Can I claim compensation for a burn injury?
The simple answer is – YES! Have you suffered a burn injury caused by the negligence of someone else? If you have, you have the right to make a claim for personal injury compensation. Burns can be serious and in the worst cases can leave permanent scarring and disfigurement.
The extent of your injury will normally be assessed as part of your claim and professional burn claims experts will be able to calculate the appropriate amount of your claim based on the physical and emotional impact of your injuries as well as any long term consequences related to the burn injury you suffered.
Serious burns are more common than you might think, with thousands of people admitted to burns units or ER each year in the UK. Burns can be caused by various items or situations and there are varying degrees of burns classified based on their severity: first degree burns are generally superficial and third degree burns are the most serious, often damaging the epidermis (outer skin layer) as well as the dermis (lower skin layer).
Here are some common causes of burn injuries
Burn injuries can be caused by a variety of items which are commonplace in everyday life at home, work or elsewhere. But it’s not just the obvious hot objects which can burn, such as a boiling kettle or hot items in the workplace. Chemicals, electricity, acids, friction and even severe cold can cause burn injuries.
Impact of burns
While the majority of everyday burns suffered by people tend to be minor in nature, and can usually be treated with a home first aid kit – more serious burn injuries require correct medical attention and in some severe cases hospitalization and physical therapy in order to fully recover.
Severe burns can impact not only the layers of skin, but also muscle tissue, blood vessels and even bones. Apart from the obvious physical damage – there’s also the emotional anguish and potential financial impact of being absent from work for an extended period of time if the burn is serious.
Internal burns
In addition to superficial burns, it’s also possible to suffer from what are referred to as internal burns; these are the result of inhaling superheated liquids or gases, ingesting chemicals, or as a result of electrocution. These types of burns are more complex in terms of diagnosis, treatment and evaluating the long term impact on the quality of your life – so expert assistance should be sought.
Men are statistically more prone to suffer a serious burn injury, and while almost half of all reported burn injuries occur in the home and the minority occur in the workplace, around one third happen in other situations such as in hair salons, restaurants and other public places.
If you’ve suffered a burn injury which you believe was caused by someone else – you should consider filing a claim for compensation.