Burns, Scars or Lacerations compensation claims
Scar injury claims are made by people who have suffered a laceration injury that was not their fault or a burns injury that was due to another party’s negligence. The scarring over of the skin that has been damaged by burns and laceration injuries, is the body’s way of healing these types of skin damage. However, scars can become permanent and if the scar is prominent, particularly in the case of facial scarring, it can cause psychological issues for the victim.
If you’ve suffered burns, scar or laceration injury as a result of an accident at work, a road traffic accident or as a result of any other type of non-fault accident, then it will be possible for you to make a No Win, No Fee personal injury claim.
Moonererams, The Personal Injury Solicitors, are experts in helping people to make successful personal injury compensation claims including burns, scars or laceration injury claims. Getting in touch with us is easy. Just call one of our expert solicitors on 029 2048 3615 or fill in your details in the form on this page and we’ll get back to you.
Call for a free of charge, informal chat and we’ll advise you whether we think you might have reasonable prospects of making a successful compensation claim.
What is meant by a laceration injury?
A laceration is a form of cut to the skin. It is a kind of wound that is caused by the tearing of soft body tissue. What makes a laceration stand apart from a simple ‘cut’, is that it is typically jagged and irregular in appearance.
How do laceration injuries happen?
Lacerations are most commonly caused by road traffic accidents and accidents at work.
They can happen anywhere but those that are caused by another person, or an organisations negligence, are more likely to happen in a work setting or as a result of an RTA.
On the road, lacerations can happen:
- In a car, van, coach or lorry accident when the driver or a passenger sustains cuts
caused by parts of the body hitting the inside of the vehicle, or tangled up with damaged
metal - In motorcycle accidents when a rider is knocked off his bike
- In cycling accidents when a cyclist is thrown to the ground with force
- As a result of a pedestrian accident
Workplace accidents resulting in laceration injuries are common. People who work with machinery, joiners, carpenters, builders – there are many occupations where the possibility of being cut by sharp objects is high.
Lacerations range widely in the nature of their severity. RTA and workplace accident victims who suffer minor lacerations to their body are at the mild end of the severity scale.
At the other end of that range of severity, are those whose lacerations are so severe that surgical amputation is required.
Some lacerations go so deep that muscles are cut through and bones fractured by the implement that causes the laceration.
Employers owe their workers a duty of care to look after them whilst they are at work and to provide them with a safe environment to work in as well as a safe system of working. This is backed up by government legislation. Where people work with knives, on industrial machinery with moving parts, with saws or other sharp-edged implements, the standard of care burden on an employer is very high.
Nevertheless, if an employee gets a laceration injury at work because of his employer’s negligence, then he may be entitled to make a no-win, no fee accident at work claim.
How do burns injuries happen?
Burn injuries can happen anywhere and at any time. Approximately 130,000 people attend A&E Departments each year with burns injuries. Of those on average, 10,000 people are admitted to hospital as a result of the burns injury that they suffer.
Burns injuries are often the result of an accident at work such as:
- Chemical burns
- Electrocution
- Farming accidents
- Exposure to hot surfaces
- Handling hot liquids
- Accidents in professional kitchens
- Welding
The correct protective equipment should be provided by employers. The type of PPE (protective personal equipment) required will depend on the type of risk involved.
If PPE isn’t provided or the incorrect or faulty equipment provided, this can lead to burns accidents.
If employees have not been properly trained in a safe and effective means of working in an environment where burns accidents are a potential risk, then the employer could be held liable to pay compensation if the injured employee makes a personal injury claim.
The severity of burns injuries is categorised as follows:
First degree burns – red, non-blistered skin
Second-degree burns – blisters and some thickening of the skin
Third-degree burns – widespread thickness with a wide-leathery appearance
The most serious burns injuries that do not result in death, can still cause very serious injuries that require long term care and ongoing surgery. Skin grafts may be needed.
The amount of compensation for pain and suffering (general damages) alone in serious burns compensation claims can be significant. However, on top of this, claims may be made for;
- The cost of ongoing care and support needs
- Loss of earnings
- Future loss of earnings
- Medical, travel and other expenses
Scarring injuries
Scaring results from burn or laceration injuries. Scare are nature’s way of healing the injuries. Normally the scar will fade and disappear in more minor injury cases. In more serious cases, the scarring may become permanent.
When you pursue a personal injury claim through experience accident injury solicitors, like Mooneerams The Personal Injury Solicitors, they will always commission a medical report to evaluate the injuries that you have suffered. This and any further medical reports form the basis of the evidence needed to support your claim.
In the case of scar claims, an experienced personal injury solicitor will make an appointment for you to be examined by a Consultant Plastic Surgeon (maybe as well as by other types of medical consultants). The plastic surgeon’s report will be crucial in detailing:
- The severity of the injury
- Whether the scar is likely to be permanent
- Any type of plastic surgery that might reduce the effect of the scarring
Whether the scarring is prominent (as for example in the case of a facial scar) is a factor that will determine how much compensation you will get for your scarring injury. A facial scar will generally lead to a higher award of scarring compensation than that for a scar on another part of the body, that is hidden by wearing everyday clothes.
What if the scarring causes me psychological problems?
Facial scarring, in particular, can leave the injured individual suffering from anxiety, depression, lack of confidence and can cause personality changes. The impact on an individual’s life can be severe.
If you suffer a scarring injury and it is causing you to suffer psychologically, then your solicitor will arrange for you have a psychological assessment by a consultant psychiatrist. The subsequent expert medical report will outline the nature of the problems that you are experiencing and define them medically. The report will, as long as you are in agreement with its contents, form part of the evidence that will be used to value your scarring claim.
How much will I get for my Scarring, Burns or Laceration claim?
At Mooneerams, we take the view that it is impossible to advise potential clients how much their claim is likely to be worth until we know more about their claim and the individual circumstances that might affect how much compensation it might be worth.
Scarring injuries, in particular, are types of injury that are unique to the individual sufferer.
We prefer to get on with gathering all the evidence needed to pursue your legal claim properly in the form of medical reports, professional photographs of your injuries and a detailed witness statement in which you describe the impact the injury is having on your life etc. Only then will we be in a position to give you anything like an accurate estimate as to what your claim may be worth.
Mooneerams The Personal Injury Solicitors
Call Mooneerams now on 029 2048 3615 if you have suffered a burns, laceration or scar accident within the last 3 years. Alternatively, fill in one of our quick claim forms or email us at enquiries@mooneerams.com and we’ll get straight back to you.
