Vibration White Finger
Compensation Claims

Essential points when claiming for vibration white finger

• Employers must manage vibration-related hazards in the workplace, such as long-term use of pneumatic drills, grinders, and jackhammers.
• Your employer should have provided suitable PPE and training, and should have required you to take regular breaks to limit vibration exposure.
• Once VWF symptoms appear, your employer is also required to take action to prevent further harm.
• You have 3 years to start your claim, from the date you discovered the link between your symptoms and you job.
• The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your VWF symptoms, and will reflect the risk of permanent damage and future complications. Use our compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive.
• Your compensation will also include lost earnings, and future losses if you have had to change jobs.
• You're eligible to claim under a no win, no fee agreement.

If work-related VWF has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Vibration white finger (VWF) is a condition caused by prolonged use of vibrating hand-held machinery, leading to numbness, white patches, and blood vessel constriction in the fingers. In turn, your grip strength and use of your hands and fingers can be affected. Treatments include avoiding exposure to vibration, medication, and in some cases, surgery.

If you have been affected by VWF, we can help. If your injuries were caused by your employer's actions or negligence, you can claim compensation. You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

See also:

Make a work injury compensation claim

With almost 300,000 patients diagnosed with VWF across the UK, you are not alone

Vibration white finger (VWF) is an industrial injury, caused by prolonged and excessive use of vibrating tools and equipment in the workplace.

According to the last estimate published by the Medical Research Council (MRC), there are 288,000 sufferers from vibration white finger (VWF) in Great Britain (hse.gov.uk).

The condition falls under the umbrella term 'Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS)', which includes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). VWF is sometimes colloquially referred to as 'wax finger' or 'dead finger'.

If you decide to make a vibration white finger 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 need to move forward.

For information on hand pain symptoms and treatment, visit: hand pain (nhs.uk).

See also:

Industrial injury compensation claims

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) compensation claims

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) injury claims

How much compensation can I claim for VWF?

Compensation for vibration white finger is dependent on:

• how significant your illness is,
• how your illness disrupts your life and work,
• the costs or financial losses you?ve experienced due to 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 is compensation for quantifiable financial losses you've incurred as a result of your VWF Compensation can include lost wages, bonuses, benefits and other perks, and any additional expenses directly related to your injury.

These damages will also cover any medical or treatment bills, such as removal from exposure, pain medication, physical therapy and vasodilators.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average Vibration White Finger general damages compensation table

The following Vibration White Finger 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).

Vibration White Finger (VWF)

Am I eligible for vibration white finger compensation?

You can start a claim for VWF, if:

• you were injured within the last 3 years, and;
• another party was at fault, and;
• that party 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.

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 or illness. If you were injured on the job by a co-worker's actions, you can still claim compensation from your employer, based on the principle of vicarious liability.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long do I have to claim compensation for vibration white finger?

In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.

If your injury or illness is not immediately apparent, the 3-year time limit starts from the date that you injury or illness was diagnosed and your were informed of the likely caused.

Symptoms of vibration white finger

Vibration White Finger is the result of an injury to the nerves, muscles, and blood vessels in the arm, hand, wrist, and fingers. Symptoms of VWF vary with some people experiencing almost all of the common symptoms, while others experience only one or two.

Typical symptoms of VWF include:

• Tingling sensations or numbness in the fingertips. These sensations can extend up the whole length of the fingers. Symptoms can be intermittent or permanent, making tasks like fastening buttons or picking up small objects difficult.
• Cold fingers and skin discolouration of the fingers. In some cases, fingers can turn from white to blue, or red. These symptoms are caused by a form of Raynaud's Disease, which is often triggered by being out in cold weather or holding cold objects.
• Aches and pains in the arms, hands, and fingers. These symptoms are believed to be caused by damage to muscles, joints or bones. In some cases, reduced strength is experienced when trying to grip objects.

Compensation awards for VWF take into account the impact specific symptoms have on your life and ability to work.

How is VWF diagnosed?

Symptoms of vibration white finger often do not appear immediately after exposure to vibration. Symptoms can take ten years or more to manifest.">

When diagnosing VWF, a specialist will consider your occupational history when seeking to establish a link between your work and your symptoms.">

To formally diagnose VWF, the doctor will require:">

• Evidence of long-term occupational exposure to vibration
• Incidents of skin discolouration in the fingers
• Exclusion of other possible causes
• Calluses on the hand, diminished sensation in the fingers, and muscle weakness are additional factors that will support a diagnosis

You do not need to have a form diagnosis of VWF before you start a claim. Your solicitor will arrange for an independent medical assessment to help support your case.

Preventing vibration white finger in the workplace

The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 exist to protect workers from developing VWF. Under the regulations, employers have a duty of care to their employees. Employers are legally required to take steps to minimise the risk of developing VWF, such as:">

• Providing regular breaks away from using vibrating tools and equipment
• Providing appropriate Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), e.g. anti-vibration gloves
• Keeping the working environment temperature within reasonable limits
• Providing the correct tools for the job
• Providing appropriate training on the operation and use of vibrating tools

According to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) figures, the introduction of preventative measures is gradually reducing the number of new cases of VWF.

If risk management measures were not observed, such as an employer providing inadequate protective equipment, an injury claim may be possible.

Read more:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) injury claims

When should I start a VWF claim?

If you are injured in an accident, you would normally be able to make a claim within 3 years of the accident.

However, work-related illnesses often can't be traced back to a single event, but to ongoing circumstances or exposure. As vibration white finger results from prolonged and excessive use of vibrating tools and equipment, the clock starts ticking from the date of knowledge.

The date of knowledge is the date that you became aware of your injury, or could, with reasonable diligence, have been aware. I most cases the date of knowledge for a VWF claim will be the date of diagnosis.

You should therefore commence your claim within 3 years of a confirmed diagnosis. Due to the nature of the condition, most VWF claims are not started until many years after the work that led to the injury.">

What factors affect the VWF claims process?

How your vibration white finger happened will affect your claim. Click the icons below for details.

Work accidents Industrial disease Other accidents

Sources

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.