Wrist injuries can range from sprains and strains to lacerations, breaks and fractures. Even a seemingly minor wrist injury can cause considerable pain and many times that’s not even the worst part. Importantly, if you suffered an injured wrist due to somebody else’s negligence, you may be eligible to make a wrist injury claim for compensation.

In this guide to wrist injury compensation claims, we’ll explain how the claims process works, provide some example compensation amounts and look at what sorts of incidents you could be eligible to claim for. Also, we’ll show you the types of evidence you could use to help you prove who caused your accident, how it occurred, and what injuries you suffered.

If you’re ready to start a wrist injury claim today, please feel free to contact us right away on 0800 6524 881. Otherwise, please continue reading this guide to find out more about the process involved.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Wrist Injury?

To determine whether you’d be eligible to claim compensation for an injured wrist, our personal injury team must check that the case has a reasonable chance of success before accepting it. That means that will ask the following four questions during their initial consultation:

1. Were you (the claimant) owed a duty of care by the defendant (the person you’re claiming against)?
2. Did the defendant breach that duty by being negligent causing some form of accident or incident to occur?
3. Did you sustain a wrist injury as a direct result of the negligence?
4. Did your wrist injury happen, or was it diagnosed within the last three years?

Where you can answer yes in all cases, a personal injury solicitor may offer to represent you. Importantly, you needn’t worry too much about whether you were owed a duty of care. In many situations, legislation will exist that makes this clear and your solicitor will establish this quite quickly. For example, shops owe customers a duty of care towards their safety because of the Occupiers Liability Act 1984. In a similar way, your employer will need to try and protect your health and safety while you’re at work thanks to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Causes And Types Of Wrist Injury Compensation Claims

A wrist injury can be disabling. It makes it difficult for us to carry out simple everyday activities. From cooking and eating to cleaning up, dressing, driving, or using the computer, we use our wrists for numerous activities throughout the day. In this section, we are going to look at how wrist injuries could be sustained through no fault of your own, and therefore could be entitled to compensation. Some common examples include:

Fractured Wrists From Slips, Trips and Falls

One of the most common causes of a fractured wrist is slip, trip and fall accidents. Whether you slip and fall on a freshly waxed floor, slip on a spillage, or trip and fall because of a cracked or damaged pavement, your instinctive reaction would be to put your hand out to break your fall. This can cause severe injuries to the wrist.

Wrist Injuries From Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs)

Road accidents are another major cause of wrist injuries. If you are driving a car and are involved in a collision, the impact could cause a simple wrist sprain from the car accident, or cause multiple injuries, from whiplash to spinal injuries, fractured arms to fractured wrists. Being involved in an RTA on a motorbike or as a cyclist can put you at an even higher risk of a wrist injury.

Workplace Wrist Injuries

Workplace wrist injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome are becoming more common these days as more and more workers are using computer-type equipment. In most workplaces today, employees spend a major part of their workday at the computer. This repetitive motion of working at the computer puts them at higher risk of RSI injury that affects part of the wrist.

Sports & Fitness

Wrist injuries can also be caused during sports and fitness activities and it’s not just high-impact sports either. Any sporting activity carries a certain degree of risk but if a teammate, competitor, or fitness instructor, for example, has in some way caused a strained or sprained wrist, or a break/fracture, due to their negligence then you may be eligible to claim compensation against them.

Common Types Of Injuries To Wrists

The following are all common wrist injuries that could be included in a compensation claim:

• Sprains – where ligaments are torn or stretched.
• Tendinitis – where the tendon is inflamed.
• Wrist fractures – where the bones in the wrist is broken or cracked.
• Strains – when tendons or muscles are stretched or torn.

Whether your injury or accident is included in this section or not, we could support you when making a wrist injury compensation claim. If you believe somebody else’s negligence caused you to suffer a wrist injury, please get in touch with our claims advisors to check if you’re eligible to claim compensation.

How Much Compensation Do You Get For A Wrist Injury Claim?

There is no one fixed amount that has been set by the court to compensate for all wrist injury claims. Instead, you will need to provide evidence of the amount you are requesting and back it up with evidence. Generally, there will be two parts to a personal injury claim:

• General damages. This covers any pain and suffering you’ve suffered.
• Special damages. Where you claim back any money lost or costs you’ve incurred because of your injuries. This element might include medical costs, lost earnings, care costs or travel costs.

