A Triangular FibroCartilage Complex or TFCC tear can be quite a painful injury affecting the wrist. As a result, it can stop you from working, playing sports and carrying out everyday activities. Problems linked to TFCC tears can be amplified if they occur in the dominant hand. Importantly, you may be eligible to make a TFCC tear injury claim for compensation if the accident was caused by somebody else’s negligence.

In this guide on TFCC tear injury claims, we’ll review the types of accidents that might mean you’re eligible to claim and how much compensation could be paid.

We can help you begin the claims process as we offer a free initial consultation. During your call, your advisor will provide free legal advice and check whether it looks like you could be entitled to compensation. If one of our personal injury solicitors believes you have a strong case, they’ll offer to represent you on a No Win No Fee basis. That should remove any stress from the process as you will only pay legal costs if your claim is successful.

Please call 0800 6524 881 to talk to us today or read on to find out more about TFCC tear compensation claims.

What Is A TFCC Tear?

The triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) is, as the name suggests, made up of fibrous tissues and cartilage. It is an important part of the wrist that connects the bones in the forearms (ulna and radius) to the wrist and makes them more stable.

A TFCC tear can happen as a result of a traumatic injury, such as trying to break a fall on a pavement with an outstretched hand or a forceful twisting motion of the wrist. It can also develop gradually over time due to repetitive activities that strain the TFCC, such as in sports or certain occupations.

The TFCC can also wear down naturally and tear but that wouldn’t allow you to claim compensation. However, if you’re injury is the result of a fall or any other type of accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to claim for any suffering.

Symptoms Of A Triangular FibroCartilage Complex Tear

The symptoms of a torn TFCC include:

• Clicking or popping sounds when the wrist or forearm is rotated.
• Pain on the outside of the wrist (near your little finger).
• Difficulty gripping objects tightly.
• Problems rotating the wrist.
• General pain, discomfort and weakness in the wrist.

Less serious TFCC tears might be left to heal naturally. Painkillers, splints and steroid injections might all be used to alleviate some of the symptoms. However, if the tear will not heal naturally, surgery may be needed to fix a TFCC tear.

Importantly, even after healing, you could be left with a weakened wrist which could have a long-term effect on your ability to carry out everyday tasks. Therefore, this additional suffering should be considered in any TFCC tear injury claim.

Am I Eligible To Make A TFCC Tear Injury Claim?

Generally, you may be eligible to make a TFCC tear injury claim if you can prove that:

• A legal duty of care can be established between the defendant and yourself; and
• The defendant’s negligence caused an accident; and
• You suffered a torn TFCC as a result of the accident.

Fortunately, it’s usually not that difficult to prove a duty of care so you shouldn’t worry about this too much. Effectively, you will be owed a duty of care whilst working, shopping, walking in the street and whilst on a company’s premises.

However, you can help to prove how you sustained your triangular fibrocartilage complex injury and how it has affected you by providing as much evidence as possible. We’ll explain this in more detail later on in this guide.

Common Causes Of TFCC Tears

There are many ways in which a TFCC tear can occur. As mentioned earlier, it generally involves a traumatic blow to the hand or a fall. Some common examples of accidents that could allow you to claim compensation for a torn TFCC include:

• Slips, trips and falls. If you injured your wrist after putting your hands out to break a fall, you could be compensated. For example, you could claim after slipping in a supermarket or after tripping on a pothole.
• Road traffic collissions. TFCC tears can occur if your wrist is crushed in a collision or if you were hit by a car on a bike and hit the ground hard.
• Workplace accidents. If you tore your TFCC at work, for example, from repetitive movements or a construction-related accident and your employer was to blame, you could be eligible to claim compensation
• Sporting injuries. While many contact sports come with an associated risk of injury, you could still claim compensation for TFCC tears caused by negligence. For example, you could claim if your injury was caused by an unsafe playing surface (torn astroturf, raised floorboards etc), poor coaching or damaged equipment.

To check if you might be eligible to make a torn TFCC injury claim, please feel free to call our advice line today.

How Much Compensation For A TFCC Tear?

