Burn injuries can have a serious and long-lasting impact on both your physical and mental wellbeing. In more severe cases, they may also affect your appearance, your ability to work, and your overall quality of life. If your injuries were caused by someone else’s negligence, whether that’s an employer, a business, or a private individual, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
At Gorvins Solicitors, our personal injury experts are here to help you understand your legal rights, and support you through every step of the claim process.
Common causes of burn injuries
Burns and scalds can happen in a wide range of circumstances. Some of the most common causes we deal with include:
Accidents at work
- Chemical burns due to poor safety protocols.
- Injuries from defective or poorly maintained equipment.
- Lack of proper personal protective equipment (PPE).
- Contact with hot surfaces, steam or fire in unsafe environments.
Road traffic accidents
- Vehicle fires following a collision.
- Exploding airbags or fuel tank leaks.
Accidents in public places
- Hot food or drink spills in restaurants and cafés.
- Scalding water from taps or appliances.
- Electrical faults in shops or public venues.
- Fires caused by inadequate maintenance or safety checks.
Understanding burn severity
Burns are typically classified by degree:
- First-degree burns: Superficial damage, usually resulting in redness and minor pain.
- Second-degree burns: Damage to deeper layers of skin, causing blistering and swelling.
- Third-degree burns: full thickness burns that destroy all layers of skin, sometimes affecting tissue and nerve endings.
The severity and extent of the burn will play a key role in determining the value of your personal injury claim.
What can I claim for?
If you’ve suffered a burn injury that wasn’t your fault, you may be able to claim for:
- Pain and suffering: This includes both physical injury and emotional distress.
- Medical treatment: This includes specialist assessments and care, such as skin grafts, physiotherapy or psychological therapy.
- Camouflage makeup: Where scarring affects your appearance, an expert may recommend specialist makeup for different seasons and skin tones.
- Loss of earnings: If your injury means you can’t work or have to change your role.
- Travel expenses: For hospital visits, treatment, or medical appointments.
- Property damage: If a fire caused damage to your belongings or home.
You may also be entitled to claim for psychological injury, especially if your burns are visible and have affected your self-confidence or mental health. Treatments such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) are commonly used in these cases and can be included as part of your claim.
What evidence will I need?
To support your burn injury personal injury claim, we’ll help you gather:
- Medical records and reports.
- Photographs of the injury and scarring.
- Evidence of financial loss (e.g. payslips, receipts, treatment costs).
- Witness statements (if available).
- A specialist report (e.g. for camouflage makeup or therapy).
The more information you can provide, the stronger your claim is likely to be.
How is burn injury compensation calculated?
Your compensation will be based on:
- The severity and type of burn.
- The size and location of the injury.
- Recovery time and long-term impact.
- The effect on your mental health.
- Financial losses and expenses linked to the injury.
Each case is unique, and we’ll work with medical experts and assessors to ensure that your claim reflects the full impact of your injury.
Time limits for making a claim
In most cases, you’ll need to start your claim within three years of the date of the accident. There are some exceptions, for example, for children or people without mental capacity, but we always recommend seeking legal advice as soon as possible.
Why choose Gorvins?
Our experienced personal injury solicitors understand how traumatic burn injuries can be and how complex the claims process can feel. We’ll guide you through everything with clear advice, compassion, and a focus on getting the outcome you deserve.
We work on a no win, no fee basis, so there’s no financial risk in pursuing your claim.
Get in touch
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact our team today for a free, no-obligation discussion:
Melissa Moore – 0161 930 5157
Stuart Biddle – 0161 930 5129
Lisa Chambers – 0161 930 5117
Or use our online contact form and a member of the team will get back to you.