We'll assess the full impact of your knee injury
We know that all knee injuries are painful, limiting and can restrict your mobility. They can leave you unable to move your leg or put weight on the joint, stopping you from walking, driving, going to work or taking part in sports and hobbies. At their worst, they can be life-changing.
You might be feeling upset and frustrated as well as in physical pain, and it's likely that you're dependent on your friends and family. We know money can't take this away, but no win no fee compensation could help you start to get things back to how they were.
Your compensation could help to pay for your medical treatment, medication and rehabilitation, as well as covering lost earnings from time taken off work. It can even help you repay those around you for the time they've given.
You can get in touch with our friendly advisors for a confidential chat on . We're here to offer free, supportive advice and to let you know whether we think you can make a knee injury claim.
There are absolutely no obligations when you speak to us, but we can connect you with a specialist personal injury solicitor who can guide you through the process if you choose to go ahead.
Common causes of knee injuries
Just about any type of accident can cause knee injuries. They're usually caused when the knee is suddenly twisted or jolted, or when there is an impact or blow to the joint. This can happen due to a slip or trip in a public place, in a road traffic accident or after an accident at work.
Medical negligence can also cause knee injuries due to surgical errors, delayed treatment or any other types of negligence. Doctors and hospital staff have a duty to treat you properly and if you've been injured due to their fault or negligent behaviour, then you could make a claim.
No matter what the cause of your knee injury, if it happened within the last three years and was caused by somebody else, then we may be able to help you. Contact us today on for free to find out if you can claim, or try our claim checker tool.
Did you know?
Slips, trips and falls on the same level caused 29% of all non-fatal accidents in the workplace - the largest category of accident. Knee injuries as well as limb and head injuries of varying severity are often the result.
Source: Health and Safety Executive, Kinds of Accident Statistics Report, 2018.
What about knee injuries in sporting accidents?
What about knee injuries in sporting accidents?
When you take part in a sport or a physical hobby, there's always a potential risk of injury. This is called ‘associated risk'. For example, we all know contact sports like football or rugby carry risk of injury.
Knee injuries in sport are very common and most are caused by associated risk. But you may be able to make a claim if your solicitor can prove the accident and resulting injury were avoidable and caused by the negligent action - or inaction - of someone else.
In such cases, your solicitor will seek to show that the cause of the accident was due to another's negligence rather than from the associated risk of taking part. This can make sporting knee injuries a bit of a challenge - but it's still worth talking to us as we may be able to help.
For more information on sports-related injuries, please visit our dedicated page.
Your knee injury compensation amounts
Your knee injury claim value depends on several factors, including the seriousness of your injury and its impact on your life.
The compensation you could receive could help to cover the following for both you and your family:
- Loss of earnings due to time off work
- The cost of medical treatment, medication and care - including prescription charges
- Travel costs and other expenses
- The impact on your social life, sports and hobbies
- Your pain and suffering
- Care, even if given for free by a friend or family member
However, the Judicial College publishes guidelines for the pain and suffering compensation elements of knee injuries caused by avoidable accidents. These are called general damages. Here are some examples of knee injury claim amounts. They exclude any additional special damages compensation for any financial losses you may have experienced:
| Knee injuries | General damages range |
| Recovering completely or leaving minimal symptoms | Up to £12,900 |
| Causing mild long term problems | £13,920 - £24,580 |
| Causing serious long term problems | £24,580 - £40,770 |
| Leg fractures including the knee joint | £48,920 to £65,440 |
| Severe knee injuries | £65,440 to £90,290 |
Your specialist solicitor will aim to make sure any impacts or expenses caused by your injury are covered by your compensation, so that you're not left out of pocket and so you have the finances you need to recover.
They'll also help you make your claim on a no win no fee basis. Quite simply, this means that if your claim isn't successful then you won't pay a penny. If successful, you'll pay a fee to your solicitor which will have been agreed beforehand.
To get an estimate of the amount you may be owed, you can visit our compensation calculator which gives you a guideline figure based on your answers to some simple questions.
Types of knee injury
Knee injuries can affect the muscles, bones, ligaments, cartilage or tendons which make up the knee.
Even minor knee injuries can cause discomfort and difficulty walking, but in some cases injuries can be serious, causing permanent damage with life-changing consequences.
Fractures
A fracture occurs when one or more of the bones in the knee are broken. Due to the impact a fracture can have on your life, this type of injury is often considered to be a serious injury.
When the patella (kneecap) dislocates or fractures, it can cause long lasting or permanent problems. If the fracture is severe, it can break the kneecap into several pieces and you may need surgery to repair or replace it.
Cartilage injuries
Your meniscus is cartilage which acts as a shock absorber in your knee joint. The meniscus can become damaged if your knee joint is bent and then twisted.
