By Jo Jeffries. Last Updated 19th September 2022. Welcome to this case study, which describes how a five-figure injury compensation payout for a broken metatarsal was settled upon by the victim of what could have been an even more serious accident within the workplace. We explain how the broken 5th metatarsal compensation was calculated, and give information on broken 5th metatarsal NHS advice for 5th metatarsal fracture recovery.
Broken 5th Metatarsal Compensation Case Study
The claimant was offered the settlement after suffering multiple fractures, including one of the 5th metatarsal, when they suffered a falll within the workplace.
Broken 5th metatarsal
Here we look in further detail about what happened to the victim, why they were able to claim, and the amounts of compensation for a broken 5th metatarsal they received. It is vital to note that we have handle many different types claims in the workplace, that have led to successful payments for compensation to our clients. Why not read further below to find out more about this type of claim, and how we can help secure compensation for a broken fifth metatarsal for you.
How Common Are Broken Bone Injuries in The Workplace?
Broken bones can happen for all kinds of reasons. They are mainly caused by slips or falls, but can also be caused by being hit or struck by something. Depending on the position and the severity of the break and which bones are actually broken, the prognosis can vary. It can be as simple as a small fracture to one of the bones in the finger, or several multiple complex fractures that can have a long-term effect on a person’s life, but one thing is for sure, they are very common in the workplace.
In fact, according to RIDDOR, between 2016 and 2017 there were 18,848 reported fractures that happened in the workplace. This is a significant number.
Details Of The Claimants Broken 5th Metatarsal Injury
The injury itself happened when the claimant was on route to one of the work’s machines that he was planning on using. There were a number of different obstructions in his way while on the path to the machine. While he was negotiating the path, his left foot stepped onto a protruding stud on the floor, which caused him to lose his balance and fall. He suffered a right ankle fracture and a left foot 5th metatarsal injury.
Whilst many people are aware of the seriousness of ankle fractures, few people truly understand how debilitating metatarsal injuries can be – this link on broken 5th metatarsal NHS information provides more guidance, but If you are claiming compensation for a broken fifth metatarsal, you will likely want to understand a little more about the injury. Here, we provide an explanation.
How do metatarsals work?
The outside structure of the foot contains some long bones called metatarsals. The one nearest your little toe is the fifth metatarsal, on the outside edge of the foot. Symptoms of a broken 5th metatarsal injury are pain and swelling and you may feel like you struggle to walk on it correctly. Injury to this part of the foot is painful but you will only rarely require a cast. Usually a special shoe will be given to you to wear while the bone heals. Whilst most fractures of this type do heal quite well, there can be some complications. Should the fracture not heal properly it may continue to cause you pain, even after months of recovery. If this is the case, it is likely that you will have an operation to assist with the healing process.
5th metatarsal surgery can mean you are off your feet for a bit longer and broken 5th metatarsal recovery time can vary between cases. Without complications, it should heal within a few weeks. However, during this time it will likely have an effect on what you can do which is why people claim compensation for a broken 5th metatarsal successfully.
How Was the Case Conducted and Liability Proven?
During the case, it was claimed that not only did the claimant suffer an injury to the fifth metatarsal, he also had a fracture on his right ankle. The employer in this case did admit that they were liable and indeed they took steps to ensure that the same thing did not happen again. The offending stud was cut flush to the floor and highly visible paint was applied to ensure that others did not fall victim to the same thing.
What Settlement Was the Claimant Awarded?
The claimant in this case was awarded £25,000. This was to include the ongoing injuries to the fifth metatarsal, as the claimant needed further treatments, and was actually medically assessed twice due to this. Loss of earnings is also included in the settlement, in order to help compensate him for the time that he had had off work and had not been paid.
How Much Broken 5th Metatarsal Compensation Could I Receive?
You may be able to claim if you have suffered a broken 5th metatarsal due to the negligence of another party. However, you could also potentially claim if medical negligence resulted in the exacerbation of your injury or your 5th metatarsal fracture recovery taking longer than it originally should have.
