Compensation For A Finger Amputation Following An Accident
By Megan Black. Last Updated 23rd November 2023. Losing a finger is something we rarely think about, but the effects of losing just one small digit can have far-reaching effects on what we can do, especially if it is our dominant hand that is affected. If you have been injured in an accident that was not your fault and suffered a finger amputation, whether through the accident itself or because the finger was so badly damaged it was medically necessary to amputate, you may be wondering how much is a finger worth in compensation?
In this guide, we’ll explain what a finger amputation is and how it may happen. We’ll also advise on how you may be able to claim if you have a finger amputated due to an accident that wasn’t your fault. For advice and potential support in making a claim for a finger injury (which potentially led to amputation), you can contact the Legal Expert advisors today. You can reach us online through our contact form or 24/7 live chat service. Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 073 8804
Select a Section
- Eligibility Criteria When Claiming Compensation For Losing A Finger
- What Evidence Do You Need Support Your Finger Amputation Claim?
- Amputation Claims – How To Begin a Finger Amputation Claim
- How Could A Finger Amputation Injury Occur?
- Partial Finger Amputations – How Is Compensation Calculated?
- No Win No Fee Finger Injury Solicitors
Eligibility Criteria When Claiming Compensation For Losing A Finger
A fully amputated or a partially amputated finger can have a huge effect on your day-to-day life, as well as your mental health. Because of this, you may be wondering if you could claim compensation for losing a finger in an accident that wasn’t your fault.
In order to have a valid personal injury claim, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Someone owed you a duty of care.
- This duty of care was breached.
- Your finger was lost as a result.
There are multiple instances where you are owed a duty of care. For example, in the workplace, your employer owes you a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). This legislation states that they must take all reasonably practicable steps to keep you safe while working.
However, in a public place, the person in control of the space owes you and other visitors a duty of care under the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA), which states that they have a responsibility to ensure the premises is reasonably safe.
The Road Traffic Act 1988 sets out the duty of care for road users. They must navigate in a way that prevents harm from coming to to themselves and others as part of their duty of care. The Highway Code also sets out rules and regulations road users must follow.
Our advisors are here to help if you would like to know more about claiming for a personal injury. Through a free consultation, a member of our team can help you identify whether or not you could have a valid claim. Get in touch today to learn more.
What Evidence Do You Need Support Your Finger Amputation Claim?
If you are claiming loss of finger compensation, you will need sufficient evidence to support your case. This needs to prove liability as well as your injuries.
If you’ve lost the tip of your finger, a compensation claim will require evidence. Here are some examples of what you can include:
- Any videos of the accident. For example, you can request CCTV footage of yourself.
- The contact information of anyone who witnessed the incident so they can give a statement later on.
- A copy of your medical records with information about your amputated fingers and what treatment you needed.
- Photographs from the scene or of your injuries.
Depending on where your injury occurred, there may be a record of the incident in an accident book. This could also be submitted to support your case.
If you need any help obtaining evidence, get in touch with an advisor from our team for free advice.
Amputation Claims – How To Begin a Finger Amputation Claim
In this section, we examine how to start a personal injury claim. As stated above, you will need evidence to prove your amputation claim. We’ll look at that shortly.
You can appoint a solicitor to act on your behalf at any point during the claiming process. In addition, your claim must be started within the limitation period. This is typically three years, but some circumstances suspend the time limit.
When you are starting a claim, you will need to follow the pre-action protocol for personal injury claims. This starts with a ‘letter of notification’. This notifies the liable party, or their insurer, that you are likely to make a claim. It should be acknowledged within 14 days.
Even if you have sent a letter of notification, you will need to send a ‘letter of claim’. This includes your injury details along with why you think the party is liable. You will need to back this with medical evidence. Additionally, you can submit other supporting evidence at this stage.
The defendant has 21 days to acknowledge your letter of claim. From there, they have three months to investigate. After investigations, they may accept liability and make an offer, reject the claim outright or negotiate.
Call our advisors for free advice about how to start a claim for amputation compensation.
How Could A Finger Amputation Injury Occur?
There are various types of accidents that you could be involved in that could result in an amputated finger injury. However, to be able to claim compensation for losing a finger, a relevant third party must have breached the duty of care they owed you, and this caused your injury.
