If you have suffered a foot injury at work, in a road traffic accident or in a public place and think another person was responsible, you could be eligible to claim compensation. In this guide, we look at when and how you could make a foot injury claim.
Additionally, we look at when foot injury claims could be made and how long you may have in which to make a compensation claim. We also look at the types of evidence which could support personal injury compensation claims. Furthermore, we explain how personal injury compensation is calculated and how one of the No Win No Fee solicitors on our panel could help you with claiming compensation.
For information on how to claim for foot injuries, read our guide below. When you are ready to start your claim, contact us;
- By calling on 0333 000 0729
- By sending an online enquiry.
- Speak to an advisor about your foot or toe injuries using our online chat below.
Jump To A Section
- Can I Claim Foot Injury Compensation?
- What Are Common Foot Injuries I Could Claim For?
- How Long Do I Have To Make A Foot Injury Claim?
- What Evidence Do I Need In A Foot Injury Claim?
- Foot Injury Compensation Calculator
- Can I Claim Foot Injury Compensation Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
- Read More About Making Personal Injury Claims
Can I Claim Foot Injury Compensation?
In order to have an eligible foot injury claim, you will need to show that your case meets the personal injury claims criteria. This is:
- You were owed a duty of care.
- This duty of care has been breached.
- Your foot injuries were caused by this breach.
A duty of care is when someone has a legal responsibility for your reasonable health and safety; You are owed this in many scenarios. Below, we have a look at some places where you are owed a duty of care and how a foot injury may occur due to this breach.
Accidents At Work
Under The Health and Safety At Work etc. Act 1974, your employer has a duty of care to ensure your safety in the workplace. They should take reasonable steps to help ensure that you can perform your work duties safely.
They may need to take steps such as providing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as work safety boots, and conducting regular risk assessments.
Examples of how you may suffer a foot injury in an accident at work include:
- A colleague ran over your foot at work due to the brakes being faulty. Your employer was aware of this fault but had taken no steps to fix or replace them.
- You could suffer a broken foot at work if a heavy object falls on your foot due to heavy objects being stocked incorrectly in your warehouse job. Your employer failed to perform regular risk assessments meaning this hazard was never spotted.
Accidents In A Public Place
The owner or occupier of a public space has a duty of care to reasonably ensure that members of the public can safely use the space for its intended purpose. Their duty of care is set out in the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
If an occupier of a public space does not adhere to their duty of care and you suffer a foot injury as a result, you may be able to make a public liability claim. For example:
- You could trip on a broken paving slab in the street, causing you to suffer foot or toe injuries. This defective paving slab had been reported but was not fixed within a sufficient time frame.
- Railing on a stairwell in a library was faulty, causing you to fall and suffer a foot injury.
Road Traffic Accidents
When you are using the road, you and all other road users owe a duty of care. All road users must use the roads safely and responsibly, as is their duty of care. This duty of care extends to drivers of vehicles, motorcyclists or cyclists and even pedestrians. To meet this duty of care, they should adhere to both The Highway Code and The Road Traffic Act 1988.
If you suffer a foot injury due to a fellow road user failing to adhere to this duty, you may be able to make a road traffic accident claim:
- As a pedestrian, your foot could be run over by a vehicle which does not stop whilst you are crossing the road at a designated crossing.
- You could be involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle due to them driving the wrong way down a one-way street. You could suffer multiple severe injuries, such as a serious foot injury that requires amputation.
These are only a few examples of potential accidents that could lead to a foot injury claim. Contact our advisors today to discuss your specific case and receive free advice.
What Are Common Foot Injuries I Could Claim For?
There are various different types of foot injuries you could suffer in an accident. Some examples could include:
- Fractured bones of the foot, such as a metatarsal bone fracture.
- Tendon or soft tissue injuries.
- Severe injuries lead to partial or complete amputations.
- Bruising and lacerations.
- Sprains and strains.
These are just some examples of foot injuries you could claim for. Contact our advisors today to discuss your foot injury claim.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Foot Injury Claim?
There are time limits in which you must start any personal injury claim, including those for foot injury compensation. In general, you will have three years from the time of your accident in which to begin proceedings. This limitation period is set out within the Limitation Act 1980.
There are exceptions to this time limit. If the injured person was under the age of eighteen at the time of their foot injury, the three-year time limit will not begin until they are eighteen. Prior to this time, a suitable adult may apply to be a litigation friend. Doing so will allow them to make a compensation claim on behalf of the injured child.
Furthermore, a litigation friend could claim on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to make their own one. The claimant will only be able to make their own claim if they regain this capability and a claim has not already been made on their behalf. In such cases the time limit will then run from the recovery date.
