Sustaining an injury at work which requires the amputation of a finger or thumb can be extremely traumatic, and may have a devastating long-term impact on the injured person’s life. As well as being seriously painful, an injury which has led to a finger amputation may make it difficult for the injured person to carry out everyday tasks and some may be forced to change their type of employment if they can no longer carry out their duties. If you have sustained a finger injury which led to amputation as the result of an accident at work, you may be able to make a finger amputation at work claim for compensation.
Causes of Finger Amputation at Work Claims
Finger amputations can be caused by many different types of accidents, including medical negligence, car accidents and slips and trips. The most common causes of amputation claims as a result of workplace injuries include:
- Injuries caused by insufficient or lack of PPE when working with dangerous machinery or substances- finger amputation at work injuries caused by a lack of PPE are common in warehouses and factories.
- Injuries caused by lack of training on the use of dangerous machinery.
- Injuries caused by defective or dangerous work equipment.
- Trauma injuries to fingers as a result of slips, trips, or falls in the workplace.
Whatever the cause of your amputation injury, you may be entitled to bring a claim against your employer if the accident was caused by their negligence.
Your Employer’s Duty of Care
Your employer is under a strict legal duty to provide a safe work conditions and a healthy environment in which you can work.
Your employer must always provide appropriate training and where necessary the correct and suitable equipment and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to help you perform your duties safely.
Your employer is also obligated to properly maintain the work environment and the equipment you use to ensure that it remains safe at all times.
Health and safety laws and legislation have significantly increased the level of protection open to employees. There are numerous written health and safety regulations and laws designed to prevent accidents in the workplace and any breach of these regulations can cause accidents with undesirable consequences. The Health and Safety Executive have set out guidance on their website for employers to assist in the implementation of Health and Safety Legislation on the workplace.
If you have suffered a finger amputation at work as the result of your employer’s breach of their duty of care, get in touch to find out if you can make a claim.
What to do After a Serious Hand or Finger Injury at Work
If you sustain an injury at work which required amputation, it is likely that you will require immediate medical attention. You should report the accident as soon as possible and ask a colleague, supervisor, or manager to seek urgent medical attention for you.
After you have received treatment for your injuries, you should contact your employers to make sure that the accident has been recorded in an accident book and request sight of the report. If possible, you should obtain a copy of this report as it may be useful for you case.
It will also be of benefit to your case if you can obtain evidence of the accident, such as photographs of the machine/equipment which caused your accident, or the area in which your accident happened. Photographs of your injuries and details of any witnesses to your accident may also be of use to you case.
If you believe your employer was negligent and you would like to discuss making a finger amputation at work claim for compensation, get in touch with Beacon Law to speak to one of our experienced personal injury solicitors.
Making a Claim for a Finger Amputation at Work
The thought of making a claim for a finger amputation at work against your employer may be daunting, especially of you are unaware of the processes involved. You may also feel anxious at the possibility of your employer terminating your employment or treating your negatively due to the fact that you are making a claim against them. You should rest assured in the knowledge that your employer will not be permitted to do this.
Your employer will have employers liability insurance in place to cover any workplace accidents as a result of their negligence. Any compensation paid to you will be paid by your employer’s insurance company and will not be paid directly by your employers.
The process of making this type of claim will start by you contacting us using the contact information below, or filling in the form on our home page to request a call back from one of our friendly solicitors. We will discuss the process of making an accident claim with you, including funding and timescales. We will then send you out some paperwork to fill in and return to us so that we can initiate your claim. We will then send all the details of the claim to your employer and we will keep you updated throughout your case.
Beacon Law will work hard to ensure you obtain maximum compensation for your injuries and additional losses.
There is a three year time limit on making a personal injury claim (although this can be extended in certain circumstances), so it is best to initiate the claim soon after the date of the accident.
How Much Can You Claim for a Finger Amputation at Work?
The amount of compensation you receive for your finger amputation injuries will vary depending on a number of factors. When valuing your injury, we will take into consideration whether the affected finger was on you dominant hand, whether the amputation was a full or partial amputation as well as which finger(s) were affected. For example, the amputation of an index finger would be worth £11,420 to £17,590, whereas the amputation of a ring finger or little finger would be worth slightly less. The loss of multiple fingers would attract a higher award.
We will also consider the impact the injury had on your life, for example, whether the injury caused you to have to change jobs or stop participating in any type of sports or activities.
We will base the valuation of your general damages on recent case law, as well as guidelines set out by the Judicial College.
You will also be able to make a claim for special damages which include additional losses sustained as a result of your injuries. This can include:
- Loss of earnings if you required time off due to the accident.
- Travel costs – for travel to and from medical appointments
- Parking costs at medical appointments
- Care and Assistance compensation for any paid or unpaid additional care required as a result of the accident, this can include care provided by a family member.
- Medical treatment costs
You should ensure that you keep all receipts and invoices for your additional losses as these will be required to prove your loss.
Making a No Win, No Fee Claim for a Finger Amputation at Work
At Beacon Law, we offer our services on a no win, no fee basis. This type of funding means that, in most circumstances, you will not be required to pay anything if your claim is unsuccessful. If your claim is successful, we will deduct a percentage of your compensation to cover our fee and a small amount will also be deducted to cover the cost of an After the Event Insurance Policy. To find out more about our fees, have a look at the funding section on our website.
Why Chooses Beacon Law to Handle your Finger Amputation at Work Claim?
Beacon Law are specialist personal injury Solicitors based in Manchester. We have helped many of our clients obtain the compensation they deserve for their injuries sustained as the result of an accident at work, including those who have experienced finger amputation at work. We deal with personal injury claims on a daily basis and have vast experience in injury-related cases.
Claiming compensation can be a difficult task to carry out alone; therefore, it is essential that you have expert Solicitors to guide you through the process.
If you have sustained a finger amputation at work, you can initiate your claim for compensation by having an initial consultation with a member of staff from our personal injury department. Simply having a chat with us about your case does not mean you have to choose us to act as your Solicitors. It may be useful to discuss the circumstances specific to your case and obtain legal advice by way of an initial consultation.
