A Guide To Arm Injury Claims

By Cat Stardew. Last Updated 23rd June 2023. If you have sustained an arm injury due to another party breaching their duty of care, you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim. In this arm injury claims guide, we will explain the duty of care you are owed in various incidents and the criteria you must meet to be eligible for broken arm compensation.

Arm injury claims

Arm injury claims

Additionally, we’ll share examples of accidents where you could suffer an arm injury and the evidence that you could collect to support your claim. Furthermore, we will discuss the benefits of making a personal injury claim with a No Win No Fee solicitor.

If, after finishing this guide, you have any further questions regarding arm injury claims, you can contact our advisors. They are available 24/7 to help you and could offer you free advice for your potential claim.

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Determining how severe an arm injury is

The severity of the arm injury could impact the settlement for a broken arm in UK claims. Knowing the average payouts for broken arms may not be useful because of these different factors that are considered in arm injury claims.

Levels of severity:

  • Minor – it has no significant or long-lasting effects and can be treated quite simply through medical care with a full recovery expected.
  • Moderate –  a long-lasting effect from the injury which cannot be treated very easily, but it doesn’t affect your everyday life as such.
  • Severe – Claimants with severe arm injuries will be awarded larger sums of compensation because of the big impact it has had on their life and will continue to do so in the future.
  • Very Severe – Arm injuries are classified as very severe when the injury is permanent and has devastating consequences to someone’s life. Amputations of the arm or both arms, paralysis to the arms, severe nerve and tissue damage that renders the arm useless are just some examples of what would be considered very severe. Also with these injuries, extensive medical on-going treatment is likely to be required, surgery may be needed and the risk of further complications arising is increased.

To learn more about the severity of injuries and how they could impact arm injury claims, please get in touch with our team.

Arm Injury Claims – Examples

If you suffered an arm injury due to a breach of duty of care, you could be eligible to claim compensation. The severity of your injury will be considered when compensation for your injury is calculated. For example, a wrist injury that renders it useless could have a higher payout than a fractured forearm that heals quickly and without complication.

An arm injury claim could be made for:

  • Sprains and strains
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures
  • Amputations

Call our advisors to discuss arm injury claims and personal injury claim payouts.

I’ve suffered an arm injury, what should I do?

In this section, we’ll look at how to give arm injury claims the best chances of success. To prove your claim, you will need to submit evidence proving your arm injury and the negligence that caused it. Examples include:

  • Witnesses – If there were any witnesses to your accident, take down their contact details so that they can be contacted for a witness statement if required.
  • Photos – Take photos of the scene of the accident and try to include if possible what caused the accident. For example, if you tripped over an uneven paving slab on a public footpath, causing you to fall and break your arm, you should take a photo of the uneven footpath as proof of the reason for your accident. Also, take photos of your injury whilst at its worse to visually show the full extent of the pain and suffering you have injured.
  • Medical report – ask for a copy of your medical report and any x-rays or scans of the injury to your arm as proof that the injury does indeed exist.
  • Keep receipts – any extra expenses you may have incurred because of injuring your arm (such as medical or travel expenses) should be evidenced.

Causes Of Arm Injuries

Below we explore different situations that could result in arm injury claims.

Accident At Work Arm Injury Claims

All UK employers are legally bound by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which states that employers have a duty of care to their employees to provide a safe working environment at all times to the best of their ability.

If you have injured your arm after being involved in an incident at work that wasn’t your fault, providing that you can prove it was due to your employer’s negligence, you can claim compensation against them.

Slip, Trip and Fall Arm Injury Claims

Depending on where you were when the accident took place will determine who should be sued for your personal injury claim. For example, if you were to trip and fall on a public footpath due to a broken paving slab, the local council or authority would hold responsibility, or if you slipped over in a supermarket, it would be the supermarket that would be at fault.

If you have sustained an arm injury due to a slip, trip or fall accident, contact us at Legal Helpline for more help and guidance in proving liability.

