Burn & Scald
Injury Claims

If a burn or scald injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Burns and scalds are particularly painful injuries that can happen at home, work, or in a public place, and they can lead to potential scarring, and psychological trauma.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a burn or scald injury we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

Key advice when making a burn or scald claim

• Claims can be made for injuries suffered at work, on the road, in a public place or due to a faulty product.
• You can also claim you were burned by a medical professional's negligence, or a burn or scald injury was made worse by poor treatment.
• Compensation can start at £1,890 for minor burn scars, up to £116,300 for severe burns with ongoing pain.
• You have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start a claim.
• Your claim can proceed on a no win, no fee basis.
• The amount of compensation you can claim depends on the severity of your injury, the psychological trauma, and any financial losses or expenses. Use our compensation calculator to find out how much you could receive.
• Compensation for a burn injury can also cover the cost of reconstructive cosmetic surgery.

With over 11,000 burns admissions each year, you are not alone

11,936 patients were admitted to hospital with burns injuries in 2022-23, from an analysis of NHS reports (digital.nhs.uk).

Every year:

• around 250,000 people suffer burn or scald injuries (British Burns Association)
• approximately 130,000 people visit A&E suffering from a burn or scald
• around 10% of A&E patients require inpatient treatment in a specialist burns unit
• around half of patients are children
• 289 children a month require admission to an NHS Burns Service

If you have been burned or scalded as a result of an act or negligence of another party, you may be eligible to make an injury compensation claim. If you decide to make a claim, your personal injury solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you need to move forward.

If you are looking for information on burn symptoms and treatment, visit: burn injuries (nhs.uk).

How much compensation can I claim for a burn or scald?

The compensation you can claim for a burn or scald will depend on:

• the extent of your injury,
• the impact of your injury on your daily life and ability to work,
• any financial impacts or losses resulting from your injury.

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA). Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College (judiciary.uk) and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

Special damages will be awarded for any lost earnings, loss of commission or bonuses, and loss of pension contributions. It may also be possible to claim for loss of future earnings, if the medical prognosis establishes that you won't be able to work for any period in the future.

These damages will also cover the cost of any medical procedures you might need to treat or recover from your burn injury such as cleaning the wound, pain relief, antibiotic ointment and dressing the wound.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Average burn injury general damages compensation table

The following burn injury payouts refer to the Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases, 17th Edition by the Judicial College (oup.com).

These tables are used by solicitors or by the courts as a starting point when calculating your compensation.

Please note: these average figures represent general damages only, and do not include any element of special damages (e.g. lost wages).

Facial scarring

Non-facial body scars

Can I claim compensation for a psychological injury?

Psychiatric harm is less obvious than physical injury, but the consequences can be just as difficult to deal with.

According to our 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey shows that 29.03% of potential claimants sustained a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.

Burn injuries can cause long-term psychological impacts, including trauma, thermophobia (fear of heat or burns), social anxiety (social phobia) and concerns about appearance and stigma, and PTSD.

Your solicitor will help ensure that any psychological harm you have suffered as the result of another party's negligence is recognised and included in the calculation of your compensation award or settlement. In addition, you can also claim for mental health treatment costs that may not be readily available on the NHS.

Our compensation calculator can estimate your compensation for psychological injuries. Or you can call us on 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor.

Am I eligible for burn injury compensation?

You can claim for a burn or scald, if:

• you were injured in the last 3 years, and;
• another person was at fault, and;
• that person had a legal duty of care to safeguard you from harm.

Use our injury claim calculator to find out if you can claim. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

Determining who is to blame for an accident is not always black and white.

In our recent 2024 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents believed they may have been partly (or wholly) responsible for their injuries.

Claiming compensation is still an option even if you were partly at fault. These contributory negligence cases are typically resolved with a split-liability agreement.

Read more:

Can I claim if I feel I was partly responsible for my accident?

How long after a burn injury do I have to start a claim?

In most cases, you have up to 3 years from the date of your accident or injury to start a claim.

For an injured child, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, giving them until they are 21 to start a claim.

How are burn injuries classified?

Burns and scalds are one of the most common types of injury. They can be extremely painful and can have a lasting psychological impact.

