What is White Finger Vibration?

Dead finger, vibration white finger and hand arm vibration syndrome are all names for the same industrial injury caused by the continuous and prolonged use of hand-held machinery that vibrates. This recognised injury affects thousands of workers a year and vibration white finger claims are on the increase.

Operated or hand held tools such as fettlers, chainsaws, jackhammers, pencil and angle grinders, lathes, still saws and chainsaws plus many other types of tools and machinery can cause vibration white finger syndrome. It is common that the more exposure you have to vibration, the worse your symptoms become.

Symptoms of this disorder are fingers turning white from the finger pad up to the first or second knuckle and a tingling or numbness of fingers and hands. You can have tingling or numb hands without the whiteness, or white fingers without any numbness or tingling.

The vibrations can affect your nerves, muscles, connective tissues, blood vessels and joints of the arm, wrist and hand, leaving them damaged and painful to use. The condition can have an effect on your ability to perform dexterous tasks, like undoing buttons or tying your shoelaces. It can affect your grip, meaning everyday tasks become more difficult or even impossible to carry out.

In extreme cases, this condition can cause the loss of fingers. The damage has a cumulative effect in that when the symptoms first occur they tend to disappear after a short period of time. However, if exposure to the vibrations continues for extended periods of time, such as months or years, the damage can worsen and may even become permanent.

The loss of a functioning hand can have catastrophic consequences on both personal life and work life. Vibration white finger claims can be beneficial for individuals whose quality of life is suffering due to this condition. It is a debilitating condition and should not be dismissed or underestimated.

If your doctor deems the injury as severe, it will be important to visit medical negligence solicitors in Liverpool (If you live in the locality) – as they can offer their expert advice on what steps should be undertaken.