How much compensation can I claim for a hand injury on an office window? A window recently shut on my hand suddenly while at work, badly injuring it.
The amount of compensation for your claim for a hand injury on an office window to which you may be entitled will depend upon many factors. Because of this, it is important to remember that no two compensation amounts will be identical with personal injury claims, even for the same injury.
The first aspect which can affect your compensation is contributory negligence. In the event that you were at least partially responsible for your injury – and your employer is not entirely liable for your accident – the compensation you receive will be reduced by a certain amount to reflect your own carelessness. This includes whether or not you sought immediate medical attention for your injuries, meaning if it is determined that your failure to seek medical attention worsened your injuries you will be held partially liable. For this reason it is imperative that you seek immediate medical attention.
Once liability has been established, your injuries will be assigned monetary values in accordance with the Judicial College Guidelines for General Damages in Personal Injury Claims. This will determine how much compensation you are eligible for in accordance with the nature of your injury, its severity and whether it is permanent. This figure will then be adjusted to take gender, age and state of health prior to your accident into account.
Your compensation claim for a hand injury on an office window will also include special damages. These will cover any legitimate expenses which you incurred as a direct result of your injury. This may include medical expenses, the cost of alternative transport if you are unable to drive as a result of your injury and for any income lost while you were unable to work. Upon receiving special damages, your financial situation should be returned to a state as though the accident had never occurred.
Loss of amenity will also be covered as part of your compensation. This will provide damages for any decline you may have suffered in your livelihood as a result of your injuries. This may include the inability to perform household tasks or being unable to partake in social activities. As each individual leads a different lifestyle, loss of amenity can differ considerably between claims. For instance, a person who is active in sports will be entitled to significantly more compensation than somebody who sits on a couch watching TV all day.
Your claim for a hand injury on an office window may also include compensation for any emotional trauma you have suffered because of the injury itself or during your recovery process. This aspect of personal injury compensation must first be verified by a qualified psychiatrist before it is rewarded. In order to receive an accurate figure of how much compensation you are entitled to – or if you have any further questions regarding your injury – you are advised to contact a personal injury lawyer at the earliest opportunity.