Suffering from a manual handling injury at work? We can help you claim
Manual handling is a common part of many jobs, from lifting heavy objects to moving equipment or awkward loads. Unfortunately, these activities can sometimes lead to serious injuries, including back strain, herniated discs, and musculoskeletal disorders. These injuries often require time off work, medical treatment, and rehabilitation.
If your injury was caused by unsafe working conditions or inadequate training, you can claim compensation.
If you've been injured due to manual handling at work, your solicitor will help you make a claim. We’ll guide you through the claims process on a No Win, No Fee basis, so you can focus on your recovery.
What to consider when claiming for a manual handling injury
- By law, employers must provide staff with suitable training and support before starting any task involving lifting, carrying or moving equipment or material. Employers must also supervise work, carry out regular assessments and provide PPE.
- If you were injured as a result of manual handling-related negligence at work, you can make a claim.
- You have the right to claim as an employee, contractor, or temp worker, even if you feel partly responsible for the incident.
- You can still claim if your injury was caused by a manager or coworker acting against company policy, and you cannot be fired for claiming compensation.
- You have 3 years from the injury date to start your claim, but starting sooner can improve your chance of success.
- Compensation will be influenced by the extent of your injury, the impact on your life, financial losses you have incurred. Discover how much you could claim with our compensation calculator.
- You can make a no win, no fee claim.
You are not alone
Most workers perform manual handling tasks in their jobs, with some doing so daily. While many lift and carry items without issue, others aren't as fortunate, sustaining muscle or joint injuries to arms, legs, or back. In some cases, manual handling accidents can lead to serious injuries.
According to the Labour Force Survey, nearly 0.5 million workers are suffering from work-related musculoskeletal disorders and injuries.
Handling, lifting and carrying incidents account for 17% of injuries in the workplace (hse.gov.uk).
It is thought that many manual handling accidents are not reported, so these figures may represen a fraction of the actual number of people injured each year.
See also:
How much compensation can I claim for a manual handling injury?
The compensation you can claim for your manual handling injury will depend on:
- the extent of your injury,
- the impact of your injury on your daily life and ability to work,
- any economic losses or costs you?ve incurred due to your injury.
Manual handling injury
compensation calculator
Find out how much compensation you could claim in just a few minutes.
Check your legal eligibility and see if you qualify for a No Win, No Fee claim.
Updated December 2024
Compensation Calculator v3.1
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 are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include loss of earnings, including potential lost commission, bonuses or promotions, or any other out of pocket expenses.
Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your manual handling injury, including physiotherapy, pain medication and anti-inflammatory medication.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average manual handling injury general damages compensation table
The following manual handling 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).
Achilles tendon injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | Twisted ankle with some tendon damage and full recovery | £8,060 to £13,970 |
| Moderate | Partial rupture with pain and some loss of function | £13,970 to £23,370 |
| Serious | Severed tendon fully repaired with surgery | £27,730 to £33,380 |
Back injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | A back sprain, disc prolapse, soft tissue injury or minor fracture that fully recovers without surgery | £2,720 to £13,870 |
| Moderate | A disc lesion, prolapse, fracture or soft tissue injury leading to chronic conditions, including pain, mobility issues, impaired sexual function, psychological effects, a risk of arthritis, spondylolisthesis, and nerve root irritation | £13,870 to £30,800 |
| Severe | Severe spinal cord damage, nerve root damage, disc lesions, fractures and soft tissues leading to serious chronic conditions | £43,020 to £178,590 |
Foot injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Modest | Simple metatarsal fractures, ruptured ligaments, or puncture wounds | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | Displaced metatarsal fractures, deformity and/or continuing symptoms, where further surgery is required | £15,250 to £27,730 |
| Serious | Injuries affecting your mobility, including fracture of both heels or feet, heel fusion, osteoporosis, ulceration and symptoms including deformity that requires a brace | £27,730 to £43,490 |
| Severe | Serious mobility restrictions, with considerable ongoing pain caused by injuries including degloving or heel fusion, and that requires extensive surgery. | £46,560 to £77,690 |
| Very Severe | Permanent severe pain and/or serious permanent disability (e.g. traumatic amputation of the forefoot or severe heel damage) | £93,150 to £121,650 |
Hernia injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Uncomplicated indirect inguinal hernia, with no other damage | £3,760 to £8,030 |
| Moderate | Direct inguinal hernia, with some risk of recurrence after repair | £7,780 to £10,110 |
| Serious | After repair, you still experience ongoing pain and your daily life and ability to work is affected | £16,530 to £26,810 |
Knee injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | E.g. dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus, that could cause future symptoms or weakness, or that exacerbated an existing injury | Up to £15,250 |
| Moderate | More serious knee injuries with a greater risk of future symptoms, pain and weakness | £16,460 to £29,050 |
| Serious | E.g. a leg fracture that extends to the knee joint, or injuries that cause constant pain and restricted movement, and/or a risk of osteoarthritis or future knee surgery | £29,050 to £48,210 |
Repetitive strain injury (RSI)
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) | RSI with complete recovery within a few months | £2,450 to £3,920 |
| Moderate | RSI symptoms resolving in the course of up to three years | £9,590 to £11,930 |
| Serious | Continuing, but fluctuating and unilateral RSI symptoms | £16,530 to £18,130 |
| Severe | RSI with continuing disability to both sides, requiring surgery and affecting your ability to work | £24,310 to £25,650 |
Wrist injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lesser | Relatively minor soft tissue injury or displaced fracture, with a full recovery within 12 months | £3,920 to £5,260 |
| Moderate | Uncomplicated Colles' fracture | Around £8,250 |
| Moderate | Fracture or soft tissue injury with complete recovery | £6,750 to £11,480 |
| Serious | Some permanent disability, persistent pain and/or stiffness | £13,970 to £27,180 |
The psychological consequences of workplace injuries
If you have suffered psychological harm as a result of an accident at work, you are not alone.
