken finger, whether it’s your index finger, middle finger or ring finger, the NHS recommends looking out for:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Difficulty moving your finger
If you have any of these symptoms, you should seek medical advice. However, you should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following more severe symptoms:
- Your finger is deformed, e.g. sticking out at an odd angle
- The digit turns blue or starts to feel numb
- You have a cut that shows bone or the bone is piercing through your skin
You’ll usually be given an x-ray to determine whether your finger is broken and what your treatment and recovery will be.
Severities of a broken ring finger by the NHS
Doctors usually treat a broken finger by giving you a cast, splint or strapping the injured finger to another to keep it straight. If you have a cut, the doctor might give you antibiotics to prevent infection. If you have bone visible through the skin, you might require surgery.
You might be wondering how long does it take for a fractured ring finger to heal. In less severe cases, it can take between 2-8 weeks. However, it can be up to 4 months before you regain full strength back in your hand. In some serious cases, you may suffer permanently restricted mobility.
As mentioned previously, this advice comes directly from the NHS. If you require more information, visit their guide on how to tell if you’ve broken a finger or thumb.
What is my employer’s duty of care?
As an employee, your employer owes you a duty of care while you’re working. Employers are required by law to ensure they do all that’s reasonably practicable to protect your physical and mental wellbeing.
The Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974, Section 2, sets out guidelines for employers to follow, including:
- Delivering training on health and safety and relevant training to the business
- Maintenance of equipment through regular risk assessments
- Providing you with equipment where necessary, e.g. eye and ear protection, gloves, masks, shoes, PPE
- Maintaining good housekeeping
These are just a few examples, and this list is not exhaustive by any means. If you feel your employer has breached their duty of care in another way, please call us on the number above. Our advisors will be happy to help with any questions you have on employee rights.
How could employers breach their duty of care?
An employer could breach their duty of care in many ways, resulting in accidents like a broken ring finger and other minor and severe injuries. For instance, an employer may fail to maintain good housekeeping and leave wires trailing across a walkway. This could cause an employee to trip. If they were to put their hands out to break the fall, this could result in them breaking their ring finger.
Similarly, an employees ring finger could be crushed in a machine where an emergency stop has failed. If it can be proven that the employer failed to properly maintain the machine, resulting in injury, this could be grounds for a claim.
If they do breach their duty of care, you are entitled to claim against them. You might be worried about the financial impact this could have on the company. However, your employers are required to take out Employers Liability Insurance according to the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969. Because of this, neither the company nor the employer will pay the compensation directly. The insurance company will.
For more information on how you can sue for a broken ring finger, please continue reading. Alternatively, you can call our team today to discuss your claim.
Causes Of Finger Injuries In The Workplace
There isn’t one sole cause for finger injuries at work. However, there are people at higher risk. For example, people who have jobs that involve working with their hands.
Also, certain industries are most at risk of non-fatal injuries such as fractures, sprains and strains and cuts. According to RIDDOR, these industries include:
- Public administration and defence; compulsory social security resulted in 20,450 injuries.
- Human health and social work activities resulted in 11,976 injuries
- Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles: accommodation and food service activities, resulted in 11,034 injuries
- Manufacturing resulted in 11,245 injuries
However, this doesn’t mean that the risk of workplace accidents is limited to just a few industry groups. In any industry, employer negligence has the potential to result in a broken ring finger. If you’ve experienced this, then you may be able to claim compensation for your suffering. Why not get in touch with our team today to see how much your claim could be worth?
How Much Compensation Do You Get For A Broken Ring Finger At Work
If you’re looking to make a personal injury claim, you might be wondering, “how is a claim valued?” Or, “how much compensation can I claim for a broken finger at work?”. You may have noticed online that there are a number of websites offering personal injury compensation calculators. These online tools don’t collect enough information to accurately value your claim, which is why we recommend using our service. Our advisors will ask the right questions and collect the relevant information that can influence how much compensation you could be owed.
Personal injury compensation can be split into two parts; general and special damages. General damages account for physical and mental suffering and the impact the injury has had on your quality of life. A solicitor will work these out with the help of guidelines from the Judicial College. The guidelines are based on compensation amounts awarded for similar cases in the past. However, these are guidelines and the figures included in this publication are not guaranteed.
You will usually be invited to a medical appointment with an independent expert as part of the claims process. In this appointment, an independent medical expert will examine your injuries and chat with you about the impact they have had on your quality of life. They will then detail their findings in a medical report, which will be used in conjunction with the guidelines mentioned above to work out how much you could be owed.
For more information on injury compensation claims, call our team for more help and advice. Otherwise, please continue reading for more information on special damages.
What Are Special Damages In Workplace Accident Claims?
As well as being awarded general damages for the injury, you’ll be able to claim special damages for any financial losses you’ve incurred. Special damages will compensate you for any financial impact that has come about as a direct result of your injuries.
Examples of things that could be included in special damages include:
- Loss of earnings
- Loss of deposits, for instance, driving lessons you’ve pre-paid for
- Medical treatment that you cannot get on the NHS, e.g. physiotherapy
- Travel costs to and from hospital appointments. You could also claim for the cost of taxis or public transport if your injury prevents you from driving
It is vital to have evidence, e.g. payslips, to show loss of earnings and receipts for other costs. Without evidence, financial losses will not be able to be included in your claim.
