If a kitchen equipment injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Working with defective kitchen equipment can lead to burns, cuts, or other serious injuries, in both commercial and domestic settings. If you have been injured due to malfunctioning or improperly maintained kitchen appliances, 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 No Win, No Fee compensation claim with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
2.5% of food service workers are injured every year - you are not alone
In 2022, the UK food and drink sector employed 3.7 million people in 2022.
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 accommodation and food service industry is the third most dangerous working environment after farming and construction. In the 2022/23 period, there were 2,500 non-fatal reported injuries per 100,000 workers (hse.gov.uk).
Although most injuries in kitchens are caused by slips, trips and falls, lifting heavy objects or mishandling of knives, accidents as a result of defective equipment are also common.
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 need to move forward.
How much compensation can I claim for a defective kitchen equipment injury?
Compensation for an injury caused by defective kitchen equipment will vary depending on:
- how serious the injury is,
- how your injury impacts both your daily life and your ability to work,
- the financial costs and losses you have experienced due to your injury.
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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 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
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average kitchen equipment injury general damages compensation table
The following kitchen equipment 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).
Dermatitis
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms resolve with treatment, or short term aggravation of an existing condition | £1,890 to £4,380 |
| Longer-term dermatitis | Affecting hands or other parts of the body (other than your face and scalp), where symptoms take several months or years to resolve with treatment | £9,590 to £12,660 |
| Dermatitis lasting years or indefinitely | Symptoms that last indefinitely, and that affect your daily life and ability to work | £15,250 to £21,300 |
Finger injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Relatively minor injury | Finger fractures that recover in under 6 months, and/or injuries with tenderness, pain in cold weather, or scarring | Up to £5,270 |
| Index finger fracture | Fracture fully heals, but with ongoing pain, disability and an increased risk of osteoarthritis | £10,110 to £13,570 |
| Serious injury | to ring or middle finger | £11,450 to £18,130 |
| Finger fractures | Fractures that cause deformity, affect sensation, and/or have a long term affect on your grip and ability to use your hand | Up to £40,760 |
Hand injury
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor (relatively) injuries to one or both hands | A fracture or break recovering within 6 months, and/or with scarring, tenderness and pain in cold weather | Up to £5,270 |
| Moderate injuries to one or both hands | Moderate crush injuries, penetrating wounds, or deep cuts | £6,280 to £14,730 |
| Moderate/serious injuries to one or both hands | Serious crush injury that causes impaired function andthat cannot be resolved with surgery | £16,040 to £32,170 |
| Serious injuries to one hand | Amputation of fingers and/or part of the hand, or a serious hand injury causing a reduction of grip, dexterity and cosmetic damage | £32,170 to £68,680 |
Non-facial body scars
| Severity | Example | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Burns with scarring and ongoing pain | £2,630 to £8,690 |
| Moderate | Scarring such as an exploratory laparotomy scar | Around £9,590 |
| Serious | A noticeable laceration scar or single disfiguring scar | £8,690 to £25,220 |
| Severe | Severe burns with continuing pain and psychological injury | Up to £116,300 |
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 2025 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.
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.
Burns and scalds
Overheated liquids boiling over or steam leaks from ovens can cause burns and scalds. Similarly, steam escaping from poorly maintained vessels presents a scalding hazard. The risk of burns increases when indicator lights on hotplates and griddles, which signal a hot surface, malfunction. Additionally, defective gas jets on rings and grills can cause dangerous flares, while faulty thermostats may lead to fires.
Beyond equipment maintenance, kitchen owners or operators are responsible for installing and maintaining adequate fire extinguishers to manage fires. Evidence of non-compliance with health and safety regulations could suggest employer negligence.
See also:
Getting help and treatment with burns and scalds (nhs.uk).
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.
See also:
Getting help and treatment with cuts and lacerations (nhs.uk).
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.
What was the cause of your defective kitchen equipment injury?
Claiming compensation depends on the cause of your kitchen equipment injury. Click the icons below for read more:
Can I make a no win, no fee kitchen equipment injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim kitchen equipment injury compensation without financial risk. If your claim isn't successful, you pay nothing. If you win, you only pay a pre-agreed percentage of your compensation.
Get expert advice now
Interested in talking to an injury specialist about your claim?
- Calls are FREE
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Burns and scalds - NHS (reviewed: 29/07/2024)
Cuts and grazes - NHS (reviewed: 28/07/2024)
Food statistics in your pocket - GOV.UK (reviewed: 29/07/2024)
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (reviewed: 02/08/2024)
PAT (Portable appliance testing) - HSE's answers to popular questions (reviewed: 29/07/2024)
Author:
Chris Salmon, Director
About the author
Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Injury Claims. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.