How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Broken Bone?

Meta description: Broken bone compensation in the UK: realistic figures for wrists, ankles, collarbones, ribs, and femurs — plus the extras most people miss.

Focus keyword: broken bone compensation

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You've broken a bone in an accident that wasn't your fault. Now you want to know how much compensation you might get. Fair enough.

I'm Chris Hutchinson, a personal injury solicitor in Bolton, and I handle broken bone compensation claims every week. I'm going to give you realistic figures — not the inflated numbers you see on claims company websites designed to get you to call their 0800 number.

Every fracture is different. Every person's circumstances are different. But I can give you the ranges that courts and solicitors actually work with, explain what affects the amount, and tell you about the extra compensation most people don't realise they can claim.

How Broken Bone Compensation Is Calculated

Before I get into specific figures, you need to understand how compensation for a fracture claim works. There are two parts:

General damages — compensation for the injury itself: the pain, the suffering, the impact on your life. This is based on the severity of the fracture, how well it heals, and any long-term effects.

Special damages — compensation for the financial losses caused by the injury: lost earnings, travel costs to hospital, care costs, medication, damaged property, and more.

The figures I'm about to give you are for general damages only — the injury compensation. Your special damages are on top of that. For some people, especially those who've had significant time off work, the special damages can actually be worth more than the injury compensation itself.

The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)

Courts use a document called the Judicial College Guidelines to determine compensation brackets for different injuries. These are updated regularly and provide ranges — not fixed amounts — for each injury type and severity. Every figure I'm quoting comes from these guidelines.

Broken Wrist Compensation: £4,000–£10,000+

Wrist fractures are among the most common injuries I see, particularly from road traffic accidents and falls.

Simple fracture, good recovery (£4,000–£5,500)

A clean break that heals well with a cast, no surgery needed, full function recovered within a few months. Some residual aching in cold weather is common.

Moderate fracture (£5,500–£8,000)

A fracture requiring surgery (plates, pins, or screws), a longer recovery period, or some lasting restriction in movement. Maybe you can't grip as strongly as before, or the wrist aches when you use it heavily.

Severe or complex fracture (£8,000–£10,000+)

Multiple fractures, significant surgery, lasting disability, reduced grip strength, chronic pain, or inability to return to manual work. If the fracture has permanently affected your dominant hand, this pushes the value higher.

Recovery time: Simple wrist fractures typically heal in 6–8 weeks in a cast, with full recovery in 3–6 months. Complex fractures with surgery can take 6–12 months, sometimes longer.

Broken Ankle Compensation: £8,000–£30,000+

Ankle fractures vary enormously in severity, and so does the compensation.

Simple fracture, good recovery (£8,000–£13,000)

A single break (lateral malleolus, for example) that heals well. You might have some stiffness or aching, but you're back to normal activities within a few months.

Moderate fracture (£13,000–£20,000)

A bimalleolar fracture (two breaks), requiring surgery. Significant recovery period. Some lasting limitations — difficulty on uneven ground, can't run like before, struggles with stairs.

Severe fracture (£20,000–£30,000+)

Trimalleolar fracture, crush injury, or fracture-dislocation requiring extensive surgery. Permanent restriction of movement, chronic pain, potential for early arthritis. If you've needed multiple surgeries or there's a risk you'll need an ankle replacement in the future, this pushes into the higher range.

Recovery time: Simple ankle fractures: 6–12 weeks non-weight-bearing, then 3–6 months to full recovery. Severe fractures: 6–12 months or longer, and some people never fully recover.

Broken Collarbone Compensation: £5,000–£12,000

Collarbone (clavicle) fractures are incredibly common in cycling accidents, motorcycle accidents, and falls.

Simple fracture, good recovery (£5,000–£7,000)

A mid-shaft fracture that heals naturally in a sling. Full recovery in 2–3 months. Maybe a visible bump where the bone healed, but no functional problems.

Moderate fracture (£7,000–£9,000)

A fracture requiring surgery (plate and screws), or one that's left you with restricted shoulder movement, ongoing pain with overhead activities, or difficulty sleeping on that side.

Severe or complex fracture (£9,000–£12,000)

Non-union (the bone doesn't heal properly), multiple surgeries, permanent restriction of shoulder movement, chronic pain, or nerve damage. If you can't return to a physical job because of the injury, this adds weight.

Recovery time: Most collarbone fractures heal in 6–12 weeks, but full recovery with surgery can take 4–6 months. Overhead activities and contact sports may be off-limits for longer.

Broken Rib Compensation: £4,000–£18,000

Rib fractures are painful and debilitating, but the compensation range is wide because outcomes vary hugely.

One or two ribs, straightforward recovery (£4,000–£5,000)

Painful for 4–6 weeks, then gradual recovery. No lasting issues. The main compensation here reflects the significant pain — broken ribs hurt with every breath, every cough, every movement.

Multiple ribs or complicated recovery (£5,000–£10,000)

Several fractured ribs, prolonged pain, difficulty breathing, significant time off work. Possibly a flail chest segment or complications like pneumothorax (collapsed lung).

