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Individual / Personal Injury Claims
A serious burn or scald is one of the most painful injuries a person can suffer, and its effects, scarring, restricted movement and psychological distress, can last long after the wound has healed. If your burn was caused by someone else’s negligence, we can help you claim compensation and access the rehabilitation you need. Our personal injury solicitors act for injured people across Greater Manchester, the North West and nationally, in most cases on a no win, no fee basis.
To talk through what happened, call 0161 930 5151 or use our online contact form and we will call you back. The first conversation is free and without obligation.
You may be able to claim if your burn or scald was caused, wholly or partly, by another person’s negligence, meaning their failure to take reasonable care for your safety. A claim needs to show that someone owed you a duty of care, that they breached it, and that the breach caused your injury. Depending on how and where the burn happened, that duty can arise in several ways:
Burns are not only caused by fire. They can be thermal (from flames, steam, hot liquids or hot surfaces), chemical (from acids, alkalis or other corrosive substances), electrical, or caused by radiation, including the sun or radiotherapy. Scalds are burns caused by hot liquids or steam.
Doctors classify burns by depth. In current UK clinical terms these are superficial, partial-thickness and full-thickness burns, which correspond to the more familiar first-, second- and third-degree descriptions. Superficial burns affect only the outer layer of skin and usually heal well. Partial-thickness burns reach into the dermis, often blister, and can scar. Full-thickness burns destroy the full depth of the skin and sometimes the tissue beneath, may need surgery and skin grafts, and can cause permanent damage to nerves, muscles and mobility. The severity also depends on how much of the body is affected. More serious burns frequently carry a significant psychological impact, and compensation for that can form part of a claim.
Compensation usually falls into two parts. General damages compensate for the injury itself, the pain, the scarring and disfigurement, and the psychological effects such as anxiety or loss of confidence, particularly where a visible area is affected. Special damages compensate for financial losses you can evidence, including lost earnings, the cost of medical treatment, scar management, reconstructive or cosmetic surgery, care and assistance, specialist clothing or equipment, and travel. Where treatment is likely to be needed for years to come, we build those future costs into the claim, and we can seek interim payments to fund rehabilitation before the claim concludes.
In most cases you have three years from the date of the accident, under the Limitation Act 1980, or from the date you first knew your injury was significant and linked to someone’s fault. The main exceptions are that, for a child, the three years does not begin until their 18th birthday, and for someone who lacks mental capacity the time limit may not run at all. Because deadlines are strict and evidence such as photographs of the injury as it heals, accident reports and product details is easier to secure early, it is best to seek advice as soon as you can.
We can take on most burn and scald injury claims under a conditional fee agreement, commonly known as no win, no fee. If your claim does not succeed you do not pay our charges, and if it succeeds a success fee is deducted from your compensation, capped by law at 25% of certain parts of your damages. We explain the funding and any deductions clearly before you commit, so there are no surprises.
Gorvins is a Legal 500 recognised firm based in Stockport, acting for injured people across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, the North West and throughout England and Wales. Burn claims need sensitive handling, and our personal injury team has the experience to manage them with the care they deserve while pursuing the full value of the claim.
When you instruct us you will have a dedicated specialist handling your claim from start to finish, keeping you informed and taking the pressure off you. We investigate how the burn happened, obtain expert medical evidence including, where relevant, from burns and plastic surgery specialists, arrange rehabilitation and scar management, deal with the other side and their insurers, and pursue the compensation you are entitled to. We handle burns arising from accidents at work, public place accidents, defective products and beauty and hairdressing treatments, and where a burn has caused very serious harm our wider personal injury team can help.
To find out whether you can claim, call 0161 930 5151 or complete our online enquiry form and we will call you back to talk it through.
Possibly, yes. If your burn or scald was caused, wholly or partly, by someone else’s failure to take reasonable care, whether an employer, an occupier of premises, a product manufacturer or another road user, you may have a claim. Whether it succeeds depends on showing fault and that it caused your injury, which we can assess for you.
Common causes include accidents at work involving heat, chemicals, steam or electricity where safety was inadequate, scalds and burns in public places, faulty products such as heaters, appliances or hot water bottles, and road traffic accidents. Chemical and radiation burns, including from some beauty and cosmetic treatments, can also give rise to claims.
Yes. Compensation for a burn injury can reflect not only the physical pain and any scarring or disfigurement, but also the psychological impact, such as anxiety, distress or loss of confidence, which can be significant where a visible part of the body is affected. Medical evidence helps establish both the physical and psychological effects.
You can claim general damages for the injury itself, including pain, scarring and psychological effects, and special damages for financial losses such as lost earnings, medical treatment, scar management, reconstructive surgery, care, specialist clothing or equipment and travel. Where future treatment is likely, those costs can be included, and interim payments may be available to fund rehabilitation while the claim continues.
Usually three years from the date of the accident, or from when you first realised your injury was significant and linked to someone’s fault. Different rules apply for people under 18, where the three years starts at their 18th birthday, and for those who lack mental capacity. It is best to seek advice promptly, as deadlines are strict and evidence is easier to gather early.
In most cases we act on a no win, no fee basis, so you pay nothing towards our charges if the claim is unsuccessful. If it succeeds, a success fee is deducted from your compensation, capped by law at 25% of certain parts of your damages. We explain the funding and any deductions clearly before you commit.
