If you’ve suffered a broken thumb, you already know just how vital this digit is for navigating the daily demands of life. Such injuries can significantly impact our ability to work and perform everyday tasks, such as typing or cooking. If you’re wondering how much compensation for a broken thumb someone might receive, please continue reading our personal injury claims guide.
Key Takeaways
- Broken or fractured thumbs can occur in accidents on the road, at work, or in public.
- Compensation may reflect an individual’s injuries and the financial losses caused by them.
- There is a standard 3-year time limit for starting a claim, but exceptions may apply in specific circumstances.
- Our team of advisors is available 24/7, ensuring that any query always receives a prompt answer.
- A solicitor from our panel could help you claim by offering their services through a type of No Win No Fee agreement.
At any point in this guide, you can reach out to our advisors for a free assessment of your case to see if you have grounds to claim compensation:
- Ring our advisors on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online to make an enquiry.
- Ask a question through the live chat facility at the bottom of this screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How Much Compensation For A Broken Thumb Could I Get?
- Calculating The Broken Thumb Compensation Amount
- Case Study: £25,000 For A Broken Thumb In A Public Place Accident
- Can I Make A Claim For Broken Thumb Compensation?
- What Is A Broken Or Fractured Thumb?
- Examples Of Accidents That Could Cause A Thumb Break Or Fracture
- What Do I Need To Start A Broken Thumb Compensation Claim?
- How Our Panel Of Solicitors Can Help You Claim
- No Win No Fee Compensation For A Broken Thumb
- More Information
How Much Compensation For A Broken Thumb Could I Get?
The amount of compensation for a broken thumb you could get in a successful claim may reflect various factors, such as the severity of the injury, recovery time, and the impact on your daily life.
In the table below, we’ve used the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) as a source. This publication provides a list of compensation guideline brackets for injuries, based on past successful cases. It often serves as a starting point for calculating the potential value of someone’s injuries; however, the table itself should be used for guidance only, as the brackets are purely suggestive. Additionally, the initial entry is not from the document:
Compensation Guidelines
| Injury | Severity | Compensation Guidelines | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe, Multiple Injuries + Special Damages | Severe | Up to £250,000+ | More than one severe injury and special damages, covering costs like lost income, private medical bills, and care provision. |
| Hand Injuries | Loss of Thumb | £43,350 increasing to £66,920 | Complete loss of the thumb. |
| Very Serious Injury to Thumb | £23,920 increasing to £42,720 | Cases where the thumb is severed at the base, requiring it to be grafted back. That will leave the digit virtually useless and deformed. Alternatively, the thumb will have been amputated at the interphalangeal joint. | |
| Serious Injury to Thumb | £15,370 increasing to £20,460 | In this bracket, injuries might involve tip amputation or nerve damage. Cases may also include a fracture that requires the insertion of wires, resulting in a thumb that is ultra-sensitive and cold, together with grip impairment and a loss of manual dexterity. | |
| Moderate Thumb Injuries | £11,800 increasing to £15,370 | Injuries can feature a requirement for arthrodesis to the interphalangeal joint or cases of nerve or tendon damage. | |
| Severe Thumb Dislocation or Soft Tissue Injury | £7,740 increasing to £9,490 | Injuries that cause some degree of permanent, minor function loss. | |
| Minor Hand, Finger and Thumb Injuries | Up to £5,800 | Includes fractures that generally recover in 6 months. |
Calculating The Broken Thumb Compensation Amount
The process of calculating the compensation amount for a broken thumb in a successful claim depends on general and special damages. General damages cover the physical and psychological impact of your injuries, together with any effects on your quality of life. Any financial loss caused by those injuries would be claimed for under special damages.
To help calculate general damages, medical evidence is usually required. A crucial part of this evidence is an independent medical assessment, which our panel of solicitors help to organise on behalf of their clients.
Special damages also require supporting evidence. Without proof, you wouldn’t be able to claim for the financial loss. Our panel of solicitors usually recommend the following:
- Wage slips showing any loss of income, including future earnings and pension contributions.
- Invoices and other documentation for private medical costs, occupational therapies, and prescription charges.
- Bus tickets or bank statement charges for parking fees covering the medical appointments you attended.
- Receipts for the purchase of thumb splints or protective braces.
- Estimates and invoices if you had to install grab bars or handrails in your home.
- Receipts and bank statements for care provided by family, friends, or paid professionals.
Our panel of solicitors have helped assemble evidence like this on behalf of clients just like you. Call now to find out how one of them could assist you or to ask any questions you might have about special damages.
Case Study: £25,000 For A Broken Thumb In A Public Place Accident
The following case study shows how Miss Black received £25,000 in compensation for a broken thumb sustained in a public place accident.
Miss Black was making her way to an appointment at her local council when she slipped on an unmarked spillage inside the building. This spillage had been left unattended by staff, who made no effort to clean it up or place ‘wet floor‘ signs to notify visitors about the hazard. She suffered a severely broken thumb in the heavy fall, together with bruising and cuts to her knee.
