Last Updated 2nd July 2025. This guide will give you the information you need to claim for broken hand at work compensation. If the negligent actions of your employer have caused you injury, you may be able to start a personal injury claim. We understand that hand injuries can make daily activities more difficult, whether in your work or personal life. If the criteria apply to your case, you could enquire today about starting a claim for compensation.

We will outline what makes you eligible to claim workplace compensation and provide guidelines for compensation amounts. You can also learn about the common causes of broken hand injuries and your employer’s responsibility to you.

Furthermore, we will explain some aspects of the claim process, such as the different types of evidence you could gather that will help to strengthen your case, along with a look at how long you have to start your claim.

If you have any queries about starting a claim, you can get in touch with one of our advisors:

• Call on 0800 073 8804.
• Use our ‘Contact Us‘ form.
• Message the live chat.

Jump To A Section:

1. Claiming Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work
2. How To Calculate Broken Hand At Work Compensation
3. Common Causes Of Broken Hand Injuries In The Workplace
4. Negligence And Employer Responsibility
5. Steps To Take If You’ve Broken Your Hand At Work
6. More Information

Claiming Compensation For A Broken Hand At Work

As outlined by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, your employer owes you a duty of care. They must take reasonable steps to protect the health and safety of their employees when at work.

In order to claim broken hand at work compensation, you must be able to show that:

1. Firstly, an employer owed you a duty
2. Secondly, they did not fulfil their duty
3. Thirdly, this failure caused you injury

All 3 statements must apply for you to have a valid claim. Our advisors are here to help if you have any questions about the criteria. They can also connect you to one of our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors if you are eligible to claim compensation.

How To Calculate Broken Hand At Work Compensation

When looking at what general damages you could be owed, your solicitor (or other parties) may check the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This lists guidelines on compensation for different injuries based on their type and severity.

Some of these suggestive brackets can be found in the table below (with the exception of the top figure, which isn’t from the JCG). We must clarify that these brackets do not guarantee the amount of compensation you may receive.

Factors Affecting Compensation Payouts

Many factors can influence how much compensation you may gain.

These include:

• The severity of your injury
• The amount of treatment you require
• The amount of time taken to recover
• Whether your injury causes financial losses to you
• If your future employment may be impacted

General Damages Vs Special Damages

The broken hand at work compensation is divided into two heads of claim. The first is general damages. As mentioned previously, these refer to the pain and suffering that you have experienced due to the injury. They account for both physical and psychological impacts.

You can also receive compensation for special damages. These refer to the financial losses caused by your injury and can be particularly important for serious injury claims. For example, you may be reimbursed for:

• Adaptations made to your home
• Lost earnings
• Travel costs
• Costs for care in the home
• Medical expenses

Can I Claim Extra For Psychological Impact?

When you suffer an injury at work, it can have a serious impact on your mental health. For example, you may experience anxiety when you think about returning to work. If you choose to work with one of our solicitors, they can help you gather evidence to show the psychological impact that the incident has had on you. This can then be considered for the valuation of your compensation.

Contact an advisor today for more information about what you may be able to claim compensation for. They could connect you to a solicitor who could ensure that the impact you have suffered is reflected in the valuation of your compensation.

Common Causes Of Broken Hand Injuries In The Workplace

You could suffer a broken hand injury in the workplace due to many different reasons.

For example:

• Your employer was aware that there had been a spillage; however, you slipped and fell, injuring your hand as it broke your fall because no warning signs were erected.
• An accident occurs when you use faulty machinery while working in a factory. The machine crushes your hand and causes a broken bone. Your employer had failed to maintain the machinery and check for faults.
• A shelving unit has not been properly secured in your workplace, meaning that a heavy item falls off and hits your hand as you walk past. One of your bones is broken during this crush injury.
• The ground by the doorway to your workplace has frozen over, which your employer is aware of. You slip over on the ice and break a bone in your hand.

If you’re unsure whether you can claim compensation for your work-related accident, contact our advisors for more information.

Negligence And Employer Responsibility

When an employer fails in their duty and causes you injury, this is negligence. The employer must follow legislation to limit the exposure of employees to harm when working, such as:

• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – This requires your employer to put health and safety measures in place, such as risk assessments and appropriate training.
• The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 – This applies to jobs where employees work with hazardous substances. The employer has certain responsibilities, such as limiting and controlling exposure to said substances. For example, if you experience a chemical burn, you may be able to claim if your employer is at fault.
• Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 – This requires your employer to provide you with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) if it is necessary to do your job safely.
• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 – This means that the employer must keep work equipment suitable, well-maintained and inspected for correct installation.

Will I Still Be Able To Make A Broken Hand At Work Claim If I’m Partially Responsible?