For more information on time limits for personal injury claims or to see if you have enough time to begin your proceedings for your foot injury claim, you can contact our advisors.
What Evidence Do I Need In A Foot Injury Claim?
To make a successful foot injury compensation claim, you will need to prove that the defendant was responsible for your foot injuries. Below we have included examples of the types of evidence which could help support your case:
- Official records or reports of the accident. Whether your accident occurred in the workplace or in a public place, it may have been recorded in an accident report book. Road traffic accidents may also have been reported to the police. Copies of any official records may be used as evidence.
- Medical records: this may include records of the injury you suffered as well as any treatment that you were given.
- The contact details of anyone who witnessed the accident take place. These people could then be approached for a statement.
- Video footage. This could be from a dashcam or CCTV.
- Photographs. This could be of your injuries and the accident site.
- Records of how you have been financially impacted. Such as copies of bank statements, salary documents and invoices for medical care.
Contact an advisor today to find out how one of the personal injury solicitors on our panel could help you prove your foot injury claim.
Foot Injury Compensation Calculator
If you are making a claim, you may ask, “How much compensation could I receive for my foot injury?”. The first thing that we should state is that foot injury claim amounts are unique to each and every claim.
When making a claim, any final settlement may be made up of two parts. These are general damages and special damages.
General damages are the first head of claim and provide you with compensation for your injuries, including the pain and suffering they have caused you.
To work out how much you may be awarded for your injury, those responsible for calculating this may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG sets out compensation guidelines for varying severities of injuries.
Below, we have included a table with examples from the JCG of what may be awarded for different foot injuries. The figure in row one is not taken from the JCG, however.
| Type Of Injury | Severity | Notes | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple serious injuries, with special damages. | Serious | Compensation for suffering multiple serious injuries and any financial losses such as travel expenses, lost earnings or medical costs. | Up to £400,000+ |
| Foot injury | (a) - Amputation of both feet | This is treated in a similar way to a below the knee amputation due to the loss of the ankle joint. | £206,730 to £245,900 |
| Foot injury | (b) - Amputation of one foot | Again, this is also treated similarly to a below the knee amputation due to the loss of the ankle joint. | £102,470 to £133,810 |
| Foot injury | (c) Very severe | Injuries causing severe and permanent pain or serious disability. | £102,470 to £133,810 |
| Foot injury | (d) Severe | Both heels or feet have been fractured. Mobility is substantially restricted. | £51,220 to £85,460 |
| Foot injury | (e) Serious | Those which are not as serious as above, but that still cause continuing pain from or risk of arthritis. | £30,500 to £47,840 |
| Foot injury | (f) Moderate | A displaced fracture of a metatarsal bone. | £16,770 to £30,500 |
| Foot injury | (g) Modest | Simpler bone fractures, such as to the metatarsal bones. | Up to £16,770 |
Can I Claim For Loss of Earnings Caused By A Foot Injury?
If you have a valid foot injury claim, you could receive compensation for any loss of earnings you have expereinced due to your injury. This compensation would be awarded under the secondary head known as special damages.
Other losses and costs you could receive compensation for include:
- Medical expenses, such as for medication, treatment or physiotherapy.
- Mobility equipment such as a wheelchair, crutches or similar devices.
- The cost of corrective footwear.
- Adapting your home, such as installing a ramp.
- Travel costs to essential appointments.
To receive a free valuation of your claim, contact one of our friendly advisors today.
Can I Claim Foot Injury Compensation Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor?
A No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel could help you with claiming compensation for your foot injury claim, provided that it is an eligible case. By providing their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement, a type of No Win No Fee arrangement, you can gain all their knowledge and expertise without having to pay anything upfront, while the case is ongoing or if it fails for their work.
You will pay a success fee to your solicitor, but only if you are awarded compensation. This fee is a legally limited percentage.
For more information on how a solicitor from our panel could help you, please contact our team:
- Call an advisor now on 0333 000 0729
- Use our online chat feature,
- Send an online enquiry.
Read More About Making Personal Injury Claims
Below, we provide further resources related to making a personal injury claim:
- Read our guide to ankle injury claims to check how and when a solicitor could help you.
- Check how to claim for a tendon injury at work in this guide.
- If you have suffered an achilles tendon injury, check whether you could make a personal injury claim.
External resources:
- Get help with foot pain in this NHS resource.
- Information on safety footwear from the Health and Safety Executive.
- Check your entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay in this government guide.
Thank you for reading our guide to making a foot injury claim. For more information on how to claim for foot injuries, please call our team.
