Vibration white finger claims

Vibration white finger is a common condition often associated with manual occupations such as mining, construction and steel industries.

It causes pain and discomfort to the sufferer and affects their ability to grip or handle objects. It also means that their ability to do their job is affected which causes stress and anxiety for both themselves and their family.

If you have developed vibration white finger due to a lack of protection from your employer then you may be entitled to compensation.

Vibration white finger

This is a condition which affects the fingers and/or hands and is caused by prolonged usage of vibrating tools, e.g. pneumatic drill. This exposure damages the nerves and the circulation within the hands.

Symptoms include numbness, tingling and a throbbing pain in the fingers: sufferers find that their fingers turn white in cold temperatures –hence the name ‘white finger’ and bright red in warm temperatures which causes these symptoms.

These symptoms are usually experienced in the fingertips although they can affect all of the fingers.

They affect a person’s ability to hold, grip or handle an object which means that they find the easiest of jobs difficult to do. It can mean having to change jobs or even give up working altogether.

Employer responsibility

Your employer has a duty of care to ensure that their employees are sufficiently protected against the risk of an injury such as vibration white finger.

Plus there are Health and Safety guidelines in place to protect employees against the risk of an accident or injury whilst at work. The employer is responsible for implementing these guidelines to safeguard their employees but if they fail to do so then the consequences can be serious for everybody concerned.

In an environment where people are using vibrating tools or similar equipment there must be safety measures put in place to reduce the risk of this condition. An employer should be aware of this risk and act upon it accordingly.

But if they don’t then accidents will occur.

An injury such as this has devastating consequences for the injured person and their family.

Effects of vibration white finger

This condition causes a great deal of misery and frustration for the injured person, but is no less distressing for their family.

If you have developed vibration white finger then this may sound very familiar to you.

There is the physical and mental trauma of this condition but added to that are worries about your finances and how you and your family will cope now and in the long term.

A major worry is that of a potential loss of earnings. If you have to change jobs or are unable to work then the resulting drop in income will have a dramatic effect. It means a drop in your standard of living and the risk of financial hardship.

This is where compensation can help. If you receive and award then this will help to pay for any treatment you might need plus any additional expenses. This includes any extra expenses incurred as result of your loss of earnings.

Making a claim for compensation for vibration white finger

Find a personal injury lawyer or firm of solicitors who have handled claims for vibration white finger and are fully experienced in doing so. They should have knowledge and expertise about the various issues surrounding this type of claim.

This includes knowledge about your particular type of occupation, e.g. mining.

Your claim should be handled with tact and sensitivity plus an understanding of the effect this has had upon you and your family.

A lawyer or solicitor will carry out an initial review of your claim in order to determine the facts and examine the evidence to support it. If there are sufficient grounds for a claim then this will be taken on and regular updates provided.

If you want to know more about the claims process then visit our making a claim for compensation section.

Time limit for claiming compensation for vibration white finger

There is a strict time limit for a personal injury claim. This is 3 years from the date of the accident or diagnosis of the illness.

However there are a few exceptions to this such as claims for industrial diseases, e.g. asbestosis or mesothelioma.

Your lawyer or solicitor will be able to confirm a deadline for your type of claim.