Wrist Injury
Compensation Claims

Claim wrist injury compensation and get the support you need

A wrist injury can have a major impact on your ability to carry out daily activities, from typing to lifting objects, and can take a long time to heal. Whether it’s a fracture, sprain, or repetitive strain injury, a wrist injury often requires medical treatment, rest, and rehabilitation.

Compensation for wrist injury not only helps cover medical expenses and lost income, but will also compensate you for the pain and suffering you’ve experienced. You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for your wrist injury with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

Key points when claiming for a wrist injury

• Claims can result in compensation from £3,900 for minor wrist injuries to over £66,000 for permanent loss of wrist function.
• If your wrist was injured by the negligence of your employer, a coworker, another road user, or on public premises, you can claim compensation.
• You can claim for wrist conditions that develop gradually, like CTS, caused by your job.
• You can also claim if your wrist injury was caused, or made worse, as a result of misdiagnosis or other negligence.
• There is a 3-year time limit from the date of your injury to start your claim.
• The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your wrist injury. Use our compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive.
• You can also claim for lost earnings, and for other financial losses your injury has caused.
• You're eligible to claim under a no win, no fee agreement.

With over 80,000 admissions for wrist and hand injuries each year, you are not alone

Frequently seen in both GP surgeries and A&E departments, wrist injuries can cause significant pain and disruption. Common complaints include sprains, strains, brakes and fractures.

There were 80,572 hospital admissions for wrist and hand injuries in England in 2022-23, according to an analysis of NHS data (digital.nhs.uk).

If a person is involved in a non-fault accident, and suffers a wrist injury as a result, they could be entitled to compensation. Who is liable depends on the context in which the accident occurred.

If you decide to make a wrist 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 need to move forward.

If you are looking for information on wrist injury symptoms and treatment, visit: Wrist injuries (nhs.uk).

How much compensation can I claim for a wrist injury?

Your claim for compensation in your wrist injury will depend on:

• how severe your injury is,
• how much your injury affects your daily life and work performance,
• any direct financial losses or expenses resulting from your injury.

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 for financial losses and expenses you have incurred because of your accident. In addition to paying for loss of earnings, special damages can cover any care costs and medical procedures you need, such as X-rays, CT and MRI scans, and physiotherapy.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average wrist injury general damages compensation table

The following wrist 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).

Wrist injury

Can I claim for PTSD or other psychological trauma?

If you have suffered psychological harm in addition to a physical injury or illness, you are not alone.

According to our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.

Wrist injuries can instill an anxiety or phobia of weakness in hand movements or a fear of deterioration. Chronic wrist pain can also lead to depression.

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.

Do I have a wrist injury claim?

You can claim for a wrist injury, if:

• you were injured in the last 3 years, and;
• someone else was responsible, and;
• they owed a duty of care to prevent harm.

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 claim if I feel I was partly to blame?

Identifying who is legally responsible for a claimant's injuries is not always obvious.

In our 2025 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents felt they were at least partly responsible for their accident or injuries.

When fault on both sides caused a claimant's injuries, this is called 'contributory negligence'. In these situations, compensation may still be payable on the basis of 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 wrist injury compensation?

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

For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.

Wrist injuries and their causes

The wrist comprises of the two bones of the forearm (the radius and ulna) and the eight carpal bones (scaphoid or navicular, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform, trapezium, trapezoid, capitate, and the hamate). All are connected together by ligaments and surrounded by muscles and tendons.

Damage to any of these parts can result in wrist injury, for example:

• Sprains are the result of a stretched or torn ligament
• Strains occur when there is a stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon
• Fractures or brakes happen when a bone cracks or breaks
• Tendinitis (a form of RSI) is inflammation of a tendon

Some of the familiar reasons for wrist injuries in compensation claims include:

• Slips, trips and falls - in the workplace or other public spaces
• Road traffic accidents (in particular motorcycles)
• Sporting activities - in a club, sporting venue or school
• Repetitive activities - in the workplace (such as RSI)

In both slips, trips and falls, as well as in sporting activities, wrist injuries are usually the result of an outstretched hand used to break a fall. In motor vehicle accidents, high velocity injuries caused by a sudden blow or crush are the main source of injury. RSI and tendinitis occur due to repetitive use over a period of time.

Who is liable for my wrist injury?

Who is liable, or legally responsible, for your wrist injury depends on how and where the accident took place:

At work

If the accident that caused your wrist injury happened at work - whether it is the result of a slip, trip or fall, or your wrist injury developed over time due to repetitive tasks like typing or operating tools - your employer could be liable. Employers have a legal duty of care to ensure the health and safety of employees. This includes carrying out a full risk assessment, identifying hazards and putting appropriate measures in place to control and manage them, such as:

• Ensuring hazards are removed from the floors
• Cleaning up spillages
• Providing suitable footwear
• Providing ergonomic solutions for desk workers, to reduce the risk of strain injuries

If employers do not manage risks appropriately, they could be deemed negligent under a range of legislation including: the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (hse.gov.uk); the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (legislation.gov.uk); and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (legislation.gov.uk).

See also:

Work accident claims

On the road

If your wrist is injured in road accident - whether through impact or crush trauma - another driver will usually be liable if the accident was their fault.

Like employers, road users have a legal ‘duty of care' for other road users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. So if a road user acts carelessly, for example not signalling during a turn, or failing to stop in time causing a rear-end collision, they could be held accountable.

See also:

Road traffic accident claims

During sport and leisure activities

When you engage in sports, you're typically aware of the risks involved. But, if you suffer a wrist injury under the supervision of an organization responsible for your safety, like a football club or ski school, the situation is different. They could be liable for your injury. This is particularly the case if your injury is due to their negligence or failure to ensure a safe environment for you.

See also:

Sports injury claims

In another public or private space

For slips, trips and falls that occur outside of the workplace, liability could lie with a third party, depending on how and where it occurred. For example, a slip in a supermarket could see the owner held responsible or for a trip on a public pavement the local council could be held accountable. Situations like these fall under the Occupiers Liability Act 1984 (legislation.gov.uk).

Whatever the situation, a solicitor can help a claimant gather evidence, such as medical records and witness statements, to support your claim.

See also:

Slip, trip and fall injury claims

How the cause of your wrist injury impacts the claims process

The process for claiming varies based on how your wrist injury occurred. Click the icons to find out 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.