If a tanning sunbed injury has set you back, we'll help you move forward
Tanning sunbed injuries can include skin burns, overexposure to UV rays leading to potential skin cancer risk, and eye damage without proper protection. Injuries are also sometimes sustained when entering or exiting tanning booths.
If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a sunbed injury, we can help. Whether your injuries were caused by a slip, trip, fall or other incident, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
You can make a No Win, No Fee compensation claim for an accident in a public place with the help and support of a personal injury solicitor.
You are not alone - Over 11,000 patients are admitted with burn injuries a year
Many people use tanning salons regularly and safely. However, there are well-known risks to using sun beds. Sun bed injuries may be immediately apparent, such as burning of the skin. However symptoms may take longer to reveal themselves - such as with skin cancer.
11,934 patients were admitted for burns injuries in 2022-23, according to an analysis of NHS data (digital.nhs.uk).
If you have suffered an injury from a sun bed it may be possible to make an occupiers liability compensation claim. Your claim would usually be made against the salon which provided the tanning service.
How much compensation can I claim for a tanning salon or sunbed injury?
The compensation you're eligible to claim for a injury caused by a tanning salon or sunbed depends on:
- the nature and severity of your injury,
- how your injury interferes with your daily activities and job,
- any financial losses or costs you have incurred 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 are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include lost wages or business losses (if you're self-employed), and any other out of pocket expenses.
Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat your injury, including topical treatments, pain medication and psychological support.
Read more:
A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim
How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?
Average tanning sunbed injury compensation payouts
The following tanning sunbed 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 |
Facial scarring
Severity | Example | Amount |
---|---|---|
Minor (relatively) | A hardly noticeable scar (or scars) | £1,890 to £3,920 |
Moderate | A single scar that can be camouflaged with makeup, or multiple small scars that don't markedly affect your appearance | £4,380 to £15,250 |
Significant | Significant scarring where the worst affects are reduced by cosmetic surgery, and/or with causing a psychological impact | £10,110 to £33,380 |
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 |
Can I claim for PTSD or other psychological trauma?
If you have experienced psychological issues in addition to physical symptoms, you are not alone.
Our 2025 Public Place Injury Claimant Survey reveals the extent of psychological trauma, with 29.03% of claims involving a psychological injury, 70.97% of which related to a physical injury.
Injuries from tanning sunbeds can cause a phobia of similar beauty treatments and anxiety about future skin health risks.
Compensation for psychological harm can help you access mental health support and therapies not always available through 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.
Do I have a tanning sunbed injury claim?
As a basic rule, you will be eligible to make an injury claim if you were injured:
- in the last 3 years,
- by someone elses actions or negligence, and
- they owed you a duty of care.
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.
My injury was partly my fault - can I still claim?
Cases where the defendant and claimant are both partly to blame are actually quite commonplace in personal injury claims.
In our 2025 Public Liability Injury Claimant Survey, 17.45% of respondents believed they were partly responsible for their injuries, or were uncertain.
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 does the law protect me if I sustain a tanning salon injury?
There can be some confusion in the law relating to tanning salon claims. This is because, the dangers associated with sun-bed use are well documented. The risks are therefore considered to be well known by the general public, and tanning salon users in particular.
Tanning salons do have responsibilities regarding the safety of their clients. They must ensure the services, and equipment, they provide are fully compliant with health and safety regulations. If there has been a failure in this responsibility, there may be grounds for a claim.
If I suffer burn injuries from sunbed use, can I make a claim?
If the salon was negligent in their responsibilities to their clients, it may be possible to claim.
Tanning salons should have the following procedures in place, to ensure the safety of their clients:
- On a client's first visit, they should be given a medical form to fill in. This will ask for details of any current medical conditions. If the client has any conditions which could be adversely affected by sun-bed use, the salon should advise on this.
- Guidance on safe use of sun-beds should also be given. This would include, advising that protective goggles be worn, and recommended exposure time should not be exceeded.
- The salon should provide client's with information on how to operate the sun-bed they will actually be using. This is important, as there are several different sun-bed manufacturers.
- The sun-bed itself should be safety tested and in good working order.
The claimant must prove that the tanning salon (the defendant) failed in the areas above. If proven, the defendant could be held liable for burn injuries sustained.
Can I claim for skin cancer caused by sunbeds?
If the tanning salon is proven negligent, it can be possible to claim for this kind of injury. The claimant must usually also prove that their skin cancer was caused by the salon's equipment or services.
What caused your tanning salon injury?
Tanning sunbed injury claims are usually referred to as public place, or occupiers' liability, claims. Click on the icons below to learn more:
Can I make a no win, no fee tanning sunbed injury claim?
Yes. With no win, no fee, you can claim tanning sunbed 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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Call 0800 376 1001
or arrange a callbackAuthor:
Gaynor Haliday, Legal researcher
About the author
Gaynor Haliday is an experienced legal researcher and published author. She has had numerous articles published in the press and is a legal industry commentator.