Fractured or broken bone
compensation claims

If a fractured or broken bone injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a fractured or broken bone, we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Compensation will depend on your injury's severity and the potential long-term impact, such as physical therapy needs, surgical interventions, and time off work during recovery.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

Over 300,000 people are hospitalised with a fracture every year, you are not alone

According to an analysis of NHS England data, 325,087 patients were admitted to hospital in 2021-22 with fracture injuries, including over 50,000 forearm fractures, 21,000 facial and skull fractures and 1,567 patients with factures of multiple body parts (digital.nhs.uk).

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics show that 148,000 workers sustained injuries requiring more than 7 days absence from work last year. Many of these workplace injuries involved fractured or broken bones.

If you work in a physically active job, such as construction, agriculture or logistics, a break or bad break or fracture could keep you off work for weeks or months.

If you have suffered a bone fracture or break in an accident caused by someone else's negligence, you may be able to claim compensation.

For information on fracture symptoms and treatment, see: How do I know if I've broken a bone? (nhs.uk).

Am I eligible for broken bone injury compensation?

You will be able to claim compensation if you've been injured or diagnosed with an illness in the last three years and it wasn't your fault.

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 responsible for my accident?

Determining who is to blame for an accident is not always black and white.

In our recent 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents believed they may have been partly (or wholly) responsible for their injuries.

You can often still claim compensation even if you were partly to blame, as cases with shared fault usually settle with 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 make a fractured or broken bone injury claim?

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.

How much compensation can I claim for a fractured or broken bone injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

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.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages is compensation awarded to cover any financial losses and expenses you incur as a result of your fractured or broken bone injury or negligent medical treatment. These damages aim to put you back in the financial position you would have been in, had your injury not occurred.

Special damages will also cover your medical treatment expenses, that might include casting or splinting, pain medication, physiotherapy and surgery if needed.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Average fractured or broken bone injury general damages compensation

The following fractured or broken bone injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, Sixteenth 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).

Claiming compensation for psychological injuries

Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.

According to our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.

Fractured bones can cause anxiety about recovery time, potential complications, and basiphobia (fear of falling).

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.

Are some fractures and broken bone too minor to claim for?

It depends on the impact the injury has had on your life and finances. Fractures, breaks and crushed bone injuries can affect any part of the skeleton, including:

• Limbs - arms, legs
• Hands, wrists, fingers, toes
• Jaw, cheekbones, nose
• Hips, pelvis
• Ribs
• Spine
• Skull

Although fractures and breaks are sometimes viewed as ‘minor' injuries, there are risks of serious complications.

No matter how relatively minor the injury, if you have suffered pain and disruption to your life and ability to work, you should be able to claim compensation.

See also:

Workplace injury compensation claims

Construction and building site injury compensation claims

Cheekbone injury claim

Jaw injury claim

Can I claim compensation for complications after a break or fracture?

Usually, yes. Complications are more likely with a broken or fractured skull or spinal bones, and also with crushed bone injuries.

The impact of misaligned bones, and protruding bone fragments, can cause serious damage to internal organs.

Complications can also arise with breaks that are not easily accessible for repair. Surgery may be required to open the limb, or part of the body, to access the damaged bone and tissue. Bones can also be splintered at the point of breakage, requiring surgical intervention to clean up the damaged ends.

With some injuries, bones have been too severely damaged to be able to knit together neatly on their own. In these cases, pins, plates or wires may need to be surgically attached to the bones to help them heal tidily. In severe cases, plates or pins may be needed permanently at the injury site.

You are usually entitled to claim compensation for the full extent of your injuries, including the consequences of any complications.

See also:

Head injury claims

Can I claim for the long-term impact of fractures and broken bone injuries?

In most cases, yes. Fractured and broken bones can result in permanent, disabling injuries and long-term chronic pain. Issues can include:

• Necrosis of surrounding soft tissue
• Scarring from surgical intervention
• Difficulties in walking, holding objects, or operating machinery - depending on the injury
• Increased risk of arthritis in the future

When you claim compensation, your solicitor will arrange for an independent medical report of your injuries. The report will also assess whether you can expect a full recovery, and if not, what impact any ongoing symptoms will have on your life and work.

If you decide to make a fractured or broken bone 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 deserve.

How did your injury happen?

The claims process for a fractured or broken bone injury will depend on where and how the accident happened. Click the icons below for more information:

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

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.