Some burn injuries are so severe that they lead to permanent nerve damage, tendon or ligament damage, scarring or mobility problems. Third-degree burns may require skin graft and scar therapy treatment and serious burns can have a psychological impact on the patient.

The amount of compensation you will receive will depend on the severity of the burn or scald. The severity of burn injuries are classified as follows:

First degree burns

First degree burns damage the top layer of skin only. The affected area may appear red and blotchy but should not blister. Pain, which may be considerable at first, should soon subside.

Second-degree burns

Second degree burns damage the deep layers of the epidermis and may damage the dermis. The skin will turn red and blister. If the burn covers more than 10% of the body, the patient may go into shock due to fluid loss.

Third-degree burns

Third-degree burns are the most serious. All three layers of skin are destroyed, including the subcutaneous layer of fat and tissue beneath the dermis.

The acute skin loss caused by third-degree burns may require skin grafts. Invariably, these injuries take a long time to heal and cause permanent scarring.

When making a compensation claim, your solicitor will arrange a medical consultation at a location near you to asses your injuries.

Typical injuries

The panel of solicitors have assisted people who have suffered burn injuries from fire, fireworks, steam, sun, electricity, chemicals and friction.

Burn claims are also common following exposure to very cold substances, such as ice and CO2 fire extinguishers.

Deciding who is legally accountable (liable) for your injury will depend on the circumstances of the accident.

Accidents at work

Employers, for example, have a legal duty of care to keep their employees safe at work. As part of their wide-reaching health and safety obligations, employers must take reasonable steps to eliminate any unnecessary risks.

For example, machinery and tools must be kept in good working order and the use of dangerous chemicals must be tightly controlled.

For burns and scalds that occur in health and social care settings, liability would lie with the relevant authority or owner/manager. As with employers, these parties have a legal duty of care to their patients, employees and service users.

Workers who use machinery which heats liquids and chemicals to high temperatures are at high risk, as are those involved in transporting hot liquids. Industrial accidents producing superheated steam from burst or failing pipes can also result in severe scalds.

Social care

According to the HSE, health and social care settings also present high risks of scalding amongst their vulnerable users. This includes hospitals, care homes, social services premises and special schools.

Many of these settings have higher water temperatures (above 44 degrees Celsius) to satisfy hot water demand, for efficient running of the boiler and for controlling the risk from Legionella bacteria. Numerous accidents have occurred as the result of bathing and showering in circumstances where appropriate health and safety precautions are not observed.

Commercial kitchens

Another high risk industry is commercial kitchens. This is due to the regular exposure of workers to hot cooking oil, boiling water and steam. Even in seemingly low risk industries, such as schools, offices and hairdressers, there is a risk of scalding from kettle steam, hot drinks, and water heated to above the recommend safe temperature (44 degrees Celsius).

Road accidents

Road traffic accidents are another cause of burn injuries.

While a rare occurrence, vehicles do sometimes catch fire after a collision. Where the burn injury was sustained in a car or a motorcycle accident, the Highway Code and other driving regulations must be referred to as these establish the respective duties of drivers and other road users.

Compensation for chemical burns

Chemical burns occur when irritants, such as acids or bases (alkaline), come into contact with the skin or eyes.

Common irritants include sodium hydroxide, ammonia, sulphuric acid, nitric acid and phosphoric acid, which are found in many products and industrial processes.

Products containing harmful chemicals can be found in bleach, industrial cleaners and detergents, concrete, rust proofing, car battery fluid, fertiliser, metal refining compounds and materials used in dentistry.

Common symptoms of chemical burns include:

• Blackened or dead skin
• Irritation, redness and burning
• Numbness or pain in the affected area
• Loss or changes in vision if they come in contact with the eyes

Chemical burns can also affect the internal organs if swallowed, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat and seizures.

Unfortunately, chemical burns are not always immediately obvious, and a delay in treatment can make symptoms worse.

If you have been affected by a chemical burn, we can help. If your injuries were caused by someone else's actions or negligence, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

How the cause of your burn injury affects the claims process

Your burn injury circumstances will shape the claims process. Click the icons below for more information.

Work accidents Public places Road accidents Medical negligence Other accidents

Sources

Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor

About the author

Howard Willis qualified as a solicitor in 1984 and has specialised in personal injury for over 25 years. He is a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) and is a recognised Law Society Personal Injury Panel expert.