Claim for Trapped Fingers at Work

Written by Tanya Waterworth, Digital Content Writer

About Our Legal Expert: This content is produced with oversight by Michael Jefferies, Managing Director who has over 30 years’ legal experience.

What Compensation Can You Expect?

Getting your fingers trapped at work can be more than just painful as it can impact your ability to work, but you may be able to claim compensation for trapped fingers at work to help during your recovery process.  This is if your employer was negligent about safety in the workplace and you were injured as a result. In such circumstances, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim.

Examples of employer negligence includes factors such as improper training, a lack of PPE equipment, or machinery which has not been maintained. It can also involve unsafe workspaces, such as blocked passages or slipper floors.

If you want find more about a claim for compensation, we work with specialist work injury lawyers and offer a free, no-obligation consultation.

What Counts as Trapped Fingers in the Workplace?

A trapped fingers injury can take many forms:

• Fingers caught in a door, gate, machine or equipment
• Fingers crushed by moving machinery or due to faulty safeguards
• Tendon, ligament or bone damage caused by compression, impact, or shearing forces
• Partial or full amputation

Any of these can be serious injuries and may lead to loss of movement, chronic pain, or disability if not properly treated.

Duty of Care & Negligence

To make a successful claim, you must establish:

1. Duty of care: Your employer (or another responsible party) owed you a duty to keep you reasonably safe at work. Under laws such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers are required to take steps to safeguard workers from harm.
2. Breach of duty: The employer failed to meet that standard. This might mean lack of training, missing safety guards on machinery, deficient risk assessments, or defective equipment.
3. Causation: The breach directly caused your trapped finger injury. You must be able to show a clear link between the negligence and the damage suffered.
4. Loss / damage: You suffered injury, pain, medical costs, lost earnings, etc. The injury must be real and supported by evidence.

If you can satisfy these elements, you have the basis for a personal injury claim.

When Can You File the Claim? Time Limits You Need to Know

Timing is crucial. Under the Limitation Act 1980, most personal injury claims must be started within 3 years from:

• The date the injury occurred; or
• The “date of knowledge” – this means from when you became aware (or reasonably should have become aware) both of the injury and that it was caused by negligence.

Exceptions include:

• If you were under 18 at time of injury: the 3-year clock starts on your 18th birthday.
• If you lacked mental capacity: time limit may be suspended until you regain capacity or via a litigation friend.

If you wait too long, the court may refuse your claim. Always act quickly to get your claim started.

Steps to Take Right After Your Accident

To strengthen your case, gather evidence and follow these procedures:

• Seek medical attention immediately. Even seemingly minor injuries (bruises, minor fractures) are important for documentation. Medical reports are the foundation for any claim for compensation.
• Report the injury through your company’s accident book or whatever internal reporting procedure is required.
• Take photos of: the injured finger, the cause (door, machine, etc.), the scene, equipment guards, any signs of negligence.
• Collect witness statements from colleagues where possible.
• Keep records of all expenses (medical bills, travel, lost wages) to claim “special damages.”
• If possible, preserve any defective machinery or parts, or have them inspected.

Who Can Claim

You can typically claim if:

• You are an employee.
• A temporary or agency worker.
• Occasionally, contractors if they’re owed a duty of care (depending on how the work relationship is structured).

Not all injuries at work are a result of employer negligence. You cannot claim if the injury was entirely your own fault. If it was partly your fault, partial responsibility may reduce the compensation rather than eliminate your claim entirely.

What Compensation Can You Get?

When you win a claim, compensation is generally divided into two broad categories:

• General damages: For the physical injury, pain, suffering, loss of amenity (i.e. being unable to enjoy life or hobbies as before). For example, loss or damage to fingers or thumb: minor injuries may get less, serious ones or amputation much more.
• Special damages: For financial losses: medical costs, travel, adjustments, lost earnings, future loss of earning capacity. Keep records and receipts.

How to Begin the Process: No-Win, No-Fee & Legal Help

We partner with solicitors who offer a “No Win, No Fee” arrangement. This means you pay nothing up front, only fees if you win.

• Assess whether you have a claim
• Collect evidence, medical reports, witness statements
• Handle negotiation with insurers or employer legal teams

Make sure your solicitor is regulated, experienced in workplace injury claims, and transparent about fees.

FAQs: Claim for Trapped Fingers at Work

What evidence do I need for a workplace trapped finger claim?

1. Strong evidence includes:

• Medical reports from a doctor or hospital
• An entry in the company accident book
• Photos of your injury and the accident scene
• Witness statements
• Records of lost income and expenses

 2. Can I still claim if the accident was partly my fault?

Yes. If you were partly responsible, your compensation may be reduced under contributory negligence, but you can still claim if your employer also shared blame.

 3. Do I need a solicitor for a finger injury claim?

While not legally required, using a specialist personal injury solicitor increases your chances of success. Many work on a No Win, No Fee basis, so you only pay if your claim is successful.

 4. What should I do immediately after a trapped finger accident at work?

• Seek medical attention right away
• Report the accident to your employer and record it in the accident book
• Take photos of the scene and your injury
• Collect witness details
• Keep receipts and records of expenses

 Your Ten Second Checklist

You can file a personal injury claim for trapped finger at work if all or most of the following apply:

• Your employer owed you a duty of care
• Your employer breached that duty (negligence)
• The breach caused your finger injury
• You suffered real damage (medical, financial, physical)
• You file claim within three years (or applicable exception)

If you believe all those are true, you should seek legal advice early.

Contact Our Team Today

Legally, you the right to claim compensation if your employer breached their duty of care and that breach caused your injury. You must act quickly: gather evidence, seek medical help, understand your rights.

Our team  can guide you through the next steps of making a claim:

Call us at 0333 358 3034 or visit Jefferies Claims Contact Page to discuss your potential claim in a free, no-obligation consultation.