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Claiming HAVS Compensation

Making a HAVS compensation claim is the legal right of anyone who has suffered Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome as a result of their job.

What Is HAVS?

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome can cause pain in your fingers, hands, and arms, especially if you use hand held vibrating tools. Formerly called vibration white finger, HAVS was given a new name due to the many other symptoms that may develop from the syndrome beyond white fingers.

How is HAVS Caused?

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome is caused by the overuse or frequent use of hand held vibrating tools.

Tools like power drills, chainsaws, and pneumatic drills, for example, are often the cause. HAVS can also develop by regularly having to hold any machine you use at work that vibrates. However HAVS is unusual unless you have been using vibrating tools for at least ten years or so.

Use of these types of vibrating tools can create injury to small nerves and blood vessels in your fingertips. As time passes, nerves and blood vessels may gradually lose partial function and cause the symptoms of HAVS.  If you have only mild symptoms at the moment, then giving up any work with vibrating tools could prevent those symptoms becoming more serious

If you show the symptoms of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome than you should certainly consider claiming HAVS compensation.

What Are the Symptoms of HAVS?

Because one in ten people who work with vibrating tools may develop HAVS it is considered a serious condition by the medical community.

• Symptoms can include Raynaud’s disease  where a worker can develop white fingers.

• Other symptoms include nerve damage and muscular aches and pains. Further, once you have HAVS, Raynaud’s can be triggered by cold weather or touching a cold object.

• Raynaud’s phenomenon usually occurs in stages. First, your fingers may appear white and cool when the blood vessels narrow. Next, your fingers may appear blue in colour from oxygen depletion and the narrowing of blood vessels.

• Finally, your fingers will become a bright red colour due to the blood vessels opening up which can cause tingling, throbbing, and pain.

You may still suffer from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome even if you don’t have the exact symptoms as outlined above.

Instead, you may develop pain and pale or cold fingers. This pain or finger coldness can be short or long in duration and the amount of pain varies from person to person. Once the symptoms of HAVS subside, you may still have one or more bluish fingers.

Other symptoms that may develop can be numbness or tingling or if you have HAVS and don’t seek treatment, you could have permanent numbness or clumsiness or difficulty in performing tasks like fastening your buttons, handling coins, or threading needles.

At times only one finger may be affected enough to cause these symptoms.

Aches and pain can occur due to damages in the muscles, bones, and joints and your ability to grip things may become weak.

Even if you used vibrating hand tools years ago and have now stopped, you may even develop Hand Arm Vibration. In this case you are still entitled to claim HAVS compensation.

What Are My Employer’s Obligations?

It is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that your work environment is safe but if you feel you are experiencing symptoms of HAVS, you should see a doctor immediately.

You should also report your concerns to your employer whether through a work nurse or work doctor if your company has these available.

If you belong to a union, you should speak to your union representative about your HAVS symptoms for help on improving your work environment.

If you do speak to your employer and a doctor has diagnosed you with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, and your employer does nothing what should you do?

What Should I Do Once I Have Been Diagnosed with HAVS?

If you have been diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome and your employer has done nothing to help you, then we can help you claim the compensation to which you are entitled. Our specialist industrial injury team can run your case under a no win, no fee agreement – so if you don’t win your case , you pay us nothing.

Hand arm vibration syndrome compensation is your legal right – so you shouldn’t worry about contacting our specialist solicitors to help you pursue your claim.

Here at How To Claim Compensation, we can help. Our claims experts are experienced in dealing with this type of claim and are waiting to hear from you. Simply enter the details of your HAVS injury into the question box above and we will call you or send you a personal email response within the hour. This service is free, confidential and you will be under no obligation.

Want To Know How To Claim Compensation For HAVS? Call us now

For FREE initial phone advice, and a FREE 1st appointment from expert Solicitors on Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome compensation claims;

• Call our team now on FREEPHONE 0800  1404544 or

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