Vibration White Finger Claims: No Win, No Fee

Vibration White Finger (VWF), also known as Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), is a debilitating condition that arises from prolonged use of vibrating tools, such as power drills, chainsaws, and pneumatic drills. This occupational hazard primarily affects workers in industries like construction, mining, and manufacturing, where working with vibrating tools is prevalent.

VWF can lead to serious impairment in hand function, severely impacting a person’s quality of life and ability to work, which can cause a long lasting physical and financial toll.

If you believe that you have developed vibration white finger as a result of your employer’s negligence, you could be eligible to make a vibration white finger claim for compensation. At Beacon Law, our specialist personal injury solicitors can assist you in making a vibration white finger claim, providing you with guidance and support along the way.

What are the symptoms of vibration white finger?

Vibration white finger commonly manifests through a range of symptoms that primarily affect the fingers and hands. Recognising these symptoms early can lead to timely diagnosis and management, potentially mitigating the long-term impact. The symptoms of vibration white finger include:

• Blanching of the fingers
• Tingling and numbness
• Loss of sensation
• Pain and discomfort
• Reduced grip strength
• Changes in skin colour and texture
• Cold sensitivity
• Lack of coordination

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and have a history of using vibrating tools, it is crucial to seek medical advice. Early diagnosis and intervention can help manage the symptoms and prevent further progression of vibration white finger.

Who is eligible to make a vibration white finger claim?

Employers have a legal obligation, or ‘Duty of Care’ to their employees to assess and identify measures to control and reduce vibration levels. They must also provide protective equipment where appropriate as well as providing health and safety training on the subject and installing surveillance where possible to monitor tool use. This is included in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Vibration at Work Act 2005. Under this legislation, you could be eligible to make a vibration white finger claim if:

• Your employer breached their duty of care
• They were negligent
• Your VWF symptoms can be directly linked to that negligence

Employer negligence that can lead to VWF

Employer negligence can take many forms in the workplace. Some of the main forms of negligence that lead to vibration white finger compensation claims include:

• If you were expected to work with vibrating tools over a long period of time
• If your employer failed to purchase tools with reduced vibration levels
• Where personal protective equipment, such as anti-vibration gloves, were not provided by your employer
• If you did not receive proper training on how to use the vibrating tools correctly
• You were expected to work with the tools in wet and cold conditions with adequate breaks
• If your employer did not have the tools repaired or maintained regularly

What is the claims process for vibration white finger?

During your initial consultation, a specialist solicitor from our team will provide you with legal advice about vibration white finger claims and will inform you about the relevant limitation rules.

Our personal injury lawyers will then ask you for details about your VWF and the causes of negligence. This will help our injury lawyers to assess the likelihood of your claim being successful.

During these initial stages of your claim for compensation, it is vital that you gather the relevant evidence to support your claim. Relevant evidence may include messages, medical records, accident books, photographs of your injuries, and witness statements.

Your injury at work solicitor may also ask that you undergo an official medical examination in order to receive medical reports about the VWF. These medical reports will provide vital medical evidence of the nature and extent of your VWF. Even if you have received other medical care prior to starting your workplace accident claim, a more thorough medical assessment may still be needed to produce detailed, accurate, and reliable medical reports.

If we think that your vibration white finger claim would be likely to succeed, we will offer a no win, no fee basis; if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be required to pay any legal fees.

What are the time limits for vibration white finger claims?

In the UK, there are specific time limits within which you must file a compensation claim for Vibration White Finger. The standard time limit for filing a personal injury claim, including VWF, is three years. This period typically starts from the “date of knowledge.”

The date of knowledge is the date when you first became aware, or should have reasonably become aware, that your symptoms were related to your work with vibrating tools. This means that the three-year limitation period begins either from the date of diagnosis or from the point you realised that your symptoms were work-related.

Is my job at risk if I make a claim?

There is no need to worry about losing your job when you begin your personal injury claim. If you have been injured at work, you are legally entitled to seek compensation for your injuries. If you feel that your job is at threat, or you have lost your job as a result of claiming compensation for an injury, you may also have a claim for unfair dismissal.

At Beacon Law, we endeavour to proceed with your personal injury claim in a constructive way with your employer, ensuring that there are no grounds available to the employer to dismiss you.

How much compensation could I receive?

The amount of compensation awarded will aim to help you recover from your injuries or to cover any financial impacts your injuries have caused. The amount of compensation awarded will depend on the pain and suffering caused by the injury, as well as the severity.

General damages that could be awarded will also depend on the impact that the injuries have had on the claimant’s daily life and whether any long term care is needed.

Special damages will also be awarded to compensate for any further financial loss that the claimant has suffered as a result of their original injury. This could include compensation for a loss of earnings due to the time spent off work, loss of future earnings if the claimant has been forced to take time off work, the cost of medical treatment, travel costs, and the cost of ongoing care if this is needed.

We advise that you keep evidence of all financial losses suffered as a result of your injuries. This could include receipts and invoices from medical treatment and evidence of any loss of earnings. You will also be entitled to statutory sick pay, which this evidence will help to prove.

Why choose Beacon Law?

If you have suffered VWF due to negligence, a compensation claim may help you to get your life back on track. Beacon Law is a leading law firm of accident at work solicitors, offering expert legal advice and a range of personal injury claim services to our clients. We provide a high level of service to all our clients and work hard to ensure they receive the appropriate treatment and highest level of compensation for their injuries.

We provide all accident at work claims on a no win no fee basis. This means that we can help you get the compensation you deserve without you having to worry about the costs of making a claim.

If you require advice for a vibration white finger claim, please contact us on 0330 1332 857. Alternatively, please complete our online form, and one of our injury at work solicitors will contact you to help you start your claim.

Beacon Law are a Solicitors registered in England and Wales with our registered office based in Manchester. We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.