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Orthopaedic Injury Claims
Find out everything you need to know about making orthopaedic injury claims with our expert solicitors.
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An orthopaedic injury claim is a type of personal injury claim that may be made when another person or organisation fails to take reasonable care, and you suffer damage to the musculoskeletal system as a result. At Personal Injury Solicitors London, we can take on claims where a driver, employer or organisation failed to meet required safety standards. With decades of combined solicitor experience, we stand ready to help no matter your circumstances. Compensation can address your pain and losses, including reduced earnings and rehabilitation needs.
Orthopaedic injuries can restrict your mobility and interrupt your employment, placing financial pressure on your household. They can also leave you wondering whether somebody else should have taken greater care to prevent the accident. Personal Injury Solicitors London can help take some of that uncertainty away by carefully assessing what happened and explaining whether their actions may give you grounds to pursue an orthopaedic injury claim.
Once that initial uncertainty has been worked through, our team can take responsibility for the legal work that follows while keeping the claim centred on how the injury is affecting your recovery. Drawing on decades of combined solicitor experience and more than £100 million secured in compensation for claimants, we can guide the case forward without leaving you to manage the process alone.
We provide a fully No Win No Fee service for eligible orthopaedic injury claims, giving you straightforward access to experienced legal support. Whether you slipped and fell, were hit by a car or were injured by workplace machinery, our advisors can explain the claims process in more detail and tell you in minutes if you have a valid claim. You can get in touch at any time using the contact information given here:
- Phone our 24-hour advice line on 020 7362 2085.
- You can contact us online by completing a callback form.
- Or, start a live chat by clicking the icon in the bottom left of your screen.
What Are Orthopaedic Injury Claims?
Orthopaedic injury claims are personal injury claims for damage to your bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons or other parts of the musculoskeletal system. They allow you to seek compensation when an accident caused an orthopaedic injury and a person, business or organisation was legally responsible.
For more detailed information, contact the advisors at Personal Injury Solicitors London. Our team can listen to how your injury occurred and explain whether you could have grounds to pursue an orthopaedic injury claim.
Can I Claim Compensation For Orthopaedic Injuries?
Yes, you can claim compensation for an orthopaedic injury if someone responsible for your safety failed to take reasonable steps to protect you and that failure caused damage to your bones, joints or surrounding soft tissues.
To work out whether an orthopaedic injury compensation claim can be pursued, our solicitors focus on establishing if a case meets the following requirements:
- Whether someone was responsible for your safety. Who owes this legal obligation will depend on where and how you sustained the orthopaedic injury. At work, for example, an employer should assess hazardous lifting tasks and use safer handling methods or suitable equipment where reasonably practicable, while a business controlling public premises must take practical steps to keep visitors reasonably safe from hazards that could cause a fall.
- Whether appropriate safety standards were met. Once it is clear what precautions should reasonably have been taken, the focus turns to whether the person or organisation responsible actually put them in place. In an orthopaedic injury claim, that might involve an employer requiring a worker to control a load that was too heavy for the equipment provided, or a supermarket leaving a damaged section of flooring in use after the risk of a fall had become apparent.
- Whether that failure caused your orthopaedic injury. You must have sustained the injury because of the relevant safety failure, or had an existing orthopaedic condition made worse by the accident. A new fracture may be relatively straightforward to link to what happened, while an existing knee or back problem can still support a claim if medical evidence shows that the accident made your symptoms worse or caused problems you were not experiencing beforehand.
Our advisors are here when you are ready to talk through what happened, so please contact Personal Injury Solicitors London to see if you may be able to pursue an orthopaedic injury claim.
Orthopaedic And Musculoskeletal Injury Compensation Claim Examples
Orthopaedic injury claims can arise when an avoidable accident damages the bones, joints or surrounding soft tissues. The examples below show how accidents at work, incidents in public areas and road traffic collisions can all lead to orthopaedic injuries.
Claiming For Orthopaedic Injuries Caused By Medical Negligence
You could make a claim if substandard orthopaedic care caused avoidable injury or made an existing musculoskeletal problem worse. Orthopaedic specialists and other healthcare professionals involved in your care are expected to assess your condition properly and provide treatment that meets the correct standard required within their area of practice.