See our case study table below for more information on how compensation amounts are calculated. Otherwise, you can get in touch with our team today for a free, no-obligation valuation of your claim.
Case Study – £26,000 Workplace Accident Compensation For A Broken Ring Finger
Mrs Thompson, a seamstress, was involved in an accident at work that caused her a fracture and nerve damage to her ring finger.
She was unable to work as a result. After suffering a great deal of pain and financial loss, she decided to claim against her employer for negligence.
How Mrs Thompson broke her ring finger at work
Mrs Thompson was making adjustments to an item of clothing when she stopped the industrial sewing machine to adjust the position of the garment. However, the machine, which should have been secured to the table, was unsteady and toppled over, crushing Mrs Thompson’s ring finger on her right hand.
The movement of the sewing machine gradually loosened it from the base that secured it to the table. This was supposed to be checked every six months so that the bolts could be tightened. However, the last check hadn’t been performed.
She received immediate medical attention from the doctor, who diagnosed her with a fractured ring finger in addition to nerve damage. She was unable to work for around two months while her injury healed. This included her seamstress work and freelance gardening job.
What settlement was Mrs Thompson awarded?
The injury greatly impacted Mrs Thompson’s finance and quality of life. However, she was worried her employer wouldn’t take her claim seriously and wanted to avoid any additional stress. Despite this, a friend encouraged her to seek the help of a personal injury solicitor, who advised her of the compensation she could claim.
Mrs Thompson had been unable to work both jobs and had to cancel other prior commitments. As well as this, the injury had caused her a great deal of pain and a long-lasting impact on her dexterity.
For that reason, she was awarded £26,000 in total.
Why were they awarded this settlement amount?
| General Damages | How much? | Special Damages | How much? |
|---|---|---|---|
| The guideline amount for a serious injury to the ring or middle finger including a fracture and nerve damage is between £13,970 to £15,330 | £15,300 | Loss of earnings for 2 months full time seamstress job and freelance gardening work | £3,500 |
| Trivial scarring gives an guideline bracket of £1,600 to £3,310 | £3,000 | Cost of care for children, including young baby | £1,000 |
| Travel costs as no longer able to drive | £750 | ||
| Medication | £250 | ||
| Guitar lessons | £600 | ||
| Garden maintenance | £1,100 | ||
| Gym membership with additional personal training sessions | £500 | ||
| Total special and general damages: | £26,000 |
The compensation amounts awarded to Mrs Thompson consider the severity of her injury, the impact it had on her life and the financial losses she suffered. These figures are specific to this example case, which is based on our experience in assessing and valuing claims.
How To Sue For A Broken Ring Finger With A No Win No Fee Agreement
A No Win No Fee agreement is a contract between you and your lawyer that sets out the conditions they need to meet before they receive payment. When you have a No Win No Fee agreement with your solicitor, it means you won’t be asked to pay anything to them before your claim starts or while they are working on your case.
You also won’t be asked to pay anything to them if your claim isn’t successful. The only time you will be asked to pay your solicitor when you have a No Win No Fee agreement is if you win your case. Then, a small success fee will be deducted from your compensation. This is capped by law and will be agreed upon before your claim begins.
If you feel you would benefit from a No Win No Fee agreement with a personal injury lawyer, why not get in touch with our team today?
Getting Free Legal Advice On Workplace Accident Claims
Compensation amounts can vary depending on the specific circumstances of your accident. Before our advisors can give you an estimation of how much your claim is worth, we need to know more about the severity of your injury and the physical and mental impact it’s had on you.
Our advisors will listen to the details of your case, answer your questions and provide you with the information you need. They can connect you with a personal injury solicitor who will work with you on your case if they feel your claim has a good chance of success.
Our advisors are on hand 24/7. See below for more information on what they can offer you and how you can connect with them.
Start A Claim And Get Free Legal Advice
If you’re interested in starting a claim for compensation following a workplace accident caused by your employer’s negligence, we can help. Get in touch with our team today for free legal advice about how much compensation you could be owed.
As mentioned, if your claim has a good chance of success our advisors may be able to connect you to a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel. If you’d like to know more about No Win No Fee agreements, they can also answer any questions you have.
For more information on any of the above, contact us either by:
- Calling us on 0800 408 7827
- Chatting with us on live chat at the bottom of the page
- Sending us an enquiry using the contact form
Related Services
Visit the government health and safety website for more information on long term impacts of occupational diseases.
For more information on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), visit the government webpage.
Visit the NHS website for more information on broken bones and any other medical advice.
If you have any questions, our explanation of the personal injury claims process could provide you with answers.
For more information on how to sue your employer, visit our helpful guide.
Our guide on suing your employer for a broken foot injury at work might prove useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to claim for an accident in the workplace?
You generally have three years from the date of the accident. However, there are some exceptions to this; get in touch with our team to find out more.
How long do workplace accident claims take?
It depends on the nature of the case and whether the defendant admits liability straight away. Simple claims where liability is clear could be resolved within a matter of months, where more complex cases can take years.
Could I be fired for making a claim?
No, by law, your employer can’t fire you for claims against them. If they do, you may be able to claim for unfair dismissal.
Could I claim on behalf of another person?
In certain circumstances, you can claim on behalf of someone else, e.g. if the person is under 18 or they lack the mental capacity to claim themselves. You would act as a litigation friend for that person.
We hope you found our guide on how to sue for a broken finger helpful. Thank you for reading.