A burn injury can be physically and emotionally traumatic. Depending on the severity of the incident, your skin, tissue and vital organs can be affected. There is also often a cosmetic impact, which can negatively affect a person’s self-confidence and mental health. If you have suffered thermal, chemical, or electrical burns due to a third party’s failure to protect your health and safety, you may have grounds to make a burn injury claim.
Key Takeaways
- Burn compensation claims can arise because of collisions on the road, electrical accidents in public spaces, and direct contact with corrosive substances at work
- Burns often occur due to a lack of personal protective equipment, faulty equipment and inadequate training
- The severity of your burn will be taken into account when calculating the compensation
- You can also recover various financial losses, such as the cost of private laser treatment or cosmetic surgery
- Burn injury compensation can also account for psychological conditions that have arisen due to the incident
You are likely looking for straightforward answers to determine whether you have a valid personal injury claim. Our advisors can help you with this. They provide free case assessments to understand the specific circumstances of your burn injury and how this has affected various aspects of your life. You may even be able to work with an expert solicitor from our panel, who would provide dedicated legal services to make this simpler for you. Why wait when an advisor could assist you right now?
- Ring 020 8050 4194.
- Fill out our quick contact form.
- Message an advisor via our on-screen live chat.
Jump To A Section
- Can I Make A Burn Injury Claim?
- What Accidents Could Lead To A Burn Injury?
- Are There Different Types Of Burns I Can Claim For?
- What Are The Complications Of Burn Injuries?
- What Burn Injury Compensation Could I Claim?
- What Evidence Will I Need To Bring A Burn Injury Claim?
- How Long After Sustaining Burns Can I Claim Compensation?
- What Services Does No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct Offer?
- Burn Injury Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis
- More Information
Can I Make A Burn Injury Claim?
Yes, you can make a burn injury claim if the harm you suffered, such as electrical injuries or thermal skin damage, resulted from another party’s negligent actions or inactions. Whether you sustained a chemical burn at work or severe road rash in a motorcycle accident, you need to be able to show that you have a valid claim by meeting the following criteria:
- You were owed a duty of care at the time of the burn injury: You may have heard the term ‘duty of care’ before. Simply put, this means that a person or organisation has certain legal responsibilities when it comes to safeguarding you. In the context of burn injuries, this may include occupiers of public spaces (e.g., restaurants and stores) inspecting hot-water systems or employers performing maintenance on electrical wiring.
- A breach of duty occurred: This happens when a party fails to meet their specific legal obligations. Examples include cafés serving hot drinks in unsuitable containers, or engineering companies failing to provide heat-resistant gloves to staff working with welding tools.
- You suffered a burn injury: When this breach of duty has caused you to suffer a burn injury, you may have valid grounds to seek burn injury compensation. The degree of the burn will be taken into account, as will any associated scarring, cosmetic impact, and psychological trauma.
If you’re wondering whether your situation might qualify for a burn claim, you can get in touch with our advisors. They will assess the details of your case and explain whether a solicitor from our panel could represent you. This is a great way to get the straightforward answers you need.
What Accidents Could Lead To A Burn Injury?
Various accidents could lead to a burn injury, including high-speed road collisions, scalding incidents in cafés or other public places, and electrical hazards at work. See below for examples of these different accidents and when you can claim.
Burn Injuries Sustained In A Road Traffic Accident
All road users, such as pedestrians, drivers, motorcyclists, and cyclists, owe a duty to avoid causing harm to each other. They must also follow road laws and guidance set out by the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Highway Code. You might be able to make a burn injury claim after a road traffic accident if, for example:
- A car is going well above the speed limit, and the driver cannot stop in time as they approach a red light. It crashes into the back of your motorcycle, causing you to skid across the road and suffer severe road rash that leaves you with permanent scarring to your legs, arms and the side of your torso.
Workplace Accident Sustained Burn Injuries
Many workplace accidents can also give rise to burn injury claims. This is because employers need to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety, as established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). You could seek compensation if:
- While working in a laboratory, a corrosive chemical splashed into your eye because your employer failed to provide you with safety goggles. The burn leaves you with permanent sight loss in one of your eyes and long-lasting anxiety.
Burn Injuries Sustained In A Public Place Accident
When you are in a public place, the party responsible for the space must take practical action to ensure your reasonable safety as a visitor. This is owed to the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 (OLA). For instance, you might have grounds to seek compensation for the following scenario:
- While visiting a café, you plug your laptop into a power outlet intended for customer use. The socket sparks and gives you a serious electric shock, resulting in third-degree burns to your right hand. The owner was aware of the faulty wiring but made no effort to repair the socket or to prevent its use.
