Written by: David Cossalter If you have injured your knee, leg or foot, you may find it affects your ability to work, move, and manage everyday tasks, sometimes for months and sometimes permanently. Depending on how and where the injury occurred, you may be entitled to compensation.
In this April 2026 guide, we’ll walk you through the types of injuries that may support a claim, which type of claim applies to your situation, and what compensation can include.
What types of knee, leg and foot injuries can lead to a compensation claim?
Most serious injuries to the knee, leg or foot caused by another party’s negligence may be eligible for compensation. What you may be entitled to will depend on the severity of your injury and how it has affected your ability to work and recover.
Knee injuries
The knee is one of the most complex joints in the body, and injuries can range from ligament tears to fractures requiring surgery. According to Safe Work Australia, knee injuries alone account for 20 per cent of all serious claims involving slips, trips, and falls.
Common knee injuries that may support a compensation claim include:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or medial collateral ligament (MCL) tears
- Meniscus tears
- Patellar fractures and dislocations
- Cartilage damage
- Post-surgical complications, including cases where a medical negligence claim may apply.
Leg injuries
Leg injuries can vary in severity and may have a lasting impact on your ability to work and recover.
These can include:
- Fractures to the femur, tibia, or fibula
- Soft tissue and nerve damage
- Compartment syndrome
- Partial or full amputation of a lower limb.
Foot and ankle injuries
Foot and ankle injuries are among the most common serious lower limb claims. Safe Work Australia notes that ankle injuries make up 19 per cent of all serious claims.
Common injuries that may support a claim include:
- Fractures to the foot, heel, or ankle bones
- Ligament tears, including Achilles tendon ruptures
- Crush injuries
- Tendon damage and chronic joint instability.
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Which type of compensation claim applies to your injury?
The type of claim available to you depends on how and where your injury occurred. The same knee injury sustained at work, on the road, or in a shopping centre may be handled under entirely different schemes, with different rules, entitlements, and time limits.
| How the injury occurred | Claim type | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Injured at work | Workers compensation | A no-fault scheme that covers medical treatment and income support while you recover. If your injury was caused by your employer’s negligence, you may also be able to pursue a common law claim for damages. |
| Injured in a motor vehicle accident | Compulsory Third Party (CTP) claim | CTP insurance is attached to the vehicle involved in the accident. This applies whether you were a driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist. |
| Injured in a public place | Public liability claim | If you were injured due to the negligence of a property owner, business, or local council, you may be able to make a public liability claim. |
| Injured due to a medical error | Medical negligence claim | If a surgical error, misdiagnosis, or failed procedure caused or worsened your injury, a medical negligence claim may be available. |
Case summary
Our client was an 86-year-old man who developed a pressure sore while in hospital for an unrelated procedure, which resulted in the amputation of his right leg. While the hospital admitted liability, they argued his future care needs were minimal given his age. GMP Law obtained expert evidence from a nurse, an infectious diseases specialist, an occupational therapist, a prosthetist, and a rehabilitation physician to demonstrate that he had been active and otherwise healthy before the injury. The matter settled out of court for over $720,000, with certain family members also receiving compensation for nervous shock.
As with all personal injury matters, outcomes depend on the specific circumstances of the injury and the individual involved.
What compensation may be available for a knee, leg or foot injury?
If you have been injured and another party was responsible, compensation may be available to help with the financial and personal impact of your injury. What you may be entitled to will depend on how the injury occurred, how serious it is, and how it has affected your ability to work and recover.
Compensation may include:
- Past and future medical and hospital expenses
- Rehabilitation and treatment costs, including physiotherapy and specialist care
- Past and future loss of income
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Pain and suffering (general damages)
- Home care or domestic assistance needs
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to the injury, including travel costs for treatment.
How much compensation can you receive for a knee, leg or foot injury?
Compensation for a knee, leg or foot injury depends on the severity of your injury, how it affects your ability to work, and the long-term impact on your life. In past cases, GMP Law have settled claims involving serious lower limb injuries ranging from $25,000 for minor injuries to over $500,000 for more serious.
Here’s how compensation for knee, leg or foot injuries are typically assessed:
| Injury outcome | Typical compensation considerations |
|---|---|
| Short-term injury with full recovery | Compensation is likely to focus on medical treatment, rehabilitation costs, and any income lost during recovery. Once you return to work without ongoing symptoms, the claim generally reflects the immediate financial impact of the injury. |
| Serious injury requiring surgery or extended rehabilitation | Claims may include hospital treatment, surgery, physiotherapy, and longer periods of income loss. If recovery takes several months, reduced earning capacity during that period may also be considered. |
| Injury affecting your ability to return to previous work | If the injury prevents you from returning to the same occupation, compensation may include future loss of earning capacity. This is particularly relevant where physical injuries prevent manual work or where ongoing symptoms limit your working hours. |
| Permanent impairment or amputation | Where the injury causes long-term or permanent impairment, compensation may also include pain and suffering damages. In cases where a leg has been amputated, compensation can be substantial. How much you may receive will depend on the level of amputation, your age, your occupation, and how the injury has affected your ability to work and your quality of life. |
Knee, foot, or leg injuries in New South Wales
In New South Wales, compensation for knee, foot, and leg injuries is assessed under the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW). Damages are split into economic loss and non-economic loss (pain and suffering), with the latter calculated as a percentage of a statutory maximum that is indexed annually.
