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  • Burns, Scars & Lacerations At Work Claims

Burns, Scars & Lacerations At Work Claims

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Burns and lacerations are relatively common injuries if you work in an environment where chemicals, extreme heat, electrical equipment or machinery is present. But some burn injuries, cuts and laceration injuries can result in lifelong scarring, causing significant psychological harm and distress.

It’s the responsibility of your employer to minimise workplace dangers, as much as they can, to keep you safe. If you’ve suffered a burn or laceration injury at work, whether big or small, our solicitors could help you make a claim for compensation.

Our solicitors have represented clients who have suffered burns, lacerations and scars in many circumstances:

  • Burn Claims – burns are all too common in professional kitchens and industrial plants such as steel works. We could also help you claim compensation for burn injuries caused by extreme cold or chemical exposure.
  • Laceration Claims – lacerations happen most frequently when a body part comes into contact with a blade or moving machinery part. They can also occur after a fall.
  • Scar Claims – scarring can form once the initial healing process is complete or where surgical treatment has been required to treat the original injury. Scarring can have serious psychological consequences such as depression.

Our workplace accident lawyers have the expertise to help you get your life back on track after an injury. We’ve acted for thousands of clients in workplace-related claims, so we’ve got the experience needed to hold your employer to account for their negligence. With a dedicated team of employment lawyers, we can also advise you on any disputes with your employer.

Most of our cases are funded on a No Win No Fee* basis – this means there’s no financial risk to you when making a claim. We also understand the value of securing rehabilitation and expert medical care, which is why we’ll help you access the support and treatment you need to help recover from your injuries.

Call us free on 0800 056 4110 or contact us online to arrange a free initial consultation about your claim.

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Burns, scars & lacerations - more information

After you’ve contacted us, we’ll set up a free initial consultation to discuss how you were burnt or cut and whether you have a legal claim. We’ll discuss what funding options are available to you to pay for your claim, including No Win No Fee agreements*.

As well as helping you claim compensation, we can also help with your rehabilitation and recovery. If you can’t work because you have been so badly burnt, or if you have psychological issues as a result of scarring, then we can also advise you on benefit entitlements and arrange for the best possible support to help you recover.

We’ll then get in touch with your employer and their insurance company at an early stage to see if they accept the blame for your injuries. If they accept responsibility, we’ll try to secure interim compensation payments which can fund private medical care and ongoing expenses, before your claim fully settles. Any interim payments will be taken out of your final compensation award.

At the start of your claim, we’ll discuss the funding options available, advising you which we think is the most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI), or can access support through trade union membership, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household and car insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.

If you’re worried about taking action against a current employer, because you’re afraid that you might lose your job or be given a bad reference, we can reassure you that laws are in place to protect you. If you’re particularly worried about this, we could put you in touch with our specialist Employment team for detailed and expert advice.

 

Compensation can make a real difference to your life, ensuring that you can access the healthcare and support to make the best recovery you can.

If you have been cut or burned badly at work you may need reconstructive or plastic surgery and even then there may be permanent scars or mental damage.

By making a claim with us, we can get you funds which can help pay for:

  • Private healthcare treatment
  • Physiotherapy
  • Psychological therapy
  • Expenses (such as travel costs to hospital appointments)
  • Loss of income
  • Household adaptations

The amount of compensation you receive will depend on the severity of your burns or scarring. We arrange expert opinions on what care you’ll need to ensure that the compensation we claim will be sufficient.


We can help anyone make a claim who has suffered a burn, laceration or scarring in the workplace - including employees, contractors, members of the public and visitors.

Even if you’re a casual worker or consider yourself to be self-employed, you might still be considered as an employee under UK law, giving you the same rights as other workers when it comes to health and safety.

If you’re an agency worker who has suffered a burn or laceration, both the agency you work for and the owners of the business should take responsibility for your safety. They should work together to make sure that precautions are in place to protect you.

We can also help with claims being made on behalf of others including on behalf of a loved one who has unfortunately passed away.