During her recovery, Miss Black noticed that the injury had seriously limited her range of motion and ability to grasp items. That prevented her from returning to her job as a secretary, as the broken thumb meant she couldn’t type or perform other day-to-day tasks. Alongside the cost of physiotherapy, this represented a major financial challenge for her.
She decided to reach out to a personal injury solicitor to see if it was possible to sue the council. After explaining the circumstances of her accident, the solicitor concluded that she had a strong case to claim compensation on a No Win No Fee basis. Her solicitor explained how much compensation for a broken thumb might apply in her situation, one that took into account her pain, suffering, and associated financial losses.
To support Miss Black’s claim, the solicitor gathered witness statements and CCTV evidence from the council building. The local authority accepted liability and Miss Black was awarded £25,000 in damages.
If you’d like to share your own experience, please connect with our advisory team today. They can assess the merits of your thumb injury claim and potentially put you in touch with a personal injury solicitor from our expert panel.
Can I Make A Claim For Broken Thumb Compensation?
Yes, you may be able to make a claim for broken thumb compensation if you can demonstrate the following:
- A duty of care applied to you at the moment you sustained the broken thumb.
- That duty was breached by a third party in some way.
- Because of this breach, you suffered a broken thumb.
A duty of care is the obligation that third parties have toward the safety of others. Later on in this guide, we’ll explore how various pieces of legislation govern this duty of care, and how someone might breach it.
If you’re unsure whether your situation meets the criteria above, please speak with one of our advisors. They can provide tailored, free guidance and help see if you have a case to claim compensation.
What Is A Broken Or Fractured Thumb?
A broken or fractured thumb is a crack or break that affects 1 or both of the 2 bones making up the thumb: The distal phalanx (the tip) and the proximal phalanx (the bone that attaches the thumb to the hand). Fractures can also occur in the first metacarpal, the palm bone that connects to the thumb’s proximal phalanx.
Symptoms of a thumb break can include the following:
- Swelling, tenderness, and numbness.
- Pain (either sharp or dull).
- Limited or no movement.
- Deformed appearance.
No matter what type of thumb break you’ve suffered, major or minor, you may be able to claim compensation. Get in touch with an advisor today for a free and completely confidential case assessment.
Examples Of Accidents That Could Cause A Thumb Break Or Fracture
Below, we will provide several examples of accidents that could cause a thumb break or fracture, potentially leading to a claim for compensation. We will also explain the relevant duty of care legislation that applies.
Public Places
The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 requires those in control of public places to use practical measures to ensure the reasonable safety of visitors. A failure to meet this duty of care might result in accidents like the following:
- The owners of a restaurant failed to clean up a spillage or place warning signs around the hazard despite being aware of the risk. Due to this, a diner slipped and dislocated their thumb in a heavy fall.
- The management of a cinema was aware of a faulty lighting system in a screening room but delayed carrying out the necessary repairs for several weeks. This caused a customer to fall in the dark and break their thumb.
- Multiple complaints were made to the owners of a recreation centre about a faulty door, but they ignored the issue. The door trapped a customer’s hand, crushing their thumb and causing soft tissue injuries to several fingers.
Accidents At Work
Employers have a duty of care to staff set out by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). Per this act, they must take reasonable steps to protect the well-being, health, and safety of their staff. A breach that results in an injury at work might involve:
- A warehouse fails to provide its workers with appropriate training for handling heavy objects. Subsequently, an employee suffers a serious thumb dislocation and multiple hand fractures while trying to move a package.
- Machinery is not regularly safety tested by the owners of a factory. As a result of this, an appliance malfunctions and leaves a worker with multiple injuries to their hand, including a broken thumb.
- Office management does not conduct routine risk assessments, which would have identified multiple trailing computer cables. A worker trips over these wires and fractures their thumb while trying to break their fall.
Road Traffic Accidents
All road users are expected to operate in a way that will avoid causing an injury to one another (as well as to themselves). To help meet this duty of care, they must also comply with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. Breaches can cause a wide array of accidents where a thumb is broken or fractured:
- A driver was speeding above the legal limit and in breach of their duty of care. They collided with a pedestrian at a junction and caused them multiple injuries, including a broken thumb.
- A cyclist was knocked from their bike when a driver aggressively overtook them while going over the speed limit. This collision leaves the cyclist with several fractures, including to the thumb.
- A driver opened their car door without checking and impacted a motorcyclist. This caused the rider to fall off and suffer hand damage that included a broken thumb.
Medical Negligence
Patients are entitled to receive the correct level of care from medical professionals and facilities, such as GP practices. If a doctor, for example, causes a patient to suffer unnecessarily because of substandard care, this may constitute medical negligence. You can see some examples of potentially valid claims below:
- A physiotherapist performed incorrect treatment on a patient with arthritis because they did not check the patient’s notes. This caused the patient unnecessary pain and nerve damage.