To prove the extent of your injuries (for general damages), you will need a medical assessment. This is quite straightforward and our solicitors can usually book your appointment locally for you.

Wrist Injury Compensation Amounts

To show what amount of compensation payout could be paid for your wrist injuries, we have supplied some settlement amounts below.

• £47,620 to £59,860 compensation for very severe wrist injuries where there has been a complete loss of function.
• £24,500 to £39,170 compensation for a wrist fracture that has left the claimant with a significant and permanent disability but the wrist still has some useful ability.
• £12,590 to £24,500 for less severe wrist injuries such as a wrist fracture that has resulted in permanent disability such as some persisting pain.
• Up to £10,350 for wrist fractures and soft tissue injury where recovery is longer but is complete (or expected to be complete).
• £7,430 for an uncomplicated Colles’ fracture.
• £3,530 to £4,740 compensation for minor wrist fractures such as a scaphoid fracture and soft tissue injuries that require bandages or plaster for some weeks but a full recovery is expected within 12 months (give or take).

As these figures are not set in stone, please use them for reference only. If one of our personal injury solicitors agrees to represent you, they will provide a compensation estimate for you once your wrist injury has been fully assessed.

Please contact our team if you’ve decided to proceed with a wrist injury claim and would like to know how much compensation you could be entitled to.

Evidence To Support A Wrist Injury Compensation Claim

In any type of personal injury claim, evidence is required to show who caused the accident, how it occurred and what level of injuries were sustained. Therefore, before looking at what accidents might lead to a wrist injury compensation claim, let’s look at the sort of evidence you could supply to support your case for which our solicitors can help in obtaining:

• Accident report forms. Under RIDDOR employers and businesses are legally obliged to record accidents that are reported to them. Your copy of the form might be evidence that proves the time, location, and date of your wrist injury happening.
• Medical records. These can be requested from the minor injuries unit or the A&E department that treated you.
• Witness details. Having witnesses to your accident can be a great way of proving what happened. Therefore, it’s a good idea to write down their contact details.
• Photographic evidence. After an accident, it is always a good idea to take pictures of the accident scene if it is safe to do so.
• CCTV footage. Where your accident is recorded by security cameras or dashcam units, you should request a copy ASAP before it is wiped.

Whilst time-consuming, the more evidence you can supply, the better your chances of receiving the compensation you might be due.

Time Limits For Claiming Wrist Injury Compensation

At this stage, we should point out that wrist injury claims are time-limited. Generally, you will have 3-years to start your claim from the date of your accident. This time limit won’t apply if you decide to claim on behalf of your child though. In these cases, you can claim at any point before the child becomes 18 years old as a litigation friend. The litigation friend process allows parents, guardians and some others to claim on behalf of a child. If a claim is not made before the child becomes an adult, their 3-year time limit will start on their 18^th birthday.

Our advice is always to begin your wrist injury claim as soon as possible. While 3-years might seem like a long time, it can soon pass by. If you file your claim too late, you are likely to miss out on any compensation that might be due.

How Long Do Wrist Injury Compensation Claims Take?

The length of time it takes to receive compensation for a wrist injury claim can vary depending on several factors, such as:

• The type of wrist injury and how severe it is.
• The types and strength of evidence required.
• Whether liability has been disputed.
• The ease with which a payout amount can be agreed.

Typically, straightforward wrist injury claims where liability is admitted may be settled in only a few months. However, more complex claims where liability is disputed or where the extent of the injury is unclear may take longer, sometimes even years.

It’s best to speak with a personal injury solicitor who has experience in dealing with wrist injury compensation claims to get a better idea of how long your specific case may take.

Using A Solicitor To Make A Wrist Injury Compensation Claim

There is no doubt that personal injury claims can be difficult. There can be a lot of evidence required as well as complex and technical jargon to deal with. If you are unable to prove to the defendant’s insurer that they caused the injury to your wrist, your claim might be refused and you won’t receive any compensation.

Our suggestion is that you have more chance of being compensated fairly if you have a personal injury solicitor working for you. They can use their legal acumen to present a clear and concise case to try and ensure you receive the maximum level of compensation possible. They can also shield you from the insurance company by dealing with all communication on your behalf and fighting your corner where necessary.

Starting The Wrist Injury Claims Process

To discuss a potential claim with us today, do give us a call on 0800 6524 881. Your claim will be reviewed for free and you’ll be given legal advice about your options. If the case appears to have strong grounds, we could connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our team and start the wrist injury claims process right away.