Angle grinding injury
compensation claims

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 work accident compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

You are not alone

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. As such, angle grinders are encountered in just about any trade from welding to farming and from motor vehicle repairs to emergency rescue.

Every year, there are a number of accidents from using workplace machinery, including angle grinding accidents. Many accidents are serious and some are fatal.

Building sites are inherently dangerous places to work, and angle grinder usage is one of the more common causes of injury. Health and Safety Executive ('HSE') figures reveal that 53,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries at work averaged over the three-year period 2020/21-2022/23. The construction sector accounts for a disproportionately high number of workers who sustain serious injuries in the course of their work.

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 deserve.

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.

Am I eligible for angle grinding injury compensation?

You should be entitled to angle grinding injury compensation if your injury resulted from the negligence or actions of another person or organisation, or from an accident that was not your fault.

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 2023 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?

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 much compensation can I claim for an angle grinding injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

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

The psychological consequences of workplace injuries

In addition to physical injuries, a work accident can inflict lasting psychological harm.

Our 2023 Work Injury Claimant Survey shows how prevalent psychological injuries are in the workplace. 25.03% of claimants report suffering a psychological injury, 62.38% of which were related to a physical injury.

A traumatic injury by an angle grinder or similar tool can cause a general phobia of mechanical tools (mechanophobia) and, in severe cases, lasting PTSD.

The emotional toll of a work injury can greatly affect a claimant's physical recovery and their ability to return to work. Without access to the right advice and support, it can be difficult to overcome the fear of being stigmatised by a mental health issue.

Considering the potential for psychological harm following a traumatic incident at work is critical. Diagnosable psychiatric conditions, including PTSD, are recognised in the official guidelines for compensation awards, and it is appropriate to include the cost of mental health treatment and support when calculating your compensation.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

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 did your injury happen?

The compensation claims process will depend on where and how your angle grinding injury occurred. Click the icons below for more information:

Work
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How we can help you with your work accident claim

Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning work accident claims.

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Handled with the utmost professionalism... extremely kind, courteous and empathetic.

The Good Solicitor Guide

Kevin Walker obtains £80,000 for a construction worker's catastrophic hand injury

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Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Legal Services. 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.