By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 23rd July 2025 A dislocation injury, regardless of whether it is a dislocated shoulder or a dislocated kneecap, can have a devastating impact on you and your health. In some cases, the victim is lucky to get away with some stiffness and mild pain that goes away after a few treatments, but in other cases, dislocation may lead to some serious long-term consequences. This guide will aim to answer questions you may have about a dislocated injury claim.

If you or any of your loved ones have suffered a dislocation from injuries at work, in a road accident or in a public place, or under any other circumstances, you may be eligible for dislocation injury compensation from the liable party.

This guide holds a lot of vital information on how to make a claim. Please read through it, and if you have any questions on how to claim compensation, please use the contact details at the bottom of this page to contact us.

To speak to an advisor about making a dislocation injury claim, you can contact Legal Expert online or on the phone. You can:

• Call us on 0800 073 8804
• Contact us online.
• Use our 24/7 live chat service

Select A Section:

• How Much Compensation For A Dislocated Injury Claim?
• What Is A Dislocation Injury?
• Dislocated Injury Claim Caused By A Slip, Trip or Fall
• Claiming For A Dislocation Injury Caused By A Road Traffic Accident
• Dislocation Injury Caused By Medical Negligence
• Claiming For A Dislocation Injury At Work
• Claiming For An Accident In A Public Place
• Other Common Accidents That Result In A Dislocated Injury Claim
• What To Do If You Have Suffered A Dislocation Injury
• No Win No Fee Dislocation Injury Claims

How Much Compensation For A Dislocated Injury Claim?

If you are successful in your dislocated injury claim, your compensation may be made up of 2 heads of loss. The first is called general damages, and this is to compensate you for your injuries. The second is special damages, covering the financial losses caused by your injuries.

Looking at general damages first, there are factors that determine how much dislocation injury compensation you could receive. These include:

• The severity of the dislocation
• Pain levels you suffer
• The outlook for the future (your prognosis)
• The impact of your injuries on your life

Those calculating compensation for a dislocated injury may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them. The JCG details many injuries, together with suggested compensation brackets for them.

Since they are only guidelines, the following bullet point list of brackets should not be seen as a guarantee of compensation. Please note that the top figure isn’t sourced from the JCG.

Compensation Guidelines

• • Multiple Very Severe Injuries Plus Special Damages (e.g. Private Medical Treatments) – Up to £250,000 plus
  • Severe (i) Pelvis Injury – £95,680 to £159,770
  • Severe (ii) Pelvis Injury – £75,550 to £95,680
  • Very Severe Ankle Injury – £61,090 to £85,070
  • Moderate Ankle Injury – £16,770 to £32,450
  • Severe Shoulder Injury – £23,430 to £58,610
  • Serious Shoulder Injury – £15,580 to £23,430
  • Moderate Shoulder Injury – £9,630 to £15,580
  • Less Severe Elbow Injuries – £19,100 to £39,070
  • Moderate (i) Knee Injury – £18,110 to £31,960
  • Moderate (ii) Knee Injury – Up to £16,770

Can I Claim Financial Losses From My Dislocation Injury?

Compensation for a dislocated injury can include financial losses if the harm led to those costs. They will need to be supported by evidence, such as bank statements and wageslips. Some financial losses which could be claimed include:

• Loss of earnings
• Corrective surgery
• Rehabilitation costs
• Care needs
• Travel and medical expenses

To find out more about how much your potential claim could be worth, why not contact an advisor today?

What Is A Dislocation Injury?

A dislocation injury is a type of injury that affects the point where two or more bones connect together in the body, known as the joint. When the bones forcefully leave their regular position, the health condition is known as a dislocation.

A dislocation doesn’t just affect the joints; it may also affect the nerves, ligaments, muscles, and tendons surrounding the affected area. Joint dislocation may affect your shoulders, knees, ankles, hips, elbows, toes, fingers and your jaw.