In practice, problems can arise when a fracture is missed and later heals in the wrong position, or when an existing joint injury is not recognised before further damage develops. Surgical treatment can also lead to a claim if a fracture is not stabilised properly or if fixation hardware is placed incorrectly, particularly where this leaves the underlying injury inadequately treated. You can read more about how such cases are assessed in our guide to medical negligence claims.
A poor outcome does not automatically mean that orthopaedic treatment was negligent, but if you are concerned that the care you received may have caused avoidable harm, please reach out and talk it through with our team.
What Types Of Orthopaedic Injuries Can I Claim For?
You can claim compensation for many types of orthopaedic injuries, ranging from bone fractures to dislocations and joint damage. Orthopaedic injury claims can involve:
- Bone fractures. Broken bones range from straightforward fractures that heal fully to complex injuries requiring surgery.
- Joint injuries. Dislocations and damage affecting joints such as knee and ankle injuries can restrict movement and stability.
- Soft Tissue Injuries. Damage to muscles, tendons and ligaments can lead to limited movement as well as persistent pain and joint weakness, limiting your ability to work and complete daily activities.
- Spinal Injuries. Damage to the vertebrae or spinal discs can cause chronic pain and reduced movement.
- Nerve damage. Orthopaedic trauma can damage surrounding nerves, leading to weakness or loss of sensation.
- Limb loss. Traumatic amputations are among the most serious orthopaedic injuries and can result in permanent loss of function.
To learn more about claiming in your specific circumstances, get in touch with our team today.
Reviews Of Our Service
Meet Our Personal Injury Solicitors
Patrick Mallon
Patrick is the head of our personal injury claims department. He has been qualified as a solicitor for over 20 years and strives to get the very best result for his clients.
Emma Pomfret
Emma is a Chartered Legal Executive with over 10 years of experience. She is passionate about helping people claim compensation after suffering harm in car crashes
What If Orthopaedic Injuries Were Sustained In A Criminal Assault?
If you sustained an orthopaedic injury in a criminal assault, you may be able to seek compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). Injuries arising from an assault can include fractures or joint damage, and the CICA uses fixed tariff amounts to value qualifying injuries suffered by eligible victims of violent crime.
The assault must have been reported to the police, and separate eligibility requirements and time limits apply to CICA claims. For more information on criminal orthopaedic injury claims, you can speak with the team here at Personal Injury Solicitors London at your convenience in a free, confidential consultation.
The Impacts Of Bone And Muscle Injuries
Bone and muscle injuries can affect how easily you move or use the injured part of your body during recovery, with more serious damage sometimes leaving restrictions that last much longer. A fracture, for example, may require a period of immobilisation before movement can be restored, while more complex breaks might need surgery and longer rehabilitation before strength and normal use return.
As recovery continues, the practical impact often becomes clearer in everyday life. If you cannot put weight through an injured leg, returning to a physical job may not be possible for some time, and reduced use of an injured arm can make ordinary tasks at home much harder. In some cases, those difficulties persist because the injury has not healed as expected, whether that involves a fracture setting in the wrong position or joint damage later developing into post‑traumatic arthritis.
For some people, the lasting problem is therefore not simply a slower recovery, but a permanent change in strength or movement. As the longer-term effects become more apparent, our solicitors can consider how those restrictions have changed what you are able to manage and reflect that in the claim.
Are you still dealing with pain or restricted movement from an orthopaedic injury? Reach out today for a straightforward conversation about how those ongoing issues may be reflected in a potential claim.
How Much Orthopaedic Injury Compensation Can I Claim For?
The amount of orthopaedic injury compensation you could claim will depend on how serious the injury is and the wider impact on your life and finances. This compensation is determined under 2 distinct heads of claim.
- General damages compensate for the orthopaedic injury itself and any lasting restriction in movement or stability, with related psychological harm also taken into account.
- Special damages payments are made for the financial harm resulting from your injuries, but more on this below.
When general damages are valued, our solicitors may compare medical evidence with the relevant guideline bracket in the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). These compensation brackets are paired with many types of injuries, but they are purely suggestive.
While we have used a relevant selection of brackets in the table below, we must emphasise that this information is intended as guidance only.
