If you are suffering with symptoms of Vibration White Finger, also known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), you may think that there is no point in getting a diagnosis, as there is nothing that can be done to help. This is not always the case, as getting a diagnosis of Vibration White Finger can be vital if you wish to make a claim.
Some people have already had a diagnosis, some have not. If you fall into either of these categories, you may still be able to make a claim. At times, the symptoms for VWF do not appear until years after the person has left the job that causes the condition. This could affect whether they have had a diagnosis. Again, this may be something that we can help with.
Getting A Diagnosis of Vibration White Finger
If you have the symptoms of Vibration White Finger, then it is always best to go and see a Doctor. This can help with your peace of mind as well as with a potential claim. Once you have had a diagnosis, you then have three years from your date of diagnosis to make a claim.
In some cases, it is better for you to have not had a diagnosis, as the three-year limitation period does not start until the diagnosis. However, it is recommended that if you do wish to make a potential claim to go and see your doctor.
If you have not been diagnosed, then we may still be able to help. If your symptoms have started in the last three years, then you may be able to make a claim.
Causes and Symptoms of Vibration White Finger
The main symptom of VWF is a whiteness in the tip of one or more fingers. This can be on one hand or both. There are other symptoms which are associated with the condition. These symptoms include:
Tingling in the fingers or hands
Stiffness of joints
Numbness in the hands or fingers
Poor circulation
Coldness in the fingers
These symptoms may worsen when it is cold weather, but, since no two cases are the same, they also may not. Sometimes the symptoms do not appear until years after you have stopped doing the job where you were using the vibration tools.
The main cause of VWF is through continued use of vibratory equipment. This includes power tools. Many of the enquiries that we get are from people who have had a prolonged use of power tools. These tools can harm joints, nerves and blood vessels in the fingers and hand.
In some cases, you can trace the cause of VWF to a job you worked at decades ago. Many of the enquiries we receive for Vibration White Finger include jobs that people worked at years ago. It may even be the case that the company have since gone out of business. This does not necessarily matter, we may still be able to help.
If that is the case, you may think that there is no way you would be able to claim, but that is not always the case. If you have started experiencing the symptoms within the last three years, for example, then you may still be able to make a claim.
How We Can Help
Here at The Compensation Experts, we work with solicitors who have years of experience in dealing with claims. This includes claims for Vibration White Finger. Contact us today by filling in our contact form, or by calling us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.
Possible link between football and dementia show impact of industrial diseases
Of course, this has been an issue for some time now. For example, Dawn Astle, the daughter of former West Brom striker and England international Jeff Astle, has campaigned tirelessly since his death in 2002 following a battle with dementia.
The Jeff Astle Gates at West Brom’s home ground, The Hawthorns.
Furthermore, the study by the University’s Brain Injury Group found that footballers are also four times more likely to develop motor neurone disease and twice as likely to develop Parkinson’s Disease.
What particularly piqued our interest when considering these studies and the work that Dawn Astle has done since her father’s death is that, when ruling on the cause of Mr Astle’s death, the coroner recorded the death as being caused by ‘industrial disease’, says the following in his official ruling;
“Jeff Astle was a top footballer who was known for heading the ball … The trauma caused to the front of his brain is likely to have had a considerable effect on the cause of death.”
How clubs and The FA could be liable
A professional footballer is by definition someone who works for the football club they play for. As part of this employment, the worker is required to perfect their use of a piece of equipment – the football. This includes their ability to control and direct the piece of equipment with their head. As the University of Glasgow study, along with the coroner’s verdict into the cause of Mr Astle’s death, demonstrates though, there is a strong argument growing that this requirement is playing a significant role in these workers developing brain injuries compared to the rest of the general population.
Therefore, an argument could be made that, by requiring players to perfect the use of a piece of equipment that has arguably been shown to significantly increased the chances of their staff developing brain injuries later in life, football clubs and The Football Association (The FA) have failed to protect the health, safety and well-being of its workers per its obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act and other legislation related to the working environment.
It may be the case then that these studies and their findings lead to former players and their families making claims against their former clubs, along with bodies like The FA, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), the Premier League and The English Football League, for causing them to sustain a head injury due to the nature of the work. This argument is made stronger by the fact that, prior to the corner’s ruling into Mr Astle’s death, the PFA and the FA began joint research in 2001 which, over a 10-year period, would study the impact heading a football on the brain. Therefore, it could be said that both The FA and The PFA knew that heading a football could have an adverse effect on the brains of players. However, they did not take any precautionary measures while the possible link was being investigated.
If the findings of the UEA study support the findings of the University of Glasgow’s Brain Injury Group then, this could potentially put The FA and the PFA in a tricky spot for not taking action sooner when their commissioning of joint research in 2001 shows that they knew there could be an issue.
This also applies to all employers
The same is true of any employer – if an employer knows that there is a potential risk of a piece of equipment its employees are required to use causing any kind of industrial disease, but nothing is done to protect the employees from the potential of harm, that employer is liable if any of its employees then develops an industrial disease later in life.
Industrial diseases that affect the brain are particularly life-changing and can have a dramatic effect on both the sufferer. For example, prior to his health declining, Jeff Astle had made regular appearances on the BBC show Fantasy Football League due to his status as a cult footballing hero for West Brom; the club supported by the show’s co-presenter, Frank Skinner. However, this was not possible once Mr Astle became ill, as he was unable to look after himself and needed to be cared for, and so, could not continue with his post-footballing career running an industrial cleaning business and making media appearances, meaning that he also suffered loss of earnings as well as a loss in his quality of life.
Why this is relevant to you
The same is sadly true for many others who have sustained a head injury or who have a disease which affects the brain, such as dementia or motor neurone disease.
In turn, the injury or disease can also adversely affect those close to them suffering too. For example, family members often cannot afford the cost of around-the-clock care and so, instead have to take on the role of carer themselves. This can then lead to family members also suffering a loss of earnings too.
Therefore, when claims are brought against employers due to head injuries and industrial diseases affecting the brain that were a result of negligent working practices, the level of compensation awarded can be significant as it needs to take into account the physical, psychological and financial cost the injury or disease has caused in the form of General and Special Damages. This will include the cost to the sufferer’s family too.
How we can help
At The Compensation Experts, we work with specialist legal firms who have a proven track record in making successful head injury and industrial disease compensation claims. We and the legal firms we work with have a lot of experience in these cases and so, are well-placed to help you get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. After your initial consultation with our advisors, which is done on a free no-obligation basis, we will match you with the firm who best suits the circumstances of your case.
If you decided to progress your claim, your solicitor will collect any evidence and may contact any witnesses to help build the strongest possible case to support your claim. This evidence will be used not only to prove your entitlement to compensation but also to show the extent of your physical, emotional and financial suffering to ensure the amount you receive is fair.
With the right legal support, the vast majority of industrial compensation claims are resolved without the need to go to court, saving you both money and time. If your employer refuses to accept liability or you can’t agree on an acceptable amount of compensation, the solicitor may recommend you submit your claim to court. This action needs to be taken within three years of the date of the injury being suffered or when your symptoms were linked to your job. Negotiations will continue even when a court date has been set, and it is not uncommon for an agreement to be reached hours before a claim is due to be heard in court.
If you or a family member have suffered a head injury at work or believe that a disease affecting the brain has developed due to the working environment you or your family member was in, you may be entitled to compensation.
