Can I Make A Foot Injury At Work Claim?

If you have sustained a foot injury at work because of employer negligence, you could be owed compensation. In this guide, you’ll learn about the claims process and what circumstances might entitle you to pursue a claim. 

Foot injury at work claims guide

Foot injury at work claims guide

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) sets out the duty of care that your employer owes to you. If this duty of care is breached, you may have grounds for a valid claim. However, you must be able to prove that your employer’s negligence has resulted in an injury at work; you cannot claim just because a breach took place. 

Read on to find out how we can help you start the process of claiming. Otherwise, you can speak to an advisor using the live chat function that pops up on your screen. If you would prefer to contact us through different methods, you can:

  • Fill out the form at the top right-hand corner to request a callback
  • Call the number above
  • Start your claim online

Choose A Section

What Are Foot Injuries?

A foot injury can involve any part of your foot, including your ankle or toes. You can claim for soft tissue injuries, ligament tears and broken bones. 

Symptoms of a broken bone in the foot may involve swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injury. You may also feel pain when you move your foot or put weight on it.

Injury to your tendon, such as a sprain, might also stop you from being able to put weight on the affected foot. The area could look swollen or bruised and your muscles may cramp or spasm.

You may be able to claim compensation for a foot injury provided that you can demonstrate it was caused by employer negligence.

The Latest Work Injury Statistics

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforces health and safety legislation in Britain and produces an annual workplace accident report using findings from Labour Force Survey and figures reported to them through the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations [2013] (RIDDOR).

The latest statistics found that non-fatal injuries were most common in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, closely followed by the construction industry. Furthermore, the HSE reported that last year:

  • Slips, trips and falls was the most frequently reported non-fatal accident type
  • Handling, lifting or carrying was the second most common non-fatal accident type
  • Falls from a height accounted for 8% of non-fatal injuries to employees

Our advisors can offer a free consultation and, depending on the outcome, may put you in touch with our panel of personal injury solicitors. They could help you put together a claim. 

Compensation Amounts For Foot Injury At Work Claims

If you can prove your employer’s negligence led to a breach of a duty of care that they owed to you, and that you suffered as a result of this breach, you could potentially receive two types of damages in a successful work injury claim:

  • General damages: This head of your claim accounts for the physical and psychological damage caused by your injuries. They may be supported by a doctor’s note or a medical report from an independent assessment, which could prove the extent of your injuries.
  • Special damages: Any costs you have incurred as a result of your injury would count as special damages. For example, loss of earnings due to time off work, or prescription fees for the medication you needed while you recovered. Make sure to keep hold of wage slips, bills and bank statements to prove special damages.

We have taken guideline compensation brackets from the 16th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines to help you estimate the value of the general damages you might receive for a foot injury at work. 

InjuryCompensation RangeNotes
Amputation of Both Feet£169,400 to £201,490The loss of an ankle joint means that this injury is valued similarly to a below-knee amputation.
Very Severe Foot Injuries£83,960 to £109,650Symptoms may accelerate an existing back problem and your mobility will be severely restricted.
Severe Foot Injuries£41,970 to £70,030Injuries may result in ongoing surgery and disability preventing you from wearing typical shoes.
Serious Severe Foot Injuries£24,990 to £39,200Pain may persist and there is a risk of future arthritis.
Moderate Foot Injuries£13,740 to £24,990You may suffer from permanent deformity and ongoing symptoms.
Modest Severe Foot InjuriesUp to £13,740Ongoing symptoms may include a permanent limp, however the impact on your daily activities is little. This bracket could include simple fractures and lacerations.
Very Severe Ankle Injuries£50,060 to £69,700The transmalleolar fractures to both ankles or severe soft-tissue damage that results in deformity.
Most Serious Achilles Tendon Injuries In the region of £38,430Your ankle movement will be restricted and you might suffer from severe cramp and swelling.
Amputation of All Toes£36,520 to £56,080The effects on your mobility determine what level of award you receive in this bracket, as well as the nature of the amputation.
Severe Toe Injuries£13,740 to £21,070One or two toes may need to be amputated due to crush injuries.

Foot injuries can lead to psychological injuries too, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression. Speak to an advisor to find out how much compensation you might receive for the harm you suffered.

How Do Foot Injuries Happen At Work?

Section 2 of the HASAWA states that employers should do what is reasonably practicable to protect the safety and welfare of their employees. If employers ignore health and safety legislation, they might be liable for your foot injury at work. Let’s take a look at different scenarios for potential accidents in the workplace.

  • Slips, Trips and Falls- To avoid this type of accident, employers should provide appropriate signage warning of potential hazards, as well as appropriate footwear. Any cords or trailing cables should also be removed from walkways where possible. For example, you could trip on a loose carpet tile, causing you to break your toe. 
  • Handling, Lifting or Carrying- While manual handling accidents may be associated with upper limb injuries, they can also lead to a foot injury at work. For example, if an employee drops something they are handling because it’s too heavy or they have not been trained, it could crush their foot upon impact. 
  • Falls From Height- Employers have a duty to make sure that any work at height activity is adequately planned, supervised and carried out by trained employees. Employers should also provide employees with appropriate equipment that is working properly. For example, if a builder was working on scaffolding that was poorly assembled then they could fall from it and land on their foot. This could tear their Achilles tendon. 

For more information on how this kind of accident could occur, speak with an advisor today. If you have a valid foot injury at work claim, they could provide you with legal representation in the form of a solicitor from our panel.

Evidence For Foot Injury At Work Claims

You should seek medical attention immediately after the accident to get the right treatment for your injury. A medical report can also prove the extent of your injuries.

Other evidence you could provide in support of your claim can include: 

  • Filling out details of the incident in your work accident report book 
  • The contact details of any witnesses to the accident
  • Obtaining and providing CCTV footage showing your accident
  • Photographs of the hazard that caused the accident and also of your injuries

The time limit for starting a broken foot claim is generally three years from the date of your injury, or three years from when you became aware that your employer’s negligence caused your accident at work. The latter is called the date of knowledge. 

We would suggest seeking legal advice before making a claim. A personal injury solicitor can use their expertise and experience to make sure that all aspects of your claim are considered; this is particularly important as you cannot go back and claim again if it transpires that you missed something out of your initial claim. Our team of advisors may connect you to a personal injury solicitor from our panel, but only if you have a valid foot injury at work claim.

What Does A No Win No Fee Lawyer Do?

A No Win No Fee arrangement could be for you if the thought of traditional legal costs is prohibitive to you securing legal representation. A No Win No Fee lawyer will agree to any costs with you before beginning legal proceedings, therefore avoiding any hidden costs. You also won’t have to pay any upfront or ongoing fees to your injury at work solicitor when they work with a No Win No Fee Agreement or Conditional Fee Agreement in place.

Furthermore, if your claim is successful, you will pay a legally-capped success fee to your solicitor. If your claim is not a success then you won’t pay this fee.

For more information on making a claim on a No Win No Fee basis, speak with an advisor today.

Make Your Foot Injury At Work Claim Today

You can speak with an advisor instantly by calling the number at the top of this page. Otherwise, you can:

  • Get in touch using our live chat feature
  • Request a call back using the form at the top right corner of this page
  • Start your claim online

Further Information About Foot Injury At Work Claims

We are now coming towards the end of our guide on foot injury at work claims. You might find these additional resources useful:

Other Injury At Work Claims Guides

If you have any more questions about making a foot injury at work claim after reading our guide, please get in touch.

Writer Lewis Jolie

Publisher Fern Strauss