If you have experienced a similar incident or want to know more information, don’t hesitate to contact our advisory team. They are available 24/7, ensuring a quick response to your questions, reviewing your case’s eligibility and explaining the next steps you can take.
Are There Different Types Of Burns I Can Claim For?
Yes, there are different types of burns you can claim compensation for, including thermal, electrical, friction, and chemical burns. You can learn more about these below:
- Thermal burns: These occur when there is direct contact with a heat source, such as scalding liquids or open flames
- Electrical burns: Happen when part of the body comes into contact with a live electrical current. This can cause both surface burns and significant damage to deep tissue and internal organs
- Friction burns: Often referred to as road rash, friction burns are frequently sustained in collisions involving motorcyclists and cyclists. This type of burn results from the skin being scraped along a rough surface, such as tarmac
- Chemical burns: Typically result from eye or skin exposure to harsh or hazardous substances, such as industrial cleaners and bleach
No matter the type of burn you suffered, you may have grounds to make a burn injury claim if it was caused by another party’s negligent actions. Talk to our advisory team to discuss the cause of your injuries and how they have impacted you.
What Are The Complications Of Burn Injuries?
The complications of burn injuries often include scarring, pain and psychological distress. Immediately after a burn, you may experience red, peeling skin, blisters, and swelling. Serious issues can arise in cases involving severe burns, including:
- Shock: The body can go into shock due to severe burns if a significant drop in blood pressure results in vital organs being deprived of oxygen. This can result in long-lasting damage and be life-threatening
- Infections: When a burn leads to an open wound, the area becomes particularly vulnerable to bacterial infection. Without prompt treatment, this may lead to the development of sepsis
- Heat exhaustion: Burns can lead to hypothermia, as significant skin damage may impair the body’s ability to regulate heat. In some cases, this can lead to dizziness, breathing issues, or even a loss of consciousness
- Scarring: Depending on the depth and location of a burn injury, scarring can have significant cosmetic effects and adversely impact mental health. Scars may also cause contractures, in which the mobility of the joints and limbs is restricted
Your burn injury compensation can account for the different ways in which you have suffered. Our advisors are available 24/7, so you can get in touch to find out how a compensation award could help you move forward.
What Burn Injury Compensation Could I Claim?
Your burn injury compensation would cover the pain and suffering associated with the burn. This comes under a part of the compensation known as general damages, which can also cover any potential impact that your injuries have had on your relationships and leisure activities.
As part of the assessment of general damages, legal professionals often use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a set of compensation guidelines brackets for different types and severities of injury.
We have included some JCG figures below, which may be relevant to your burn injuries. Please note that when reading these, there is no guarantee of how much burn injury compensation you could be entitled to. The guidelines cannot reflect the specific circumstances of your case, and the highest-valued entry is not taken from the JCG.
| Type and Severity of Injury | Compensation Guidelines Bracket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple severe injuries with financial harm | Up to £500,000 or more | Includes special damages for private cosmetic treatment, laser treatment, and lost earnings |
| Bodily scarring- burns covering at least 40% of the body | Likely to exceed £127,930 | Factors that will impact compensation includes the percentage of the body that has been burned, cosmetic impact and psychological effects |
| Bodily scarring- 1 disfiguring scar or multiple noticeable laceration scars | £9,560 to £27,930 | Scarring may impact the chest, back, leg(s), arm(s) or hand(s) |
| Facial scarring- very severe | £36,340 to £118,790 | Impacting someone who is typically aged between the teens and early 30s, with severe psychological effects and cosmetic disfigurement |
| Facial scarring- less severe | £21,920 to £59,090 | Substantial disfigurement with significant psychological impact |
| Facial scarring- significant scarring | £11,120 to £36,720 | Plastic surgery may reduce some of the worst effects and the psychological impact will not be great |
| Facial scarring- less significant scarring | £4,820 to £16,770 | The person's appearance may be marred but does not markedly impact them, nor is the psychological reaction more than that of a regularly sensitive person |
Can Financial Losses Be Compensated In A Burn Injury Claim?