Your solicitor will generally use an independent medical professional’s report to help determine how much compensation for a TFCC tear you might be entitled to. Your solicitor will usually be able to arrange for this to take place locally to help assess how you’ve been affected by the tear and your prognosis. Their report will form the basis of any compensation your solicitor will claim for your physical pain and suffering.

Importantly, your physical pain and suffering may not be all that you could be compensated for in a TFCC tear injury claim. You could also be compensated for (where applicable):

• Lost income linked to your torn TFCC.
• Medical expenses, for example, the cost of prescriptions and physiotherapy fees.
• Care costs if you needed help with basic activities while injured.
• Travel costs (e.g to hospital appointments, physiotherapy etc)
• Future earnings losses if your TFCC tear restricts your earning capacity.
• Devices to help you deal with everyday activities (bottle and can openers for example), if your injury is permanent or long-term.
• Psychological injuries such as depression or anxiety.

Your solicitor’s job is to try and gain the maximum level of compensation possible. Therefore, they’ll work hard to get a full understanding of the impact of your wrist injury before filing your claim.

TFCC Compensation Amounts Guide

We are now going to look at some potential compensation payouts for a triangular fibrocartilage complex tear. We’re able to do this by referring to compensation guidelines provided by the Judicial College. These figures can be referred to by solicitors and insurers to help determine settlement figures in relation to general damages.

• £3,530 – £4,740 compensation for a minor TFCC tear.
• Up to £10,350 for a soft tissue injury where recovery takes more than 12 months but is complete (or is pretty much complete other than some minor symptoms).
• £12,590 – £24,500 where the injury has resulted in some permanent disability, for example, some persisting pain.
• £24,500 – £39,170 compensation for an injury that’s left a significant and permanent disability but there remains some useful ability in the wrist.

As the figures shown aren’t set in stone, they should be taken as a guide only. Essentially, every TFCC injury claim is calculated differently depending on the specifics of the case.

Evidence To Support A TFCC Tear Compensation Claim

Personal injury claims usually get forwarded to the defendant’s insurance company for processing. As you might expect, insurers don’t like paying compensation unless they have to. Therefore, your solicitor will need evidence to convince the insurer that their client is liable for your torn TFCC and how it’s affected you. The types of evidence that might prove useful for TFCC tear injury claims include:

• Photographs taken at the accident scene to help piece together why the accident happened and who was to blame.
• X-rays, scans and other medical records from the hospital or GP surgery where your TFCC tear was diagnosed and treated.
• Witness statements from others who saw your accident to help corroborate your version of events.
• A copy of an accident report if your triangular fibrocartilage complex tear happened in your workplace or in a public place.
• Dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone Again, obtaining this footage can be useful in proving the cause of the accident and who was to blame.

It’s also good practice to retain any receipts and financial records to help you claim back any expenses you’ve incurred because of your TFCC tear.

Time Limits For Claiming TFCC Tear Compensation

If your injury was immediately obvious, you’ll have 3 years from the date of your accident to claim for a TFCC tear. However, if it took longer before your TFCC injury was diagnosed, your 3-year limitation period will generally begin from your date of knowledge.

It is important to claim compensation within the time limits otherwise your claim could be rejected and you’d miss out on any compensation due. Therefore, we’d suggest contacting our team to discuss your claim at your earliest opportunity. If it’s taken on by one of our solicitors, an early start should allow them plenty of time to collect the evidence necessary to support the claim.

If your child has suffered a TFCC injury, the time limit for claiming doesn’t start until they are 18 years old. Therefore, you’ll be able to file a claim on behalf of your child at any point before then.

Starting The TFCC Tear Injury Claims Process

We are here to help if you’d like free legal advice on TFCC tear compensation claims. By calling 0800 6524 881 today, you’ll get a no-obligation consultation to discuss how your injury occurred.

If we suspect you are entitled to compensation, one of our personal injury solicitors will be consulted. If they agree that there are grounds to proceed, they’ll offer to work for you on a No Win No Fee basis. That means no legal fees need to be paid unless you receive compensation.

For more information on the TFCC tear injury claims process, please connect to our live chat service.