Is Tendonitis A Work Related Injury?

In this guide, we’ll be looking at answering the question, “is tendonitis a work-related injury?”. All employers are responsible for upholding the duty of care they owe their employees. Failing to do so could result in accidents that cause their employees to sustain an injury. There are various injuries that an employee could sustain in a workplace accident.

Is tendonitis a work-related injury?

A guide on whether tendonitis is a work-related injury

If your employer fails to uphold their duty of care causing you to sustain harm, such as a tendonitis injury, you could seek compensation by making a personal injury claim.

Our guide will help you understand whether you’re eligible to put forward a claim by looking at how an employer could breach the duty of care they owe you.

Additionally, this guide will explore the compensation you could receive and the evidence you’ll need to build a strong claim.

Furthermore, we’ll discuss how a No Win No Fee solicitor could represent your claim without requiring an upfront cost.

To find out more about making a work-related personal injury claim, please continue reading our guide. Alternatively, if you would like to discuss your case with one of our advisers, please get in touch on the following details:

  • Telephone: 0800 408 7825
  • Online form: You can complete our online contact form.
  • Live chat: Use the live chat function below to speak with an advisor.

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Tendonitis, Tendinopathy And Tenosynovitis

Tendinopathy is a term that encompasses painful conditions affecting the tendons and the surrounding areas and can occur as a result of overuse.

The conditions that fall under tendinopathy might include:

  • Tendonitis. This is the inflammation of a tendon according to the NHS
  • Tenosynovitis. This is inflammation of the sheath that surrounds the tendon.

The severity and symptoms you experience may vary and can affect various parts of the body, such as the:

If you have experienced this type of injury, you should ensure you seek medical attention. Alternatively, for more information on whether tendonitis is a work-related injury, please continue reading.

Is Tendonitis A Work-Related Injury?

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), certain injuries, incidents and occupational diseases are reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).

As per RIDDOR, reportable occupational diseases includes conditions such as:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome where percussive or vibrating tools are used regularly
  • Tendonitis or tenosynovitis in the hand or forearm where the work is physically demanding and requires repeated movements
  • Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome where percussive or vibrating tools are used regularly
  • Cramp in the hand or forearm where the job role requires repetitive movements in the hands and fingers for prolonged periods of time

There are various work environments in which you could develop these conditions, such as:

  • An office
  • A factory
  • The construction industry
  • The engineering industry.

However, in order to make a valid workplace accident claim, you must be able to demonstrate negligence. Your employer may have been negligent if they breached the duty of care they owed you resulting in you sustaining harm.

For more information, please see the section below which explores the duty of care you’re owed.

Occupational Health And Safety Regulations

As per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, every employer is responsible for doing all they reasonably can to prevent their employees from experiencing harm. The reasonable steps they can take to fulfil their legal obligation might include:

  • Adequately training their employers to carry out their duties safely and effectively.
  • Carrying out regular risk assessments and taking steps to control or remove the risk of any hazards.
  • Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) if a hazard is still present despite the employer taking all reasonable steps to remove the risk it poses.
  • Ensuring employees take regular breaks between tasks during their workday.

If an employer fails in their duty to do everything they reasonably can to keep you safe, resulting in you sustaining an injury, they may be liable for the accident in which you suffered harm. If this is the case, you could be entitled to claim compensation.

For more information on your employer’s duty of care, please get in touch with our team on the number at the top of the page. They can advise on whether you have valid grounds to make an accident at work claim for a tendonitis work-related injury.

What Causes A Work-Related Tendonitis Injury?

In certain situations, a tendonitis injury could be caused by repetitive movement. There are various ways in which you could develop this type of injury, such as through poor posture or sitting position. 

However, the following examples show how an employers negligence could have resulted in you sustaining harm:

  • Inadequate breaks: Your employer may have failed to give you regular breaks from typing on a keyboard. As a result, you may have developed carpal tunnel syndrome.
  • Inadequate training: Your employer may have failed to provide you with adequate training on how to lift, carry and handle objects safely. As a result, you may have sustained damage to the muscles and tendons in your lower back because of repeated implementation of poor lifting techniques.
  • Poor equipment: Your employer may have failed to provide suitable chairs with proper back support. As a result, you may have developed a strain injury in your neck from sitting in a bad position for long periods of time.

If you developed a work-related tendonitis injury due to your employer breaching their duty of care, get in touch with our team. They can advise whether you’re eligible to make an accident at work claim.

How Many UK Workers Suffer A Musculoskeletal Injury Each Year?

According to HSE statistics, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) recorded that 470,000 workers were suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder during 2020/2021.

As you can see from the graph below, the majority of musculoskeletal disorders affected the upper limbs or neck.

is tendonitis a work-related injury

However, we cannot make an assumption about how many of these injuries could form the basis of successful claims. This is because these statistics relate to injuries as reported to the LFS overall, and not ones specifically relating to negligence.