- A surgeon performed a planned procedure on the wrong thumb due to being distracted.
- The staff in a care home failed to follow the correct procedure for moving an elderly patient from a bed to a wheelchair and dropped them. In the fall, the resident suffered a fractured wrist and a dislocated thumb.
There can be many other ways that negligent actions might cause a broken thumb. Why not get in touch to discuss your particular example? You could find out how much compensation for a broken thumb would be calculated in your case.
What Do I Need To Start A Broken Thumb Compensation Claim?
To start a broken thumb compensation claim, you will need evidence that shows how your injury was caused by a third party breaching their duty of care towards you. Additionally, you must ensure that you claim within the correct time limit.
Time limits for personal injury claims are set out in the Limitation Act 1980. This act provides a 3-year window for beginning a compensation claim, typically commencing from when the incident occurred. However, time limits will be paused in the following situations:
- The claimant is a minor: Children aren’t able to pursue compensation on their own. Consequently, the standard 3 years will only run down on the day of a child’s 18th birthday.
- The claimant has a mental incapacity: Individuals who are unable to manage their own affairs can also not claim by themselves. If their mental ability returns, they will have 3 years from the point of their recovery in which to launch a claim.
During the pause on time limits, a litigation friend can help start a compensation claim on another person’s behalf. A family member or solicitor typically performs this role, carrying out all the responsibilities and tasks associated with the claims process.
Evidence
You will need a strong body of evidence that supports your case. This proof should show how a third party was responsible for your broken thumb and provide insight into the severity of your injury. Below, you can see several examples of evidence that our panel of solicitors have found helpful in proving a claim:
- Photos of the thumb injury and the scene of the location where you suffered the break.
- Copies of CCTV footage or any other video recording, if applicable.
- Reports from an accident book or emergency services, if any attended.
- The contact information for anyone else who may have seen the accident in which you broke your thumb. Should a solicitor be appointed, they will reach out to these potential eyewitnesses to collect statements for the case.
- Duplicates of your medical records, detailing the severity of your injury, together with copies of X-rays or specialists’ reports.
- The contact details of the road user involved (if your broken thumb happened in a road traffic accident). You may also need their insurance information, vehicle registration, and details about the car.
- A personal record of important dates and events, together with how you were impacted by the broken thumb.
If you’re unsure where to start with the task of proving a claim, rest assured that a solicitor from our panel can assist you. They will leave no stone unturned to obtain proof on your behalf and will piece together the evidence to build the strongest claim possible. Contact our team of advisors today if you’d like to learn more about their work.
How Our Panel Of Solicitors Can Help You Claim
Our panel of solicitors could help you claim for thumb injury compensation by offering a range of tailored services. They approach every case with the goal of making the claims process a smooth and stress-free experience for their clients. With that in mind, one of the solicitors from our panel can:
- Help put you in touch with specialists to aid your rehabilitation, including physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
- Gather, review, and assemble supporting evidence, such as medical records and witness statements.
- Be the main point of contact with the defendant’s representatives, ensuring you can stay focused on your recovery.
- Explain any complex or otherwise unfamiliar terminology in a clear and transparent way.
- Work tirelessly to negotiate a settlement that fairly reflects the extent and severity of your injuries.
These services are only a snapshot of the many advantages that come with claiming compensation through one of the expert solicitors from our panel. If you’d like to learn more or want to discuss the process of making a claim, please reach out to our 24/7 team of advisors today.
No Win No Fee Compensation For A Broken Thumb
You could pursue No Win No Fee compensation for a broken thumb through a solicitor from our panel. They believe their high-quality services should be accessible to everyone, regardless of someone’s financial situation. That is why they offer clients like you a type of No Win No Fee contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA):
CFAs ensure that:
- There are solicitor fees to be paid in advance of a claim.
- There are zero solicitor fees charged for work carried out as a claim progresses.
- There are absolutely no solicitor fees to pay if a claim fails.
If a claim wins, then a solicitor takes a percentage of the compensation as their success fee. This fee acts as payment for the work done on a case. It’s kept small as The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 puts a cap on the percentage, ensuring a claimant always gets the bulk of the compensation.
Contact How Much Compensation
If you’re interested in discussing any part of this guide or are ready to start your claim, please connect with our advisory team today:
- Ring on 0800 408 7826
- Contact us online to make an enquiry.
- Ask a question through the live chat facility at the bottom of this screen, and advisors will answer immediately.
More Information
These other resources offer further helpful reading:
- Here you can read about hand injury claims.
- In addition to this, here we look at claiming for psychological damage.
- Also, there’s information here about compensation for a broken wrist.
Some useful information from external sites:
- Read about requesting copies of your medical records.
- Additionally, here is information on claiming Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if you are unable to work.
- Lastly, this resource explains how to request CCTV footage of yourself.
In conclusion, we appreciate your interest in our guide, which examined how much compensation for a broken thumb might apply in successful claims.