This type of injury may require you to rest and take time off work. In some cases, you may need surgery and rehabilitation to make a full recovery, and there may be some long-lasting consequences, such as osteoarthritis.
Knee ligament injuries
Torn ligaments in your knee can be caused by any excessive strain. This type of knee injury is likely to cause you to feel unstable when you walk, run or play sport.
A common type of ligament tear is an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, but you can also experience a tear in the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL) and medial collateral ligament(MCL).
Torn ligaments nearly always need long-term medical treatment and support. These include surgery to repair the tear, physiotherapy or specialised equipment such as a brace to help you walk, run or play sports.
Muscle Injuries
Muscle damage in the legs can also affect your ability to move your knee. For example, your hamstrings or quadriceps can be stretched, strained or torn causing symptoms such as swelling, bruising, pain and weakness.
Torn muscles usually heal with exercise and time, but sometimes some treatment such as physiotherapy might be needed.
Causes and types of knee injuries and disorders in the workplace
Lower limb injuries and disorders are common in the workplace. They tend to occur with jobs that involve things like:
- Repetitive squatting and/or squatting
- Climing ladders or stairs
- Manually handling heavy items
- Standing for prolonged periods of time
Symptoms often include aches and pains, reduced movement, tenderness, stiffness, joint weakness, cramps and swelling.
If you're suffering any of these symptoms from work, it could indicate overuse, improper protection (such as knee pads) or even an underlying condition that has been aggravated.
There are a number of knee injuries and conditions that can be caused or made worse while working. They include:
- Hip and knee osteoarthritis: this is a gradually degenerative condition of the joints. For instance, floor layers and cleaners are at higher risk of developing this condition.
- Knee bursitis: caused by repetitive kneeling and symptoms include tenderness, swelling and reduced knee movement.
- Knee meniscal damage: when the knee bends or twists under excess strain, the forces can cause meniscal cartilage damage that can ultimately lead to osteoarthritis.
- Knee stress fractures: these are repeated and cumulative micro-injuries to the bones of the knee. For example, such injuries regularly occur in the military where long-distance marching with packs and heavy equipment is common.
If you've suffered any of these symptoms through work, it may be because of inadequate health and safety practices, poor safety equipment or a lack of training. You may be able to claim for knee injury compensation so contact us for a confidential chat with one of our friendly, personal injury advisors on .
Frequently asked questions...
The figures show it's pretty unlikely. The vast majority of personal injury compensation claims are settled without a Hearing in front of a Judge.
In most cases, your legal representatives negotiate with the other side (usually their insurance company) to reach a satisfactory compensation award and that's that.
Where the other side accepts liability from the start, the process is quick - perhaps a couple of months. This can be known as non-fault accident compensation. If the other side denies or disputes liability (for instance where the blame is shared), a negotiated settlement is still possible.
On rare occasions where negotiations fail without agreement, then a Court Hearing is needed.
The time it takes to reach a settlement in a successful personal injury claim can vary significantly. It depends on how complex your case is, the type, severity and circumstances of your injuries, plus the time it takes to gather all the necessary medical evidence.
An injury claim duration is also affected by things like whether or not you know the identity of the other side and if the other side admits liability - or challenges it in court. A clear-cut road traffic accident claim may be settled in just weeks whereas a complicated medical negligence case may take up to three years or more.
As a rule of thumb, an uninsured driver claim takes three or four months. Other road and work accident claims may take four to nine months, trips and slips six to nine months, industrial disease claims between one year to 18 months and clinical negligence one to three years plus.
Proving liability in a claim is about establishing blame in four key areas.
Duty: did the party you hold responsible for your injury owe you a legal duty of care?
Breach: did they breach that duty by acting (or failing to act) in a particular way?
Causation: did their actions (or absence of them) cause your injuries?
Damages: were you injured by their actions or inactions?
How do I pay for a knee injury claim?
How do I pay for a knee injury claim?
You do this with a no win no fee arrangement, also known as a conditional fee agreement. It's the contract between you and your no win no fee personal injury lawyer.
There are no upfront costs or hidden charges but if you win the claim, you'll be asked to pay any costs and expenses, not paid for by the other side, out of your compensation. This is likely to happen in most cases, as the other side is only required to make a contribution to your legal fees.
These costs will only be deducted when your compensation is paid, and may include:
- A ‘success fee' which compensates the solicitor for the risk they take, as if your claim is unsuccessful they won't be paid at all.
- Any other legal costs or expenses not recovered from the other side, such as the costs of any legal expense insurance.
When you start your claim, your solicitor will take out insurance protection on your behalf. This is sometimes called ATE (After The Event) insurance. If your claim is unsuccessful, then the other party's costs will be paid out of this insurance. If you don't receive any compensation, then you won't have to pay for the ATE insurance. If your claim is successful, then it'll be paid out of your compensation as part of the fees.
