Can I Claim for a Burn Injury?

According to data released from NHS England, 130,000 people with burn injuries visit A&E departments each year, with around 10,000 people being admitted into hospital.

If you or a loved one has suffered from a burn injury, you could be entitled to claim compensation. In this article, our specialist personal injury solicitors explain the common causes of a burn injury, the types of burns and how to make a burn injury claim.

What is a Burn Injury?

A burn injury is one of the most serious types of injury a person can suffer, it is damage to the skin and underlying tissue usually caused by dry heat.

During recovery and rehabilitation, a burn can be extremely painful, itchy and cause fatigue. Depending on the severity of the burn they can leave you with permanent scar damage, disfigurement and may require plastic surgery.

Some burn victims recover relatively quickly while some victims may become reliant on other people for long periods of time while they recover.

Burn injuries can cause life changing consequences and can be difficult for the victims to come to terms with especially if their burns were caused by someone else’s negligence or carelessness.

What are the Common Causes of a Burn Injury?

Burns can arise where there are hot objects, electricity and hot liquids. Below are the common causes of a burn injury:

  • At Home – Burns are a potential hazard in every home. They could be caused by house fires and sources of electricity etc.
  • At Work – The most common types of burn injuries in the workplace are thermal, chemical and electrical. For example, an explosion or major chemical leak can cause thermal burns.
  • Road Traffic Accident – Burns caused by a road traffic accident could be because of a vehicle fire or caused by hot surfaces such as metal, steam. Also, friction and explosions can cause burn injuries.
  • Defective and Faulty Products – A burn caused by using defective or faulty products are one of the most preventable types of burns. Electrical and chemically based products can cause the most severe burns. The supplier or manufacturer may be held responsible for burns caused by defective and faulty products.
  • Chemical Burns – Chemicals are found in batteries, mobile phones, hair dyes, skin products and many other consumer products. Therefore, chemical burns are more common than you may think. If you or a family member have suffered a chemical burn from a product, then you should be able to claim compensation.

What are the Different Levels of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are divided into classifications to determine the severity of the burn. Below are the different levels of burn injuries:

  1. First-Degree Burns – These are the least severe types of burns because it only involves the top layer of the skin. The skin may be red, painful and you may experience mild swelling. Most first-degree burns can be treated home following the correct guidance from the NHS.
  2. Second Degree Burns – These types of burns may also be known as Partial Thickness Burns. They involve the first and second lawyers of the skin (the epidermis and part of the dermis). The skin may appear red, blistered, potential swelling and thickening of the skin.
  3. Third Degree Burns – These are serious types of burns and may also be referred to as Full Thickness Burns. They damage the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and the entire layer beneath (the dermis). Sometimes, the deeper tissue can be destroyed. With these types of burns skin grafts may be necessary.

Can I Claim for a Burn Injury?

Yes, if your burn injury was caused by negligence or carelessness, you could be entitled to make a burn injury claim.

Making a claim for a burn injury could help you recover costs for you and your family due to loss of earning due to time taken off work as a result of the burn. The cost of any medical treatment, care and medication and the travel costs and other associated expenses caused by the injury.

If your burn injuries were sustained at work, you should be able to make a claim against your employer. Our personal injury team specialise in burn injuries at work contact our team today on 033 3344 9600 to find out if you could be entitled to make a burn injury claim.

Personal Injury Solicitors

Morrish Solicitors is a long-established law firm based in West Yorkshire providing a range of legal services to clients based both regionally and nationally. We have a highly experienced team of personal injury solicitors who are renowned for recovering significant compensation on behalf of Claimants injured as a result of someone else’s negligence.

Our personal injury team specialise in:

If you or a loved one have suffered injury, illness or disease because of someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. Our solicitors pursue a personal injury claim on your behalf to help you get the support and compensation you deserve after your injury.

We offer a free initial personal injury consultation with our expert team to discuss the nature of your injury.

Please note, personal injury claims are subject to strict 3-year deadline. By law, you must normally submit your claim to the Court within 3 years of your injury.