Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) compensation claims allow workers who developed nerve or vascular damage from prolonged power tool use to claim financial payouts from negligent employers. Our industrial disease solicitors at Thompsons Scotland have been representing workers suffering vibration injuries for decades. We take all HAVS claims on a no win no fee basis.
The numbers reveal how widespread this condition still is. In 2024, the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme registered 220 new diagnoses of HAVS across Great Britain. That figure has been falling over the past decade, but HAVS remains one of the most common industrial diseases in the country, and one of the most damaging. Vibrating machinery of any size, whether a drill, a grinder or a saw, can devastate the blood vessels, joints and nerves in your hands and wrists.
What causes hand arm vibration syndrome?
HAVS occurs when vibrations from a power tool or machine damage the tissues in your hands and arms. The Health and Safety Executive estimates there are about 2 million people at risk in the UK.
Long-term exposure slowly damages the blood vessels, nerves and muscles in the fingers, hands and arms. This may cause numbness, difficulty gripping objects or whiteness in the fingers, hence the earlier name for this condition, Vibration White Finger.
How much you are affected depends on the kind of work, how long you have been doing it and individual factors. What does not vary greatly, however, is that the damage is nearly always permanent.
The tools and processes that most commonly cause HAVS include:
- Hand-held power tools like pneumatic drills
- Hand-guided equipment such as circular saws
- Hand-fed machinery, for example pedestal grinders
Symptoms of hand arm vibration syndrome
These are the signs to watch for if you work with vibrating tools — and the earlier you see a doctor, the more options you have:
- Fingers turning white, particularly when it is cold or damp
- Numbness or tingling in the fingers and hands
- Weakened grip
- Pain or stiffness through the hands, wrists or arms
- Trouble picking up small objects or doing anything fiddly
The worst thing about HAVS is how long it can take for symptoms to show and in many cases, it could be years. It affects you in three ways: damage to blood vessels (Vibration White Finger), damage to nerve endings (tingling and numbness), and damage to muscles and joints (lost grip strength). If nothing is done, it can become completely disabling.
How much compensation for HAVS?
The amount of compensation you will receive for a hand arm vibration syndrome claim depends on the severity of your condition and how it affects your life. There are two parts to the payout:
General damages: Compensation for the pain, discomfort and suffering itself. The figures below come from the Judicial College Guidelines that courts use across the UK:
- Mild symptoms, only a few fingers affected, little day-to-day impact: £3,950 to £11,420
- Moderate symptoms, noticeable discomfort especially in cold weather, some effect on work: £11,420 to £22,150
- Serious symptoms that interfere with both work and home life: £22,150 to £41,800
- The worst cases, where HAVS affects your ability to work and carry out basic daily tasks: £41,800 to £50,770
Special damages: Pays for what the condition has actually cost you. That could mean lost earnings (past and future), medical costs, travel to appointments, care costs and any adaptations you have had to make at home.
No two cases are the same. A medical assessment will be arranged in support of your claim, and your solicitor will use that report to calculate a figure.
Your employer's duty of care
Your employer has a legal duty to protect workers who use vibrating tools, and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 set out what that duty requires. Your employer should have:
- Measured and monitored vibration exposure levels
- Trained you on the risks of vibration and how to work safely
- Given you proper equipment, including anti-vibration gloves
- Rotated tasks and built in rest breaks to limit your exposure
- Run regular health checks
Health checks matter as they should detect any early signs of HAVS, and they should identify workers at higher risk such as anyone with a circulation condition like Raynaud's Disease. If your employer did not do these things and you subsequently developed HAVS, they can be held responsible.
How to make a HAVS compensation claim
You will need to gather a few things for your HAVS claim: a medical diagnosis, details of your employment history and the equipment you used, and any correspondence you may have sent to your employer about working conditions.
The time limit is three years. As HAVS symptoms may take many years to develop, that deadline usually begins from the date of your diagnosis or when you became aware that the problem was related to your work, rather than the actual date of initial exposure. And you can still claim even if the employer no longer exists, all employers are legally required to have liability insurance.
We handle every HAVS claim on a no win no fee basis.
Frequently asked questions
Contact Thompsons Scotland
If you or a member of your family has developed Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, please contact our industrial disease team. The initial consultation is free. We take on cases for injured workers throughout Scotland and we do not act for employers or insurers, only for the people who have been hurt.
All HAVS compensation claims we handle are dealt with on a no win no fee basis. You will not pay a penny unless we win.
Read about the results we have achieved for clients like you: Engineer's HAVS claim
