How To Claim Broken Jaw Compensation
Your jaw is essential for daily functions like chewing and speaking, supporting facial structure and playing a crucial role in supporting your overall health. Consequently, suffering a broken jaw is a debilitating injury as it can severely impact the day-to-day functions listed above, which are integral for living a happy and healthy life. If you have suffered this injury and it wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to pursue broken jaw compensation. At UK Law, we always strive for excellence, and we are committed to securing you the highest possible personal injury compensation.
Our firm does what’s right by our clients. We practice ethically and always aim to exceed expectations by championing our clients and fighting for what is fair. Not only do our panel of solicitors know the law, but we are committed to supporting those who need it. They could also work on your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
Get in touch with our friendly and enthusiastic advisory team about your case by using the contact information below:
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- Phone us on 020 3870 4868
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Jump To A Section
- The Average Broken Jaw Compensation Amounts
- What Damages Can Broken Jaw Compensation Cover?
- Can I Claim Compensation For A Broken Jaw?
- What Are The Common Broken Or Fractured Jaw Causes?
- What If My Jaw Was Broken In A Criminal Assault?
- Claiming For An Undiagnosed Or Untreated Jaw Break
- What Do I Need To Bring A Broken Jaw Compensation Claim?
- No Win No Fee Broken Jaw Compensation Claims With UK Law
- More Information
The Average Broken Jaw Compensation Amounts
The average broken jaw compensation amounts depend on the severity of the injury and whether any financial losses have been suffered. For example, the compensation for a simple fracture to the jaw that heals within a matter of weeks will be distinctively different to a crush injury to the jaw that has left the claimant disfigured.
Successful claims will result in you receiving general damages for the pain and suffering your injury has caused you.
When assessing your general damages, your solicitor will likely use a publication called the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). The JCG provides a comprehensive list of different types of injuries, their severities and the related suggested compensation brackets.
We’ve provided you with a table below containing carefully selected figures from the JCG. We kindly ask you to use this content as a guideline only and to be aware that the first figure has not been sourced from the JCG.
| INJURY | SEVERITY | COMPENSATION GUIDELINE |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries including a broken jaw with special damages for medical expenses, lost earnings and care costs. | Severe | Up to £100,000+ |
| Jaw | (i) Very Serious Multiple Fractures | £37,210 to £55,570 |
| (ii) Serious Fracture | £21,920 to £37,210 | |
| (iii) Simple Fracture | £7,880 to £10,660 | |
| Teeth | Significant Deterioration | Up to £46,540 |
| (i) Loss/Damage to Teeth | £10,660 to £13,930 | |
| Face | Le Fort Fractures of Frontal Facial Bones | £29,060 to £44,840 |
| Multiple Fractures of Facial Bones | £18,180 to £29,220 | |
| Nose | (i) Fractures of Nose or Nasal Complex | £12,990 to £28,220 |
| Cheekbones | (i) Fractures of Cheekbones | £12,450 to £19,260 |
To learn more about how compensation is calculated, you can contact our advisors.
What Damages Can Broken Jaw Compensation Cover?
The damages broken jaw compensation can cover are general damages and special damages. As aforementioned, general damages compensate you for the injury.
Special damages compensate you for the financial losses you have suffered due to the injury,
Please have a read below of what specifically special damages can cover:
Loss Of Income
You could claim for a loss of income if your broken jaw injury required you to take time off work, resulting in loss of earnings, especially if your job involves a lot of talking, such as teaching or public speaking.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses can stack up if NHS waiting lists are too long, resulting in you pursuing private healthcare treatment for your broken jaw injury.
Recovery Or Care
Recovery or care costs might be incurred as broken jaws often require physiotherapy to help restore function, strength and movement.
Travel Expenses
Travel expenses can add up as broken jaws require frequent monitoring to ensure proper healing; consequently, frequent journeys to and from the hospital or your GP will incur travel costs.
You will need to provide proof of your financial losses if you wish to pursue special damages. Proof can include things like payslips, invoices and receipts.
If you’re not quite sure whether you are entitled to special damages, don’t worry at all. We can help you with this during a free consultation if you call us today.
Can I Claim Compensation For A Broken Jaw?
Yes, you can claim compensation for a broken jaw as long as you can prove that the negligent actions of another caused your injury. Specifically, you need to make sure that your broken jaw compensation claim satisfies the eligibility requirements below:
- A third party owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty
- The breach resulted in you suffering a broken jaw
However, we must clarify that the concept of owing a duty of care looks different depending on the setting. Take a look at the distinctions below:
- At Work: Your employer legally owes you a duty of care in the form of taking reasonable steps to ensure your safety while you are completing workplace duties. This is outlined in the Health and Safety at Work ect Act 1974.
