Broken Arm Compensation Amounts
Arm fractures are among the most common UK personal injury claims. They arise from road accidents (particularly cyclists and motorcyclists thrown from their vehicle), falls from height, slips and trips, workplace machinery, and direct trauma. The Judicial College Guidelines (18th edition) divide arm injuries into four main severity bands plus specific brackets for fractured humerus, ulna, and radius. Compensation depends heavily on whether function is fully recovered, partially recovered, or permanently lost.
In this guide
- The Four Main Arm Injury Categories
- Specific Fracture Type Brackets
- Factors That Move a Case Up or Down the Bracket
- Special Damages in Arm Fracture Claims
- Common Arm Fracture Claim Scenarios
- Common Questions About Broken Arm Compensation
- Related Guides
- Our Partner's Fees Explained
- Check If You Could Claim Compensation For Your Injury
This guide explains the JC brackets, the differences between fracture types, what affects valuation, and the special damages typically claimed alongside.
The Four Main Arm Injury Categories
Severe Arm Injuries — typically £109,000 to £148,000
Injuries which fall short of amputation but where the claimant is left with little better than a useless arm. Typical features:
- Multiple severe fractures with poor healing
- Significant nerve damage with loss of function
- Severe scarring and muscle loss
- Permanent inability to use the arm meaningfully
- Need for ongoing surgery and treatment
Injuries Resulting in Permanent and Substantial Disablement — typically £45,000 to £69,000
Serious fractures of one or both forearms with significant permanent residual disability. Cases involve:
- Significant permanent functional impairment
- Cosmetic impact from healed fractures or surgical scarring
- Ongoing pain and restricted movement
- Inability to return to previous occupation in many cases
Less Severe Injury — typically £22,000 to £45,000
Despite significant disablement, a substantial recovery has been made or is expected. Cases typically involve:
- Complex fractures with surgical fixation
- Some residual functional impairment
- Ongoing symptoms but eventual return to most activities
- Possible future surgery (revision, plate removal)
Simple Forearm Fractures — typically £8,000 to £22,000
Less complex fractures with substantial recovery. The bracket spans from straightforward fractures recovering within months through to more complex cases with some lasting symptoms.
Specific Fracture Type Brackets
Fractured Humerus (Upper Arm Bone)
The humerus is the long bone between shoulder and elbow. Fracture types:
- Severe humerus fracture with significant functional loss — typically £45,000 to £69,000
- Serious humerus fracture (e.g. comminuted) with continuing symptoms — typically £25,000 to £38,000
- Simple humerus fracture with good outcome — typically £8,000 to £14,000
The humerus runs alongside the radial, ulnar, and median nerves, so humerus fractures often produce neurological complications. Where there is permanent nerve damage the case moves up the bracket substantially.
Fractured Forearm (Ulna and Radius)
The ulna and radius are the two bones in the forearm. Common fracture patterns:
- Simple ulna or radius fracture with full recovery — typically £8,000 to £14,000
- Both ulna and radius fractured, fixation required — typically £12,000 to £22,000
- Complex fractures with permanent symptoms — moves into Less Severe bracket (£22,000 to £45,000)
Specific Patterns Worth Knowing
- Colles fracture — distal radius fracture, very common in falls onto outstretched arm. Valued under wrist brackets — see our hand and wrist compensation amounts guide
- Galeazzi fracture — radius fracture with disruption of the wrist joint, requires surgical fixation
- Monteggia fracture — ulna fracture with elbow joint dislocation, surgically complex
- Both-bone forearm fracture — both ulna and radius broken, almost always requires fixation
- Supracondylar humerus fracture — common in children, can cause vascular compromise requiring emergency surgery
Factors That Move a Case Up or Down the Bracket
- Dominant arm involvement — dominant-arm fractures have greater functional impact and attract higher figures
- Age of the claimant — younger claimants attract higher figures for longer projected disability
- Need for surgery — particularly multiple operations, plate fixation, revision
- Nerve damage — substantially moves cases up the bracket
- Risk of future osteoarthritis — particularly for intra-articular fractures
- Impact on occupation — particularly for trades requiring fine dexterity or heavy lifting
- Impact on hobbies — particularly for musicians, artists, sportspeople
- Visible scarring — surgical scars on the forearm attract additional valuation
- Combined with wrist or elbow injury — multi-injury cases valued as a whole
Special Damages in Arm Fracture Claims
Lost Earnings
Particularly significant for trades requiring manual work — mechanics, builders, electricians, plumbers — and for fine-dexterity work like surgeons, musicians, jewellers, dentists. For dominant-arm injuries preventing return to a manual occupation, future loss of earnings can be substantial.