Severe chest injuries with lasting effects (£10,000–£18,000+)

Multiple rib fractures with complications — lung damage, chronic breathing difficulties, ongoing pain, inability to exercise or do physical work. If the injury has permanently reduced your lung capacity, the value increases significantly.

Recovery time: Individual rib fractures typically heal in 6 weeks, but pain can persist for 3–4 months. Multiple fractures or complications can mean 6–12 months of significant symptoms.

Broken Femur Compensation: £9,000–£40,000+

The femur (thighbone) is the largest bone in your body. Breaking it is serious. It almost always requires surgery, and recovery is long.

Simple fracture, good surgical outcome (£9,000–£13,000)

A clean break fixed with a rod or plate. Good recovery, able to walk and function normally within 6–12 months. Some residual aching or stiffness.

Moderate fracture (£13,000–£25,000)

A more complex fracture requiring significant surgery. Prolonged rehabilitation. Some lasting limitation — a limp, difficulty with stairs, inability to run or play sport, ongoing pain.

Severe fracture (£25,000–£40,000+)

Comminuted fracture (bone shattered into multiple pieces), multiple surgeries, bone grafting, infection, delayed healing, permanent disability. If you've been left with a significant limp, leg length discrepancy, chronic pain, or can't return to your previous occupation, compensation will be at the higher end.

For the most catastrophic leg injuries — those involving potential amputation or permanent inability to walk — compensation can exceed £100,000 for the injury alone.

Recovery time: Even straightforward femur fractures mean 3–6 months of limited mobility and 6–12 months to full recovery. Complex fractures can take 12–18 months or longer, and full recovery may never be achieved.

Multiple Fractures

If you've broken more than one bone, your compensation reflects all of your injuries combined. This isn't simply adding up the individual values — the courts assess the overall impact of your injuries together, which usually produces a figure higher than a single fracture but not a straight addition.

For example, a broken ankle plus a broken wrist together might attract general damages of £15,000–£25,000, rather than just adding the midpoints together.

Multiple fractures also tend to mean longer recovery times, more time off work, and greater special damages — which can significantly increase the total value of your claim.

What Factors Affect How Much You Get?

Two people with the same fracture can receive very different compensation. Here's what makes the difference:

Severity of the Break

A hairline fracture is worth less than a comminuted fracture requiring surgery. The worse the break, the higher the compensation.

Quality of Recovery

Did you make a full recovery, or are you left with permanent problems? Lasting disability, chronic pain, restricted movement, and early arthritis all increase the value.

Your Age

A 25-year-old with a permanent limp has to live with it for much longer than a 70-year-old. Younger claimants generally receive higher awards, particularly for future losses.

Impact on Your Life

Were you an active person who can no longer play sport? A manual worker who can't return to your job? A musician with a broken hand? The more the injury has disrupted your specific life, the more compensation reflects that.

Pre-existing Conditions

If you had arthritis in your ankle before the accident, the compensation for a broken ankle might be adjusted. But if the fracture made a pre-existing condition significantly worse, that's still claimable.

Psychological Impact

Many people develop anxiety, depression, or PTSD after a serious fracture. If you've suffered psychologically, that's a separate head of claim on top of the physical injury compensation.

Special Damages — The Money on Top

Remember, all the figures above are just for the injury. On top of that, you can claim for:

• Lost earnings — every day off work, including lost overtime and bonuses
• Future lost earnings — if you can't return to the same job or will earn less
• Medical treatment — physio, surgery, medication, private treatment
• Travel costs — to hospital, GP, physio appointments
• Care and assistance — help from family or friends, even unpaid
• Damaged property — clothing, phone, glasses, vehicle
• Home adaptations — if you needed aids or modifications while recovering
• Childcare costs, gardening, cleaning — things you normally do but couldn't

I go into much more detail on all of these in my guide to what you can claim after a road traffic accident.

For serious fractures, special damages can easily double or triple the total claim value. A broken femur with 6 months off work, private physio, care from a partner, and travel costs could add £15,000–£30,000 in special damages alone.

How I Handle Broken Bone Claims

When you come to me with a fracture claim, here's what happens:

1. Free initial assessment — I'll review your case and give you an honest indication of what it might be worth

2. Medical evidence — I instruct an appropriate orthopaedic expert to examine you and prepare a report. This is the foundation of your claim.

3. Schedule of losses — I build a detailed account of every financial loss you've suffered

4. Negotiation — I deal with the insurer, push back on low offers, and fight for the right figure

5. Interim payments — if you're struggling financially, I'll try to get you money before the claim settles

All on a no win, no fee basis. No upfront costs. No financial risk to you.

Whether your fracture was from a car accident, a motorbike accident, an accident at work, or any other situation where someone else was at fault, I can help.

I handle claims across Bolton, Manchester, Greater Manchester, and throughout England and Wales.

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Broken a Bone? Let's Talk About Your Claim.

Call me on 01204 263147 for a free, no-obligation assessment of what your fracture claim is worth. Or fill out my quick contact form and I'll call you back. Email: mail@insonlegal.co.uk.

Straight answers. Realistic figures. No pressure.