If you have suffered a fractured hip in an accident that wasn't your fault, contact our solicitors to find out how much compensation you could be entitled to.
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How Much Compensation For A Broken Hip?
If you suffer a broken hip injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your pain, suffering and financial losses. In this guide, we’ll explain when and how you can make a claim and how much compensation for a broken hip you could get.
A broken hip is a serious injury that can cause a lot of pain and suffering. Furthermore, it can significantly impact your ability to work and even carry out simple daily activities such as walking, cooking or driving.
Whether your injury was due to a road traffic accident, an accident at work, or a slip, trip or fall, we are here to help. Our team of solicitors will offer you a free case assessment to determine eligibility for a claim and how much compensation you could be owed.
To get started, call 0800 470 0472 today or use our online claim form to request a call back.
Table of Contents
Am I eligible to make a broken hip injury claim?
A free consultation with a personal injury solicitor is the best and easiest way to determine whether you are eligible to claim compensation for a hip fracture. Furthermore, they can also give you a fair estimate of how much compensation you could get for a broken hip.
Generally, you can proceed with a compensation claim if the following can be proven:
- Another party owed you a legal duty of care.
- They breached this duty through negligence and caused an accident to happen.
- You sustained a broken hip injury as a direct result of that accident.
- You are within the legal time limit for claiming compensation (typically three years).
If your case meets these criteria, you may be able to proceed with a hip injury compensation claim.
What is a broken hip, and how can it be treated?
A broken hip injury is a fracture in the upper part of the femur near the hip joint. This is a severe injury that needs immediate medical attention. It may take months to recover, and you may never regain the strength and movement from before.
Hip fractures are commonly caused by falls and high-impact trauma and can cause various symptoms:
- Severe pain in the groin or hip region.
- Inability to move the injured leg or bear weight on it.
- Swelling and bruising around the hip.
- A bump you can see or feel.
If you suffer a broken hip, you almost always need surgery to:
- Keep the broken bone in place using screws, plates or rods.
- Replace some of the damaged hip joint using artificial parts.
- Replace all of the damaged hip joint with an artificial one (If this goes wrong, you may be able to make a further hip replacement claim).
Extensive physical and occupational therapy is crucial after surgery to regain strength, mobility and independence. Recovery times vary depending on your age, overall health and the severity of the fracture.
What could be the consequences of a hip fracture?
A fractured hip can have substantial, long-lasting consequences. The compensation amount for a broken hip will reflect the full impact on your life, which could include:
- Chronic pain and limited mobility.
- Muscle weakness and atrophy.
- Pressure sores.
- Loss of independence and need for long-term care.
- Reduced quality of life.
- Increased risk of blood clots, infections, or further hip injuries.
- Impact on social life and relationships.
- The need for walking aids and home adjustments.
- Emotional and psychological distress.
- Financial burden due to inability to work and medical costs.
Your solicitor will aim to ensure that your personal injury claim for a broken hip includes all your losses and that you receive the maximum amount of compensation owed to you.
How is compensation for a broken hip calculated?
The amount of compensation you deserve for a hip fracture is calculated based on two types of damages:
General damages
This part of the claim covers the non-financial aspects of the injury, also known as pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). More specifically, general damages could include:
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Long-term disability
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Impact on hobbies and daily activities
- Loss of companionship
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of mobility and independence
The factors considered for calculating your compensation payment for general damages include:
- The severity of the fracture
- The type of surgery needed
- Your recovery time
- The need for future surgery
- The long-term impact of the fracture
- The psychological impact
Special damages
These cover all financial losses and expenses you have incurred or will incur as a direct result of the broken hip. You will need to provide evidence for these, such as receipts and invoices. Examples of special damages include:
- Loss of earnings during recovery
- Loss of or reduced earning capacity in the future
- Private medical treatments, rehabilitation and prescriptions
- Travel expenses for medical appointments and therapy
- Care costs, even if provided by a loved one
- Medical aids and equipment
- Modifications to your home or vehicle
Your solicitor will work with various experts to get a full prognosis and meticulously calculate your damages to help you pursue the maximum compensation award.
What is the average compensation payout for a broken hip?