Your solicitor will discuss this with you at the start, so you'll know what to expect when your claim settles. If you don't win your no win no fee claim, you pay nothing to anyone. It's as simple as that.
What happens when you make a knee injury claim?
What happens when you make a knee injury claim?
We carefully choose the legal firms we work with and closely monitor the service they provide. They take care of everything for you in a knee injuries claim and will keep you updated at every stage. All they'll need you to do is stick to their advice and share the information they need, when they need it.
Stage 1: assessing a knee injuries claim
Talk to us in the first instance. We'll be able to let you know if we think you may have grounds for a knee injuries claim. If you decide you want to proceed, we'll connect you with one of our specialist solicitors with the right knee injury compensation experience.
Stage 2: the consultation
Your solicitor will examine the facts, take a professional view as to how the accident has affected you physically and in your everyday life. They'll ask you to provide specific evidence to support your claim, such as photographs, medical records and any treatment you may already have received.
Stage 3: submitting your knee injuries claim
When they've built your knee injuries claim, they then submit it to the other side who you hold responsible. They then have 21 days to acknowledge the claim and a further three months from that point to either accept or deny liability.
Stage 4: negotiating with the other side
Whether or not the other side accepts or denies liability for your injury, your knee injuries claim then moves through a set of standard personal injury legal processes. If the other side denies liability, this usually means your claim will take longer.
Your solicitor handles all the negotiation with the other side on your behalf. If they can't agree to liability nor a fair knee injury compensation amount, the claim will then usually go to a hearing at court and be assessed by a judge. The vast majority of claims of all types, including knee injury claims, are settled out-of-court.
Stage 5: knee injuries claim finalisation
When the legal process is complete, your claim settles. This will either be by negotiation between your solicitor and the other side's insurance company or very occasionally in court. If your knee injuries claim succeeds, the other side's insurance company will pay your compensation. This is usually paid out in around a month.
Under no win no fee terms, your solicitor will be paid from the compensation you are awarded. If your claim fails, you owe nothing.
What should I do when I make a knee injuries compensation claim?
What should I do when I make a knee injuries compensation claim?
Making a claim through us is simple. If you decide to proceed with your knee injury compensation claim, we'll connect you with a specialist solicitor. We can usually do this on the same call if that suits you.
Get medical treatment
Your first priority is you. Visit A&E or see your GP as soon as possible and get the diagnosis and treatment you need.
Seek professional advice
If you think you may have grounds to make a knee injuries compensation claim or are just unsure, contact us on . We'll listen to what you've been through and let you know if we think you may have grounds for a knee injuries claim. If we think you do and want to go ahead, we'll put you in touch with a specialist solicitor.
Gather all the evidence you can
Your solicitor will need accurate and detailed evidence so they can build your knee injuries claim. They'll need:
- The names and contact details of everyone involved. Don't forget any witnesses.
- The date, time and type of accident and injury you suffered. For instance, a displaced kneecap or ligament damage caused by a fall.
- The names of any hospital or GP staff who treated you plus their location.
- A record of any additional treatment or examinations you received.
- Any financial expenses you (or your family) incurred as a direct result of your knee injury.
- Keep any relevant receipts safe. These could be for things like treatment or travel to any medical appointments - even a walking stick or crutches if you weren't provided with either.
Make a photographic record
Photo evidence is really useful. Take pictures of your knee injury with your smartphone (or ask a friend to do it for you) and get close-ups for things like wounds, scarring or swelling.
Jot down your symptoms in a daily injury diary as you recover. This will help your knee injury compensation solicitor build a clear picture of how you're recovering.
If friends or family have looked after you, remember to ask them to provide a witness statement to help back up your knee injuries claim.
Record key dates and keep relevant paperwork
Your solicitor will ask you for the key dates and events so write these down sooner rather than later while they're still fresh in your head. When your solicitor needs this information, you'll have it quickly to hand.
Do keep any relevant paperwork safe. The more useful detail you've collected means your solicitor will be able to build a more compelling case for your knee injuries claim.
If you think you may have grounds to make a knee injury compensation claim then contact us on . We're open seven days a week and our friendly advisors are always ready to help.
What are the time limits for making a knee injuries compensation claim?
What are the time limits for making a knee injuries compensation claim?
You usually have three years from when your knee accident injury occurred (or when you first noticed a knee-related medical condition). There's a legal process your knee injuries claim solicitor will follow, so if you're close to that three-year deadline, call us as soon as you can on.
There are some exceptions to the time limits:
- If the claimant has also suffered serious brain trauma that has impaired their psychological capacity, there's no time limit.
- For instance, they may have sustained knee injuries as one of many others in a serious road traffic accident.
- A parent, guardian or other legally-responsible adult can make a claim for an injured child at any time up until their 18th birthday.
If no claim has been made, the child has three years between their 18th and 21st birthdays to make a knee injuries compensation claim.