Tenosynovitis
Compensation Claims

If tenosynovitis injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Tenosynovitis is the inflammation of the sheath around a tendon, usually from repetitive use or injury. Treatment includes rest, splinting, injections, or, in severe cases, surgery. If your tenosynovitis was caused by someone else's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. A personal injury solicitor can help you make a No Win, No Fee claim.

Things to consider when claiming for tenosynovitis

• Claims can result in compensation from £2,450 for short-term symptoms to as much as £25,650 for disabling pain and loss of movement.
• Tenosynovitis claims are most common with occupations which involve repetitive hand or wrist movements, such as factory work or typing.
• Claims must usually be made within 3 years of the injury diagnosis.
• The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your injury and any financial losses or expenses. Use our compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive.
• We can help you on a no win, no fee basis.

Over 4,000 people are admitted for tenosynovitis each year, you are not alone

Tenosynovitis is a very common condition, particularly in middle aged women. 4,359 patients were admitted to hospital in 2022-23, according to an analysis of NHS England data (nhs.uk).

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) warns that musculoskeletal injuries can develop and worsen over time, including tenosynovitis, RSI, and similar conditions. HSE data shows that there injuries are prevalent in many industries, from agriculture to office work (hse.org.uk).

If someone else was at fault for your injury, you may be able to claim financial compensation for tenosynovitis.

How much compensation can I claim for tenosynovitis?

Your compensation for tenosynovitis is based on:

• the severity of your illness,
• how your illness impacts your life and ability to work,
• the financial losses or expenses you've faced because of your illness.

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 will be awarded for any lost earnings, loss of commission or bonuses, and loss of pension contributions. It may also be possible to claim for loss of future earnings, if the medical prognosis establishes that you won't be able to work for any period in the future.

These damages will also cover the cost of any medical procedures you might need to treat or recover from your tenosynovitis such as corticosteroid injections and splinting.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average injury general damages compensation table

The following 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).

Repetitive strain injury (RSI)

Work-related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD)

Can I claim for PTSD or other psychological trauma?

Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.

According to our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.

Tenosynovitis injuries can cause anxiety over hand and wrist movements, impacting daily tasks and job performance.

Although psychiatric injuries are less obvious than physical injuries and illness, mental health conditions can be no less debilitating.

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.

Do I have a tenosynovitis injury claim?

You can start a compensation claim for tenosynovitis, if:

• you were injured in the last 3 years, and;
• another party was at fault, and;
• that party owed you a legal duty of care.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.

Compensation claims with shared fault

It's not unusual for personal injury claims to involve fault on both sides.

In our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, we found that 13.99% of respondents felt they had at least some responsibility for the injuries they sustained.

Claims are possible even when your actions partially caused the accident. In instances of 'contributory negligence', claims are usually settled with 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 make a tenosynovitis injury claim?

In most cases, you have 3 years from the date of your accident or injury.

If you were injured when you were under 18, a parent, guardian or adult 'litigation friend' can make a claim on your behalf. Once you turn 18, you have until your 21st birthday to start an injury claim.

How are tenosynovitis injuries caused?

Tenosynovitis describes when the membrane around a tendon becomes inflamed. This inflammation can make it painful to move an affected joint, and can restrict range of movement.

Tenosynovitis injuries, like many tendon-related conditions, affect workers who carry out repetitive movements. Tenosynovitis can also occur when the synovial membrane is damaged, for example, in a high-impact collision or a fall.

Due to the repetitive nature of the work, data entry and factory workers are particularly at risk, but tenosynovitis can affect many workers across several industry sectors, including retail and construction trades.

Tenosynovitis can also develop following illness.

If you decide to make a tenosynovitis injury claim, your personal injury 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.

Can I make a tenosynovitis injury claim?

Tenosynovitis commonly occurs if:

• A worker is required to perform repetitive tasks without proper training, PPE or regular breaks.
• A worker must operate in cramped or restricted conditions, on in a crouch or kneeling position.
• The same task is carried out continuously over a period of time. This activity can also lead to conditions such as repetitive strain injury (RSI) and tendonitis.

Your solicitor will need to demonstrate that your tenosynovitis was caused by a third party who owed you a duty of care. For example, your condition may have been caused by unsafe work practices that your employer failed to take the proper precautions to keep you safe.

Can I claim for trigger finger tendinosis?

Trigger finger affects one or more of the hand's tendons. The tendon of a finger or thumb affected by 'trigger finger' becomes swollen and inflamed, making it difficult to bend the digit.