Dislocation can be very painful and may cause the victim to become temporarily or permanently incapacitated. It may become difficult to move the parts of the body connected to the affected joint.

Dislocated Injury Claim Caused By A Slip, Trip or Fall

Most dislocation injuries occur as a result of a slip, trip or a fall. When you trip or fall, the impact may forcefully push your joints into an abnormal position and force the ligaments that support the bones to lose their hold.

A slip, trip or fall accident can happen anywhere. It could happen at work, or in a public place. It doesn’t matter where the incident occurred if you sustain dislocation injuries from a slip, trip or fall, and the accident was the responsibility of another party, you can claim compensation.

If the accident happened at work as a result of your employer’s negligent actions, you might be able to claim compensation from your employer for your dislocation injury. For accidents that occur in public places such as shopping malls, in the street, at a public library or any other commercial location, you may be able to claim compensation from the business owner or the local council.

Claiming For A Dislocation Injury Caused By A Road Traffic Accident

The forceful impact with another vehicle or objects during an accident may cause the bones to move out of their regular position. If another road user hits you with their car as a pedestrian or while you were driving your own vehicle, you can claim for compensation from the guilty party as long as there is proof that you were not partially or fully responsible for the accident. If you were in a taxi, bus or any other form of public transport and the driver was negligent. It’s possible to claim compensation from the service operator.

Dislocation treatment may take a lot of time and cost money. When you factor in the level of disruption to your everyday life and the adverse effect on your finances that the dislocation may cause, it can mount up to a significant level.

The good thing is that you don’t have to bear the costs alone. If another road user was negligent and exposed you to dislocation injuries from the impact of an accident, you may claim compensation from them.

Dislocation Injury Caused By Medical Negligence

Medical negligence during childbirth, surgery or physical therapy may lead to different types of dislocation injuries. Delayed diagnosis of dislocation symptoms may also cause irreversible damage to the victim’s joint and overall level of mobility.

However, to be able to get dislocated shoulder compensation or compensation for any other dislocation injuries, you would need to prove that you suffered unnecessary harm because of substandard medical care.

Essentially, every medical professional from doctors and nurses (as well as facilities like hospitals) is expected to provide their patients with the correct standard of care. That is the duty of care owed to you as a patient.

Claiming For A Dislocation Injury At Work

If you’ve suffered dislocation injuries following an accident at work, you may be able to claim compensation from your employer. According to the Advisory (ACAS), employers hold a duty of care to ensure that the workplace is safe and secure for employees. This obligation is also echoed by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

For instance, all equipment, tools and facilities that may expose employees to risks of accidents should be managed appropriately. Employers are also expected to properly train employees to use all equipment and facilities in the workplace. However, despite the measures previously listed, accidents can still occur. Sometimes, the accident may not be your employer’s fault but the fault of another negligent party at work. Our legal advisers would be able to tell you how to go make your claims for such accidents.

Claiming For An Accident In A Public Place

It’s not uncommon for people to slip or trip in a public place due to wet floors, poor construction of walkways or malfunctioning facilities like elevators, canal footpaths, pavements, pedestrian bridges, etc.

Such accidents may occur in various places, including supermarkets, spas and beauty salons, libraries and car parks. Any place that is accessible to the public and is the responsibility of a third party to maintain.

The owners and managers of commercial enterprises owe a duty of care to their clients and visitors to ensure that their business premises are safe for the public to access. A failure to do this makes them liable for any injuries you sustain while you are on the premises.

Other Common Accidents That Result In A Dislocated Injury Claim

Although a large number of dislocation injuries occur as a result of a slips, trips and falls, workplace accidents and road traffic mishaps, those are not the only causes of dislocation injuries. Dislocation Injuries can also be caused by:

• Faulty or Damaged Equipment or Products: Using a product or equipment that is already damaged or faulty, such as ladders, gym equipment, or facilities like an elevator in a public place may also cause dislocation.

