Tendon, ligament damage & tendonitis compensation claims

Tendons and ligaments - what's the difference?

Tendons and ligaments are both types of fibrous connective tissue, but that's as far as the similarities go.

Tendons: you'll find them at the end of a muscle and they attach that muscle to bone.  They are present throughout the body from neck to feet. For instance, rotator cuff tendons help your shoulders move. The Achilles tendon is the biggest and attaches the calf muscle to your heel bone (calcaneus) for flexible foot movement. 

Damage to both these tendons are common in soft tissue injuries and are likely to be present in a tendonitis injury claim.

Ligaments: these are criss-crossing bands of tissue that connect bone to bone and help keep your joints stable and strong. For example, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attaches the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia). It keeps your knee joint solid and damage to the ACL is common in knee injuries - particularly in running sports like football.

If you've suffered a ligament injury that wasn't your fault, you may be able to make a claim for ligament damage compensation. To see if you may have grounds to make a torn ligament claim or a torn tendon claim, contact us on . Our friendly, legally-trained advisors are here to help and answer your questions.

What is a tendon injury?

There are many different tendon injuries and conditions that can occur. Most tendon injuries cause pain which usually gets worse when you move the affected joint. This can have a long-lasting effect on your mobility and dexterity, with full recovery sometimes taking a long time.

In some cases, a tendon can become ruptured, or torn, which can be extremely painful and is often considered a serious injury.

If you've suffered from a ruptured tendon, it's very important to see a doctor as soon as possible so they can assess your injury and recommend treatment and rehabilitation.

Below are some examples of common types of tendon condition:

• Supraspinatus tendonitis - also called shoulder impingement, it's an inflammation of the tendon that connects your shoulder to your arm and  affects the top of the shoulder joint.
• Biceps tendonitis - affects your bicep, which causes pain in the shoulder and arm in some sports and work jobs, including as a result of a fall.
• Lateral epicondylitis - more commonly known as tennis elbow. These cause pain when the tendons and muscles in your forearm are overstrained. Can occur in jobs involving sustained upper body work and can result in a loss of grip.
• Patellar tendonitis - where the tendon joining your knee to your shin becomes worn through wear, tear or overuse and results in pain and swelling. 
• Achilles tendinopathy - overuse and accumulated damage to the ankle tendon can cause pain, stiffness and swelling. In severe cases or sudden over-stretch, the tendon can snap and require surgery to fix.

People often ask us ‘is tendonitis a work-related injury?' It definitely can be. Poor working practices, inadequate personal protection equipment (PPE) and insufficient rest during repetitive physical tasks are all symptoms of employer negligence. They may mean you can make a tendonitis injury claim or a ligament damage claim.

Slips, trips and falls on the same level are the biggest single cause of accident injury in UK workplaces and soft tissue damage is a common side effect.  

No matter what type of tendon injury you've suffered, if you were injured due to someone else's fault or negligent behaviour, then there's a good chance we can help you make a tendonitis injury claim. Contact us on   to tell us what you've been through in a compassionate and confidential environment.

What is a ligament injury?

Ligament injuries can have particularly long recovery times and are common. If there is a serious sprain to a joint, surgery may be needed. They can be very painful and can sometimes cause problems lasting for many months, affecting your daily life, career, and financial situation.

As with tendon injury, ligament damage can affect you from neck to ankle. Neck ligament injuries include whiplash, a common result of a sudden collision in road traffic accidents.

The same advice applies as for a tendon injury - see your doctor as soon as possible so you can get the treatment you need. If your injury was caused by someone else's negligence, you may be able to make a ligament damage claim.

Do keep a diary about your treatment and recovery and remember to take pictures of any bruising or swelling to the area concerned. If you choose to make a torn ligament claim, then this diary will be a useful record for your solicitor as they build the case for your ligament damage claim.

Common types of ligament injury and condition include:

• Ankle - ankle sprains and high ankle sprains (where the ligaments of the shin bone are damaged) are common, acutely painful and easily happen in a slip, trip or fall or while working. 
• Knee - it's a complex joint and impact, twisting injuries or overuse can damage areas like the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL) and patellar dislocation (kneecap).
• Spine - neck sprains or whiplash from falling or road traffic accidents and text neck (from poor head posture when using a mobile device) and whiplash can really affect your mobility. In chronic cases lasting over 12 weeks, these injuries can seriously limit your ability to work.
• Shoulder, wrist and hand - traumatic dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint or osteoarthritis in the shoulder can result from sudden injury or overuse. Sprain damage to the wrist and fingers can happen in slips, trips and falls as well as overuse while working.

If you've suffered a ligament injury in an accident that wasn't your fault, then we may be able to help you make a ligament damage claim. Call us on to talk with one of our friendly, legally-trained advisors. We'll be able to let you know if we think you have grounds for a ligament damage claim.

What are the common causes of tendon and ligament injuries?

Tendon and ligament injuries can be caused by a wide range of different accidents. We've listed some examples below:

• Slips, trips and falls
• Road traffic accidents
• Accidents in public places
• Sport related injuries
• Accidents at work

Don't worry if the cause of your injury isn't listed here, it's still likely we can help you. To find out whether you can make a claim, or for confidential, no-obligation advice, you can get in touch with us for free on .

Can I claim compensation for tendon and ligament damage?

It's likely we can help you make a compensation claim for your ligament or tendon damage if your accident:

• Happened within the last three years.
• Wasn't your fault.
• Caused you an injury.

