Home
» Claims
» Carpal tunnel syndrome claim

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Claims & Compensation Amounts

By Ian Morris | Updated June 12th, 2024

125 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of many repetitive strain injuries that affect workers today. It can be very painful and most commonly affects the hands and wrists. Employers have a responsibility to reduce the risk of workers suffering from the condition, and if they have been negligent in this duty of care, you are entitled to make a carpal tunnel syndrome compensation claim.

Is your job causing carpal tunnel syndrome?
Claiming against your employer for carpal tunnel syndrome
Compensation amounts for carpal tunnel claims
How to start your carpal tunnel claim
Useful resources
Comments – your questions answered

Is your job causing carpal tunnel syndrome?

The NHS website describes Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) as a pressure on a nerve in your wrist. It causes tingling, numbness and pain in your hand and fingers. The symptoms include:

An ache or pain in your fingers, hand or arm
Numb hands
Tingling or pins and needles
A weak thumb or difficulty gripping

You’re most at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome if your job involves repeated pressure or bending of the wrist. Usually it is associated with office workers, typists and people who spend their working life sat at a computer keyboard. Whilst such activities can and do lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, many people who pursue such claims are from other workplaces. Construction workers using vibratory equipment, tools or machinery, for example, are at risk of CTS.

Some job roles are more likely to present a risk and the employer has extra responsibilities to reduce it. They should provide extra training, safe and regularly serviced equipment, the correct tools for the job and regular breaks from use of certain equipment.

CTS is commonly linked to certain types of working activity, including:

Repeated and regular use of vibratory equipment or tools
Constant and repeated lifting of heavy items
Heavy and repeated pressure over the carpal tunnel (at base of palm)
Repeated use of and bending of the wrist
Repeated forceful pinch grips
Regular heavy lifting

The condition is known to cause pain and weakness, restricted dexterity and reduced grip strength. All of which which can lead to lost independence, difficulty working as normal and maintaining your day-to-day lifestyle.

Claiming compensation for carpal tunnel syndrome can help ease some of the problems caused by the condition.

Claiming against your employer for carpal tunnel syndrome

Anyone diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome caused by their working life is entitled to seek compensation for their pain and suffering. Employers that fail to ensure proper training, guidance and risk assessments to avoid CTS may be liable should you suffer a carpal tunnel injury. You’re entitled to make an industrial injury claim as your employer has failed in their duty of care.

Compensation will be awarded if it can be shown that the employer has been negligent and failed in their responsibilities. With carpal tunnel, negligence is commonly found in at least one of these areas:

Bad working conditions.
Lack of protective equipment.
Insufficient breaks from vibrating tools
Lack of training.
Lack of, or inappropriate, risk assessments.

Understandably, it can be a sensitive issue but there are many good reasons to make a carpal tunnel claim:

Claiming is one of your rights after an injury at work, and will fairly compensate you for a health condition that was not your fault.
It can pay for private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery.
You can reclaim lost income if you have been off work.
You pay nothing if your claim fails because they are made on a No Win No Fee basis.

You can’t be sacked for claiming for a work injury that wasn’t your fault. You can also make a claim in the knowledge that you are not jeopardising any colleagues’ employment. If you’re unable to do your usual job, your employer should do their best to get you back to work on lighter duties if possible. It’s up to you who you tell or don’t tell about your claim, or if you want to discuss the claim with your employer.

Compensation amounts for carpal tunnel

A successful claim will lead to a compensation settlement being made to you. The value of the claim would cover the injuries you have suffered and medical treatment that you have required. Additionally, it may include any lost income and incurred costs, now and in the future.

The amount of compensation you can expect will depend on the severity and term of your injury, also your age and the treatment required to correct the condition. Some injuries are long-term and result in loss of employment, others are fairly mild and can be corrected relatively quickly. It’s impossible to know exactly how much you could receive but there are guidelines for solicitors to follow, and previously awarded amounts are also taken into consideration.

