By Stephen Bishop. Last updated 14th July 2023. Have you suffered an Achilles tendon injury at work in an accident that was not your fault? If so, were you aware you could be eligible to claim compensation for this type of injury? This page aims to offer useful information on Achilles tendon injury compensation payouts. Included in the sections below is an illustrative case study that shows how Achilles tendon injury compensation amounts could hit the £25,000 mark. Also included is an explanation of this type of injury, how it could occur, and information about claiming compensation for a tendon injury at work. If you would like to ask us anything about your situation, or you would like to begin a personal injury claim for an accident at work, then you could reach us on 0333 000 0729. Otherwise, why not read on to find out more about this type of claim.
Jump To A Section
- Accidents Leading To Achilles Tendon Injuries At Work
- Anatomy And Function Of The Achilles Tendon
- Types Of Leg And Soft Tissue Injuries At Work Recorded By The HSE
- How Long Do I Have To Claim For An Achilles Tendon Injury?
- Case Study: £25,000 Compensation Achilles Tendon Injury Payout
- Calculating Compensation For An Achilles Tendon Injury
- No Win No Fee Achilles Tendon Injury Work Accident Claims
- How Do I Claim Compensation For A Soft Tissue Injury At Work?
- Starting Your Claim With Legal Helpline
- Supporting Information
Accidents Leading To Achilles Tendon Injuries At Work
Achilles tendon injury
Have you suffered an Achilles tendon injury at work? Do you know whether you could claim compensation for this type of injury from your employer if you could prove that your injury was due to their negligence towards your health and your safety? All employers in the UK have a duty of care towards their employees to provide them with a safe working environment. If they fail to protect a worker’s health and their safety at work, and injuries are sustained by employees because of this failure, then those employees could claim compensation for their injuries. On this page, we concentrate on Achilles tendon injuries at work so let us first explain the types of injury that could be sustained.
Types Of Achilles Tendon Injury – What does an injured Achilles tendon feel like?
There are various degrees of injury that could occur to the Achilles tendon – these could include:
Achilles tendon rupture – a popping noise and swelling to the lower leg could indicate a ruptured Achilles tendon. Achilles tendon surgery would be required to fix this type of injury in most cases, although long-term immobilisation might be an appropriate form of treatment in some cases.
Achilles tendon tear – You could suffer a large Achilles tendon partial tear, or you may suffer several smaller tears. Impairment of movement, pain and swelling could indicate this type of Achilles tendon injury.
Achilles tendonitis – Inflammation at the base of the Achilles tendon is referred to as tendonitis. This could cause stiffness at the base of the heel
Can You Still Walk With A Torn Achilles Tendon?
Although some people may think that an Achilles injury would certainly stop you walking, in some cases, people may still be able to walk and stand on their toes if they have suffered this type of injury.
How Long Does It Take For A Strained Achilles Tendon To Heal?
If the tendon is strained, then healing time is usually around 6-8 weeks. However, if you require surgery, or there are complications, then healing time could be affected.
Anatomy And Function Of The Achilles Tendon
To understand an Achilles tendon injury, we should explain what the tendon is and how it works. Also referred to as the calcaneal tendon, your Achilles tendon is the strongest, longest tendon within your body. It is essentially fibrous tissue in a band that connects your heel bone and your calf muscles. Your two calf muscles that connect to the heel are called the soleus and the gastrocnemius, and they come together in a band of tissue. This coming together of the muscles forms your Achilles tendon, and this is located at the lower end of your calf, extending into the heel where it fits into the calcaneus. Your Achilles tendon is cushioned by small fluid-filled sacs called bursae.
When your calf muscles are flexed, your Achilles tendon pulls on your heel. This pulling of the tendon enables you to stand on your toes when you walk, run or jump.
Types Of Leg And Soft Tissue Injuries At Work Recorded By The HSE
Leg and soft tissue injuries could happen in a number of different ways in the workplace. According to HSE statistics, there were 5832 reported ankle injuries at work in 2018/19. Causes of this type of injury could include:
- Falls from a height – In 2018/19 8% of reported accidents at work were caused by falls from height
- Acts of Violence – In the same time period, 8% were said to be caused by violent acts
- Moving object strikes – Being struck by a moving object was the third most common cause of accidents at work in this period, causing 10% of reported injuries
- Handling, carrying or lifting – This type of injury caused 20% of reported accidents
- Falls, slips and trips on one level – This was the most common cause of accidents at work in this period, with statistics showing this type of accident causing 29% of reported incidents.
How Long Do I Have To Claim For An Achilles Tendon Injury?
If you have valid grounds to claim compensation for an Achilles tendon rupture or another injury to your Achilles tendon, you should be aware that there is a time limit for starting proceedings. As set out by the Limitation Act 1980, there is generally a three-year time limit for starting a personal injury claim. This normally starts from the date of the accident in which you were injured.
Under certain circumstances, the personal injury claim time limit can work differently. For example, if the injured party is a child, then the time limit is paused until their 18th birthday. Before this day comes, a claim could be made on the child’s behalf by a court-appointed litigation friend. If, however, this does not happen, then the injured party will have three years to start their own claim from the day they turn 18.