You may still be able to make a broken hand at work claim if you are partially responsible for the incident or injury. However, it may mean that the claim will be settled on the basis of either split liability or contributory negligence. 

• Split Liability: Such cases occur where there is a shared responsibility for an accident at work. Say you are going too fast while driving a forklift at your warehouse, but your employer hasn’t adequately maintained the vehicle itself. In such a scenario, both you and your employer may be liable for the incident.
• Contributory Negligence: May apply in situations where you contributed to the severity of the injuries sustained in an accident. For example, you might be deemed partially responsible if you were not wearing employer-supplied impact-resistant gloves when you broke your hand because of defective machinery.

In both cases, broken hand at work compensation may be reduced to reflect the level of responsibility you’re deemed to have had. For instance, if you are found to be 25% at fault for your injuries, you’d get 75% of the compensation you’d have received had you not been partially responsible.

Do you have any questions about what happens when liability for an injury or accident isn’t clear-cut? Or would you like further information on the duty of care your employer has to you? Our advisors are live 24/7, so you’ll always get a quick response to queries like ‘Can I claim if I broke my hand at work?’

Steps To Take If You’ve Broken Your Hand At Work

If you think you are eligible to file a claim for broken hand at work compensation, continue reading to learn more about the process. Here, we provide more information about what evidence you need and how the process works.

Gather Evidence

In order to claim, you will need to prove that your employer’s negligence caused you to suffer an injury. Evidence may include:

• Bank statements or payslips (to show lost earnings)
• Photos or videos (including CCTV)
• Receipts for payments made for home adjustments
• Contact information of people who witnessed the incident
• A copy of your medical records
• Copies of accident reports (your employer should have logged the incident in an accident report book)

If you need further advice about what evidence supports your claim, you can speak with our advisors.

Find A Solicitor

If you feel overwhelmed at the prospect of filing a claim, you should consider working with one of our solicitors. They can help your case by:

• Corresponding with the defending party
• Advising how you can get the right evidence together for your claim
• Making sure that the claim is filed within the necessary timeframe (which we will discuss in the next section)
• Negotiating a settlement so that your compensation includes damages that are relevant to your claim

Furthermore, our experienced personal injury solicitors can help you to follow all stages of the claim and seek compensation. Specifically, they could offer you a No Win No Fee contract, such as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means that you do not have to pay any solicitor fees for the work done on your case:

• Before the start of your claim
• Throughout your claim
• If your claim is not successful

Typically, the only fee that you will need to pay is a success fee. This is a legally capped percentage taken out of your compensation that you pay for your solicitor’s work if your claim is successful. The cap ensures that the majority of the compensation still ends up in your pocket.

The Time Limit For Hand Injury Claims

You must submit your claim for broken hand at work compensation within 3 years of your accident. This is required by the Limitation Act 1980. However, there are exceptions to the limitation period if an individual cannot make a claim on their own because:

• The person is under 18. In such cases, the 3 years take effect from the date of a child’s 18th birthday.
• The claimant does not have mental capacity. Under the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the 3-year time limit would only apply from the date that a person recovers their mental capacity.

Our solicitors, who are experienced in handling such claims efficiently, will ensure that your claim is filed within the correct time limit.

Will I Need To Go To Court?

Since taking a claim to court is often a time-consuming process, many cases are settled outside of court. However, you may need to take your claim to court if:

• The defendant does not accept liability- the court will then need to decide who is responsible for your injury
• The defendant accepts liability but cannot reach an agreement with you about the level of compensation
• The personal injury claim is reaching the end of the 3-year limitation period (as discussed in the previous section)

Additionally, a settlement cannot be accepted on behalf of a person who is under eighteen or incapacitated without court approval. Although the claimant may be represented by someone else, who is referred to as a litigation friend, the claim must go through the court in accordance with Part 8 court proceedings.

You do not need to worry about whether you should take your claim to court. Our solicitors can help you at every stage and advise you on any decisions about your case.

However, if you have any further queries about the claim process, compensation amounts, or your eligibility to claim for broken hand at work compensation, you can seek free advice from one of our advisors today:

• Call on 0800 073 8804.
• Use our ‘Contact Us‘ form.
• Message the live chat.

More Information

You can also:

• Read our case study on claiming compensation for crushed hand injuries
• Learn about claiming for a broken arm with this case study.
• Find out how to claim for a fractured forearm by reading our case study and guide.

Further resources:

• Visit the NHS webpage for hand pain
• Find out if you could claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
• An overview of hand fractures from the British Society for Surgery of the Hand.

Thank you for reading this guide on how to claim broken hand at work compensation.