One case made the headlines in 2015, where a council-employed gardener successfully claimed £15,000 compensation after sustaining CTS through the use of vibrating equipment. This would be in the upper scale of what amount to expect, with more minor and recoverable cases of CTS commonly awarded between £5,000 and £10,000.

The table below is a guide to compensation amounts for carpal tunnel based on its severity. These amounts are for the injury itself, but you can also claim for special damages, which can include your lost earnings, expenses and rehabilitation therapies, for example. Once your specialist solicitor has obtained your medical report they will be able to give you an idea of how much compensation to expect.

Severity of injury	Compensation amount
Most serious - continuing bilateral disability with surgery and loss of employment	£21k - £23k
Continuing, but fluctuating and unilateral symptoms	£14k - £15k
Symptoms resolving within three years	£8k - £10k
Complete recovery within a few months	£2k - £3k

How to start your carpal tunnel claim

We can help you to understand your rights after a work-related injury and can tell you whether you are likely to succeed with your claim.

As with all injuries or health problems caused through work, it is important to make sure that your carpal tunnel syndrome has been recorded properly with your employer. It may be that details are recorded in an employer’s accident book, but more likely that your line manager and HR department should be made aware of the diagnosis you have received from your doctor. If this hasn’t been done, don’t worry, we can help you to do so.

Direct2Compensation are experts in managing work-related health claims. Some of the best accident at work solicitors in the UK handle our cases. With our easy to understand claims process and ability to complete your claim quickly, simply and transparently, there are many reasons that make us a great choice.

To find out if you can claim, call us on 01225 430285 or if you prefer, . In just a few minutes on the telephone with you, we’ll obtain the initial information needed for our solicitors to commence a claim.

Useful resources

125 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus carpal tunnel claim examples...

I was employed as a Senior Social Worker in Child Protection whereby I had to complete lengthy Reports both for Court, Child Protection Conferences and Case Records on a lap top. This meant spending a massive amount hours typing (fingers and wrist). Prior to retiring in 2019 I started getting pins and needles in my fingers and I often could not grasp items in my right hand. After retiring I was diagnosed with Carpal tunnel and had to have an operation.

I am able to make a claim against Birmingham City Council?

As you are probably aware, claims for personal injury compensation (which include repetitive strain injuries and industrial injuries) must be made within 3 years. In cases like carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), there is not an obvious start date for the 3 year period – unlike if you had perhaps slipped and broken an ankle or something like that. In CTS and repetitive strain injury cases, the 3 year period will start at what is called the ‘date of knowledge’. That is the date at which you knew, or should have known that any symptoms you were suffering with were work related.

In your case, you mention that you retired in 2019 and that you had some symptoms of pins and needles. You therefore need to consider when you first became aware that the condition was not just tiredness or having been busy, but because of your working history and workstation set up. If that was less than 3 years ago, you can still seek to pursue a claim. If that was over 3 years, you are unfortunately no longer able to pursue a claim due to the statute of limitations on personal injury claims.

If you think we can help or if you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Had carpal tunnel syndrome many years ago, operated on both wrists just found out compensation could have been payed is it now time barred. I know claims to D W P can be back claimed

Industrial Disablement Benefits and personal injury claims are two very different things. You may well be able to seek some payments from the DWP, but unfortunately, the time that has lapsed in your case means that you cannot now seek to claim personal injury compensation.

I have been diagnosed with CTS in both wrists/hands and had an operation on my left hand 11 september 2024 for CTS release and will be doing the same for my right hand at a later date to be arranged.
I am 77 years old (retired) and can remember working on vibration tools during my apprenticeship at CAMMELL LAIRDS SHIPBUILDING for approx 6 to 9 months which is remembered as you were supposed to change every three months too different activities and I had numerous requests to foremen to move as it was unusual to spend so long in one area. You were given NO SPECIFIC instructions by any of the TRADESMEN in charge of you apart from ” DO IT” You were not issued with any protective clothing (gloves etc)

I have had “joint injection” performed on 26 January 2023 which had NO improvement to condition.

