A guide to hand injury claims

What are the most common hand injuries?

There are many ways you can sustain a hand injury; hands are made up of different structures which include:

• skin
• tendons
• nerves blood vessels
• bones
• joints

Some common hand injuries are listed below:

1. Tendon injuries

The second most common hand injuries are tendon injuries. The effect of this type of hand injury can be serious as a lack of repair means you can lose severe functional ability in the hand. Tendon injuries can be in the form of:

• flexor tendon injury
• extensor tendon injury
• mallet finger injury
• boutonniere injury
• thumb extensor tendon (EPL) rupture

2. Nerve injuries

A nerve injury in the hand can mean an inability to function with the hand. Nerve injuries also take a considerable time to repair. 

3. Other soft tissue hand injuries

Other soft tissue hand injuries can occur in the form of hand wounds such as grazes or lacerations. A hand injury in the soft tissues can also occur as a nailbed injury. 

4. Wrist injuries

The most common hand injury is a wrist injury. For example, a wrist sprain. These take some time to heal and often require a CT or MRI scan to diagnose.

5. Hand fractures

Hand features are a common form of hand injury. This is a break in the bone, which usually eventually repairs itself but can at times need surgery to mend. 

6. Hand joint injuries

Hand joint injuries are another common form of hand injury and often occur during sports. They can take a long time to get better and cause stiffness in the hand. There are different types of hand joint injuries, such as:

• skier's thumb
• finger sprains
• finger dislocations

What is the cause of white fingers?

White finger is a hand condition affecting the blood vessels and this can occur at work.  You may hear people call it Vibration White Finger (VWF). The cause of white fingers can come from using vibrating power tools or heavy machinery for a long time. This is because you are repeatedly experiencing vibration which causes this a vascular condition. Other things which can cause white fingers are:

• the cold;
• your metabolic rate
• vascular tone

 This hand injury often occurs in people who work in:

• construction
• manufacturing
• jobs using heavy machinery

The symptoms of VWF include:

• tingling in fingertips
• numbness in fingertips
• white chalky-looking skin

What is soft tissue damage?

Soft tissue damage in the hand is common and can happen through hand wounds and nail bed injuries. A hand wound is not always as basic as a graze and instead can include crushing of the skin, which can reveal the underlying hand tissue and sometimes a whole area of skin can be lost. A nail bed injury affects soft tissues around the fingernail and often occurs by trapping the nail in a door.

How long does tissue damage take to heal?

A tissue damage and injury can take time to heal. It may even need surgery. Deep wounds can cause scars which may take 18 months before they soften. 

However, generally speaking, soft tissue damage in the hand heals quickly as the hand has ample blood supply. When tissue damage occurs to the nail, it can heal very quickly. However, if surgery is required to remove the fingernail it may take approximately three months to grow back. 

Is it worth claiming personal injury?

If you have been unfortunate enough to suffer the painful experience of a personal injury to your hand, it is worth enquiring if you can make a compensation claim. Think about the terrible impact a hand injury, such as one occurring through a  workplace accident, can have on your day-to-day life. You must claim the compensation you are owed and deserve.

A personal injury compensation claim can make a huge difference to your life going forward as well as make up for some of the issues experienced in the past. A personal injury claim can also:

• give you a lump sum of  money to cover the costs you incurred and continue to pay out for your hand injury
• make you feel some satisfaction that justice has been done as the person who caused your accident sees that they were in the wrong
• provide some positivity in your life after a negative time

How much can you get for a hand injury claim?

Every personal injury claim differs in terms of the amount of compensation you receive and this includes hand injury claims. The amount of compensation you may receive for your hand injury claim, will, however, include special damages and general damages. Special damages compensate you for financial losses as a result of your injuries and general damages cover the suffering caused by your injuries.

However, at National Accident helpline, we have a helpful compensation calculator which can allow you to work out how much you may claim. It is easy to use with a six-step process. You should be as accurate as possible with your answers to get a more realistic amount of what you could claim. 

How do I claim a hand injury? 

Hand injury compensation, such as one through an accident at work, can cause immense stress and pain. A hand injury can leave you relying on others and feeling low. We want to make you feel better, which is why we're here to support you with making a hand injury claim. We ensure our process is simple for you to claim the compensation that is due to you.

To claim a hand injury, you first need to contact our friendly and caring advisors who will listen carefully to how your accident happened. They will then pass you on to one of our highly experienced solicitors who will process and finalise your compensation claim for your hand injury.

To make things even simpler, with National Accident Helpline, you could make a hand injury compensation claim on a no win no fee basis. When you make a no win no fee claim with us your personal injury lawyer will take out insurance on your behalf that will cover all your claim costs and expenses including medical report fees, court fees and any barrister fees; so long as you comply with their terms and conditions, you won't have to pay any costs upfront, and there are no hidden surprises.

Let us at National Accident Helpline help you with your personal injury claim today. Call us on or request a call back here. And if it is easier you can make your claim online here.