Treatment Costs
- Surgery — fixation, plating, revision
- Removal of metalwork (often required 1-2 years after initial fixation)
- Physiotherapy and hand therapy
- Pain management
- Future revision surgeries
Aids and Equipment
- Slings, casts, and braces during recovery
- Adapted utensils, tools, and equipment for dominant-arm injuries
- Voice-recognition software for typing tasks during recovery
- Ergonomic workstation equipment
Care and Assistance
For the recovery period after surgery, particularly for dominant-arm injuries, family-provided care is recoverable at non-commercial rates. Tasks typically affected include dressing, cooking, household chores, childcare, and driving.
Common Arm Fracture Claim Scenarios
- Cycling accidents — particularly clavicle and forearm fractures from falling onto an outstretched arm. See our cycling accident claims guide
- Motorbike accidents — direct impact from vehicle collisions. See our motorbike accident claims guide
- Workplace falls — particularly from ladders and unstable surfaces. See our falls from height claims guide
- Slips and trips — instinctive arm-out reaction often causes wrist and forearm fractures. See our slips and falls hub
- Workplace machinery — crush injuries from forklifts, factory equipment, vehicles
- Snow and ice accidents — particularly Colles fractures in older claimants. See our snow and ice claims guide
Common Questions About Broken Arm Compensation
I broke my arm in a fall at work. How much could I claim?
For a simple forearm or upper-arm fracture with full recovery in months, compensation typically falls in the £8,000 to £14,000 range. For fractures requiring surgical fixation with some lasting symptoms, the case typically moves into £14,000 to £25,000. Special damages for lost earnings, treatment costs, and any private treatment add to this. Workplace fall claims usually succeed where the employer breached health and safety duties — see our accident at work claims hub.
I broke my dominant arm and could not work for 4 months. What can I recover?
You can recover general damages (typically £8,000 to £20,000 depending on severity and recovery) plus full lost earnings for the time off work (calculated from your payslips). The dominant-arm factor adds to general damages valuation, and the loss of earnings is straightforward to calculate from employment records. For a typical 4-month absence from average UK earnings, total compensation in this scenario commonly reaches £15,000 to £30,000.
My arm fracture has not healed properly (non-union). Does that affect the value?
Yes, substantially. Non-union (where the bone has failed to heal) moves cases significantly up the bracket. The case typically requires further surgery — often bone grafting — and produces lasting symptoms. Non-union cases routinely move from the Simple Fracture bracket into the Less Severe or Permanent Substantial Disablement brackets. The exact figure depends on the eventual outcome.
My arm fracture caused permanent nerve damage. What is that worth?
Substantially more than the fracture alone. Permanent ulnar, radial, or median nerve damage can produce sensory loss, weakness, or pain that lasts for life. Cases with significant nerve damage often move into the Less Severe bracket (£22,000 to £45,000) or higher, depending on the functional impact. Where the nerve damage causes complete loss of useful function, the case may move into the Substantial Disablement bracket (£45,000 to £69,000) or beyond.
I am a musician/surgeon/typist and my fracture has affected my fine dexterity. Does that increase the value?
Yes, often substantially. Loss of fine dexterity is a recognised loss of amenity head. For professional musicians, surgeons, dentists, jewellers, and others whose careers depend on precise hand function, the impact is greater and the valuation reflects it. Special damages for career impact can also be very significant — sometimes running into hundreds of thousands of pounds for serious cases.
How long does a broken arm claim take?
Simple fractures typically settle within 9 to 18 months. Cases involving fixation surgery, complications, or lasting symptoms typically take 12 to 24 months. Cases with non-union, nerve damage, or significant career impact can take 2 to 3 years because the long-term position needs to stabilise. See our how long does a claim take guide.
Related Guides
Compensation by Injury Type | UK Payout Amounts
Hand & Wrist Injury Compensation Amounts
Shoulder Injury Compensation Amounts
Broken Hand Compensation Amounts
Falls from Height Compensation Claims
How Much Compensation for Personal Injury?
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