Knee injury claims are among the most common personal injury claims, as ligaments, muscles, and bones in the joint are particularly vulnerable to severe damage in a very broad range of incidents. Any trauma to the knee can have very serious impacts on your mobility, affecting both daily life and your ability to complete basic tasks. Whether you suffered a ligament tear in a workplace accident, sustained a fracture in a road collision, or dislocated a kneecap after tripping on a defective pavement, you may be able to claim compensation if you can show that the injury you sustained was caused by the negligent actions of a third party.
At No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct, our trusted panel of expert personal injury solicitors possesses years of experience across a broad range of claim types. These dedicated professionals really take the time to understand your individual needs, providing a comprehensive service that is built around your personal circumstances and long-term recovery from your knee injury.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, or you’d like to find out today if you could make a claim, speak to one of our advisors using the contact information given here:
- Call us on 020 8050 4194.
- Or, contact us online by completing a callback form.
Select A Section
- Can I Make A Claim For Knee Injury Compensation?
- Examples Of Knee Injury Claims
- What Types Of Knee Injuries Could Occur?
- What Compensation Could Be Paid For Knee Injury Claims?
- What Evidence Will I Need To Claim For An Injured Knee?
- Knee Injury Compensation Claim Time Limit
- Why Choose No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct’s Panel Of Solicitors?
- Claim For Compensation After A Knee Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis
- Learn More
Can I Make A Claim For Knee Injury Compensation?
Yes, you could make a claim for knee injury compensation if it can be proven that you sustained damage to ligaments, muscles, or bones due to the negligent acts of a third party, such as a speeding driver. Essentially, this means you need to establish:
- You were owed a duty of care at the time you sustained the knee injury: This refers to a legal obligation to take reasonable steps to protect your safety in specific settings. Different duties are owed by different parties depending on the context, including employers, other road users, and those responsible for public areas.
- There was a breach of duty: In respect to accidents involving knee injuries, breaches can occur when supermarket operators fail to signpost spills, employers neglect training for heavy lifting, and road users exceed the speed limit or use mobile phones.
- The knee injury resulted from the breach: Whether you sustained a ligament tear or fractured your kneecap, you must be able to show that the trauma you suffered was directly caused by the breach in order to pursue compensation.
To get more personal advice on whether or not you could be eligible to claim, talk to one of our advisors today.
Examples Of Knee Injury Claims
Road collisions, trips on broken paving slabs, and falling objects at work are examples of accidents for which knee injury claims could be made. We outline several scenarios below to show how a claim might arise.
Road Traffic Accident Caused Knee Injuries
Whether you were a driver, a passenger, a cyclist, or a pedestrian, the knee is at high risk of serious damage in any collision. Road traffic accident claims can be made for knee injuries in various circumstances, with cyclists and pedestrians being particularly vulnerable due to their lack of protection compared to other road users. A knee injury might be sustained in a collision if a driver fails to give them enough space or does not give way at a pedestrian crossing.
Workplace Accident Knee Injuries
Accident at work claims can be made if an employer fails to take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of all employees, leading to a knee injury. So if workers have received inadequate manual handling training (or none at all), poor lifting technique may lead to a fracture or a meniscus tear. Similarly, a lack of maintenance inspections for shelving and other storage facilities could result in structural failure and objects falling. If heavy items were to strike an employee, they may sustain severe injuries to their legs, including the knees.
Knee Injuries In Public Places
Those in control of public areas, known as occupiers, must ensure that all visitors are kept reasonably safe. This can include implementing safety measures such as repairing steps and flooring, and regularly inspecting handrails for faults. With this in mind, a public liability claim could be made if a knee injury is sustained in a trip on a raised slab that the local council failed to repair despite multiple reports that it posed a hazard.
There are many other ways in which a knee injury might be sustained, so don’t worry if your specific incident was not included in the scenarios outlined above. For further information or for a free eligibility check, speak to our friendly advisors today.
What Types Of Knee Injuries Could Occur?
