Wards Solicitors’ Richard Green successfully settles Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome case
Associate Solicitor Richard Green recently concluded a successful claim on behalf of Tim, a professional gardener, who developed Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (or ‘HAVS’) after years of using vibrating tools at work.
Tim’s experience is unfortunately typical of many people affected by HAVS and his injuries have had a major impact on his day-to-day life.
Tim has given Richard permission to write about his experience in the hope that it helps others.
What problems does Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome cause?
Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome is a diagnosis given to the harm caused to the hands and arms as a result of excessive exposure to vibrating power tools including hammer drills, concrete breakers, powered mowers and chainsaws.
There are two types of damage:
- Vascular damage affecting the blood vessels and causes blanching or whitening of the fingers and palms. This is what people often refer to as ‘Vibration White Finger’.
- Physical and neurological damage affecting the joints and nerves in the hands and arms. This can affect manual dexterity and grip strength, cause sensory changes and pain. It is this aspect of HAVS that is less well known to most people.
Once the damage is done, it is permanent.
Click here to read what we’ve previously written on this subject including the causes of HAVS and what you need to know.
The background to Tim’s claim
Tim is employed by a care home near Bristol as a gardener and groundskeeper. This job included cutting hedges, trees and grass using power tools such as strimmers, hedge cutters, blowers and chainsaws. All of these power tools vibrate and that vibration is transmitted to the hands during use.
In Tim’s case, his employer did not properly maintain these tools, meaning the amount of vibration increased significantly. Combined with long working hours, this resulted in damage to Tim’s hands, wrists and lower arms.
Injuries caused
Tim experienced blanching in his fingers, especially in the cold and when he used his hands. His hands also ached in cold weather. His main difficulty is neurological damage with numbness, tingling, pain and reduced grip in both hands.
Tim was able to continue working for his employer as a gardener. However, his role was much reduced. He is unable to use power tools anymore, so his job role is restricted to smaller jobs. His future work options are limited because he will find it difficult to find other work because of his disability.
Before working for the Defendant, Tim was self-employed. However, it would also be almost impossible for him to return to self-employment because that would require him to use lawn mowers and power tools such as hedge trimmers, which he now cannot do without risking making his HAVS worse.
Tim’s injuries also affect his day-to-day life. He and his partner heat their home using log burners and he is no longer able to chop the wood needed because of the effects of HAVS.
Tim also needs help with any gardening requiring the use of power tools. Even using a simple fork and trowel is painful for Tim especially if he hits something hard, such as a stone, or digs into hard ground. Naturally, this is a problem for Tim at work as well as at home.
Effect on mental health
Like many of my clients with Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome, Tim’s injuries have had a significant effect on his mental health.
It often starts with the way HAVS sufferers are initially dealt with by their employer and the worry about job security. Then, long-term, these types of injuries often affect a person’s sense of self-worth because they cannot do the things they used to do.
Tim told me he worried about how he was perceived by his colleagues because he could not use the same tools or do the same work as them. Because he couldn’t work alongside them, he lost a sense of camaraderie with his workmates which created a sense of loneliness at work that was difficult to come to terms with. For Tim, there was a huge feeling of losing his identity.
Closing thoughts
In my experience, people with Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome are generally very practical people who are used to manual work. They very often enjoy working outdoors. I’ve worked for gardeners in the past with HAVS and, for them, gardening and working out of doors is like a vocation. They use their hands to provide for themselves and their family. It is something they love doing, and a diagnosis of HAVS takes that away from them.
I am of course pleased I was able to negotiate a good settlement for Tim. However, I know these difficulties are going to be lifelong and the damages he received aren’t going to take those difficulties away.
In HAVS cases, we can’t go back in time and stop the injury from happening. However, I will always do my best to ensure that my client’s disabilities, the effect on their income and their daily lives are fully reflected in any settlement or court award so that my client is in as secure a position as possible for the future.
Get in touch
If you have developed symptoms after using vibrating tools at work, it is important to seek medical advice.
If you are then diagnosed with Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), an experienced solicitor like myself who specialises in this area may be able to help you pursue compensation.
About Richard
Wards Solicitors is highlighted in the independent Legal 500 Guide for 2026 with our Personal Injury (claimant) service area singled out for particular praise.
Associate Solicitor, Richard Green, is highly experienced in this area of the law.
Wards has offices throughout Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire and, if your illness means that you can’t get to one of our offices, Richard is happy to do a home visit.
For a free initial consultation:
- Email richard.green@wards.uk.com
- Phone: 0117 929 2811