Some examples of accidents that could cause you to lose a finger include:
- An automatic door leading into a shopping centre malfunctions as you are entering, due to it not being regularly maintained. This causes your fingers to become trapped and severely crushed, later requiring them to be amputated.
- A driver runs through a red light and crashes into your car. This causes you to suffer multiple injuries, including a fractured leg, and dislocated shoulder and your fingers need to be amputated.
- A production line at your warehouse job malfunctions due to improper maintenance. This causes your fingers to become trapped within the machine, and they are amputated.
To see whether you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim for loss of finger compensation, you can contact a member of our team today.
Partial Finger Amputations – How Is Compensation Calculated?
If the tip of your finger was cut off in an accident that was caused by negligence, you could make a claim. If your claim is successful, the suffering that your injury has caused you will be compensated under general damages. This also includes how your injury has impacted your quality of life.
To help you understand how much you could receive in general damages for a complete or partial finger amputation, we have provided the table below. The figures that we have provided have been taken from the 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a document used by many legal professionals to assist them when valuing claims. This is because the JCG provides compensation brackets for various types of injuries.
Please only use this table as a guide, as how much compensation you could receive will be affected by the factors of your claim.
| Injury | Notes | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries Plus Special Damages | Compensation for multiple injuries that are serious as well as financial losses such as medical expenses. | Up to £100,000+ |
| Amputation of Index and Middle and/or Ring Fingers | The hand’s grip will be weak and will have been rendered of little use. | £61,910 to £90,750 |
| Serious hand injuries | Several fingers will have been amputated, reducing the hand’s capacity to 50%. | £29,000 to £61,910 |
| Loss of Thumb | The thumb has been lost/amputated. | £35,520 to £54,830 |
| Amputation of the Terminal Phalanges of the Index and Middle Fingers | This will result in restricted movement, impaired grip and scarring. | In the region of £24,990 |
| Amputation of Ring and Little Fingers | The little fingers and ring fingers have been amputated. | In the region of £21,810 |
| Total and Partial Loss of Index Finger | The index finger is either completely or partially amputated. | £12,170 to £18,740 |
| Serious Injury to Ring or Middle Fingers | Injuries include the yop of the middle or ring finger being amputates that results in permanent sensitivity. | £10,320 to £16,340 |
| Amputation of Little Finger | The little finger has been amputated. | £8,640 to £12,240 |
| Loss of the Terminal Phalanx of the Ring or Middle Fingers | The terminal phalanx, ring or middle finger has been lost | £3,950 to £7,870 |
| Loss of Part of the Little Finger | What is left of the tip of the fingertip is sensitive. | £3,950 to £5,860 |
Do not hesitate to contact our advisors today if you have any questions about personal injury claims, such as ‘How is compensation calculated in a personal injury claim?’
More Payouts for Loss of Finger Compensation
As aforementioned, you can also claim for any potential financial losses caused by the injury, such as a finger amputation. This head of claim is referred to as special damages. Losses you could claim for include:
- Loss of earnings
- Care claims
- Medical expenses
- Travel expenses
To claim for the financial losses caused by a lost finger, you would need evidence, such as bank statements, invoices and receipts. If you’re unsure if you can claim, please contact us for legal advice that is completely free using the above details.
No Win No Fee Finger Injury Solicitors
Should you wish to claim compensation for your finger or hand injury, a No Win No Fee solicitor could help you. They could provide their services under a type of No Win No Fee arrangement known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When you fund a solicitor under a No Win No Fee arrangement, they typically won’t charge an upfront solicitors fee. If your personal injury claim is successful, a success fee will be taken from your finger injury compensation. The amount that can be taken is legally capped. However, if a finger injury claim is not successful, your lawyer typically won’t ask you to pay for their services.
Free legal advice about hand injury claims is available from our advisors. You can talk to us at any time about your potential finger injury claim. If your claim seems valid and you wish to proceed with our services, you could be connected with our solicitors. To get in touch:
- Call on 0800 073 8804.
- Start your claim online.
- Use the live chat at the bottom of your screen.
Helpful Links
- Amputation claims guide
- Accident at work claims guide
- Compensation for a Broken Finger
- Crushed Finger Injury Compensation
- Reporting an amputation to the DVLA
For more advice on making a full or partial finger amputation compensation claim, you can contact our advisors by phone or online.