Various types of knee injuries, from minor bruising to serious ligament tears and bone fractures, could occur in accidents at work, in public places, or on the roads. The long-term impacts on mobility and stability vary greatly depending on the severity of the trauma, with common injuries including:
- Bruising, swelling, and pain in the knee joint.
- Dislocations, either to the kneecap or the knee joint.
- Tendon and ligament damage, ranging from small tears to complete ruptures that require surgical reconstruction.
- Meniscus tears, which can cause a locking sensation and make it hard to bear weight.
- Fractures may involve the kneecap, the tibia, or the femur.
You could sustain more than one of these injuries in your accident, as well as other forms of physical and psychological harm. It is worth seeking proper advice about your specific circumstances and whether you might be able to make a claim with the expert support of a solicitor from our panel. Our advisors are available 24 hours a day, so you can get in touch whenever it’s convenient.
What Compensation Could Be Paid For Knee Injury Claims?
Compensation of up to £117,410 could be paid in successful knee injury claims where serious trauma causes joint damage and considerable loss of function. This figure was taken from the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) and only accounts for the damage to your knee itself. Our panel often uses the JCG to help value claims, as this document contains suggested compensation brackets for different injuries.
While that figure represents serious knee trauma, the amount of compensation you might be awarded will always reflect the unique ways in which you are physically, psychologically, and financially impacted. There are 2 heads of claim that knee injury compensation amounts may be calculated under:
- General damages: Payouts for the actual knee injury, valued in line with the relevant JCG brackets.
- Special damages: Payments for associated financial harm stemming from those injuries. We’ll look at this in the next section.
In the table below, we have provided the JCG brackets for multiple types and severities of knee injury. That being said, we should emphasise that the top entry was not taken from a JCG bracket.
Compensation Table
Please be aware that this information is intended as guidance only.
Type of Injury and Severity Guideline Explanatory Notes
Multiple Very Serious Injuries with Special Damages Up to £250,000 + Where multiple very serious injuries have been sustained and significant special damages, such as lost pay, private orthopaedic surgery, and physiotherapy.
Knee Injuries - Severe (i) £85,100 to £117,410 Joint disruption, ligament damage, osteoarthritis and considerable pain and loss of function.
Knee Injuries - Severe (ii) £63,610 to £85,100 Where a fracture of the leg bone continues into the knee causing permanent pain, limiting movement and increasing likelihood of arthritis.
Knee Injuries - Severe (iii) £31,960 to £53,030 Injuries of lower severity where there may be continuing symptoms such as pain and discomfort.
Knee Injuries - Moderate (i) £18,110 to £31,960 Dislocation, torn cartilage or meniscus which leads to minor instability, weakness and wasting.
Knee Injuries - Moderate (ii) Up to £16,770 Similar injuries to the above but for short periods and of lower severities.
Less Serious Leg Injuries (i) Fractures From Which an Incomplete Recovery is Made or Serious Soft Tissue Injuries £21,920 to £33,880 A reasonable recovery but metal implants will be necessary. There may be impairment of mobility, changes to gait and sensory loss.
Less Serious Leg Injuries (ii) Simple Fracture of a Femur With No Damage to Articular Surfaces £11,120 to £17,180 Cases where there is no damage to the part of the femur that connects into the knee.
Can Knee Injury Claims Compensate For Financial Losses?
Yes, knee injury claims can compensate for financial losses caused by the harm you suffered, including lost income and medical bills. These costs are covered under special damages, and payments can be substantial because both past and future losses are compensable.
We have given some examples of costs that can be recovered here:
- Any loss of earnings due to time taken off from work.
- Future loss of earnings if your knee injury means that you can no longer work, or need to take on reduced hours.
- Prescriptions or private orthopaedic surgery to repair ligament tears or a displaced kneecap.
- Rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, cryotherapy, and psychological counselling.
- Travel to and from your hospital appointments as part of the treatment process for your knee injury.