Road Accident Arm Injury Claims

Regardless of whether you were a passenger, driver, cyclist, motorcyclist or pedestrian, if you have injured your arm due to a road accident that wasn’t any fault of yours, you might be able to make a compensation claim. The average settlement for a broken arm in a car accident will depend on how bad the injury is and how much of an effect it has had on your life.

To learn more about arm injury claims  from road traffic accidents, please get in touch.

Arm Injury – Time Limit For Personal Injury Claims

The limitation period for personal injury claims in the UK, which is the timeframe in which you have to start a claim, is outlined in the Limitation Act 1980. Typically, you have three years from the date that the accident happened or the date your injury was diagnosed by a medical professional.

However, there are exceptions to the time limit for personal injury claims, where it is suspended. For example:

  • Someone under 18 cannot pursue a claim, so the time limit only applies from their 18th birthday.
  • For those who lack the mental capacity to begin a claim, the time limit only applies if they recover

For either of these parties, a litigation friend can start a claim on their behalf.

Get in touch if you have any questions about the personal injury claim time limit in the UK.

Arm Injury Claims – Compensation Payout Example

The portion of arm injury claims that’s awarded in line with  pain and suffering is known as general damages.

When compensation for an arm injury is calculated, legal professionals will often make use of various resources to assist them in the process. One of these is a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). Last updated in 2022, the JCG is comprised of example amounts that are based on past court case payouts. We’ve included some excerpts in the table below. This way, you can gain a rough idea as to the value of your general damages payment.

Reason for CompensationAverage Award AmountComments
Arm Amputation£240,790 to
£300,000		Amputation of both arms
Arm AmputationUp to the region of £137,160Amputation of one arm. Award amount will depend on how much of the arm has been amputated.
Severe Arm Injuries£96,160 to £130,930For injuries which fall short of the arm/arms being amputated.
Permanent and substantial disablement from arm injuries£39,170 to £59,860Injuries that have caused permanent disablement.
Less Severe Arm Injuries£19,200 to £39,170Although there has been a significant disability, a good level of recovery has happened or is expected to happen soon.
Simple Arm Injuries£6,610 to £19,200Injuries such as simple fractures where full recovery is expected.
Elbow InjuriesUp to £54,830Minor injuries such as tennis elbow, simple fractures and lacerations, to severe injuries such as disabling injuries where there is loss of function of the elbow joint.

Can I Claim Special Damages For An Arm Injury?

Alongside general damages, some personal injury claim payouts could also include special damages. This head of your arm injury claim aims to compensate you for the expenses and financial losses you have experienced due to your injury.

For example, you may lose earnings after taking time off work to recover from a broken arm. Compensation under this heading can help you recoup these lost earnings, as well as the cost of:

  •   Travel to and from essential appointments.
  •   Childcare.
  •   Domestic help, such as help with cleaning or cooking.
  •   Prescriptions.
  •   Physical therapy aids.

As with general damages, you must be able to provide evidence of your losses in order to claim for them. Because of this, it can be helpful to keep any relevant receipts or invoices.

A solicitor from our panel could help you collect evidence to support your claim. Contact our team of advisors today to start your free consultation.

Could I Use A No Win No Fee Solicitor For An Arm Injury Claim?

If you decide to claim arm injury compensation, you could do so with the support of a No Win No Fee solicitor. They could offer you their services according to the terms of a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee funding arrangement.

With No Win No Fee, you usually won’t have to pay an upfront fee for your solicitor’s services. In addition, there typically aren’t any ongoing costs under a CFA. If a your claim succeeds, a success fee will be taken from your compensation. When a claim isn’t successful, you do not need to pay for your solicitor’s services.

Free legal advice about arm injury claims is available from our advisors 24/7. Should your claim for arm injury compensation seem like it could be successful, you could be connected with our panel of solicitors. To speak to us:

Useful links and resources

The following links might be helpful when making an arm injury compensation claim:

Call us today if you have any other questions about arm injury claims.