Last updated · By Mustafa Bilgic
How machinery accident claims are valued
Your compensation is the value of the injuries you suffered, plus your financial losses. Machinery accidents — involving lathes, presses, saws, conveyors, agricultural and construction equipment — tend to produce serious injuries to the hands and arms, crush injuries, and amputations, because of the forces involved. The calculator above lets you select your main injury and severity and applies the relevant Judicial College bracket (UK) or settlement range (US).
Common machinery injuries
- Hand and finger injuries — lacerations, crush injuries and partial or total finger amputations from moving parts.
- Amputation — loss of fingers, a hand or an arm caught in machinery.
- Crush and degloving injuries — severe soft-tissue damage from being caught between parts.
- Nerve damage and fractures — often accompanying crush injuries.
Employer duties and machinery safety
Most machinery accidents are workplace accidents, and employers owe strict duties under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: to guard dangerous parts, maintain equipment, train operators, and provide safe systems of work. Where an unguarded or poorly maintained machine, or a lack of training, caused the injury, liability is often clear. Defective machinery may also give a claim against the manufacturer. See our guide on claiming against your employer.
Special damages for machinery accidents
On top of the injury figure you can usually recover special damages — lost earnings, surgery and rehabilitation, prosthetics where there is amputation, aids and adaptations, and future losses where the injury permanently limits manual work. A hand injury that ends a skilled manual trade generates a significant future-loss claim. Enter your losses in the calculator and they are added on top.
Machinery accident claims in practice
Serious machinery claims are handled by specialist solicitors, usually on a no-win-no-fee basis. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) may investigate, and its findings can support a claim. The three-year time limit applies. This page gives an estimate only and is not legal advice.
Machinery accident compensation calculator — frequently asked questions
How much compensation will I get for a machinery accident in the UK?
It depends on your injuries. A minor injury may be worth a few thousand pounds, while loss of fingers or a hand, or a serious crush or amputation injury — common in machinery accidents — can be worth tens of thousands to well over £100,000 under the Judicial College Guidelines, plus special damages for lost earnings, prosthetics and future losses.
Can I claim against my employer for a machinery accident?
Yes, where the employer breached its duties — for example failing to guard dangerous parts, maintain the machine, train you, or provide a safe system of work, under PUWER and the Health and Safety at Work Act. Employers must carry insurance for exactly this. You cannot be fairly dismissed for making a genuine claim.
What if the machine itself was faulty?
If a design or manufacturing defect in the machine caused your injury, you may have an additional claim against the manufacturer or supplier under product-liability law, as well as any claim against your employer. The injury is valued in the same way; the difference is who pays.
How much is a machinery accident settlement in the US?
US machinery-accident settlements range from about $15,000 for a minor injury to several million dollars for amputation or a catastrophic crush injury. Workers' compensation may apply, and there may be a separate claim against a machine manufacturer. The figure depends on your state, the evidence and your losses.
Is this machinery accident calculator accurate?
It gives a realistic guide based on Judicial College bracket figures and typical US settlement ranges, but it is not a guarantee. The total depends on the injuries you select, their severity and your proven losses. Always confirm with a qualified solicitor or attorney.