If an arm injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Arm injuries (those affecting the upper arm, forearm, elbow and wrist) can cause serious disruption to your life and ability to work.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by an arm injury, we can help. If you have suffered an arm fracture, muscle tear, laceration or other arm injury in an accident that wasn't your fault, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
In this article
You are not alone
Although there is no central record of arm injuries in the UK, data compiled by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveals how common arm injuries are.
The latest data available in 2023 from the HSE reveals there were 477,000 work-related musculoskeletal injuries in 2021/22. Arm injuries are particularly common in physical occupations, such as farming, building and construction, nursing.
Some arm injuries develop after prolonged exposure to workplace hazards. For example, Hard Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) affects workers who regularly use hand-operated vibrating power tools. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) commonly affect office workers and those employed in less physically demanding roles, particularly where the work is repetitive in nature.
Many more arm injuries are sustained outside of work, with two fifths of cyclists injured on Britain's roads sustaining an arm injury, according to RoSPA.
If you are looking for information on elbow and arm injury symptoms and treatment, see: elbow and arm pain (nhs.uk).
Arm injuries by context
| Injury Type | Work accidents | Road accidents | Accidents in a public place | Medical Negligence | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arm injuries | 26.84% | 47.60% | 13.42% | 3.19% | 8.95% |
| Hand injuries | 31.25% | 56.25% | 0.00% | 6.25% | 6.25% |
| Pain disorders | 23.64% | 43.64% | 12.73% | 14.55% | 5.45% |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULDS) | 56.25% | 25.00% | 0.00% | 18.75% | 0.00% |
| Wrist injuries | 18.12% | 53.62% | 15.94% | 3.26% | 9.06% |
Am I entitled to make an arm injury claim?
In general, you can claim compensation if you were hurt:
- in the last 3 years,
- by someone elses actions or negligence, and
- they owed you a duty of care.
Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.
Am I still eligible to claim if I was partially responsible?
Determining legal responsibility for a claimant's injuries can involve myriad factors.
In our recent 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents believed they may have been partly (or wholly) responsible for their injuries.
The legal term for cases where an injured person was (to some extent) responsible for their injuries is 'contributory negligence'. If there is fault on both sides of a claim, it is possible to pay reduced compensation on a split liability agreement.
Read more:
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to claim arm injury compensation?
An injury claim will usually need to be made within 3 years of the date or your accident or injury.
For injured children, a claim can be started by a parent or guardian at any time before they turn 18. Thereafter, the injured individual has until their 21st birthday to make a claim on their own.
How much compensation can I claim for an arm 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.
Arm injury
compensation calculator
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Updated December 2023
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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 are for financial losses and expenses you have incurred because of your accident. In addition to paying compensation for lost earnings, bonuses and overtime, special damages can cover any care costs and medical procedures you need, such as splinting or casting, pain medication, physiotherapy and surgery if needed.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
Average arm injury general damages compensation
The following arm injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Sixteenth Edition by the Judicial College.
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).