As mentioned above, the compensation for a broken hip is based on two types of damages. Special damages are calculated based on financial documents, while general damages are based on the current guideline figures from the Judicial College (18th Edition).
According to these guidelines and your specific circumstances, you could receive compensation for pain and suffering in the following ranges:
| Injury Type | Description | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Hip And Pelvis Injuries | A hip or pelvis fracture or significant soft tissue injury with minimal or no long-term disability | £5,200 - £17,000 |
| A significant hip or pelvis injury with minor permanent symptoms or disability | £35,000 - £52,000 | |
| A hip or pelvis fracture requiring surgery or hip replacement | £52,000 - £69,000 | |
| A severe hip or pelvis fracture requiring surgery and causing ongoing symptoms or disability | £82,000 - £104,000 | |
| Extensive pelvis or hip fractures causing significant permanent disability, such as loss of bowel or bladder control or sexual dysfunction. | £104,000 - £173,000 |
What accidents could lead to a broken hip injury?
Common causes of hip injuries that could lead to a compensation claim include:
- Road traffic accidents. The impact of a severe collision can easily cause a broken or fractured hip. Vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicycle riders are most at risk.
- Accidents at work. You could suffer a broken hip at work from slips, falls or machinery accidents. If it was due to your employer’s negligence, you can make a workplace accident claim.
- Slips, trips and falls. Slips and trips caused by hazards such as wet floors, uneven pavement or faulty stairs can cause severe hip trauma, especially if you fall from a height.
- Sports accidents. Activities that involve high impacts, repetitive stress or awkward landings can also lead to hip fractures.
- Horse riding accidents. Falling from a horse or being trampled or kicked by it can potentially result in a broken hip.
- Care home accidents. Accidents in care homes, especially falls, frequently cause fractured hips. If this is due to negligence, it can lead to a care home claim for compensation.
What evidence do I need to secure the maximum compensation for a broken hip?
To support your claim and secure the maximum compensation available for your hip fracture, you will need various types of evidence, such as:
- Medical records confirming your injury and the treatments received.
- X-rays, MRI scans or CT scans clearly showing the type of injury suffered and its severity.
- An independent medical report from a specialist. They will confirm the cause of your injury, your prognosis and your long-term needs.
- A copy of an accident report from the place where your injury occurred.
- Pictures of the accident scene taken before anything is moved or replaced, from different angles.
- If available, video or CCTV footage can help clarify what exactly happened.
- Your testimony about what happened and the impact of the injury on your life.
- Statements from witnesses to your accident, supporting your account of how it happened.
- Very importantly, you need to keep all proof of financial losses, including receipts, invoices and payslips.
Is there a time limit to start a broken hip compensation claim?
If you have broken your hip due to someone else’s negligence, you typically have three years from the accident date to start a claim. There are a few exceptions under the Limitation Act 1980:
- Child injury claims have no limitation period until the child’s 18th birthday. Afterwards, they can claim compensation themselves until their 21st birthday.
- The limitation period is suspended if the claimant lacks the mental capacity to handle a claim. A litigation friend could represent them at any time.
You can read more about this here: What is the time limit to claim for a personal injury?
How much does it cost to claim compensation for a broken hip?
If you are entitled to start a broken hip claim for compensation, your solicitor will offer you a no win no fee service. That means:
- You do not have to pay them anything upfront.
- You won’t pay them anything at all if your claim is unsuccessful.
If you win the case, your solicitor will be entitled to a success fee for the risk they took by offering you this service. This fee is agreed upon from the beginning and will be deducted from the compensation for your pain, suffering and past financial losses, and is capped by law at 25% of those elements.
Find out how much compensation you could get for a broken hip today!
If you suffered a broken hip in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you could be entitled to make a compensation claim. Our team of solicitors will be happy to offer you a free case assessment and advise you on how much compensation for a broken hip you could expect.
If you choose to proceed with a claim, they will also:
- Offer you a no win no fee arrangement
- Help you gather supporting evidence
- Offer you advice and guidance at every step
- Handle all legal aspects of the case on your behalf
- Negotiate a fair broken hip compensation amount on your behalf
Call 0800 470 0472 now for a free consultation or fill out our online claim form to request a call back. Our friendly legal team will assess your case and explain your next steps.
