Ankle and Achilles Injury Compensation

Claiming for damage to the ankle or Achilles

Though ankle injuries can of course occur naturally, any injury sustained through an accident can be eligible for compensation. The term accident can be applied to many different situations that result in an ankle injury; slips and trips; road accidents; medical negligence and injuries sustained at work, especially as a consequence of poor safety provision, all can be the object of a compensation claim.

Ankle and Achilles classifications

The ankle is the point at which the leg meets the foot. It is a ball joint. Though strictly speaking the ankle is the joint itself, the word ankle is used to describe the surrounding region and structures contained therein. The Achilles is the tendon that attaches the calf, plantaris and soleus muscles to the heel bone.

Compensation claims

Following an ankle or Achilles injury there are two types of compensation that you could be the recipient of. The first is known as general damages; this covers the physical pain that you have suffered. The second is to recompense any financial loss, such as medical bills or incapacity to perform your job as usual, and which has resulted in you losing income.

It is recommended that you contact a solicitor if you have suffered an ankle or Achilles injury as a result of an accident and you wish to make a claim for compensation.

Your solicitor will then be able to appraise your case and give you an indication of how much money you may be able to receive. A medical report on your condition will be acquired detailing probable pain and any future problems that may arise because of the injury. From this an accident lawyer will be able to match your case with another of a similar cast that has already been successful in the courts to determine what you may be liable to receive. The Judicial Studies Board guidelines are a set of indicators to the courts that include the regulation of compensation awards, which are available to your solicitor and will provide them with extra ground on which to judge how much money you might receive.

The following are a set of examples that can act as an indication of compensation payouts to sufferers of ankle injuries:

• minor injuries – maximum of £3500 – sprains and fractures that no give pain for no more than 1 year
• damaged Achilles tendon - £4700 to £25000 – relating to the severity of the damage you can expect compensation anywhere within this region
• ankle breaks that need metal pins or plates inserting – £3500 to £32000 - future weakness, scarring and significant pain can all be affects of this type of injury, compensation reflects each individual case
• major injuries - £45000 – injuries that cause permanent deformation or disability can receive up to this amount of compensation.