I attended CHRIS MALKIN PHYSIOTHERAPY CENTER on 5 JULY 2023 for NEUROPHYSIOLOGY APPOINTMENT fo NERVE CONDUCTION THERAPY

I had OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY form November 2022 to March 2023 with no visible or physical improvement

Injuries such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) are known as industrial repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and it is often the case that the symptoms or onset of symptoms will start later in life and even after one has retired. Personal injury claimants are afforded a period of three years to pursue a claim. The three year period will start on the date of an accident or in the case of an RSI, from the date of knowledge – the date at which you became aware, or should have been aware that your symptoms were related to your employment history.

In your case, you can still seek to make a claim if you became aware that your pain and discomfort was due to your working history and that you became aware of this within the last 3 years.

If you would like to further discuss this with us, please call us on 01225430285 or use our website to make further contact.

Hi, I was diagnosed with Carpal syndrome in May of this year and am now talking daily medication to help and have had 2 steroid injections which have made some difference. When I spoke to my GP last week he said the area had become fibrous and I will need surgical intervention if the current steroid injection does not work. Although both hands are affected my left is by far the worst and on bad days I have been unable to undo buttons and have been in significant pain. I have had pins and needles and numbness in both hands for many years and thought it was just from the tools I was using at work but it has gradually worsened.
I was a stonemason by trade so vibrating tools and angle grinders were very much used constantly every day and my GP has said this was the cause of the problem.
The company I worked for had no health monitoring and i had complained about the pins and needles but was just provided with gloves which were no use. I left the companies employment in january 2021. Can I make a claim against them?

Regards

Mark

You can certainly look in to pursuing a claim. The main issue to consider is one of limitation – that is the period in which you have a legal right to make a claim. As you probably know, after an accident a claimant has a period of 3 years to make a claim. However, in cases of repetitive strain or industrial injuries, the 3 year period will not start at the date of diagnosis of a condition, but at the date of knowledge – that is when you knew, or should have known that the symptoms that you were experiencing were related to your work.

If you would like to further discuss this matter, please call us on 01225430285.

The company my husband worked for has closed down. He now suffers from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, has poor dexterity and grip as a result of the work he did.

The company still has an active Pension scheme as we receive funds from this. But as the actual company no longer exists (albeit was sold on, and on etc.)

Would this mean he could not make a claim against them? Back then there was no health and safety.

The fact that the former employer was sold and absorbed in to another company will not be an issue. What we need to consider at this stage is whether the matter is within the statute of limitation period for claims of personal injury such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Claimants have a period of 3 years from the onset of any symptoms (this is not when they were diagnosed, but when their symptoms were present and they knew or should have known that they may be work related) in which they can pursue a claim.

When did your Husband start to suffer serious symptoms?

Hi, I work as a paramedic. Part of our role includes a lot of heavy lifting and carrying patients down stairs and heavy equipment. For the last 6 months I have developed CTS symptoms that required surgery which I believe is due to working for an NHS ambulance service for nearly 15 years. I’m only 34 and had to have surgery due to this. My employer did arrange physio first. Is this enough to make a claim?

There is certainly the potential for a claim for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) compensation to be made here. From what you have said, this matter warrants further investigation and formal consideration by one of our specialist personal injury Solicitors.

Conditions like CTS are usually developed after a prolonged period of repetitive heavy lifting, gripping, pulling and performing repetitive tasks and commonly associated with employment. In this case, the nature of your work and the period of time that you have carried out such duties indicates that there is a strong possibility that your CTS condition is linked to your employment.

As you’re probably aware, claimants have a period of 3 years to pursue a claim for personal injury compensation. In cases such as CTS or other repetitive strain related injuries, there won’t be a specific date that the condition started as it is not caused by a one off incident. As such, the 3 year period in such claims will start from the date of knowledge – that is the date when you knew, or should have known that your symptoms were persistent and likely linked to your work. This date could well be sometime before you sought medical attention, so it is important to act as soon as possible to seek to pursue this claim.

