If you have suffered a cut finger at work and it was not your fault, you could be entitled to claim personal injury compensation. You are entitled to feel safe at work, and your employer has several duties and obligations that they must uphold during your employment. If they fail to do so, and you cut your finger, you could claim cut finger at work compensation.
There are many questions you may have when claiming compensation following an accident at work, such as how compensation is calculated, whether you could be disciplined or sacked for bringing a claim and also how to bring a claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
This guide will cover these points, but we will start with the circumstances under which a finger injury compensation claim can be made. We aim to answer any questions that you have, but if you would prefer to speak to a team member straight away, you can contact us by:
- Call 0800 073 8801 (7 days a week, any time).
- Contact Us Online.
- Use the live chat feature on this page.
Select A Section
- Can I Claim Cut Finger At Work Compensation?
- How Could Finger Injuries Be Caused At Work?
- What Evidence Could Help Me Claim For Finger Injuries At Work?
- I’ve Cut My Finger At Work, What Compensation Could I Receive?
- Could I Be Sacked For Making An Accident At Work Claim?
- Can I Claim For Cut Finger At Work Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis?
- More Resources About Making Accident At Work Claims
Can I Claim Cut Finger At Work Compensation?
Your employer owes you a duty of care whilst you work. Under the Health and Safety At Work etc. Act 1974 (HAWASA), they must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees. This includes things like:
- Making sure you are adequately trained
- Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Maintaining work equipment such as machines or tools
- Performing risk assessments and reducing risks identified
- Keeping the workplace free of hazards such as broken glass or sharp objects
If your employer breaches their duty to you and this causes you an injury, you might be able to make a claim for cut finger at work compensation. There are many ways an employer can breach their duty to you and if you would like to discuss your exact accident circumstances, you can speak to one of our advisors using the contact details above.
What Types Of Finger Injuries Could I Claim For?
Many different finger injuries could be caused by your employer’s negligence. These could include:
- Bruising
- Finger lacerations or cuts
- Ligament damage
- Tendon injuries
- A broken finger
- Severely fractured fingers
- Finger amputation
As long as an injury is caused by the negligence of your employer, you could have grounds to make a personal injury claim. We will discuss how compensation for finger injuries is calculated later on in this guide. If you would like to speak to an advisor, we can take your call 24 hours a day, and there is no obligation to proceed further.
How Could Finger Injuries Be Caused At Work?
There are many circumstances in which your employer could fail in their responsibilities to you and breach their duty. Here are some examples that would likely lead to strong personal injury claims:
- You are provided no training on how to use a complex piece of machinery. When operating it, you get your hand caught, crushing several of your fingers.
- Adequate PPE in the form of gloves are not provided to you, and you are asked to remove debris from a work site. You cut your finger on a rusty nail that was in a plank of wood.
- There is no safety guard on a dangerous cutting machine at work. You slip whilst working, and one of your fingers is amputated by the machine.
- You slip on water at work that was spilt and not cleaned up by a co-worker. As you put your hand out to break your fall, it goes through a thin glass window, severing a tendon in your finger.
There are other ways that an employer can breach their duty, and if you would like advice on how best to proceed, please reach out to one of our friendly advisors.
Can I Claim If My Finger Has Been Trapped In A Door At Work?
Sometimes, you can suffer an injured finger at work when it is trapped in a door. There are several ways that this could be the fault of your employer and result in cut finger at work compensation:
- A college closed the door whilst your hand was resting on it resulting in injury.
- Automatic doors are defective, and they shut without warning, trapping your finger.
- Broken hinges on the door cause your finger to become trapped in it and you break your finger.
- A heavy-duty door is not maintained properly, the safety catch does not work, and the door crushes your finger.
If you have trapped your finger in a door at work and do not think it was your fault, please call us so we can discuss how it might lead to a compensation claim.
What Evidence Could Help Me Claim For Finger Injuries At Work?
To successfully prove your case and claim compensation, you will need evidence that a breach of duty occurred and also evidence that you were injured as a result of the breach. If you wish to claim out-of-pocket expenses such as loss of earnings, you will also need evidence to demonstrate the value of the loss and that it was caused by your injuries.
