We can claim compensation for a worker who has broken an elbow at work. We can also claim if you have broken an elbow in a shop or other public place. Catherine Smith has experience in suing for broken elbow accidents. She introduces our no win no fee service in this video.

Read more about broken elbow accidents below, or use our free legal advice service opposite to ask us can I sue a supermarket or employer for a broken elbow?

Solicitors Claiming Compensation For Broken Elbows

The elbow is a hinge joint connecting the humerus bone in the upper arm to the radius and ulna bones in the forearm. The main role of the elbow is in facilitating arm movements, including bending, twisting and straightening. Without this range of mobility the arm is effectively useless, and for this reason a broken elbow can be both an incapacitating and debilitating injury. Simple everyday actions such as dressing, washing and driving to work will be impossible in the weeks following a broken elbow injury, as the joint must remain immobile during the healing process. Even after the elbow has healed, intermittent pain and stiffness are likely to recur, especially in cold or wet weather. People who require both hands to perform their roles at work will be the worst affected by a broken elbow injury. With more serious elbow fractures it may be months before an injured person can resume their former role, and even then they may find they may find that their range of movement is limited. Inevitably therefore, either temporarily or permanently, a person's life will be physically disrupted by a broken elbow injury. It may also place an injured person at a serious financial disadvantage in terms of loss of earnings, and the cost of medical treatment, including ongoing surgery and physiotherapy.

Broken Elbow Surgery & Complications

Broken elbow injuries are classed as either displaced or non-displaced fractures. With a simple non-displaced fracture the bones will have cracked, but will not have separated, making them relatively easy to realign. With displaced fractures, the two ends of the broken bone will have separated, making the job of realignment much harder. There is also the risk that the broken ends will have damaged blood vessels and nerves in the elbow area, potentially causing serious complications. Some of the worst types of elbow breaks include compound (open) fractures, where the bone has penetrated the skin, and comminuted fractures, where the bone has broken into multiple pieces. Both these types of fracture will require delicate surgery, often involving pins and screws being inserted to hold the bone in the correct position while it resets. Even so there is the possibility that the bones will not reset despite the surgeon's best efforts (nonunion), and there may be a risk of osteoarthritis developing in the joint. When a child breaks their elbow there can be additional complications, including stunted growth in the arm, and possible deformity.

How Much Compensation For A Broken Elbow At Supermarkets & In Public Places?

Broken elbow injuries are especially common in public places during winter, when ice and snow pose a slipping hazard in various locations. Both employers and occupiers of public premises have a duty to maintain adequate stocks of grit, and to deal promptly with patches of ice which may cause employees or visitors to slip and fall. Commercial establishments such as shops, supermarkets and restaurants must also take all reasonable measures to prevent slip, trip and fall accidents from occurring throughout the year. Therefore, when our personal injury lawyers are asked; can I claim compensation for a broken elbow? The answer is usually yes if the accident took place less than 3 years ago. When a person falls and breaks their elbow due to the negligence of the owner of a premises or their staff, a claim for compensation may be pursued to recompense the injured party for pain and suffering (examples of awards below), as well as the financial cost of the injury, which may be ongoing. Clients often want to know; how much compensation can I claim for a broken elbow? The answer is that a severe, disabling broken elbow injury will result in awards of between £25,000 and £35,000. Where the resulting disability is not so significant, but the elbow's function is still permanently impaired, awards will range between between £10,000 and £20,500. Most broken elbow injuries fit into the category of moderate / minor. These will be simple non-displaced fractures, which heal within weeks or months, and result in no permanent damage or impairment of function. Awards for these types of injury are unlikely to exceed £8,000.

Find Out More About: Supermarket Accidents

Broken Elbow Accidents At Work

Accidents resulting in broken elbow injuries usually involve direct trauma to the elbow from a fall or collision. When a person falls backwards, the natural instinct is to extend the arms and spread the hands to break the impact on landing. The elbow will therefore absorb much of the trauma. If a person falls forwards they will often land on their hands with the arms bent, again impacting on the elbow joint. Even falls from moderate height, including from a standing position can cause broken elbow injuries, particularly when older people are suffering from osteoporosis, a disease which gradually weakens the bones. Busy, physically demanding working environments have the highest incidence of broken elbow injuries among workers, including building sites, warehouses and factories. Typical accidents include collapsing structures, and slips, trips and falls caused by obstacles and obstructions. Workers may also develop stress fractures in the elbow, caused by repetitive pressure being exerted on the joint. The use of heavy vibrating equipment, such as pneumatic drills and chainsaws is a good example of this. The msot severe types of elbow injury normally involve falls from height, where the impact is sustained directly by the elbow, and accidents where a worker's elbow is crushed, either from getting trapped in a piece of heavy machinery or between two hard surfaces, such as a reversing vehicle and a wall.

Bartletts Solicitors are specialists in the field of broken elbow injury compensation claims. We work on a no win no fee basis meaning if you win your case you keep 100% of the compensation awarded, and if you lose you will not pay a penny.