We often speak to people who are unsure whether the accident was actually their fault. The best way to find out is to get in touch for free on .

All our friendly advisors are legally trained, which means they're qualified to give you the best advice possible and can let you know if they think somebody was liable for your accident.

Plus, all calls with us are completely free, and there's never any no obligation to start a claim.

Alternatively, you can try our eligibility verifier  which asks some simple questions about your experience and will let you know whether we think you may be able to make a tendon or ligament damage claim.

How much might an Achilles tendon injury claim be worth, for example?

We realise that if you've suffered from an injury, the last thing on your mind will be making a compensation claim. But with over 26 years' experience in helping people with personal injury claims, we've seen the difference compensation can make.

When working on your case, your specialist solicitor will consider any impacts or expenses your ligament or tendon injury has caused you and your family. This is so that you're compensated for your pain and suffering and so you can pay for your rehabilitation and recovery.

To get an estimate of the amount of compensation you may be owed, you can try our compensation calculator. It'll give you an estimated figure of how much compensation you could receive.

Are there time limits for making a tendonitis injury claim or ligament damage claim?

Yes there are. To qualify for making any no win no fee personal injury compensation claim, you must have been injured within the last three years. The accident must also have been wholly or partially the fault of someone else.

• If you were 18 or over when the injury occurred, you have three years to make a personal injury claim from the accident date. 
• If you were under 18 at the time and no claim was made, you have three years from your 18th until your 21st birthday to claim.

There are exceptions to the three-year limitation, for instance if the claimant has experienced such severe injury they can't make the claim themselves or if they lack the psychological capacity to do so.

If you've got any questions about making a no win no fee compensation claim, contact us for free and impartial advice on . We'll listen to what you've been through and let you know if we think you could make a no win no fee claim.

It's important to add that we'll never rush or pressure you. We're here to give you impartial and free no win no fee compensation advice so you can decide what to do next.

What happens if a doctor misdiagnoses my tendon or ligament injury?

Misdiagnosis by a doctor or other health professional that causes the patient harm is classed as medical negligence. It often leads to incorrect treatment or medication that can make things worse. Medical negligence is covered by UK personal injury law. For instance, if you damaged your Achilles tendon and the doctor treating you missed the symptoms or mis-identified them - resulting in the wrong treatment that caused you harm - then you would normally be eligible to make an Achilles tendon injury claim.

Your solicitor would then make a claim against NHS Resolution, the specialist insurance body for the NHS. If the misdiagnosis was made in the private sector then your solicitor would make the claim against the insurer of the medical professional concerned. Talk to us on to find out more.

Is tendonitis a work-related injury?

Yes - all tendon or ligament injuries and medical conditions caused in the workplace by any type of employer negligence will usually qualify you for ligament damage compensation or tendon injury compensation.

They can be caused in slips, trips and falls, while lifting or carrying out repetitive physical work. Call us on to find out more.

What's typically covered in a torn tendon claim or a ligament damage claim?

Your solicitor will consider all aspects of how your accident injury has affected your life and your family. 

The circumstances of each compensation claim are unique, as are the amounts they settle for. How much you could be awarded in a successful claim depends on injury type, severity, recovery time and the financial effect on your life. 

Our no win no fee solicitors will seek to recover compensation for any and all negative impacts your injuries have had on you. They include:

• Loss of earnings through time off work.
• Any future loss of earnings and the effects on your job prospects.
• Any changes in your ability to work.
• Care or support you've received, even if it was given voluntarily by family or friends.
• Any changes you may have had to make to your home or vehicle.
• Any travel costs you've incurred, for instance attending treatment.
• The cost of any specialist treatment prescribed to you.

We always treat each case on an individual basis. This means when you contact us you'll always speak to somebody who listens carefully and offers tailored advice.

It also means that the amount of compensation you may be owed depends on your particular situation. This means we can't give you an accurate figure before your solicitor has investigated it. 

However, you'll get a clear idea when your solicitor has valued your claim and has started negotiating with the other side's insurance company. 

However, we ‘ve got over 26 years' experience helping people make no win no fee compensation claims so why not try our compensation calculator? Answer a few simple online questions and it will give you a rough estimate about what to expect in a successful claim for your type of injury.

How do I begin a no win no fee torn ligament claim?

There are two ways to start your claim with us. Either call us on  or fill in our simple online form to request a call back.

We understand that making a claim can seem stressful, which is why we aim to make the claims process as simple as possible.

Once you get in contact with us, you'll speak to one of our legally trained advisors. They'll ask you some questions about what happened to you and will then be able to let you know whether they think you've eligible to make a claim. 

If we think you do have grounds for a claim and you give us your permission to continue, then we'll select a specialist solicitor for you and put you in touch with them.

Your solicitor will discuss your claim with you and advise you on the next steps. Our solicitors will help you to make your claim on a no win no fee basis, and will keep you fully informed throughout the process.

Is National Accident Helpline a claims management company?

No, we aren't. National Accident Helpline is an independent personal injury advice brand owned by legal practice National Accident Law. We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), the independent professional ethics and standards regulator that licences all solicitors across England and Wales. Our SRA registration number is 655606.

Claims management companies are overseen by a different regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). CMCs do not have their own law practices. We advise on personal injury claims as part of National Accident Law. We also work with a national network of specialist law firms who we choose carefully and check closely to make sure you receive an outstanding customer experience.