We would like to speak with you to obtain some further information so that we can have one of our specialist Solicitors formally consider your potential claim and advise you accordingly. Please call us on 01225430285 or request a call from us via our website so that we can get you the advice that you need.

I had a carpal tunnel surgery in 2007 but my carpal tunnel has come back. I’m having a severe pain, so I have been assessed by my consultant.
I work for the NHS on an acute ward where I do lots of moving and handling. I have no idea how long I can work like this with severe pain.

It is possible to claim some benefit support and work part time.

If your GP signs you off work, or suggests that you need to move to alternative or lighter duties for a while or even work part time, you should be able to subsidise your income by contacting the Universal Credit service for a temporary benefits claim.

If your carpal tunnel condition has returned as a result of your employment, you could seek to pursue a claim for compensation.

Hi, I have literally been to my drs today who has diagnosed me with carpal tunnel. I am a cleaner at a university cleaning student accommodation and it’s really hard work especially like now when the students leave for the summer and we have to muck out 500 rooms within a few weeks some being within a week ready for guests arrival. The constant movements with my hands and wrists is what has caused this. Can I make a claim?

Please call us (01225430285) or request a call from us via our website so that we can help you further. Our specialist Solicitors undertake a considerable amount of work for people suffering with industrial and repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome and we’ll be able to ensure that you get the right specialist advice.

Hi I’ve been diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and waiting for decompression surgery plus they’re going to check my nerves to see if they are damaged as well. I worked in a machine shop lifting heavy castings repetitively. The castings weighed from 15kg to 28kg and I would pick 1 casting up to 6 times before it was a finished part. I had to do this anything from 18 an hour up to 35 times an hour depending what jobs I was on. I would say this was a heavy repetitive job causing me to have carpal tunnel. I worked there for 20 years.

It would seem highly likely that your bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) was caused by the repetitive nature of your job and the heavy lifting you had to undertake. With this in mind, we now need to consider the claim limitation period to ensure that you are within the timeframe to be able to pursue a claim.

In cases like yours, your 3 year period will start from the date at which you became aware that the symptoms were likely to be linked to your work and not the date that you were diagnosed. This is commonly known as the ‘date of knowledge’. Do you know when your symptoms started and when you first went to the GP regarding the discomfort and pain caused by the condition?

Please reply to let me know your thoughts on the timeline of your symptoms and we can then look further in to assisting you with a No Win No Fee claim for compensation.

I have just been diagnosed with carpel tunnel syndrome but I believe it was caused during my 32 years with a government department. As I left 3 years ago can I still put in a claim as it is now affecting my current self employed work?

The fact that you have left the employer is not really an issue, what is important is whether you remain within the claim limitation period of 3 years. In cases of a repetitive strain injury claim such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), the 3 year claim limitation period will start at what is commonly known as the ‘date of knowledge’. As there will not have been one specific incident that caused the condition, the 3 years starts at the date at which the claimant knew, or should have known that the symptoms that they were experiencing may be related to their employment history.

With this in mind, when did you first notice that your symptoms were more than just an ache or a bit of fatigue and were more serious and likely to be linked to your working life? This may have been at a very similar time to that of your first GP attendance regarding the symptoms and if you can’t remember the date, your GP receptionists should be able to let you know when you first attended regarding this issue.

I went for nerve conduction tests October 2022 and was diagnosed with Carpel & cubicle tunnel, I have since had surgery to help with this ,I worked in a warehouse where my job was very heavy involving lifting things such as bollards, rails, racking, posts & boxes of fixings all to palletised. I have been off work since 10th of March 2023 wich I only received SSP £430 a month.

As your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) appears to have been caused as a result of the work you do, you may well have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim against your employer. We have specialist Solicitors with expertise in claims for repetitive strain injuries such as CTS & HAVS and we can advise you further regarding a potential No Win No Fee claim.