Yes, you can also recover your financial losses under a burn injury claim. This part of the compensation is referred to as special damages. These allow you to add various costs to your case, including:
- Lost income due to time taken off work to recover from the burn
- The cost of private medical treatment, such as specialist creams and skin grafts
- Payment for laser treatments to reduce the effects of scarring, or specialist UV-protective clothing
- Travel expenses made to get treatment for your burns
- Professional care costs required to help you with certain tasks
- Home adjustment payments, for instance, if your burns have restricted your mobility, you may have a stairlift installed
In order to recover any of these costs, it will be necessary to prove each expense. You can do this by supplying receipts, invoices, bank statements, or payslips.
Understanding the different costs that you may be able to add to a burn injury claim can be complicated. Speak with a friendly advisor today to learn more about personal injury compensation and how it is calculated. They will assess the unique aspects of your case that might impact the amount of compensation awarded in a successful claim. This is a free service which is offered without any pressure to start legal proceedings.
What Evidence Will I Need To Bring A Burn Injury Claim?
The evidence you will need to bring a burn injury claim can include before-and-after photographs showing disfigurement or scarring, as well as a copy of any accident book report made. Other ways to support your claim include medical records, such as notes from specialist burn units, and CCTV footage of the incident. It is also a good idea to get the contact details of anyone who witnessed your accident. Your solicitor can later contact them to collect eyewitness accounts.
That said, the nature of your evidence will depend on your specific circumstances. You can read more about proving a personal injury claim in our dedicated evidence guide. Our enquiries team can also answer your questions and provide advice that is tailored to your situation.
The journey begins with a no-obligation consultation. We assess your injury and evidence to explain your options clearly. If suitable, you'll be offered a No Win No Fee agreement immediately. Your dedicated solicitor gathers medical records and witness statements. We handle all communication with the negligent party and work tirelessly to prove their liability while you focus on recovery. We negotiate your settlement to ensure you receive the maximum compensation. If successful, a pre-agreed success fee is taken, and the remaining funds are paid directly to you. No success, no fee.About The No Win No Fee Claims Process
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How Long After Sustaining Burns Can I Claim Compensation?
After sustaining a burn injury, you will usually have 3 years from the date of the accident to make a claim. This is owed to the Limitation Act 1980. There are certain cases in which this time limit can be paused, as some claimants are unable to make decisions regarding a burn injury claim during this period. To learn about these various exceptions, you can read our time limit guide. You may find it simpler to speak directly with one of our advisors, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
What Services Does No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct Offer?
The services offered by our panel of specialist solicitors are based on open communication and in-depth knowledge of personal injury law. Therefore, should you work with them, you can expect to benefit from:
- Help when proving the severity of your burn and how exactly another party is liable
- Connecting you to specialist dermatologists, counsellors, and cosmetic surgeons experienced with treating burn injury-related trauma
- Negotiating for a burn compensation amount that reflects the cosmetic impact, care needs, and any long-term requirement for skin grafts or laser treatment
- Highlighting key legal phrasing and what is required of you at each stage of the claims process
- Organising an independent medical assessment to confirm the degree and impact of your burn injuries
Having the support of a solicitor from our panel could make your experience of claiming much more straightforward. They understand the legal process and what support you will need. Enquire today to learn more about the work of our panel and whether they can take your case forward.
Burn Injury Compensation On A No Win No Fee Basis
You can make a burn injury claim on a No Win No Fee basis with a solicitor from our panel. To access this arrangement, you will need to sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). Following this, you will be represented without having to pay fees for your solicitor’s work for the entirety of the claim, including:
- Before the claim starts
- As the burn injury claim progresses
- If burn injury compensation is not given to you
However, should you receive a compensation settlement, you will be asked to pay a success fee. This is a percentage of the compensation that you owe to your solicitor. There is a legally enforced cap in place to limit the percentage that can be taken, meaning that your interests are well protected.
Contact No Win No Fee Lawyers Direct
Committing to legal representation can seem intimidating, especially if you have unanswered questions. Our advisory team is available to help you with anything you’re unsure of. This applies whether you are hoping to check your eligibility for a burn injury claim, have your potential compensation award assessed, or learn more about the benefits of working with our panel. Get in touch today for the chance to start claiming compensation:
- Ring 020 8050 4194.
- Fill out our quick contact form.
- Message an advisor via our on-screen live chat.
More Information
Read some of our other guides below:
- Learn about wrist injury claims
- Find out how to claim compensation for a head injury
- Visit our guide on neck injury claims
External resources:
- Read the NHS guidance on burns and scalds
- Check whether you could qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Visit the NHS information on mental health support
Thank you for taking the time to read this guide on how to make a burn injury claim.