| Injury | Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arm amputation | |||
| Arm amputation | Loss of both arms | £218,900 to £272,730 | |
| Arm amputation | Loss of one arm below the elbow | £99,680 to £119,030 | |
| Arm amputation | Loss of one arm above the elbow | £87,420 to £99,680 | |
| Arm amputation | Loss of one arm at the shoulder | Over £124,690 | |
| Arm injury | |||
| Arm injury | Less serious | Fractured forearm | £6,010 to £17,450 |
| Arm injury | Moderate | Serious injury with long-lasting effects | £17,450 to £35,610 |
| Arm injury | Serious | Serious injury with permanent and substantial effects | £35,610 to £54,420 |
| Arm injury | Severe | Severe with serious, permanent consequences | £87,420 to £119,030 |
| Elbow injury | |||
| Elbow injury | Less serious | No significant long-term problems | Up to £11,450 |
| Elbow injury | Moderate | Some long-term problems | £14,230 to £29,100 |
| Elbow injury | Serious | Severe and disabling injury | £35,610 to £49,850 |
| Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | |||
| Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | Minor | Minor symptoms | £2,720 to £7,850 |
| Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | Moderate | Minor symptoms in cold weather | £7,850 to £15,240 |
| Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | Serious | Year-round symptoms | £15,240 to £28,760 |
| Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) | Severe | Affecting both sides in a younger person causing a change in job | £28,760 to £34,940 |
| Hand injury | |||
| Hand injury | Serious | Serious hand injury | £13,140 to £26,360 |
| Hand injury | Very Severe | Loss of both hands | Up to £127,870 |
| Hand injury | Very Serious | Very serious hand injuries | £13,140 to £26,360 |
| Hand injury | Severe | Severe hand injury | £26,360 to £56,280 |
| Hand injury | Moderate | Moderate hand injury | £5,200 to £12,070 |
| Hand injury | Severe | Serious damage to both hands | £50,750 to £76,880 |
| Hand injury | Severe | Loss of one hand | £87,420 to £99,680 |
| Hand injury | Minor | Minor hand, finger or thumb injury | Up to £4,320 |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) | |||
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) | Minor | Recovering within a few months at most | £2,000 to £3,210 |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) | Moderate | Recovering completely within 3 years | £7,850 to £9,770 |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) | Serious | Continuing problems on one side | £13,550 to £14,850 |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) | Severe | Continuing problems needing surgery, preventing working | £19,920 to £21,030 |
| Wrist injury | |||
| Wrist injury | Minor | Wrist fracture recovering within one year | £3,210 to £4,310 |
| Wrist injury | Moderate | Colles wrist fracture | Around £6,750 |
| Wrist injury | Moderate | Taking around two years to heal completely | Up to £9,620 |
| Wrist injury | Serious | Causing permanent pain and stiffness | £11,450 to £22,270 |
| Wrist injury | Serious | Serious with significant permanent problems | £22,270 to £35,610 |
| Wrist injury | Severe | Severe with loss of function of the wrist | £43,290 to £54,420 |
Common arm injuries
| Injury | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Wrist injuries | 3.68% |
| Arm injuries | 3.64% |
| Pain disorders | 1.01% |
| Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULDS) | 0.26% |
| Hand injuries | 0.21% |
Can I claim for PTSD or other psychological trauma?
If you have experienced psychological issues in addition to physical symptoms, you are not alone.
Our 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey found that 29.03% of claimants reported a psychological injury, with 70.97% of these relating to a physical injury.
Arm injuries can result in anxiety about the ability to perform tasks requiring manual dexterity, depression linked to chronic pain, and PTSD.
Your solicitor will help ensure that any psychological harm you have suffered as the result of another party's negligence is recognised and included in the calculation of your compensation award or settlement. In addition, you can also claim for mental health treatment costs that may not be readily available on the NHS.
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.
What are the chances of my arm injury claim being successful?
In order to make a claim successfully for an accident or illness, your solicitor must prove that another person or organisation (the defendant) is legally responsible (liable) for your injuries.
If your solicitor can demonstrate that the defendant is liable, and that your injuries resulted from their negligence, it is likely that your claim will succeed.
If the defendant denies liability, then the predicting the outcome of a claim can be more complex, see:
How likely am I to win a personal injury compensation claim?
What arm injuries can I claim compensation for?
If another party caused your injury, and they owed you a duty of care, you can claim compensation for any arm injury, including:
- A fractured or broken humerus, radius or ulna
- A ruptured bicep or other muscle injury
- Tendon and ligament damage
- Overuse elbow and wrist injuries (like RSI)
- Nerve damage (like Vibration White Finger)
How we have helped others claim arm injury compensation
Our personal injury solicitor panel has an excellent track record of winning the best possible compensation for arm injuries, including:
- lifting injuries, including those resulting from inadequate training
- broken bones and sprains resulting from falls, slips or trips
- carpal tunnel, RSI and other work-related injuries
- sports injuries
- cycling and other road traffic accidents
What happened?
The claims process for an arm injury will depend on where and how the accident happened. Click the icons below for more information:
FAQs
How long does an injury claim take?
What are my chances of winning my claim?
Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?
How long do I have to make an injury claim?
No win, no fee arm injury compensation claims
With no win, no fee, you can claim arm 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.
How we can help you with your injury 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 injury claims.
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Author:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.