Leg injuries are common in Australia. In 2018-19, 20% of all hospitalisations were because of an injury to the hip and leg, with a further 4.2% as a result of injury to the ankle or foot. Leg injuries can happen in a number of ways, from workplace injury through to car accidents, and even through slipping or falling in a public place. 

If your leg injury has been suffered in a way that was not your fault, you may be entitled to seek an amount of compensation from the party who was at fault.

Common situations where a leg injury is suffered and it is due to someone else’s negligence include traffic accidents, where all parties (with the exception of an at-fault driver who may not be covered) are eligible to claim for compensation, and workplace accidents, where WorkCover exists to compensate workers for loss associated with leg injuries suffered in the workplace.

Speak to our personal injury lawyers today about how we can help with everything to do with your claim, from getting medical expert evidence to assist with your claim through to calculating compensation payouts and establishing what your position is regarding your claim. Our no win no fee lawyers provide advice on your leg injury claim for compensation and can assist you throughout the process of making your leg injury compensation claim.

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Common leg injuries

Leg injuries are varied and many, and it is possible to suffer a leg injury to the hip, knee, thigh or shin - all the way down to the ankle and foot injury category. Some of the common type of leg injuries are listed below:

• Leg fracture - Also known as a broken leg, a fracture to the leg is incredibly painful and can take many weeks or months to heal. A leg fracture is, as the name implies, a break to the bone or bones in the leg. Common causes of leg fractures include car accidents, workplace injuries, and falls.
• Broken tibia - The tibia is the shinbone, and is a bone that is commonly broken. Tibia breaks can happen as a result of major trauma (for example, in a car accident) or by falling against or onto something which causes trauma to the leg.
• Ankle sprains and strains - The ankle is a soft tissue injury danger zone, thanks to the fact that rolling an ankle is sadly all too common. Ankle sprains and strains may occur with a pop or snap, due to the tearing or stretch of the ligament. Ankle sprains are incredibly common in sports, but also happen in the workplace or public place injuries.
• Ligament damage - Leg ligaments are responsible for conducting the movement of your knee, foot and leg and if they are damaged they can cause weakness, loss of mobility, pain, and difficulty moving. Ligament damage is common in the knee, such as ACL injuries which can be suffered playing sports, when working, or in a car accident.
• Knee injuries - Knee injuries can result in soft tissue damage, ligament damage, broken bones and a range of other issues, and can cause mobility issues and long-term problems with arthritis and other painful conditions.
• Cuts, abrasions, gashes, wounds - Leg injuries are not just internal injuries suffered due to trauma, leg injuries also include cuts and wounds, including possible partial or full traumatic amputation of the leg or foot. These serious injuries can happen as a result of trauma in car accidents, or in workplace accidents. If you have had your leg amputated in a workplace accident or traffic accident you will be able to make a claim for compensation for your injury, pain and suffering, loss of income and for other matters generally.

Common causes of leg injuries

Leg injuries can be caused in a range of ways through workplace accidents, road accidents, as a public place user, and in a range of other ways.

• Leg injuries from workplace accidents - Workplace accidents are among the most common causes of leg injuries. In 2018-19, 24% of all serious workplace accident injuries were to the lower limbs. This was second only to injuries to the arms/upper limbs.
• Leg injuries from falls - Falling over or falling from a height and landing on the legs can cause serious injury to the legs, including to ligaments, muscles, and bones.
• Leg injuries from car accidents - Car accidents cause serious trauma to the body, and the legs can often bear the brunt of much of the accident as they can become trapped or crushed in a vehicle.
• Leg injuries from machinery accidents - Machinery, especially in the workplace, can cause serious leg injury. These injuries can include muscle trauma, cuts, gashes, breaking the leg bones and muscles, or ligament damage.
• Leg crushing injury - Crush injuries are commonplace in industrial settings, with the potential for serious injury when a leg becomes trapped between two objects.
• Leg amputation in traumatic accidents - Leg amputation is an incredibly serious injury which can be caused in traumatic accidents, such as crushing or slicing injuries in the workplace, or when legs are trapped or crushed in a road or motor vehicle accident.

Broken leg at work compensation 

If you have broken your leg at work, you will be eligible to make a claim for the time you need to spend off work in recovery, and then compensated for your medical expenses and costs associated with your treatment.

A broken leg may require surgery or extended physiotherapy to get you back to 100%, and financial support is critical during this time. WorkCover claims provide the support you need (or a private insurer if your employer/you are self-insured) to get back on track and make a full recovery.

It is worth noting here that if your broken leg occurred as a result of your employer’s negligence then you may be able to make a claim for compensation against your employer for loss associated with your workplace leg injury. Speak to our personal injury lawyers today about your possible workers compensation negligence claim

Occupations with High Leg Injury Risks

Leg injuries are suffered in a range of ways in the workplace and across a range of occupations/ Risky occupations for leg injuries include: 

• Labourers - Working with machinery and tools puts workers at a higher risk of suffering leg injuries due to the possibility of contact with high-risk tools and machinery.
• Machinery operators - Machinery operators are at a higher risk of suffering serious injury due to the nature of their work, and due to the long hours that are often worked when swing shifts are employed, particularly in mining and trades associated with production.
• Community and personal service workers - Lifting and twisting can cause injury to the legs, and community and personal service workers are at an increased risk of leg injury as a result of the manual work often undertaken in these roles.

Of course, leg injuries can happen in any workplace at any time, which is why it is critical to ensure you take care of yourself at work, while knowing that your employer is taking care of your safety as well.

In the event an accident does happen, report it as soon as you can to your employer, seek medical attention, and then commence your claim for WorkCover where appropriate. WorkCover will assist with pay for time off work, associated costs of treatment, and can also provide compensation in the event that your accident results in permanent impairment.

Broken leg in car accident compensation

Car accidents are traumatic and can cause serious leg injuries. A broken leg is a common possible injury as a result of a car accident, and if you have been in an accident and suffered a broken leg you are eligible to make a claim against the at-fault driver’s CTP insurance provider.

Everyone involved in an accident who was not at fault, including passengers, the other driver, and passengers in the other driver’s vehicle, can make a claim for compensation. Speak to our team of accident claim lawyers for legal advice about making your claim for compensation.

How much compensation do you get for a leg injury

A claim for leg injury compensation includes compensation takes a range of factors into consideration, including:

• Medical expenses and costs associated with treating your leg injury
• Lost income and wages due to your leg injury, including superannuation and past and future lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• The level of permanent impairment or disability
• The severity of your leg injury and ongoing impact on your enjoyment of life

Speak to our team of Brisbane accident lawyers about your possible claim for compensation to find out more about how we can help you get back on track after a leg injury that was not your fault.

Time limits for leg injury compensation

When making a claim for leg injury compensation you generally have three years from the date you were injured to commence your claim against the at-fault party. You can find out more about the specific time limits for claims for road accidents and workplace accidents in our guide.

If you are considering making a claim it is worthwhile speaking to our personal injury accident lawyers about your situation so that we can provide you with an understanding of where you may stand in relation to your claim.