When the injury is caused by faulty products or equipment, you may be able to claim compensation from the manufacturer or supplier of the equipment or the persons responsible for managing or servicing the equipment, who failed to do so in cases of accidents that happen at the workplace, gym or in public places.

• Medical Negligence: Sometimes, the negligent actions of your doctor, physical therapist or other medical professionals may also lead to dislocation injuries.
• Assault and Violence: Blunt force impact from physical assault may also cause dislocation. You can claim compensation from the person who assaulted you in such cases.
• Sports Injuries: Excessive pressure or forceful impact during sporting activities is another one of the most common causes of dislocation, especially dislocated shoulders, ankles and knees.

If you were involved in any other type of accident not mentioned above, and it led to dislocation injuries through no fault of yours, please talk to our legal team, and we will be able to tell you how to claim compensation.

What To Do If You Have Suffered A Dislocation Injury

This is an essential part of the claim process, as if you do not handle this correctly, you may be unable to make claims against the negligent party because there would be insufficient evidence to back up your claims.

You should take the following steps:

• Gather as much evidence as you can. Use your mobile phone to take photos of the accident and clearly show the location and time the injury occurred. If it’s a road accident, make sure you take the photos before the vehicles are towed.
• Record details of witnesses to the accident. If it’s possible to get a statement from them too, that would further help.
• Receive medical treatment for your injuries and obtain a medical report on your injuries.
• Make a formal report to the guilty party. If the accident happened at work, you could report to your employer or to the manager or owner of a business if it occurred within commercial premises.
• Talk to a legal expert for advice on any other steps to take and how to begin making claims against the negligent party.

How Much Time Do I Have For A Dislocated Injury Claim?

You will generally have 3 years in which to start a dislocated injury claim, as per the Limitation Act 1980. This time limit usually commences on the date of the injury, but there are exceptions if the claimant is:

• A minor: Since minors cannot make an independent claim before turning 18, the time limit won’t apply until then.
• Has limited mental capacity: If the injured person doesn’t have the requisite mental capacity to start their dislocation compensation claim for themselves, the time limit is suspended indefinitely. However, if they regain their capacity, they will have 3 years to start their claim from the date of their recovery.

If an injured person is unable to claim due to the reasons outlined above, a trusted adult could do so on their behalf by becoming a litigation friend during the pause on time limits. Some of the most common candidates for this position include:

• Parents or guardians.
• Friends or relatives.
• Solicitors.
• Professional advocates.

Either the court will review the application for the position of litigation friend or appoint somebody themselves. In both cases, the court will determine suitability on the following grounds:

• No conflict of interest.
• Competence to make fair decisions.

If you would like more tailored guidance on claiming compensation for a dislocated injury on behalf of a child or another loved one, call our advisors now. They will also guide you about the time limit applicable in your case and whether exceptions could be granted.

No Win No Fee Dislocation Injury Claims

No matter what type of dislocation injury you have sustained, our No Win No Fee solicitors could help you. For example, if you have a shoulder dislocation injury, they can gather evidence on your behalf and make sure your personal injury claim is put forward in full.

Additionally, if you have concerns about the expense of hiring a legal representative, your solicitor could offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement, which is a type of No Win No Fee contract. This means you won’t need to pay solicitor fees upfront or while your claim is ongoing, nor will you be charged for them if your case loses.

On the basis that your claim wins, your solicitor will charge a success fee deducted from your compensation. The fee they take for the work done on a case is limited as the percentage is capped under The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013.

Get in touch anytime if you think you would benefit from hiring a No Win No Fee solicitor. Our advisors can offer you a free consultation to determine whether this type of arrangement is suitable for you.

To speak to our team for free advice on dislocation injury claims, you can:

• Phone us on 0800 073 8804
• Contact us online.
• Reach us through our 24/7 live chat service

Helpful Links

• NHS guidance on when to call 999
• NHS information on managing dislocations
• Find out about frozen shoulder claims
• Learn more about arm injury claims

Thank you for considering our guide about making a dislocated injury claim.