If you’ve broken your 5th metatarsal, the NHS suggests not taking part in any physical activity or driving during recovery. If a medical professional does not correctly inform you of what you should or should not do, and your condition worsens as a result, this could potentially be deemed medical negligence.
The amount you could receive for a successful claim could vary. In a successful claim, you would receive general damages for your pain and suffering. You could also receive compensation for any financial impact of the injury. This is known as special damages.
Below, we have produced a table which could give you some rough guidance on how much your injury could be worth in general damages. The figures in the table below are from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). They offer guidance for claims in England and Wales as to the general damages that could be appropriate for a variety of injuries.
| Injury | How Severe? | Typical Bracket |
|---|---|---|
| Ankle | Very severe | £50,060 to £69,700 |
| Ankle | Severe | £31,310 to £50,060 |
| Ankle | Moderate | £13,740 to £26,590 |
| Ankle | Modest | Up to £13,740 |
| Achilles Tendon | Most Serious | In the region of £38,430 |
| Achilles Tendon | Serious | £24,990 to £30,090 |
| Foot | Severe | £41,970 to £70,030 |
| Foot | Serious | £24,990 to £39,200 |
| Foot | Moderate | £13,740 to £24,990 |
| Foot | Modest | Up to £13,740 |
However, if you would like to obtain case-specific guidance on how much your broken 5th metatarsal compensation claim could be worth, please call our team.
Why Use No Win No Fee Solicitors to Handle Your Broken 5th Metatarsal Claim?
You may not have heard of a conditional fee agreement, but it is likely that you will have heard of no win no fee. These are one and the same. When you sign a conditional fee agreement it means the conditions of a solicitor taking on your case will be that their success fees will be deducted from the final compensation award you receive.
Written into these conditional fee agreements is usually the percentage of the compensation you will be required to pay the solicitor, which is capped, as well as the fact that should your case not be successful, you will not be required to pay a fee. If you would like to proceed on this No Win No Fee basis, this would be beneficial to you. Not only would you be able to begin your compensation for broken fifth metatarsal claim straightaway, you would not be putting any of your own funds at risk should the claim not to go your way.
We are always delighted to help clients take forward their claims in this manner, as it means that no one is excluded from making a claim if they have cause to do so, no matter how secure or precarious their financial position is at the time.
How to Start Your Accident Claim
In order to begin a compensation for a broken 5th metatarsal claim you simply need to get in touch on 0800 073 8801 today and speak to one of our highly trained, experienced members of staff. We will probably ask quite a number of questions to ascertain how valid your claim is likely to be. If you can, please have any details to hand before you call, as this will help us to deal with your query more efficiently. In order to begin your claim, we need to know the details of your accident, whom you feel was at fault for that accident, and some details of your injuries.
It is likely that your personal injury solicitor that we can provide to you we’ll want to arrange a further medical examination by an independent medically trained person. This will not come at a cost to you, and many of our provided solicitors can arrange these at convenient locations to you. We can also speak to your answer any questions that you may have at this time and if you choose not to go ahead with making a compensation claim for broken fifth metatarsal, then that is fine too, here at accident claims we never try and push you into taking action even if we feel it is in your best interest to do so. You will be put under no pressure at all, and in fact we can make the whole process much much easier for you. Why not get in touch today?
Useful Links
We always strive to provide a good amount of information for you to digest on the injury you have incurred and the possibility of making a compensation for a broken 5th metatarsal claim, but we also like to provide some links for extra reading should you find you still have questions and do not want to begin your claim just yet. The links you see below this paragraph should be useful for further reading. If there is anything not covered then feel free to call us and ask.
Accident stats – ROSPA help prevent accident by offering information about how to make places and activities safer. They have lots of statistics that make interesting reading.
Accidents HSE – The Health and Safety Executive also provide stats on injury within workplaces. You’ll see that in some respects, they are not an uncommon occurrence.
What are my rights? – After you have had an accident at work, you might want to know where you stand with your employer. This guide should assist.
Ankle injuries – Making a claim – Should you injure your ankle at work, like the claimant above did, you might also find this handy reading. It takes you through things you need to know about making ankle injury claims.