You have a period of 3 years from the date at which you knew, or should have known that your symptoms were related to your employment. It is important to note that the 3 year limitation period will not start the date at which you were formally diagnosed, but the date when your symptoms began to be obvious and continuous.

If successful with your claim, you can obtain compensation for the pain and discomfort caused to you during the period of the symptoms and how your life was impacted with regards to lack of sleep, reduced grip strength and how any pastimes or hobbies were affected. Importantly, you would also be able to recover any lost income caused by the condition or for time off following surgery.

I have carpal tunnel really bad in my right arm am I able to get a claim?

UK law affords people diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) the right to pursue their employers insurance for compensation for the pain, discomfort and financial loss caused by CTS. Claimants must act within 3 years of the onset of any symptoms.

I was medically retired from work with degenerate disc disease of my back. I have undergone 2 operations and next time I will have to have a rod fitted. This condition was not caused through work.
What I want to know is I was employed as a typist for 13 years and after retirement I was found to have serious carpel tunnel in both wrists and had to have an operation on both of them. Do you think I might have a claim and also does it affect any benefits.

You may have grounds to pursue a claim for carpal tunnel syndrome compensation. Any claim would need to be made within 3 years of the date that you became aware (or should have been aware) that the symptoms could be work related. If you are inside this 3 year period, please contact us so that our specialist Solicitors can advise you further. If your symptoms developed over 3 years ago, you will be statute barred and unable to take action.

To answer your 2nd point about benefits and settlement having an impact on the same, it will depend on what benefits you receive and whether they are means tested. Means tested benefits could be impacted by a settlement if the value exceeds certain thresholds. However, our Solicitors are aware of this and can assist with legal and legitimate ways to ensure that any settlement will not impact any benefits entitlement that you currently have.

In May 2021 I started employment in a well known warehouse packing. In Nov that year I was working compulsory overtime doing 6 days a week and started to get carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. I was left unable to sleep & constantly in pain. I mentioned every day to my manager about occupational health and nothing was done even though I went to my own doctor and physio and told him they diagnosed me with carpal tunnel from the job I was doing. After Christmas was forced to take time off sick. I returned after 2 weeks off and on the day I returned my managers referred me to see occupational health. Occupational health recommended that I rotate jobs and have micro breaks.

We are set targets of how much we must pack each hour. 8 months later, after a number of physio appointments I was referred to rheumatology at my hospital due to swelling etc. They diagnosed again carpal tunnel. I had already dropped my hours down to 3 days a week rather than 5 by this point. I couldn’t manage a couple of hours without being in agony, so I went off sick again in Sept 2022.

I have been on continuous sick leave ever since and have had tests conducted and I am awaiting another appointment next month to hopefully be given dates for carpal tunnel surgery. I have had numerous meetings with work who have given me letters of concern even though its been a continuous sickness. They wanted me to go back to work and have had occupational health contact me again. Occupational health have said no return until treatment has been carried out.

My original manager who was negligent in the handling of this was forced to resign and as far as I am aware this hasn’t been noted that I received these injuries from the job. Where do stand in terms of a claim?

It would appear that your employer was negligent – both in the managers initial failure to refer you to occupational health when you first reported pain and also in failing to follow occupational health advice regarding micro breaks and job rotations after you had been absent for a period of sick leave. As such, we think our specialist Solicitors will be keen to further discuss your potential claim with you.

If you are going to make a claim for carpal tunnel syndrome compensation, you do need to get moving on this urgently. Claimants have a period of 3 years in which they can seek to make a claim, but in this case, your 3 year period will start when you knew (or should have known) that your symptoms were work related. As you started with the company in May 2021, your 3 year period will commence at some point between that date and the November of that year. Meaning that your claim limitation is likely to expire sometime between May & November 2024. Although there seems to be plenty of time left, it would be sensible to make further enquiries on this potential claim as soon as possible to ensure that a robust case can be made on your behalf.