- In Public: The occupier of a space (a person or company that has sufficient control over a public area) has a legal obligation to take steps to ensure your reasonable safety, as per the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
- On the Roads: Road users, including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, owe a duty of care to navigate the roads safely to avoid causing harm. They must also comply with the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code.
To see if you have an eligible personal injury claim, you can contact our advisors.
What Are The Common Broken Or Fractured Jaw Causes?
Common broken or fractured jaw causes may include being provided insufficient PPE, reckless driving, and hazardous environments. Below, we share some examples of different types of accidents that could lead to broken jaw compensation claims:
Accidents At Work
Accidents at work could include:
- There’s an oil spillage in a factory, and it hasn’t been cleaned up or marked by a hazard sign. A factory worker slips and hits the side of their face on a nearby machine, resulting in them suffering a comminuted fracture to the jaw.
- A builder has been provided with a faulty ladder to use on-site by their employer. The ladder breaks while in use, and the employee falls from a height, suffering a severe laceration to the head and a clean break to the corner of their jawbone.
Road Traffic Accidents
Road traffic accidents could involve:
- A drunk driver crashes into the side of another vehicle in a T-bone collision, causing the driver of the other car to slam their head against the window. They suffer several cuts to the face and an open compound fracture on their lower jaw.
- A driver is speeding and fails to stop in time at a zebra crossing. They hit a pedestrian, causing them to suffer several severe injuries, including a brain injury, broken legs and multiple fractures to the upper and lower jaw.
Public Place Accidents
Public place accidents could look like:
- A bookcase in a library has not been fixed to a wall bracket, and it falls while someone is browsing a nearby bookshelf. The individual suffers serious crush injuries, including a fractured skull and a comminuted fracture to the lower jaw, with several teeth erupting amidst a multitude of broken bones.
- A member of the public trips over a trailing wire that has been left out in a supermarket aisle, resulting in them hitting their face on a fridge unit. The individual suffers an orbital fracture and chips the bone of their mandible.
If you’re wondering how to claim for any of the above injuries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our experienced team.
What If My Jaw Was Broken In A Criminal Assault?
If your jaw was broken in a criminal assault, then you might be able to make a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). This is a UK government-funded agency that compensates victims of violent crime in England, Scotland, and Wales.
However, in order to claim through CICA, you will have to satisfy the following eligibility criteria:
- You must be a victim of a crime of violence as defined by Annexe B of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (CICA Scheme), which includes assault.
- The crime must have been reported to the police
- The incident must have taken place in England, Wales, Scotland, or another relevant place, for example, a vessel registered to one of these countries
Please note that the perpetrator does not need to have been caught or prosecuted for you to claim through the CICA. In addition, the CICA states that they should be the last resort when it comes to claiming broken jaw compensation. Meaning you will need to prove you were unable to claim against the perpetrator or a vicariously liable party, such as your employer.
What Is The Time Limit For CICA Claims?
The time limit for CICA claims is generally 2 years from the date the incident took place. With that being said, exceptions can be made regarding this time limit; however, you will have to be able to prove that extenuating circumstances prevented you from claiming.
Please find below the time limits for child claims:
- If you were under 18 when the incident took place and the assault was reported to the police, you would have 2 years from your 18th birthday to claim, unless exceptional circumstances apply
- If you were under 18 when the incident happened and it was not reported to the police, you have 2 years from the time of reporting to make a claim. You will be expected to prove that exceptional circumstances stopped you from reporting the incident sooner, for example, historical abuse claims
Compensation For A Broken Jaw From The CICA
Compensation for a broken jaw from the CICA is valued and awarded in line with the tariff of injuries listed in the CICA Scheme. These are fixed amounts, meaning you will receive what is listed for your injury.
We have listed some of these tariffs in the table below. Please note, that the top entry is the highest amount the CICA will pay for any claim.
| INJURY | SEVERITY | COMPENSATION |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple Severe Injuries + Special Expenses. | Severe | Up to £500,000 |
| Face | Multiple Fractures | £11,000 |
| Fractured Jaw Bone - an operation is required and there is a continuing significant disability | £6,200 | |
| Fractured Jaw Bone - no operation required and their is a substantial recovery. | £1,500 | |
| Permanent Clicking Jaw | £3,500 | |
| Dislocated Jaw - Continuing significant disability | £3,500 | |
| Fractured Zygoma - and operation is required and results in a continuing significant disability. | £3,500 | |
| Fractured Zygoma - No operation required with a continuing significant disability | £2,400 | |
| Fractured Ethmoid - operation required | £2,400 |
If you have any questions regarding the above CICA tariffs, please don’t hesitate to let us know.
