Defective kitchen equipment injury
compensation claims

If a kitchen equipment injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Kitchen accidents can result in burns, cuts, or other serious injuries due to faulty or misused equipment.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a defective kitchen equipment accident, we can help. If your injuries were caused by a defective product or a safety oversight, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

A compensation claim can support you in managing treatment costs, coping with time away from work, and other expenses related to your injury.

You can make a defective product compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.

You are not alone

According to the Food Statistics pocketbook published by DEFRA, the catering industry employs more than 1.6 million people in almost 450,000 sites. A further 400,000 work in food and drink manufacturing in around 10,000 locations.

Food preparation areas are busy environments and full of potential hazards; workers in the accommodation/food services sector have statistically higher than average accident rates.

The kitchen and catering industry is the third highest sector for injury reports, after the agriculture and construction industries.

If you decide to make a kitchen equipment injury 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 deserve.

Do I qualify for kitchen equipment injury compensation?

If you've been injured or made ill in the last three years and it wasn't your fault, then you will be entitled to claim compensation for kitchen equipment injury.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Alternatively, you can speak to a claims advisor on 0800 376 1001 and find out if you have a claim in minutes.

What if I was partially at fault?

Personal injury claims where both the defendant and claimant share some responsibility are relatively common.

In our recent 2023 Personal Injury Claimant Survey, 13.99% of respondents thought they could be partially to blame for their accident.

Even if you partly caused the accident or your injuries (refered to as 'contributory negligence'), you may still be entitled to make a claim. These claims can often be settled on the basis of a split liability agreement.

Read more:

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

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

For most injury claims, you have up to 3 years from the date of your injury to start the claims process.

The 3 year limitation period does not apply to minors (under 18s). A parent, guardian or litigation friend can start a claim on a child's behalf up to their 18th birthday and the child has until their 21st birthday to claim for themselves.

How much compensation can I claim for a kitchen equipment injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages is compensation for quantifiable financial losses you've incurred as a result of your injury. Compensation can include loss of earnings, and any additional expenses directly related to your injury.

These damages will also cover any medical or treatment bills, such as pain medication and antibiotics.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

What are the main hazards?

Although most injuries in kitchens are caused by slips, trips and falls, lifting heavy objects or mishandling of knives, a number of accidents occur as a result of defective equipment.

See also:

Slips, trips and falls claims

Defective equipment claims

Injuries caused by defective equipment in kitchens

Hands, arms and feet are most at risk from burns and scalds, and although many are minor, some may be traumatic and painful, especially where large areas of skin are affected.

Scalds

Overheated liquid may boil over, spilling onto workers and surfaces, or jets of steam from ovens may leak when the oven door is opened. Scalds can also result if poorly maintained vessels leak steam.

See also:

Scald injury compensation claims

Burns

Indicator lights on hotplates and griddles should display when the surface is hot. When these indicators fail, the risk of burn injury significantly increases. Faulty jets on gas rings and grills can lead to sudden flares and faulty thermostats can also cause fires.

In addition to maintaining equipment, the owner or operator of the kitchen must install and maintain appropriate fire extinguishers in place to control any fire. Evidence of a failure to adhere to health and safety regulations may indicate negligence on the part of the employer.

See also:

Burn injury compensation claims

Scar injury compensation claims

Deep cuts and other injuries

Deep cuts and lacerations to hands and fingers may be sustained if guards on food processing equipment are faulty or missing. A kitchen worker may sever the ends of his fingers on slicing and chopping machines where the guard is not properly installed.

Compensation claims have also been made on behalf of kitchen staff who have sustained injury from defective electrical equipment that causes electric shocks and burns, and in some cases, electrocution.

All portable appliances should be PAT tested; cables and flexes should be tested for static equipment and any faults reported and repaired. Adaptors should not be overloaded as they may cause fires.

Employees injured by defective kitchen equipment

If a chef, cook or other kitchen worker has sustained injury through using defective kitchen equipment then he or she may be able to claim compensation.

Using work equipment includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning that equipment.

The employer has a duty to provide work equipment that is suitable for the job, and to ensure it is properly maintained and safe to use.

Strict liability

A claimant does not have to show that the employer was at fault for the defect, only that the defect existed. This is known as strict liability.

Any employee also has a duty of care to himself and his colleagues - for example he should wear or use the appropriate protective equipment and ensure that proper guards are in place before using slicing equipment. He should never clean any electrical equipment without disconnecting it from the power supply.

How did your injury happen?

Claiming compensation depends on the cause of your kitchen equipment injury. Click the icons below for read more:

Work
accidents

Public
places

Other
accidents

FAQs

How long does an injury claim take?

What are my chances of winning my claim?

Will my claim go to court?

Can I claim for someone else?

How long do I have to make an injury claim?

What if a child was injured?

How we can help you with your injury claim

Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning injury claims.

• FREE
  consultation
• Find out
  if you can claim
• No obligation
  to start a claim

Handled with the utmost professionalism... extremely kind, courteous and empathetic.

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Author:
Howard Willis, Personal injury solicitor

About the author

Howard 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.