If you would like our specialist Solicitors to advise you and potentially pursue your No Win No Fee carpal tunnel syndrome compensation claim, please provide further details via our website to start your claim and we’ll then be able to get our specialist Solicitors on to this for you.

Hello, this is just to see if I could claim compensation, i have worked in the motor trade for over 20 years, use handheld air tools and just had surgery for carpel tunnel syndrome.

Please call us on 01225430285 or use our website to request a call from us, as it would appear that you may well be able to make a No Win No Fee claim for carpal tunnel syndrome compensation. Our team will run through a few quick questions with you to find out about your work and when your symptoms started. We’ll then submit your claim enquiry to our specialist Solicitors for detailed consideration.

I went for nerve conduction tests August 2022 and was diagnosed with Carpel tunnel, I have since had surgery to help with this ,I worked in a supermarket where my job was very heavy involving lifting things such as Dinner sets, pots pans ,boxes of candles ,microwaves TV,s ,working on the news and magazines, fresh departments, every day involved pulling heavy role cages ,while off recovering I made the decision to leave this type of employment so as not to damage the work that had been done to repair my hand ,do you think I have a claim ,my employers knew I was going off for surgery for Carpel tunnel.

It would appear that there is every possibility that a causal link between the work you were doing and the onset of the carpal tunnel syndrome issues that you have since had surgery for. As such, you have a right to pursue a claim for compensation for the pain, distress and disadvantage caused to you by the carpal tunnel syndrome.

Please contact us on 01225430285 or use our website form to make further enquiries. Our Solicitors can then consider the specific details of your situation and pursue a claim for you on a No Win No Fee basis.

Good morning, I am an employee of a company that manufactures laminate yachts. In the company I am employed as a laminator, the job is to lift heavy elements and so on laminating by hand. I suffered carpal tunnel and had surgery on 16/01/2023. I am of Polish descent and my English is not very good. One company refused me just dealing with this. I am wondering if there is any chance to do this.

Do you know why or for what reason the other company did not wish to pursue the claim? We would be happy to look in to this for you.

Please visit: Let’s see if you can claim compensation and provide some additional information to us and we’ll then investigate this matter for you.

I have been working in lab for 2 years 2017 to 2019. I developed CTS from excessive use of my hand in pipetting in 2018 which I have been suffering from it and affected my quality of life. I will have surgery next week as all treatment has not worked. Can I claim compensation?

In this case, your 3 year claim limitation period will start at what is commonly knows as ‘the date of knowledge’. This is the date when you knew, or should have known that the symptoms you were suffering with were related to your work. Therefore, if your symptoms developed within the last 3 years or you became aware that any symptoms you were suffering with were likely related to your work within the last 3 years you can seek to make a claim.

Hi I work in a laundry and have done for the last 15 years with the private care sector. I recently had bilateral carpol tunnel operation and was off work for 8 weeks post op recovery. I was first diagnosed around 3 years ago but the operation was postponed. My op was feb 2022. I have not recorded anything in the work handbook …

Unfortunately, as your diagnosis was 3 years ago, your symptoms would have been present prior to that date and that puts you outside of the 3-year claim limitation period and you are therefore now unable to make a claim.

Ok thank you

Hi, I have been working from home for the last 2.5 years. At the start of lockdown they asked us to do a work environment assessment, they haven’t asked us to do one since. In the past half a year I have developed CTS. I haven’t logged it with employer as I wasn’t aware that that was a thing you had to do.

I’m going to be leaving my job next week for another position elsewhere. Do I have grounds for a claim? or will leaving my current employer affect that?

It is certainly vital that you inform your current employer (in writing) of the CTS problems you have developed and link that to the workstation set up (or lack of). Leaving the workplace to seek new employment elsewhere will not prevent any claim.

If you would like to get further help from our specialist Solicitors regarding this matter, we’ll have this looked into for you.