By Richie Billing. Last Updated 22nd November 2023. This guide will explain how to claim compensation if you have experienced a burn injury at work. Burn injuries can range from minor burns that affect the outer layer of the skin to severe burns that penetrate deeper. However severe the burn injury is that you sustain, you could be eligible to claim if it happened as a result of employer negligence.
If a worker suffers a burn injury, they may experience severe pain. Severe burns may require skin graft surgery. Patients can also experience emotional distress after suffering burn injuries in the workplace. For example, if the burns result in permanent facial scarring, the injured person may experience an impact on their self-esteem.
Employers have a duty of care towards their workers. So if you experienced burn injuries because of an accident at work that was caused by negligence on the part of your employers, you might be eligible to claim compensation.
Public Interest Lawyers can help you claim compensation for a workplace injury. An experienced solicitor from our panel can handle your claim and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
To begin your claim for workplace burn injuries, please contact us today. To get in touch, you can:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825 to speak to an advisor
- Fill out our contact form
- Speak with an advisor using the live chat feature to the bottom-right of this screen.
Burn injury at work claims guide
Select A Section
- How Much Is My Burn Claim Worth?
- Can I Make A Burn Injury Claim?
- How Could A Burn Injury Occur In The Workplace?
- Could No Win No Fee Solicitors Help Make A Burn Injury At Work Claim?
How Much Is My Burn Claim Worth?
You can use the table we have included below to estimate how much general damages you could be entitled to for a burn injury at work claim. We have used excerpts from the Judicial College to create this table.
This is a publication that is used to help value claims. In addition to this, you will usually be invited to an independent medical assessment as part of your claim. The report that is generated from this assessment will be used to help value your claim.
| Type Of Injury | Severity | Damages | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Injuries Plus Special Damages | Severe | Up to £500,000+ | Multiple severe injuries compounded with substantial monetary losses, including lost earnings, cosmetic aids, and home adjustments. |
| Scarring | n/a | Likely to exceed £104,830 | Serious burn injuries may be awarded significant settlements. In cases where the burn injury covers more than 40% of the persons body damages could be higher than indicated here. |
| Scarring | n/a | £7,830 to £22,730 | There could be a single scar which is disfiguring or a number of laceration scars which are noticeable. |
| Scarring | n/a | £2,370 to £7,830 | Several superficial scars or a single scar which is noticeable. Scars could be on the hands, arms or legs. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Very severe scarring (a) | £29,780 to £97,330 | This bracket might be appropriate for claimants aged between their teens and early 30s. There will have been a severe psychological reaction and the cosmetic effects are very disfiguring. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Less severe scarring (b) | £17,960 to £48,420 | There has been substantial facial disfigurement as well as the person suffering a severe psychological reaction. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Significant scarring (c) | £9,110 to £30,090 | Plastic surgery may reduce the worst effects of the injury. There will be some cosmetic disability and a psychological reaction that is not great or that has diminished to minor proportions. |
| Facial Disfigurement | Less significant scarring (d) | £3,950 to £13,740 | The claimant could have a single scar which can be covered or several smaller scars. Appearance is marred but not markedly affected. |
However, it’s important to note that all claims will be assessed based on their individual circumstances. Because of this, the figures above should only be used as guides and not as guarantees.
Your compensation payout may also include special damages. Special damages are compensation to reimburse you for any financial costs associated with your injuries.
Special damages compensation you can claim includes:
- Medical costs, including the cost of having skin graft surgery or counselling for psychological harm that is not available on the NHS
- Travel costs
- Loss of earnings costs
- Specialist care costs
- Mobility equipment, car and home adaptation costs
For a free, no-obligation assessment of the value of your claim, speak with an advisor from our team today. If they feel that you do have a valid claim, you could be connected with a solicitor from our panel.
Can I Make A Burn Injury Claim?
Employers owe each of their employees a duty of care. As part of this duty, employers should take all reasonably practicable measures to protect their employees from harm while they’re at work. This duty of care is outlined within the Health and Safety At Work etc. Act 1974.
If you have suffered a burn injury at work, then you may be able to make a burn injury claim. However, for your case to be valid, you must meet the personal injury claims eligibility criteria. This is:
- Your employer owed you a duty of care.
- They breached their duty of care.
- You suffered a burn injury as a result of this breach.
If you are eligible to make a personal injury claim, you must ensure that you begin legal proceedings within the limitation period. The Limitation Act 1980 sets this out as 3 years from the date of your accident. However, certain exceptions may apply.
To learn more about burn injury at work claims, including how much is a burn claim worth, or for an example of skin burn at work claims payouts, you can contact our advisors.
How Could A Burn Injury Occur In The Workplace?
Employers are responsible for taking all reasonable steps to prevent burn injuries at work. Below, we have included some examples of how a workplace burn or scald accident can occur:
- Fires at work can cause burn injuries. A workplace should have a fire safety policy in place. If they don’t, and you are injured at work as a result, then you may be able to claim.
- Faulty equipment can cause explosions and fires, leading to burning injuries. Employers should ensure that all equipment is safe and well-maintained.
- Workers can experience chemical burns if their employer has not provided them with the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) and they are expected to handle hazardous materials.
- Chefs working with hot liquids such as oil can suffer burns or scald injuries if an accident occurs. For example, you’re a kitchen worker and you slip and fall, you could be scalded by hot cooking oil. If this slip or fall happened because of employer negligence, then you could be entitled to claim for the burn you sustained. If you experienced multiple injuries, then you could claim compensation for all of them.
You will have to prove the following to claim compensation for a burns accident at work. Firstly, your employer owed you a duty of care. Secondly, you need to show that the employer neglected their duty of care, leading to an accident at work. And thirdly you need to show that you suffered burn injuries as a direct result of the accident.
The personal injury claims time limit in the UK is generally three years. Sometimes, there are exceptions to this rule, however. If you are unsure whether you are within the time limit to start a burn injury at work claim, please contact us today.
Could No Win No Fee Solicitors Help Make A Burn Injury At Work Claim?
Our panel of solicitors are experts in burn injury claims, and could potentially help you through your case if you’ve suffered a burn injury at work. Our panel offer their services on a No Win No Fee basis under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).
When you work with a solicitor under a CFA, you don’t have to pay a fee for them to start working on your claim, nor do you have to pay for their ongoing services. Likewise, if your claim doesn’t succeed, then you won’t pay them a fee for their work on the case.
You’ll pay a small success fee if your claim does succeed, which is taken directly from your compensation as a percentage. However, this percentage is subject to a legal cap, which helps make sure that you keep the larger share of what you receive.
Our advisors are here to help if you’d like to learn more about making a burn injury claim. They can answer questions such as “How much is my burn injury claim worth?” and “How could a No Win No Fee solicitor help me?”. Plus, if they find your claim to be valid, they may connect you with a solicitor from our panel. To get started:
- Call us on 0800 408 7825 to speak to an advisor.
- Fill out our contact form.
- Talk to an advisor through the live chat feature.
Featured Articles And Resources
You are welcome to read these guides to learn more about claiming compensation for a workplace injury.
- £57,300 Compensation Payout For A Burned Hand
- Getting Signed Off Work For A Workplace Injury
- How To Claim For A Manual Handling Accident In The Workplace
- The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is a charity that offers guidance on preventing certain accident types. For example, they have guidance on preventing burns and scalds.
- A guide to burning and scalding hazards in the workplace
- A National Health Service guide to recovering from burns and scalds
Thank you for reading our guide to claiming compensation for a burn injury at work.
Guide by AH
Publisher ET