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Vibration white finger disease claims

Vibration White Finger (VWF) is an industrial disease affecting workers who are frequently exposed to high levels of vibration. The condition is permanent, and while it is not life-threatening, it can result in pain, extreme disability and cause people to lose their jobs.

One of the cruelest things about VWF (sometimes also known as Raynauds Disease) is that it affects workers who may have been working with tools in their hands all their life. When the condition is serious, it can rob these workers of the possibility of continuing the job they enjoy.

If the condition leads to an enforced early retirement and is the fault of a negligent employer, it is there responsibility for recompensing the victim for their loss of earning potential. YouClaim can help you make a claim.

The main symptoms of Vibration White Finger

The symptoms for VWF can be seen in the fingers.  As well as becoming numb and turning white, they may spasm due a sporadic lack of blood supply to the fingers. 

The condition is usually not severe and most attacks only cause minor discomfort.  However, in extreme cases - progressive over a period of years - it can lead to skin ulcers and even gangrene. 

Picking up objects such as pins or nails also becomes more difficult as feeling in the fingers decreases, along with a loss of strength and grip in the hands.

The main symptoms of VWF to spot in the hands, fingers and arms include:

  • Tingling
  • Pins and needles
  • Coldness
  • Numbness
  • White patches

Who is likely to suffer from it?

Workers in construction and mining industries who use vibrating machinery and tools in cold temperatures are most at risk of developing serious symptoms of Vibration White Finger. In extreme cases tradesmen who work under these severe conditions may lose their fingers.

The connection with raynauds disease

VWF is a form of of raynaud’s disease and can link to other underlying conditions like rheumatoid arthritis which affects the vascular systems in the arms, hands, wrists, fingers and thumbs.

Although the symptoms and causes of localised attacks remain very similar amongst both types, the underlying origins of Raynauds disease and Raynaud's phenomenon are very different.

A diagnosis of Raynauds disease or Primary Raynaud’s is given when the symptoms are idiopathic, or that they occur in isolation and are not linked to any other illness, disease or causal effect. Symptoms are caused by a variety of triggers. Such as:

  • Connective tissue disorders
  • Systemic lupus
  • Erythematosus
  • Any of the scleroderma disorders
  • Arthritis
  • Use of certain medication such as beta-blockers or ergotamine
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

Claiming compensation

While compensation cannot truly compensate for the loss of a finger, it can at least offer some official recognition of the pain, injury and trauma the sufferer has experienced.

Amounts of compensation you could be awarded for VWF varies, but in cases where a worker has lost a finger, our experienced solicitors have been able to secure compensation claim awards of around £20,000 for our affected clients.

If it is possible to show that your employer is responsible for symptoms of WVF or raynaud’s disease, whether through bad training programmes, negligence toward you, or supplying sub-optimal equipment, it may be possible to show that you are owed compensation for your resulting losses.

Contact us today

The dedicated team of solicitors at YouClaim have an excellent record in handling claims successfully.

To enquire about making a vibration white finger compensation claim today call us on 0800 10 757 95 or use our online compensation calculator to find out how much you could be owed.

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