If an injured party lacks the mental capacity to make a personal injury claim, then the time limit is suspended indefinitely. A claim could be made on the injured party’s behalf by a litigation friend. If the injured party later regains their mental capacity and a claim hasn’t already been made, then the three-year time limit will start from the date of their recovery.
Contact our advisors today either online or on the phone if you would like to ask any questions about claiming for an Achilles tendon injury.
Case Study: £25,000 Compensation Achilles Tendon Injury Payout
Here, we offer an illustrative example of how Achilles tendon injury compensation amounts for an accident at work could reach £25,000. The claimant in this example case, who we will refer to as Ms B, was working in a warehouse loading shelves when a carelessly driven unladen pump truck was pushed into her ankle. She immediate suffered extreme pain and the ankle gave way under her, causing her to fall to the floor. She was taken immediately to the hospital where it was found that she had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon. While the injury healed extremely well, Ms B was forced to take time off work to recover. CCTV footage was used to prove how the accident occurred and the employer offered Ms B a settlement of £25,000, which included compensation for her injury as well as the earning losses she suffered when she was off work.
Calculating Compensation For An Achilles Tendon Injury
Compensation for an Achilles tendon injury at work could vary, depending on how damaged the Achilles is and the effect that it has had, or will have, on your life. As such, instead of including an Achilles tendon injury compensation calculator on this page, we have opted instead to provide figures taken from the Judicial College Guidelines for similar injuries. Please do note, however, that these are only approximate Achilles tendon injury compensation amounts.
| Injury | Compensation Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Most Serious Achilles Injury | In the region of £38,430 | Where the tendon is severed, as well as the peroneus longus. This could cause cramp, restricted ankle movement and swelling. This could lead the claimant to give up sporting activities. |
| Serious Achilles Tendon Injury | £24,990 to £30,090 | Where the tendon has been completed divided but then repaired. There would be some weakness, movement limitation, residual scarring and a limp. Further improvement would be deemed to be unlikely. |
| Moderate Achilles Tendon Injury | £12,590 to £21,070 | Significant injury/rupture of the tendon. Awards would be calculated taking into account the extent of treatment, the recovery level, whether there was any residual disability, ongoing pain or scarring |
| Minor Achilles Tendon Injury | £7,270 to £12,590 | Where a turn of the ankle leads to Achilles tendon injury. Uncertainty of the ankle supporting the claimant could lead to a claim being placed in this bracket. |
As well as the Achilles tendon injury compensation payouts your claim could bring for the pain and suffering from your injury (as the above table demonstrates), you could also receive compensation for costs and financial losses you’ve suffered because of your injury. This could include travel, care and/or medical costs as well as earning losses.
No Win No Fee Achilles Tendon Injury Work Accident Claims
While you could assume that legal fees for personal injury claims would have to be paid upfront, this is not the case with No Win No Fee solicitors. Instead, you would sign an agreement before your claim begins, which would set out the percentage of your Achilles tendon injury compensation payouts that would be taken in legal fees in the event of a successful claim. This ‘success fee’ cannot be more than a quarter of your compensation, and would be paid out from the compensation settlement, once it had come through. If you had a valid claim, but your solicitor didn’t manage to get you a payout, then the ‘success fee’ we mentioned would not be payable.
How Do I Claim Compensation For A Soft Tissue Injury At Work?
If you’re wondering whether you could claim compensation for your Achilles tendon accident at work, then Legal Helpline could help. We could take some details of what has happened to you to cause your Achilles tendon damage and ascertain whether you could be eligible to claim compensation. We have extensive experience in assessing personal injury claims, and all the advice we give comes free of charge and with no obligation to go ahead with a claim.
When looking to claim compensation for an Achilles tendon injury at work, you may prefer to utilise the services of a personal injury solicitor. We would recommend that you do so, as there are certain benefits to having an experienced lawyer on your side. Not only could your personal injury lawyer build the case against your employer on your behalf, but they could also assess whether any Achilles tendon injury compensation payouts you’re offered could be appropriate for the level of injury you’ve experienced. Here at Legal Helpline, we could connect you with an appropriate solicitor for your claim. We have successfully helped many clients with this before and have received great feedback on our service. We would be pleased to offer you the most appropriate guidance and support for your needs if you’ve suffered a tendon injury at work that was not your fault.
Starting Your Claim With Legal Helpline
Whether you’re looking for more advice on your Achilles tendon injury at work, or you would like to begin a tendon injury at work claim right away, you can contact us via phone on 0333 000 0729, or through our contact form. Either way, we would be delighted to help you with any aspect of claiming for an Achilles tendon accident at work, so why not contact us today?
Supporting Information
Accidents At Work – Workplace accidents could cause many different injuries. Here, we offer guidance on claiming compensation from an employer.
Scaffolding Accident Claims – Here, we offer guidance on claiming compensation for scaffolding accidents at work.
Slip, Trip Or Fall Claims – Information on claiming for this type of accident can be found in this detailed guide.
Trusted External Resources
NHS Resource On Tendonitis – Here, you can find advice from the NHS on tendonitis.
HSE Accident At Work Information – Here, you can see from the HSE what accidents caused reported injuries in 2018/19.
Information On Achilles Tendon Injury Management – Here, you can find a publication from Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust on managing an Achilles injury.