For the 2025–2026 year, the maximum for non-economic loss is approximately $804,000. This is indexed every year in October.
A claimant must generally reach at least 15% of a most extreme case before any award for pain and suffering is available, with higher percentages applied to more serious and permanent injuries. In practice, compensation for leg, knee, or foot injuries will depend on how the injury affects your ability to work, function day-to-day, and whether there is long-term impairment.
Case study: $1.3 million NSW settlement for severe leg and spinal injuries
Our client underwent major vascular surgery in NSW and suffered serious post-operative complications that resulted in permanent leg and spinal injuries. Following the procedure, they developed severe complications, including infection, sepsis, kidney failure requiring ongoing dialysis, and a spinal cord infarction that caused paraplegia.
The injuries resulted in permanent mobility impairment, ongoing medical treatment, extensive care needs, and a significant loss of independence and quality of life. The claim involved complex medical evidence and took more than 50 months to resolve due to the severity of the injuries and the long-term impact on the client’s future care and treatment needs.
The matter ultimately settled for $1.3 million to compensate for ongoing medical care, loss of mobility, treatment expenses, and future support needs.
As with all medical negligence matters, outcomes depend on the specific circumstances of the case and the severity of the injuries involved.
Knee, foot, or leg injuries in Queensland
In Queensland, pain and suffering damages for permanent impairment are assessed using the Injury Scale Value (ISV). The ISV is a numerical scale that reflects the severity of the injury and its impact on your life.
As of July 2025:
- A serious knee injury carries an ISV range of 11 to 24, which corresponds to general damages of approximately $23,115 to $61,995
- An extreme knee injury carries an ISV range of 25 to 40, corresponding to approximately $65,355 to $127,365
- And where amputation is involved, the figures are significantly higher, above-knee amputation of one lower limb, for example, carries an ISV range of 35 to 50, corresponding to approximately $104,780 to $175,775.
These figures apply to general damages only, and the total compensation may also include medical expenses, lost income, and other economic losses, which are assessed separately.
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How do you make a claim for a knee, leg or foot injury?
If you have been injured and believe another party was responsible, the steps you take after the incident can help you pursue compensation. In many cases, the evidence that supports a claim is easiest to gather in the days immediately after the accident.
Step-by-step, here's what to do:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Medical records create an early record of the injury and help establish that it was caused by the incident.
- Report the incident through the right channel. If you were injured at work, report it to your employer. If the injury occurred in a public place, report it to the business, council, or property manager responsible. If it involved a motor vehicle, contact the police.
- Document the scene. Take photographs of the hazard or accident scene, note the exact location, and collect the names and contact details of any witnesses.
- Keep records of all expenses and time off work. Medical bills, treatment records, and any income lost during recovery will help establish the financial losses caused by the injury.
- Seek legal advice early. Time limits apply to all types of claims and vary depending on how the injury occurred. Getting advice early helps ensure you do not miss any relevant deadlines.
- Lodge the formal claim. Your lawyer can help you identify the correct scheme or insurer and ensure the claim is lodged with the right supporting evidence.
What are the time limits for making a claim?
Time limits apply to all knee, leg and foot injury claims, and missing a deadline can affect your ability to pursue compensation. The limits vary depending on the type of claim and the state or territory where the injury occurred.
| Claim type | Key time limits |
|---|---|
| Workers compensation | You should report your injury to your employer as soon as possible. A formal claim must generally be lodged within six months of the injury occurring, though this varies by state. |
| CTP (motor vehicle accident) | You must notify the relevant insurer within a set period after the accident, which varies by state. Where injuries are serious, additional time limits apply to common law claims. |
| Public liability | You generally have three years from the date of injury to commence a claim. If the claim involves a council or government authority, written notice may be required within a shorter timeframe. |
| Medical negligence | You generally have three years from the date of injury, or from the date you became aware that negligence may have caused the injury, though this varies by state. |
Common challenges in knee, leg and foot injury claims
In some knee, leg and foot injury claims, the insurer may question how the injury occurred, dispute the severity of your injury, or argue that a pre-existing condition was responsible. Knowing where these issues commonly come up can help you take the right steps from the outset.
Disputed medical assessments
The full impact of a knee or leg injury is not always clear in the early weeks, particularly where further surgery may be needed or where symptoms affect your ability to return to your previous work. Seeking advice before you have a complete medical picture can mean accepting less than you may be entitled to.
Pre-existing conditions
If you had a prior knee, leg or foot condition before the accident, you may still be entitled to compensation if the accident made it worse. The key question is the extent to which the incident contributed to your current condition.
Proving the cause of the injury
In public liability and workplace claims, evidence gathered shortly after the accident is often what determines the outcome. Photographs of the scene, witness statements, and incident reports can all make a significant difference to the strength of your claim.
Key takeaway
If you have been injured, seek medical attention and document the scene as soon as possible. The evidence that supports a claim is easiest to gather in the days immediately after the accident.