Examples of evidence that could help prove different aspects of your claim could include:
- Accident report form or accident book entry
- CCTV footage of your accident
- Medical records or reports
- Photographs of the accident site or of your injuries
- Witness details (that can be used to make witness statements if your employer’s insurance company disputes fault).
- Invoices or receipts for out-of-pocket expenses
- Wage slips that show a reduced level of income i.e. Loss of earnings.
To discuss what evidence you might need to advance your cut finger at work compensation claim, please get in touch with our team at your convenience.
I’ve Cut My Finger At Work, What Compensation Could I Receive?
If you are successful with your claim, your finger injury compensation will be made up of general damages (covering your injuries) and special damages (covering your financial loss). When calculating general damages, a document called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) is often used. This sets out suggested brackets for different types of injury. This can also include psychological injuries as well as physical ones.
To help you think about the level of injury damages that your finger injury claim could be worth, here are some figures from the JCG in a table. They are just guidelines, and also please note that the top-line figure is not from the JCG.
| Injury | Severity | Amount | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Injuries, with loss of earnings and special damages | Very Serious | £500,000 plus | Multiple serious injuries with loss of earnings and significant loss of earnings. |
| Hand | Loss of both hands | £171,680 to £245,900 | Extensive damage that makes both hands effictively unusable. |
| Loss of one hand | £117,360 to £133,810 | Crush injury or surgically amputated after damage. | |
| Serious | £68,070 to £103,200 | Serious damage to both hands with loss of function and cosmetic disability. | |
| Finger | Amputation | £75,550 to £110,750 | Index, middle or ring finger amputated with significant loss of grip and ongoing issues. |
| Severe | Up to £44,840 | Partial amputations, deformity and reduced function. | |
| Partial loss | £14,850 to £22,870 | Partial loss of an index finger | |
| Serious | £12,590 to £19,940 | Serious finger injury with tendon issues and deformity. | |
| Fracture | £11,120 to £14,930 | Broken finger with impaired use and likely osteoarthritis. | |
| Amputation | £10,550 to £14,940 | Amputation of the little finger. |
Can I Claim If I’m Unable To Work Due To My Finger Injury?
Wondering if you will be paid after a workplace accident can be stressful. If you make a successful personal injury claim, then as part of your compensation, you could claim for lost earnings, as well as missed pension contributions or bonuses.
After an injury in an accident at work you might be able to claim other financial losses. These could include:
- Care costs
- Private medical fees
- Loss of pension entitlement
- Prothesis if your finger was amputated
Our personal injury solicitors have years of dedicated experience dealing with workplace claims, and they can help you claim damages that you are entitled to. Contact one of our advisors to begin the claim process.
Could I Be Sacked For Making An Accident At Work Claim?
‘Can I be sacked if I cut my finger at work and make a claim?’ is a natural worry to have, but your employer cannot sack you for making a claim. If they did so, they may be opening themselves up to a different type of claim in addition to a personal injury one.
Making a claim is actually potentially helpful for employers as they often do not wish for staff to be injured at work. If you make a claim, then safety procedures may change, which could improve a company’s safety record and prevent future injuries. Also, it is worth bearing in mind that your employer has insurance for workplace accidents, and it is the insurer, not your employer, that ultimately pays your damages.
If you have any questions at all, you can contact us 7 days a week.
Can I Claim For Cut Finger At Work Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis?
If your case is accepted, one of our solicitors may offer you a No Win No Fee agreement also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement. Under the terms of this agreement, you would not have to pay upfront solicitor’s fees.
You also would not have to pay ongoing solicitor charges, and your solicitor is paid only if you win the case and at the end. A success fee is deducted from your compensation, and this is on a percentage basis. The percentage fee is agreed with you before your case starts and is subject to a legally imposed maximum.
If you would like to work with a No Win No Fee solicitor, who is an expert in finger injury claims, please contact one of our team. If your case is accepted, we can connect you with one of our solicitors. They will be able to help you claim finger injury compensation.
More Resources About Making Accident At Work Claims
Here are some more resources about accident at work claims:
- Things you might like to know about making an accident at work claim.
- Could you get in trouble for suing your employer?
- Consider our manual handling claim FAQs.
You may wish to consider these external resources too:
- Learn how to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
- Consider this NHS resource on first aid.
- Do you know what agency worker rights you might have?
Thank you for considering our guide on how to claim cut finger at work compensation.
