It is the biggest industrial compensation deal ever made. VWF is a condition triggered by the prolonged use of vibrating tools. It can damage blood vessels, reducing blood supply, and also the nerves in the fingers, causing permanent loss of strength and sensation in the fingers. The bones and muscles may also become damaged.
Sufferers lose their flexibility and strength of grip.
Cold temperatures usually set off symptoms of VWF, so even hobbies such as swimming, gardening and angling are impossible. An attack starts with the fingers becoming white and causes numbness, or pins and needles. The whiteness changes to a deep red flush that is excruciatingly painful. It's not simply 'Oh how wonderful'. It raises a whole number if issues.