If an angle grinding injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Angle grinders are powerful tools that can cause devastating injuries if mishandled or defective. Workers injured by angle grinders have the right to seek compensation, especially when these injuries result from workplace accidents or lack of proper safety equipment
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by an angle grinding accident, we can help. If your injuries were caused by your employer or a co-worker, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee work accident compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
Key advice when claiming for an angle grinding accident
- As an employee, contractor, or temp, you can still make a claim, even if you believe you were partly responsible.
- By law, your employer must provide suitable PPE (e.g. googles and gloves) and adequate training on the use of hazardous tools.
- You cannot be fired for claiming compensation.
- You have up to 3 years from the date of your accident to start a claim.
- Your compensation will depend on the seriousness of your injury, and your financial losses and expenses. You can find out how much you can claim with our compensation calculator.
- You can claim on a no win, no fee basis.
What are angle grinders?
Angle grinders are hand-held devices powered by compressed air or a motor. They are used to cut stone, metal and concrete and for many other tasks including polishing, grinding and removing unwanted fragments of metal and ceramics. They are commonly used on building sites, but can be encountered in just about any trade from welding to farming, and from motor vehicle repairs to emergency rescue.
With 50,000 builder site workers injured each year, you are not alone
Every year, there are a number of accidents from using workplace machinery and angle grinders. Many accidents are serious and some are fatal.
Building and construction sites are, in particular, inherently dangerous places to work, with angle grinder usage being a common cause of injury.
53,000 workers are injured every year when working on a building site, averaged over a three-year period (hse.gov.uk).
If you decide to make an angle grinding injury claim, your work accident solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need.
How much compensation can I claim for an angle grinding accident?
The level of compensation you can claim for an angle grinding accident will depend on:
- the seriousness of your injury,
- the effect your injury has on your daily routine and work life,
- any financial losses or costs you have incurred due to the accident.
Angle grinding injury
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General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.
Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your angle grinding injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.
Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include emergency care, wound care, eye protection and pain medication.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average angle grinding injury compensation payouts
The following angle grinding injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).
These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.
Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).
Eye injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term eye injury | Complete recovery within a few weeks | £2,450 to £4,380 |
| Minor eye injury | Pain and temporary interference with vision during your recovery | £4,380 to £9,690 |
| Minor but permanent loss of some vision | Symptoms affecting one or both eyes, including double vision, blurred vision, or sensitivity to light | £10,110 to £23,270 |
| Moderate loss of some vision in one or eye | Serious but incomplete loss of vision in one or both eyes, or blurred vision and light sensitivity in both eyes | £26,270 to £43,670 |
| Loss of sight in one eye | £54,660 to £60,840 | |
| Loss of one eye | £60,840 to £72,920 | |
| Loss of sight in one eye & reduced vision in the other | £70,950 to £199,450 | |
| Total blindness | Around £298,130 | |
| Total blindness and deafness | Around £448,180 |
Facial scarring
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | A hardly noticeable scar (or scars) | £1,890 to £3,920 |
| Moderate | A single scar that can be camouflaged with makeup, or multiple small scars that don't markedly affect your appearance | £4,380 to £15,250 |
| Significant | Significant scarring where the worst affects are reduced by cosmetic surgery, and/or with causing a psychological impact | £10,110 to £33,380 |
| Serious | Substantial disfigurement and/or a significant psychological impact | £19,930 to £53,720 |
| Severe | A younger person (under 30) with substantial disfigurement and/or a significant psychological impact | £33,040 to £107,990 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amputation | Amputation of the little finger | £9,590 to £13,580 |
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Amputation | Loss of part of the little finger | £4,380 to £6,500 |
| Amputation | Amputation of the ring or index finger | Around £27,730 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Amputation | Loss of terminal phalanx of ring or middle finger | £4,380 to £8,740 |
| Amputation | Amputation of the terminal phalanges of the index and middle fingers | Around £24,200 |
| Serious injury | to ring or middle finger | £11,450 to £18,130 |
| Amputation | Total or partial loss of index finger affecting your grip or dexterity | £13,500 to £20,790 |
| Amputation of fingers | Where your grip is severely weakened and/or you are unable to use your hand | £68,680 to £100,680 |
| Finger fractures | Fractures that cause deformity, affect sensation, and/or have a long term affect on your grip and ability to use your hand | Up to £40,760 |
Lung disease
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary aggravation of bronchitis | Temporary aggravation of existing bronchitis or other chest problems, with recovery in a few months | £2,450 to £5,910 |
| Slight breathlessness | Slight breathlessness with no effect on your working life, with full recovery expected within a few years likely | £11,810 to £23,070 |
| Bronchitis and wheezing | Bronchitis and wheezing with little or no impact on your work or social life | £23,070 to £34,740 |
| Breathing difficulties | Breathing difficulties and/or asthma that requires frequent use of an inhaler, and that affects your daily life and ability to work | £34,740 to £60,840 |
| Lung disease | Emphysema and other lung conditions with symptoms including difficulty breathing and impaired lung function that affects your life and work | £60,810 to £77,690 |
| Lung cancer | Typically in an older person, causing severe pain, reduced lung function and lower quality of life | £77,690 to £107,990 |
| Severe lung disease | Typically affecting a younger person, leading to a reduced life expectancy and quality of life | £111,680 to £150,780 |
Non-facial body scars
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Burns with scarring and ongoing pain | £2,630 to £8,690 |
| Moderate | Scarring such as an exploratory laparotomy scar | Around £9,590 |
| Serious | A noticeable laceration scar or single disfiguring scar | £8,690 to £25,220 |
| Severe | Severe burns with continuing pain and psychological injury | Up to £116,300 |
Thumb injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Thumb fracture with recovery in under 6 months, and/or with scarring, tenderness or pain in the cold | Up to £5,270 |