If you’ve sadly lost a loved one in a workplace accident, we can help you with:

  • Recovering compensation for their pain and suffering, to account for financial losses caused by their death and to cover funeral expenses
  • Representing you at inquest
  • Getting you the answers and apology you deserve from those responsible 

You normally have three years to make a claim from the date of your accident. However, there are some exceptions to this rule:

  • Under 18s – you can claim on behalf of a child who was on work experience or working part-time. No time limits apply in these circumstances until the child turns 18. When the child turns 18 they can make their own claim but the three year time limit will then apply.
  • Mental capacity – you can make a claim on behalf of someone who doesn’t have the ability to do so themselves, including when someone has suffered a serious head/brain injury as a result of their accident. In these circumstances, no time limits apply.
  • Fatal claims – if you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one who died, you’ll either have three years from the date of their death or the date of the accident to make a claim.
Jody Burke quote image

The process of it was very easy, nothing was ever too much of a bother to them, they were always happy to help.”

Jody, client

Frequently asked questions

What are the effects of a burn injury?

Burns and scalding injuries are traumatic, often having long-term effects on your life beyond the immediate pain of the incident itself. The complications and potentially life-changing consequences of a serious burn include:

  • Amputation
  • Blood poisoning (sepsis)
  • Infection
  • Muscle/tissue damage
  • Psychological problems
  • Scarring
  • Toxic shock syndrome

If you’ve suffered from a workplace burn, we could help you make a compensation claim that takes into account the full extent and impact of your injuries. You may need a skin graft operation to replace the skin that’s been affected by the burn – our team can support you if you need to access specialist treatment for this.

Please phone us on 0800 056 4110 for a free initial consultation about your claim, or contact us online.

How do lacerations and deep cuts happen at work?

Lacerations are a common danger in workplaces where machinery and sharp edges are present, although employees can be at risk is less obvious circumstances.

Health and safety law means employers should do as much as reasonably possible to protect their workers from harm. Unfortunately, accidents happen, and if negligence is involved you might be able to make a compensation claim.

Lacerations are sometimes caused by:

  • Defective equipment
  • Inadequate training
  • Inappropriate tools
  • Missing safety guards on machinery
  • A lack of safety equipment – for example gloves, boots and protective aprons

If your injury was a result of employer negligence, we’ll investigate the circumstances around it thoroughly, working out what could or should have been done to prevent it. The effects of a laceration can be severe, including:

  • Muscle damage, leading to restricted limb movement
  • Nerve damage and numbness
  • Wound infection

We’ll make sure that your compensation takes into account any complications associated with the injury, helping you access the specialist support you need.

What if I’ve been scarred as a result of a workplace accident?

We recognise that burns or lacerations that cause scarring can be incredibly traumatic, especially if the scars are in a visible area.

When working on your claim, we’ll make sure that the compensation you receive reflects the damage done to your mental and physical wellbeing. This amount will depend on a number of factors, including the scar’s:

  • Location – facial and especially visible scars usually entitle you to a higher sum, while scarring in certain areas can restrict movement
  • Severity – some scars may require specialist treatment such as a skin graft
  • Size

Our experience in this kind of claim means that we may be able to help you with assessing your psychological injuries and accessing the right cosmetic treatment.

As a firm we know that scars can have a huge impact on your life. As part of our commitment to improving the quality of life of our clients and the victims of accidents more generally, we raise funds for a number of charities and support groups for people with scarring and other disfigurements.

Contact us on 0800 056 4110 for a free initial consultation about making a claim or contact us online and we’ll get back to you.

Read More FAQs

Related services - Burns, scars & lacerations at work claims

Employment Our employment lawyers could help you defend your rights at work
Defective Work Equipment Claims Our team can help if you’ve been injured by a defective piece of equipment
Great Adaptations Find out how home adaptations can improve your independence after a serious injury
Factory Accident Claims We’ve represented many people who were injured in factory accidents

Scottish Flag All Scottish cases will be handled by the Scottish law firm with which we are associated, Irwin Mitchell Scotland LLP. The law relating to funding is different in Scotland and you will receive separate advice about what that means as well as a separate funding agreement.

 

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