Compensation Table
We should also emphasise that the top entry in this table is not a JCG figure.
| Injury Type And Severity | Compensation Amount | Table Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Very Serious Injuries With Significant Special Damages | Up to £500,000+ | Multiple very serious orthopaedic injuries accompanied by substantial financial losses, such as lost earnings, ongoing care costs and medical expenses. |
| Pelvis And Hips: Severe (i) | £103,580 to £172,970 | Extensive pelvic fractures or a hip injury resulting in substantial and permanent disability. |
| Neck: Severe (ii) | £86,860 to £172,970 | Serious cervical fractures or disc damage cause disabilities of considerable severity, such as substantial loss of neck movement and function loss in 1 or more limbs. |
| Knee: Severe (i) | £92,130 to £127,110 | Serious joint disruption causes considerable pain and loss of function, with arthroplasty or arthrodesis completed or inevitable. |
| Back: Severe (ii) | £97,980 to £116,820 | Nerve-root damage results in loss of sensation and impaired mobility, with other impairments affecting bladder and bowel function. |
| Ankle: Very Severe | £66,140 to £92,090 | Unusual and serious ankle injuries cause deformity or early joint degeneration requiring fusion. |
| Other Arm Injuries: Permanent And Substantial Disablement | £51,750 to £79,080 | Serious fractures of 1 or both forearms result in significant permanent functional or cosmetic disability. |
| Achilles Tendon: Most Serious | In the region of £50,770 | Severance of the tendon and peroneus longus muscle causes restricted ankle movement and prevents participation in active sports. |
| Shoulder: Serious | £16,870 to £25,370 | Injuries include a rotator cuff tear that continues to cause symptoms after orthopaedic surgery. |
| Wrist: Injury With Longer-Term Recovery | £8,030 to £13,670 | Recovery from a fracture or soft tissue injury takes longer than 12 months but is complete or largely complete apart from minor symptoms. |
Special Damages In Orthopaedic Injury Compensation
Special damages in orthopaedic injury compensation claims can reimburse the financial losses caused by your injury. They are assessed separately from compensation for your pain and suffering and can account for costs already incurred as well as losses expected in the future.
When calculating special damages, our solicitors will assess:
- The effect of your orthopaedic injury on your income. Fractures or serious joint injuries can prevent you from returning to roles that depend on movement or physical strength, so payslips can be used to calculate the earnings you may have missed. If lasting restrictions mean you cannot return to the same role, medical and employment evidence can also help assess the income you are likely to lose in future.
- The cost of treatment and rehabilitation. Orthopaedic recovery can continue long after the initial treatment, especially where surgery is followed by a structured programme to rebuild movement. In these circumstances, our solicitors can use invoices and other documents to value this cost.
- The support you require. Limited weight-bearing or restricted use of an injured arm can make it difficult to manage safely at home without help. If your orthopaedic injury has left you reliant on support at home, we can consider the value of paid care or assistance from someone close to you.
- The cost of maintaining your independence. Severe orthopaedic injuries can leave mobility restrictions that make specialist equipment or changes to the home necessary. That might involve a walking aid or shower seat, with bank statements and other appropriate evidence helping our solicitors establish relevant expenses to include in the claim.
Accurate evidence is required so that each supported loss can be covered by a claim. You do not need to assemble every document before contacting Personal Injury Solicitors London, so please do speak with our team to learn more about how we value claims for orthopaedic injuries.
What Evidence Will Support A Musculoskeletal Or Orthopaedic Injury Claim?
Medical records and accident documentation are common types of evidence that can support a musculoskeletal or orthopaedic injury claim. To build that picture properly, our solicitors can obtain the records and other evidence needed to strengthen the claim, including:
- Accident and incident records created close to the time of the orthopaedic injury can provide an important early account of what happened. That early record may come from a workplace accident book or police documentation following a road traffic collision, giving our solicitors a clearer picture of the accident that led to the fracture or joint injury being claimed for.
- Photographs and footage of the accident may show what led to the injury. For example, CCTV or dashcam footage can show the position of vehicles before a collision, while photographs can capture the condition of a surface that caused you to lose your footing and fall.
- Medical and diagnostic records can document what orthopaedic injury was identified and how it was treated. X-rays or other imaging scans may reveal a fracture or damage within a joint, and treatment notes can show how serious that injury proved to be and the extent to which movement remained restricted.