Our 2024 Work Injury Claimant Survey shows how prevalent psychological injuries are in the workplace. 25.00% of claimants report suffering a psychological injury, 64.09% of which were related to a physical injury.
These injuries can lead to chronic stress and anxiety, especially related to lifting or physical labour, and depression linked to chronic pain.
Psychiatric injuries can negatively affect your physical recovery and hinder your return to work. Fearing stigma or a disregard of their mental health issues, some employees are reluctant to voice their concerns.
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.
Am I eligible for manual handling injury compensation?
Yes, you can claim compensation for a manual handling injury, if:
- you became ill within the last 3 years, and;
- another person was responsible, and;
- that person 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.
Can I make a claim even if I'm partly liable?
Pinpointing liability for an accident will depend on the context, with different legal principles applying to different circumstances.
In our 2024 Work Injury Claimant Survey, 26.02% of injured workers felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.
Your claim could still be possible if your actions contributed to your injury. Employers may be also be held responsible under vicarious liability for injuries caused by employees, making a claim possible if you or a colleague caused the accident.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How we have helped others
We help employees seek financial compensation and rehabilitation support when injured in the workplace through no fault of their own. Our network of expert personal injury solicitors have advised clients who have suffered a range of manual handling injuries, including:
- back injuries
- muscular injuries to upper/lower limbs
- breaks and fractures
- worsening of existing medical conditions, aggravated by a manual handling accident
- severe internal injury.
Our clients include workers employed at building sites, factories, warehouses, farms, hospitals and offices.
Who can make a claim?
If an employee is injured in the last 3 years as a result of manual handling, he or she may be eligible to make a compensation claim.
To win a claim, the claimant's solicitor will need to establish 'causation', meaning that their client's injuries result from the manual handling accident.
The solicitor will also need to establish that the defendant (the employer) was legally responsible for the manual handling accident.
Who can I claim against?
Manual handling claims may be brought against the claimant's employer or former employer.
Employers are required by law to carry valid Employer's Liability insurance to cover employees if they are involved in a workplace accident. Typically, the insurance company will pay the compensation award.
In most cases, a claim may still be brought against the insurance company even if the employer or former employer has ceased trading.
Is my employer liable?
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 were created to protect workers from injury caused by lifting and other manual handling activities. They impose a duty of care on employers to prevent harm, suffering and injury to employees while manually handling goods and equipment.
Specifically, an employer must:
- fully assess the work task
- eliminate any manual handling that is not necessary
- carry out a risk assessment on any hazardous manual handling task that cannot be avoided
- reduce the risk of injury as much as possible, for example, by providing suitable lifting equipment such as a sack trolley or hoist, and providing proper training.
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.
Suitable manual handling PPE might include gloves, foot protection, non-slip footwear.
If you are injured in a manual handling accident at work and your employer failed to provide you with suitable PPE, you may be entitled to claim compensation - even if you are self-employed.
Liability of employers' in manual handling injury claims
Most manual handling injuries are categorised as employer negligence. Click the icon below to learn more about the claims process.
Can I make a no win, no fee manual handling injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim manual handling 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
Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 9:30am-5pm
or arrange a callbackSources
Depression - NHS (reviewed: 31/07/2024)
Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor
About the author
Howard Willis qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.