Tendonitis Work-Related Injury Claim Payouts

Generally, claims for compensation can include:

  • General damages: These provide compensation for your physical or psychological injuries.
  • Special damages: These reimburse you for any past or future financial losses.

When you make a tendonitis work-related injury claim, the compensation you receive for general damages will depend on certain factors. The seriousness of your condition and the future prognosis you receive will be factored into your compensation payout.

Medical evidence you provide in support of your claim may be used to determine the full extent of your injuries. In addition to records from your GP or hospital visits, you will also be invited to a medical appointment. Here, an independent expert will assess the extent of your injuries and detail their findings in a report.

Additionally, a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) may be used in conjunction with this report to help value your claim.

The JCG provides bracket figures of compensation for different injuries at varying levels of severity. We have used the JCG to create a table of example compensation figures for different tendonitis injuries.

Injury Type Severity of the damage Potential Compensation Payout (general damages)
Hand Injuries (t) A moderate thumb injury that causes damage to the tendons and nerves. £9,080 to £11,820
Wrist Injuries (d) A soft tissue injury may take longer to recover from but will completely heal. Rarely exceed £9,620
Neck Injuries (a) Severe: (iii) Severe damage to the soft tissues and a tendon rupture that results in a chronic condition. £42,680 to £52,540
Achilles Tendon Injuries (a) Most serious: Where the tendon and peroneus longus muscle has been severed leading to cramp and other symptoms. In the region of £36,060
Achilles Tendon Injuries (d) Minor: Where someone has turned over on their ankle causing some tendon damage. £6,820 to £11,820
Back Injuries (b) Moderate: (ii) Where the disturbance of ligaments and muscles have given rise to harm such as soft tissue injuries that have caused the acceleration of a pre-existing back condition. £11,730 to £26,050
Shoulder Injuries (d) Minor: (ii) A minor soft tissue injury that causes considerable pain but the person almost fully recovers within a year. £2,300 to £4,080
Work-Related Upper Limb Disorders (c) A case of carpal tunnel syndrome where symptoms resolve within three years. £7,380 to £9,170
Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (b) Serious: Where work and domestic activity have been markedly interfered with, and attacks occur throughout the year £15,740 to £29,690

Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (a) Most serious: Where bilateral symptoms persist in a younger person and daily life and employment are significantly interfered with. £29,690 to £36,060

Please only use these figures as a guide because your actual settlement will vary.

What Could I Claim Under Special Damages?

As part of the claims process, you could seek compensation for any financial losses you’ve incurred as a direct result of your injuries. However, you must provide proof in the form of receipts, payslips or invoices to detail the nature of any monetary losses.

Providing you have proof you could claim compensation for the following under special damages:

  • Travel costs to and from hospital appointments
  • Medical expenses
  • Care costs
  • Vehicle adaptations
  • Home adaptations
  • Lost wages. You could also claim back a future loss of earnings if your injuries prevent you from returning to work.

For more information on whether you could make a tendonitis work-related injury claim, call our team. They can help you further understand how compensation may be calculated.

Is There A Time Limit For Making A Work-related Tendonitis Injury Claim for Compensation?

Generally, the time limit for making a workplace accident claim is three years. The three years may either start from the date of the accident or the date you realised your employer’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident in which you sustained harm. The latter is referred to as the “date of knowledge”.

However, there are certain exceptions. Please get in touch for further details.

Contact A No Win No Fee Tendonitis Injury Solicitor

There are certain steps you may wish to take before you put forward your claim. For instance, you should aim to gather relevant evidence to support your case, such as witness contact details or photographs.

You may wish to contact a solicitor who offers No Win No Fee services, such as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Under a CFA, you won’t need to pay an upfront cost to your solicitor before they start working on your case.

Additionally, there are no ongoing costs while your claim proceeds. Furthermore, if your claim fails, you won’t pay solicitor fees.

In successful claims, you will need to pay a success fee out of your compensation. The success fee is subject to a legal cap meaning you will not be overcharged.

If you’d like to work with a solicitor who offers this service, please get in touch with our team. An advisor can determine whether your claim has validity and has a chance of succeeding. If it does, they can pass it on to a solicitor from our panel to work on your claim under a No Win No Fee agreement.

Alternatively, if you’re not yet ready to claim and still require further clarification on whether tendonitis is a work-related injury, our team can help.

Either way, get in touch on the details below:

  • Telephone: 0800 408 7825
  • Online form: You can complete our online contact form.
  • Live chat: Use the live chat function below to speak with an advisor.

Related Articles

We have provided some external resources that you may find beneficial.

We have also included links to some of our other guides on workplace accidents.

We hope our guide exploring the question ‘Is tendonitis a work-related injury?’ has helped. However, if you need any additional information, please call our team on the number at the top of the page.

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