| Dislocation | Severe dislocation of the thumb | £7,040 to £8,630 |
| Moderate | Including arthrodesis of the interphalangeal join, damage to tendons or nerves, impairment of sensation and function | £10,730 to £13,970 |
| Serious | Injuries that impair your grip and dexerity, including partial amputation, nerve damage, and fractures requiring wires | £13,970 to £18,600 |
| Very serious | Including a severed and reattached thumb, an amputation through the interphalangeal joint, and thumb injuries that severly affect the thumb's function | £21,750 to £38,840 |
| Loss of thumb | Complete effective loss of use, or amputation of the thumb | £39,410 to £60,840 |
Toe injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | Simple fractures or cuts, with discomfort and scarring, or worsening of an existing condition | Up to £10,650 |
| Serious | Multiple fractures of two or more toes or a serious injury to your big toe, and/or permanent disability from pain or sensitive scarring | £10,650 to £15,250 |
| Severe | Crush injuries to one or more toes, possibly requiring amputation, and other injuries resulting in severe damage | £15,250 to £23,370 |
| Amputation | Of the big toe | Around £34,740 |
| Amputation of all toes | Of all toes | £40,520 to £62,210 |
Vibration White Finger (VWF)
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Occasional symptoms in some fingers, with a moderate impact on your life and work | £3,320 to £9,590 |
| Moderate | VWF attacks in cold weather, and symptoms that have required changes to your job | £9,590 to £18,600 |
| Serious | VWF attacks throughout the year, with a significant impact on your life and ability to work | £18,600 to £35,100 |
| Severe | Ongoing symptoms affecting both hands, and which significantly affect your daily life and ability to work | £35,100 to £42,640 |
Am I eligible for angle grinding injury compensation?
You can make an injury claim for an angle grinding accident, if:
- you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
- another party was to blame, and;
- that party owed you a duty of care.
Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
What if the accident was partly my fault?
Attributing blame for an accident isn't always clear-cut.
In our 2025 Work Injury Claimant Survey, we found that 26.02% of injured workers felt they had at least some responsibility for the injuries they sustained.
Your claim could still be possible if your actions contributed to your injury. If you were injured at work, you can claim compensation from your employer even if you or a co-worker caused the accident.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
Typical angle grinder injuries
The power, speed and sharpness of the discs inserted into an angle grinder means that accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. Some of the common injuries from angle grinding accidents include:
- lacerations across the head, face and neck
- amputation of the hand or fingers
- eye injuries
- cuts from flying debris
- burn injuries
This list is by no means exhaustive. Angle grinders are capable of causing many more injuries, including longer term health risks caused by continued exposure to vibration, dust and silica if the angle grinder is used to cut concrete products.
Prevention is better than cure
Often, the problem is not with the machinery itself but in the way that it is used. Many angle grinding accidents occur because the operator has received insufficient training and does not know how to handle the tool with sufficient care. Others occur because the wrong disc is being used or the guard fitted to the angle grinder has been removed.
This is why all employers should train their employees how to use the angle grinder properly and take the proper health and safety precautions in the workplace. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 lay down the specific processes an employer must follow to eliminate or reduce the risk of angle grinding accidents.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 came into force on 6 April 2022.
This legislation means that employers have an obligation to provide free Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all workers, including workers who are self-employed or on a zero-hours contract.
Under the previous 1992 regulations, employers were only required to provide PPE to employees with a formal employment contract.
If you are injured by an angle grinder at work and your employer failed to provide you with suitable PPE, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
Angle grinder injury claim case study
Compensation for an angle grinder injury of £42,000 was awarded to a 39 year old man for loss of his ring and little finger and a fractured middle finger of his non-dominant hand in a grinding machine accident at work four years earlier.
The claimant worked as a production operative. He was tasked with using a grinding machine. During his work he slipped and was injured. The ring and little fingers on his right hand were severed by the grinding machine. His middle finger suffered a compound fracture.
It was not possible reattach the fingers. The fracture was treated and recovered but with some residual stiffness and loss of sensation on one side. The man also suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result of the accident.
The claimant was unable to work for 18 months. He required retraining to enable him to seek suitable employment.
The injured worker's solicitor argued that the employer was negligent because they failed to provide a safe working environment. The angle grinder was not safe to use without proper PPE and adequate training.
Angle grinder injury claim settlement
The employer did not accept liability and the matter proceeded to a court hearing. The court awarded the injured worker compensation of £42,000. £24,000 of the award was attributed to "pain, suffering and loss of amenity." Lost earnings (including compensation for future losses while the worker retrained) were awarded at £18,000.
How could compensation help you?
The Courts recognise that an angle grinding accident can have serious and life-altering repercussions. Compensation is commonly awarded for:
- medical treatment and care costs
- anticipated future treatment and care
- other expenses including travel costs and potentially property damage
- loss or reduction of mental or physical capacity
- general pain and suffering
- lost earnings during recovery
- loss of earnings if unable to return to work
How did your angle grinding injury happen?
The compensation claims process will depend on where and how your angle grinding injury occurred. Click the icons below for more information:
Can I make a no win, no fee angle grinding injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim angle grinding injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to a work accident specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
- Confidential consultation
- No obligation to claim
- No Win No Fee solicitors
Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackSources
Amputation - NHS (reviewed: 27/07/2024)
Burns and scalds - NHS (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Eye injuries - NHS (reviewed: 30/07/2024)
The Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (reviewed: 30/07/2024)
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Author:
Chris Salmon, Director
About the author
Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.