Fingers and Thumbs – Injury Claim Worth_.

Based on the following sampling of case law, the range for general damages awarded for suffering from injuries to fingers and thumbs as a result of an accident is between $28,097 – $89,624 [adjusted for 2023 inflation rates]. The general damage award amounts for each individual case below have not been adjusted for inflation. For your convenience, the Bank of Canada Inflation Calculator can be accessed here.

As described in our General Damages Guide, these awards are only for general damages which compensate you for your pain and suffering. There are other types of damages that you may be entitled to claim, such as lost income and medical care costs, depending on the circumstances of your case. To assess the total value of your injury claim, try our Injury Claim Calculator or book a free consultation.

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The case law

Carr-McNeill v. Cape D’Or et al., 2020 PESC 5

• The plaintiff injured her middle finger after slipping and falling on the defendant’s property. She attended treatment for some six years following her fall and did not attain full mobility of her finger. She was awarded $60,000 for general damages and her loss of future earning capacity combined.

Parasiliti v. Beatty et al., 2015 ONSC 6253 

• The plaintiff, while exercising a friend’s dog was yanked forward and fell on her left hand. She sustained three badly broken fingers that needed surgery. The plaintiff was left with permanent stiffness in the middle, ring and baby fingers of her left hand. Her finger dexterity has also been permanently impaired. Her general damages were assessed at $40,000.

Dhaliwal v. Premier Fitness Clubs Inc., 2012 ONSC 4711

• The plaintiff was using a leg press machine at the defendant’s gym when the weight stack fell on his pinky finger, which resulted in the loss of the end of that finger on his dominant hand. He suffered decreased grip strength, cold intolerance, hypersensitivity, and discomfort. He required two surgeries. He received $25,000 in general damages.

A & L Plumbing & Heating Ltd. v. Ridge Tool Co., 2008 SKQB 77

• The 40-year-old plaintiff was injured when the thumb part of his left mitt was caught in a rotating cable while at work. His thumb was nearly severed, and he required reconstructive surgery. He missed 8 ½ weeks of work. The plaintiff’s thumb deteriorated over time. His grip strength and ability to carry heavy objects was significantly restricted. He suffered from chronic thumb and hand pain and substantial impairment of his enjoyment of life. He received $60,000 in general damages.

Lumanlan v. Sadler, 2008 BCSC 1554

• The 25-year-old plaintiff suffered a serious injury to her non-dominant left hand in a single vehicle accident in which she was a passenger. The skin was torn from the back of her hand, exposing her tendons. She suffered a fractured middle finger, which was surgically repaired. Some of her finger joints were fused, and 7 surgeries were required, including skin grafts taken from the thigh, to repair her injuries. She showed signs of osteoarthritis and had significant scarring on both her hand and thigh, which caused her to be self-conscious. She received $50,000 in general damages.

Hodgins v. Barnes, 2007 CanLII 19258 (ON SC)

• The plaintiff was an assistant coach with the Oshawa Generals hockey team. He was standing on the team bench with his left hand resting on the dividing glass that separates the team benches when his left hand was struck by a hockey stick wielded by the defendant. The plaintiff experienced fractures to his left hand which clinically and radiologically healed, but the plaintiff had residual intermittent pain in his left hand at the base of his fourth and fifth fingers. The plaintiff was still able to participate in a number of his pre-accident activities. The plaintiff was awarded $20,000 in general damages.

Jahangiri-Bojani v. Brudderer, 2001 BCSC 1371

• The plaintiff was a 15-year-old student at a secondary school in North Vancouver.  He suffered partial amputation of two fingers of his non-dominant left hand as a result of injuries suffered when the fingers were cut by a wood cutting machine. The plaintiff was active in sports prior to the injury. After the injury, he did not play basketball nor baseball. The injury left him with impaired grip strength. The plaintiff was awarded $27,500 in general damages.

Chiorando v. Thelland, 1995 CanLII 668 (BC SC)

• The 44-year-old plaintiff had two of his fingers amputated as a result of a log splitting accident. He was a self-employed house painter. The loss of his fingers weakened the grip of his dominant hand by fifty percent. In order to compensate for the deficiencies in his right hand, he made greater use of his left hand and arm. This aggravated a pre-existing problem with his left shoulder. Following this accident, he did not partake in the outdoor recreational activities that he was previously involved in. He also had difficulty with daily activities. General damages were assessed at $50,000.