Trigger finger can be a painful condition, and can worsen over time. The causes of trigger finger are not well known, but if a link between your condition and a third party's actions or negligence can be established (such as poor working conditions, or following a road accident), you may be able to claim compensation.

For more advice and support, see: Trigger finger (nhs.uk).

Can I claim for De Quervain's tendinosis?

De Quervain's tendinosis is a type of tenosynovitis that affects the tendons of your thumb. The condition is painful and can make it difficult to rotate your wrist, make a fist or grasp anything firmly. Like many other tendon injuries, without treatment, this condition can worsen over time, with the pain spreading through your arm.

The cause of the condition is not exactly known, but you can still claim compensation for de Quervain tenosynovitis if it is likely that chronic overuse at work caused your injury.

Can I claim compensation for other tendon injuries and conditions?

Several conditions can affect your tendons, often with similar symptoms. Tendinopathy, for example, presents as tenderness and pain when the region around the tendon is touched or the tendon is exercised.

Terms used to describe the categories of tendon pain include:

• Tendinitis - meaning inflammation with an acute injury
• Tendinosis - meaning no inflammation but a chronic tendon injury is evident and the result of cellular degeneration
• Tendinopathy - meaning chronic tendon injuries are apparent, but the medical cause of the pain is not necessarily clear
• Flexor tendonitis - affect workers who sustained finger injury either through overuse, such as by using a keyboard all day or through a sudden impact.

If it can be proved that the harm was the result of an employer's negligence, it may be possible to make a claim for each of the above categories of tendon injury.

See also:

Tendon injury compensation claims

You can also claim compensation for chronic pain caused by similar conditions causing joint pain and restricted movement.

See also:

Carpal tunnel syndrome injury claims

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) claims

Can I claim if a health and safety breach caused my tenosynovitis?

Employers have a legal duty to protect their employees against the risk of accident and injury in the workplace.

An employer who fails to identify the risks or implement appropriate safety measures as prescribed by the Regulations would be negligent and therefore liable for your injury.

Can I claim if a doctor misdiagnosed my tenosynovitis?

Like other tendon injuries, tenosynovitis causes inflammation and pain. Delayed diagnosis or treatment of even minor tendon injuries can lead to more serious issues and chronic pain.

You can make a misdiagnosis compensation claim against a GP, NHS Trust or other medical practitioner or authority in circumstances where:

• Your tendon injury was not promptly diagnosed.
• Your injury was wrongly diagnosed as a less serious condition.
• You were given the wrong treatment for your injury.

In each case, your solicitor will show that the error caused you unnecessary pain and suffering, or led to a worse outcome, delaying or preventing your full recovery.

Tenosynovitis claim case study

£121,803 compensation was awarded by Guildford County Court to a 48 year old woman who suffered a work related upper limb disorder as a result of her employment.

Injury details

The claimant, a 48 year old secretary and audio typist, was employed by the defendant. After the injury it was estimated that she spent around half of her time carrying out audio typing duties. The remainder of her time was spent on other duties.

One of the claimant's colleagues was absent from the office for an extended period on maternity leave and the defendant did not provide alternative temporary cover for the absent employee.

The claimant was expected to provide maternity cover, meaning the claimant's workload increased by 20-30%.

Before the injury the claimant visited her GP three times over 10 years complaining about pain in her wrists and fingers.

After taking on the additional work, the claimant began to suffer severe pain in both hands, arms, shoulders and in her neck. The right side was worse than the left.

Her GP referred her to a rheumatologist who diagnosed recurrent De Quervain tenosynovitis and physiotherapy was prescribed.

The claimant was examined by an occupational health practitioner who confirmed that the condition was work related. The practitioner recommended that her employer should reduce the amount of time the claimant spent on audio-typing.

The employer followed this recommendation but it did not improve the claimant's condition.

By the end of the year, the pain was so intense that the claimant found even basic tasks very difficult and she had to give up work.

Allegation:

It was alleged that the defendant was negligent insofar as they failed to maintain provide the claimant with safe working practices and adequate rest periods.

The claimant alleged that she had suffered permanent injuries as a direct result of the defendant's negligence.

The claimant further alleged that she would never be able to return to working as a secretary.

Settlement and conclusion

The case progressed to a court hearing in Guildford County Court. The Recorder presiding over the trial awarded the claimant £11,500 for pain suffering and loss of amenity.

The remainder of the award was made for loss of future earnings and future medical expenses.

What factors affect the tenosynovitis claims process?

The process for making a claim varies with how your tenosynovitis developed. Click the icons to learn more.

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

Sources

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.