Claiming For An Undiagnosed Or Untreated Jaw Break
When it comes to claiming for an undiagnosed or an untreated jaw break, a medical professional must have provided you with negligent medical care, and this caused you to suffer unnecessary harm.
All patients are owed a duty of care by any medical professional who agrees to treat them. This specifically involves delivering a minimum standard of care to their patients. If they fail to do this and it causes you unnecessary harm, it is considered medical negligence.
If you visit a hospital with a suspected broken jaw, and it is missed or misinterpreted as a different injury (due to misreading an X-ray, for example), this is likely to cause you unnecessary harm, ranging from chronic pain to permanent facial deformities. Notably, it will also cause a delay in receiving the treatment you require or lead you to take the incorrect treatment.
For more advice about your eligibility to claim or other parts of the medical negligence claiming process, please speak to our friendly team today.
What Do I Need To Bring A Broken Jaw Compensation Claim?
To bring a broken jaw compensation claim, you need strong evidence that shows the severity of your injury as well as third-party negligence.
Please find below some examples of evidence:
- Medical records
- CCTV or dashcam footage
- Witness contact details
- In a road traffic accident, it’s imperative that you get the insurance details of any involved drivers
- For an accident at work or in public, you can present a copy of your incident report from the accident book
What Is The Personal Injury Claim Time Limit?
The personal injury claim time limit is typically 3 years from the date you suffered the injury to start a claim, as per the Limitation Act 1980.
There are certain exceptions to this time limit:
- Minors – The time limit is paused if the injured claimant is below 18 years of age. A legally appointed litigation friend can claim on their behalf whilst they are underage. If a claim hasn’t been made by the time the child turns 18, they will have until their 21st birthday to claim.
- Adults lacking the mental capacity to claim independently – In this circumstance, the time limit will be suspended, and similarly to the above, a litigation friend can claim on their behalf. However, if the vulnerable adult regains their mental capacity, they will have 3 years to start a broken jaw claim from the date of their recovery
Please contact our advisors today for free advice on gathering evidence for your broken jaw compensation claim or for more information on the limitation period.
No Win No Fee Broken Jaw Compensation Claims With UK Law
No Win No Fee broken jaw compensation claims can be made here with us at UK Law via the solicitors on our panel. Choosing the right solicitor is crucial when it comes to the success of your broken jaw compensation claim. At UK Law, our panel of solicitors will navigate the complexities of your case with skill and respect.
Notably, your well-being is our first priority. They can also offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
A CFA means that:
- You won’t have to pay anything to your solicitor for them to start working on your jaw injury compensation claim
- There’ll be nothing to pay to your solicitor for their work while your claim is in progress
- You won’t pay anything for the work your solicitor has completed if the claim fails
You will pay them a success fee if the claim succeeds. This success fee will be deducted from your compensation in the form of a legally limited percentage, as per the Conditional Fee Agreements Order 2013. The fact that the success fee is capped means that you’ll keep the bulk of your compensation.
Some of the expert services the solicitors on our panel can offer you on a No Win No Fee basis include:
- Determine a fair compensation figure
- Gather evidence on your behalf, for example, witness statements and medical records
- Represent you in negotiations and court proceedings
- Get access to medical treatment that might not be available on the NHS
Contact Our Advisors
We understand that the support you need is unique to your situation, which is why we offer more services than those listed above. If you’d like to find out more about No Win No Fee claims or what other practical support we can provide, please get in touch using the contact information below:
- Phone us on 020 3870 4868
- Claim online
- Click on the chat button to speak with an advisor. We promise it’s a real human and not a bot!
More Information
For more information, please read our selection of other guides:
- Read our guide on split liability claims.
- Have a read of our guide on claiming for injuries due to no training at work.
- Take a look at our guide on claiming compensation with a criminal record.
Some additional external resources:
- Request CCTV footage of yourself from GOV.UK.
- See if you’re eligible to receive Statutory Sick Pay.
- Learn how to navigate a fracture of the lower jaw from this NHS resource.
Thank you for taking the time to read our guide on broken jaw compensation.