- Witness contact details can be used by our solicitors to obtain statements from people who saw the accident, helping to explain how the impact or movement involved led to the orthopaedic injury.
- Independent medical assessments with orthopaedic specialists can objectively evaluate the injury and likely recovery, and our solicitors can arrange this as part of the claim.
Our advisors at Personal Injury Solicitors London can explain what evidence is relevant, and our solicitors can obtain further material on your behalf where an eligible claim proceeds. Get in touch with our team today.
Is There A Time Limit To Claiming For Orthopaedic Injuries?
Yes, there is a 3-year time limit for claiming compensation for orthopaedic injuries, starting from the date the accident occurred, per the Limitation Act 1980. Exceptions sometimes apply, and you can find out about these in our limitation period guide.
We understand you might want more tailored guidance on time limits, so feel free to get in touch to discuss how they might apply if you can proceed with an orthopaedic injury claim.
Orthopaedic Injury Claims With Personal Injury Solicitors London
Personal Injury Solicitors London can manage every stage of an orthopaedic injury claim, from investigating how the accident occurred to negotiating compensation. These claims require a clear connection between the relevant safety failure, your diagnosed injury and its continuing effects. Our solicitors will bring this information together and manage the legal work on your behalf.
Throughout your claim, our solicitors can:
Give The Claim A Clear Legal Direction
We will look at how the accident led to the orthopaedic injury and which legal route applies to the claim. That may mean considering how you landed during a fall or how a manual handling task placed excessive strain on a joint before deciding how the case should be pursued.
Identify The Correct Party To Pursue
Some orthopaedic injuries arise in situations where responsibility is not immediately straightforward, particularly on shared worksites or where more than one organisation was involved in controlling the risk. Our solicitors can establish who the claim should be brought against and deal directly with their representatives on your behalf.
Keep The Orthopaedic Injury Claim Moving
We will keep the claim progressing as your orthopaedic recovery develops, handling correspondence and deadlines while making sure that new information about your treatment or longer-term function is reflected as the case moves forward.
Respond To Questions About Your Injury
If the defendant argues that a previously manageable knee or back condition is responsible for the problems you are now experiencing, our solicitors can draw on the available evidence to show what changed after the accident and distinguish that deterioration from the symptoms you had before.
Advise On Settlement Offers
An offer made before the long-term effect of an orthopaedic injury is clear may not properly reflect how much function you are likely to recover. So, we will explain whether a proposed settlement takes account of the prognosis and advise you on the implications of accepting it.
Negotiate Towards A Resolution
When the claim is ready to be settled, our solicitors can negotiate on your behalf with a clear picture of how the orthopaedic injury has affected your recovery and what restrictions are likely to remain, so you are not left trying to judge the value of an offer alone.
The advisors at Personal Injury Solicitors London can complete an initial assessment and explain whether our solicitors can take your claim forward. You will not be expected to investigate responsibility, obtain specialist evidence or calculate your losses without legal support.
No Win No Fee Compensation Claims With Our Solicitors
Eligible orthopaedic injury claims can be handled by our No Win No Fee solicitors under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This funding arrangement allows you to begin a compensation claim without paying service fees upfront or during the claim itself.
If compensation is awarded, the solicitor deducts a success fee from what you receive. The success fee is a legally capped percentage under The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013, so the bulk of the compensation would remain with you.
Get In Touch With Our Solicitors
You can get in touch with Personal Injury Solicitors London at any time to discuss your potential claim using the contact information given here:
- Phone our 24-hour advice line on 0207 362 2085.
- You can contact us online by completing a callback form.
- Or, start a live chat by clicking the icon in the bottom left of your screen.
More Information
More of our personal injury claims guides can be found here:
- Find out more about claiming for pallet truck accidents at work here.
- Read our guide to starting a claim for tripping on a pavement and learn who could be responsible for such incidents.
- See our guide to back injury claims here.
These external resources provide additional information:
- The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published this guidance on managing risks and risk assessment in the workplace.
- Learn when to call 999 with this emergency guidance from the NHS.
- An orthopaedic injury can have major impacts on your ability to work and you may therefore be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). Learn more on the government website.
Thank you for reading our guide to orthopaedic injury claims.