By Lewis Winehouse. Last Updated 31st October 2022. Have you sustained a broken heel injury in an accident which was caused by the negligence or deliberate action of another person? Did your accident take place at work? If so, our team here at Legal Helpline could help you secure a broken heel compensation payout for your injuries.
Whether you were injured in a public place such as a shop, restaurant or hotel, a road traffic accident or an accident at work, we could help you make a broken heel accident or fractured heel bone compensation claim. If you have been injured as a result of a broken heel accident that was caused by another person or organisation acting negligently, call us for your free personal injury claims consultation. We can advise you on your potential claim and if it appears you have valid grounds to recover compensation, we can put you in touch with a specialist solicitor.
To begin your claim for a fractured or broken heel bone injury, broken heel ankle pain, or calcaneus fracture, call us on 0161 6969 685 or use our online contact form to reach us.
Jump To A Section
- Broken Heel Accidents In The Workplace
- Anatomy Of The Heel Bone / Calcaneus
- Broken Heel – How Long Do I Have To Claim?
- 5 Ways You Could Suffer A Broken Heel At Work
- Case Study: £70,000 Work Accident Compensation For A Broken Heel
- Broken Heel – Calculating Compensation
- No Win No Fee Broken Heel Compensation Payouts
- How To Claim For Compensation
- Talk About Your Claim With Legal Helpline
- References And Resources
Broken Heel Accidents In The Workplace
When you are at work, your employer has a duty of care to ensure that your working environment is safe, hygienic and free of hazards. If hazards do exist, they must take steps to reduce the risk as much as possible. If you are injured because of negligence on the part of your employer, they could be held liable for your injuries.
Broken heel injury claims
What are the common broken heel bone or fractured heel bone symptoms? Fractured heel bone symptoms can include being unable to put weight on your heel, or experiencing excruciating pain. There may also be some bruising and swelling.
Fractured and broken heel bones do not mend on their own. If you suffer from a broken or fractured heel bone and it is not treated, the bones in your foot may never heal correctly, causing you problems with pain and mobility in the future.
How are broken heel bones treated? If you are showing the symptoms of a broken heel bone, your doctor may diagnose your broken or fractured heel bone using an X-ray or a CAT-scan machine. If you have a fractured or broken heel and the bone has not been moved out of place, you will probably be given a removable cast and told to elevate and rest it. If the bone has been moved out of place you may require surgery. Since you will not be able to put any weight on your foot, you may have to take time off work in order to rest it.
Fractured heel complications can occur after surgery. These include suffering arthritis in your heel joint, suffering nerve or tendon damage, your surgery wound becoming infected, or suffering from pain, swelling, stiffness or bleeding.
This NHS Guide to foot pain and heel pain has more information.
Anatomy Of The Heel Bone / Calcaneus
The scientific name for the heel bone is the calcaneus. The bones of the foot are usually classified as follows: the hindfoot, midfoot and forefoot. The calcaneus is at the back of the foot and the largest of the three tarsal bones. Together the calcaneus and the talus (a bone in the ankle joint) form the subtalar joint. The subtalar joint allows the back of the foot to move side to side, which can help people walk on uneven terrain.
Broken Heel – How Long Do I Have To Claim?
If you have suffered a broken heel, as outlined in the Limitation Act 1980, you generally have three years from the date of the accident to start a claim. You could also potentially have three years from the ‘date of knowledge’, which is when you become aware that your foot injury was caused by the negligent actions of another party. For example, if your broken heel symptoms manifested at a later date than the accident, this could act as the start of your time limit.
In some circumstances, there may be exceptions to the time limit. This would apply to a child who fractured their heel. The three year limitation period would not begin until their 18th birthday. However, a litigation friend may make a claim on their behalf before this point.
Additionally, if someone lacks mental capacity, the time limit is suspended. It would only begin again if the person was to regain the capacity to make a claim. Again, a litigation friend may claim on their behalf before this point.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch for free legal advice about making a broken heel claim.
5 Ways You Could Suffer A Broken Heel At Work
If you have experienced a broken heel accident at work or during the course of your employment, you could be entitled to claim compensation. Here are a few possible ways you could sustain such an injury;
- Falling from height – If a person falls from height and lands on their heel, this can cause them to suffer a fractured heel bone or a broken heel bone. Causes of falls from a height at work can include a worker falling off a ladder, defective roofing, or a worker tripping on a staircase because of a broken step.
- Injuries caused by twisting the ankle – If an employee suffers a slip, trip or fall accident at work, they can fall over and twist their ankle. This can, in turn, cause the heel bone to fracture or break. Obstructions on the floor, broken flooring or spillages on the floor can cause slip, trip or fall accidents.
- Car and vehicle accidents – A broken heel accident can happen if the injured person is involved in a car accident and the car compresses against their ankle or foot.
- Being struck by or against something – If you are struck against a heavy object, or your foot is struck by a moving object such as a trolley or a crate, a fracture could occur and you could be entitled to claim compensation.
- Stress fractures caused by overuse and repetitive strains – In rare cases, repetitive strain injuries (a condition caused by overuse of a digit or limb) can cause a hairline fracture in a bone, such as a fractured heel bone.