In order to claim special damages, you will need to submit evidence of all the costs stemming from your injuries. It is therefore very important to retain copies of all relevant documentation. Your payslips, purchase receipts, travel tickets, bills for care and invoices for any medical services can all be used. A solicitor will help you organise this documentation and take these losses into account when calculating a total compensation figure for the claim.
While we hope you’ve found this information useful, we stress again that this section is intended only as guidance. To get a more personalised idea of compensation and to ask specific questions about your circumstances, talk to our advisory team today using the contact information below.
What Evidence Will I Need To Claim For An Injured Knee?
The evidence you will need to claim for an injured knee can include imaging scans and other medical records, CCTV footage, and a copy of the accident book report. Now, precisely what proof you gather will depend on the circumstances of your accident. For example, dashcam footage can be used in the event of a road traffic accident, but it might not be relevant to claims arising from a workplace incident. To learn more about the evidence needed for a personal injury claim, see our guide on the topic or talk to one of our advisors today.
Knee Injury Compensation Claim Time Limit
In most cases, the personal injury claims time limit is 3 years from the date of the accident. Exceptions to this may apply, so it’s important to seek proper legal advice and make sure any claim is started within the correct time limit. Free advice regarding the timeframes in which you can claim knee injury compensation, as well as a free eligibility check, can be sought from our dedicated helplines at any time.
Why Choose No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct’s Panel Of Solicitors?
If you choose No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct’s panel of expert solicitors, you will have access to a legal representative who will handle all aspects of the claims process while placing a great deal of emphasis on your long-term recovery from the knee injury you sustained. Our panel includes some of the most capable solicitors in the business, with years of experience and long lists of satisfied clients.
Here are just some of the various ways our panel can support you throughout the claims process:
- Assisting you with evidence collection, including obtaining copies of MRI scans and other medical records relating to the knee injury.
- Helping to break down the legal language barrier and explain all the tricky terms you will encounter.
- Calculating a compensation figure, taking into consideration your loss of income and your long-term rehabilitation needs following the knee trauma.
- Communicating with the defendant’s representatives and informing you of how the claim is developing.
- Reaching a final settlement agreement that reflects the extent to which the injured knee affects your independence, quality of life, and future risk of post-traumatic osteoarthritis.
- Finding the right barrister to present the claim at trial. We should point out that most claims get resolved before a court hearing is required, but if, in your particular circumstances, the matter needs to go to trial, our panel will have your back every step of the way.
There is a lot more that No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct’s panel of solicitors could do for you, so please do not hesitate to make further enquiries with one of our friendly advisors today. Our advisors are available 24/7, ready to provide you with a free, no-obligation eligibility check and answer any questions you have about the claims process.
Claim For Compensation After A Knee Injury On A No Win No Fee Basis
Our expert panel can provide their services under some very desirable No Win No Fee terms with a particular contract called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). By working with a solicitor under a CFA, you’ll be protecting yourself from incurring any service fees both at the start of and during the claim. If the claim is not won, you also will not be required to pay these fees for your solicitor’s work.
In the event your claim is won, the solicitor will deduct a success fee from the compensation. This success fee is deducted as a percentage before the remainder is transferred to you. As The Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013 caps the percentage that can be charged to 25%, the bulk will be yours to keep once the solicitor has taken their fee.
Contact Our Advisors To Begin Your Claim
Get your free eligibility check by contacting our advisors. You can:
- Call us on 020 8050 4194.
- Or, contact us online by completing a callback form.
Learn More
You can read some of our other personal injury claims guides by clicking these links:
- Read our guidance on car accident claims and find out if you could be eligible for compensation.
- Find out more about making a supermarket accident claim.
- Learn more about slip, trip and fall claims today.
We’ve also included a few external resources that we hope are of some help to you:
- See the guidance on managing sick leave and return to work from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
- Learn when to call 999 from the NHS.
- Read the advice for road users from THINK!
Thank you for reading our guide on making a claim for a knee injury. Further information on the knee injury claims process, as well as a free eligibility check, is available from our advisors at any time.