Case Study: £70,000 Work Accident Compensation For A Broken Heel
Let’s look at the case of Mr B, a construction worker. Mr B was working on a building site, engaging in a potentially hazardous activity which involved standing in the bucket of a JCB to reach a mechanism. Mr B’s employer was aware that he was engaged in a potentially dangerous activity. The JCB moved unexpectedly, causing Mr B to fall from a height of 10 feet, breaking his heel bone in the process as well as suffering other injuries. Because his heel bone was severely shattered, Mr B had to undergo surgery. Over time, he experienced difficulty walking and suffered from severe pain.
Mr B’s employer was held liable for his injuries by not intervening when he engaged in this dangerous activity or enforcing rules about how to behave safely. Mr B worked with a solicitor to make a claim for his injuries. After negotiations, the employer admitted liability and the matter was settled out of court. Mr B was awarded a broken heel compensation package of £70,000.
This large sum reflected the severity of his broken heel injuries. Mr B’s compensation payout also included special damages which reimbursed him for expenses and financial losses, loss of earnings he had incurred as a result of his injuries, such as income lost through his inability to work for a period of time.
Broken Heel – Calculating Compensation
Compensation for your broken heel will be assessed under two heads of claim. The first head is general damages, which is the amount awarded for the pain and distress caused by an injury. Included below is a table of potential awards in general damages for foot injuries.
The figures in the table are taken from the April 2022 edition of the Judicial College Guidelines and created from compensation previously awarded in court settlements. This means they can give you an idea of part of the average compensation for a broken heel; it is not however a direct reflection of what you will be awarded as every claim is different.
Injury Details Compensation Bracket
Amputation Of Both Feet Treated as a loss of ankle too £169,400 to £201,490
Amputation Of A Foot Treated as a loss of ankle too £83,960 to £109,650
Very Severe Foot Injuries
Loss of a huge section of the heel £83,960 to £109,650
Severe Foot Injuries Fractures to both heels £41,970 to £70,030
Serious Foot Injuries Serious injuries as above with the risk of future conditions £24,990 to £39,200
Moderate Foot Injuries Fractures distorting the foot £13,740 to £24,990
Modest Foot Injuries Complete or near complete recoveries from initial injuries Up to £13,740
Other Pain Disorders: Severe For continued pain despite attempts at treatment £42,130 to £62,990
Other Pain Disorders: Moderate Moderate symptoms of pain harming a person's ability to work £21,070 to £38,490
The second head is special damages, which can be awarded for any financial losses caused by an injury. These are losses such as:
- Loss of earnings
- Travel costs towards treatment
- Home adaptations to help cope with the injured foot
If it is a cost directly related to your injury, you could be able to claim it back in compensation.
For more information about fractured heel compensation or to discuss what costs you could include in your claim, please reach out to one of our advisors.
No Win No Fee Broken Heel Compensation Payouts
Our panel of solicitors can give you the option of entering into a No Win, No Fee Agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). The CFA is designed to offer claimants financial protection and the confidence to pursue justice. If you sign a CFA with a solicitor from our panel, you will not have to pay any fees upfront, nor will you have to pay any fees during your claim either. And if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay any of the fees your solicitor has incurred in pursuing your case.
If your claim is successful, your solicitor may seek a small contribution towards their costs. This is known as a ‘success fee’ and would be deducted from the compensation awarded at the end of the claim. Don’t worry, the success fee is legally capped!
Call Legal Helpline to find out more about making a No Win No Fee claim for a broken heel or fractured heel.
How To Claim For Compensation
We’ve already discussed how compensation is calculated, but now you may be interested in finding out how to claim for compensation. You are not obligated to hire a solicitor, though we would recommend hiring one. If you hire a solicitor from our panel, they could offer you their services on a No Win No Fee basis, and guide you through the claims process..
Furthermore, no matter where you are based in the UK, we could help you. All you have to do is get in touch and our advisors can offer you free legal advice. After making an online enquiry, they can verify your eligibility to make a claim and put you in touch with our panel of solicitors.
Talk About Your Claim With Legal Helpline
Have you suffered a broken heel because of an accident at work, in a public place, or because of a road traffic accident that was not your fault? Then you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
For help and advice about making a broken heel accident claim, call Legal Helpline today on 0161 6969 685 or you can use our online claims form to reach us. If you have the grounds to make a claim, we can provide you with an excellent personal injury lawyer to handle your case.
References And Resources
Foot Injury Claims – How Much Compensation Can I Claim?
Find out how you could make a compensation claim if you have suffered a foot injury in the workplace or other circumstances.
Ankle Injury Claims – How Much Compensation Can I Claim?
Learn more about making a successful claim for injuries to your ankle in this guide.
How Much Compensation Can I Claim For An Accident At Work?
This is our more general accident at work claims guide.
Trusted External Resources
An NHS Guide To Foot Pain And Heel Pain
This NHS guide looks at dealing with pain in your feet.
A Nuffield Health Guide To Heel Bone (OS Calcis) Fractures
In this resource, you can find information about the heel bone.
Guide by HE
Edited by REG
