Scarred at Work – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

If you’re involved in an accident at work, you might suffer a lot of pain until your injuries have healed. In some cases, injuries that have damaged the skin on your face or body can result in permanent scarring. Crucially, you could claim compensation if you’re scarred at work because of your employer’s negligence. As you read this guide about claiming compensation for a scar injury, you’ll learn about the types of negligence that can lead to a personal injury claim and how compensation for scarring is generally calculated.

We’re ready to help if you’re thinking about claiming for work-related scarring. When you get in touch, your case will be reviewed for free and you’ll receive no-obligation legal advice. Also, if your claim appears to be feasible, you’ll be asked if you want to be connected with one of our specialist accident-at-work solicitors. If so, they’ll provide a No Win, No Fee service to lower the financial risk of taking on legal representation if you both agree to proceed.

For more information on scarring claims, you can:

• Call a legal advisor on 0333 241 2519 now.
• Use our live chat service 24 hours a day.

Please read on for more about how scarring compensation claims work or give us a call if you have any questions.

Can I Claim Compensation for Scarring at Work?

You might think that there is little employers can do to prevent work-related scarring. While that is true, they do have a legal obligation to try and prevent workplace accidents (which can result in scarring). This is a duty of care established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Some of the ways in which your employer might be able to reduce the risk of injuries that lead to scarring include:

• Removing hazards identified in regular workplace risk assessments.
• Training you on how to use dangerous tools and equipment regularly.
• Providing PPE such as protective clothing, gloves and shields where necessary.
• Ensuring all workplace tools and equipment are properly maintained.

Failure to adhere to health and safety regulations could mean your employer has been negligent. Where that’s the case, you could be entitled to claim compensation for any injuries and subsequent scarring following an accident at work if:

1. You can demonstrate that, at the time of your accident, your employer owed you a duty of care; and
2. As a result of employer negligence, you had an accident in the last three years; and
3. The accident caused injuries which have led to temporary or permanent scarring.

If you believe the cause of your scar injury was because of a negligent employer, why not call our legal advisors now for free advice about your options?

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to Scar Injury Claims?

Essentially, any accident caused by employer negligence could enable you to claim compensation for work-related scarring. For reference, we’ve included a few example scenarios below:

• While working in a factory, a poorly maintained piece of machinery sprayed hot oil over you and resulted in you being burned at work causing significant permanent scarring.
• You sustained chemical burns and subsequent scarring due to your employer’s failure to provide proper protective gear while handling acids.
• A lack of safety guards on machinery caused severe hand injuries and scarring while you operated the equipment.
• A faulty chainsaw that your employer failed to repair caused you to lose control and you suffered a deep laceration to your leg which resulted in permanent scarring.
• You suffered facial scarring after slipping on an unmarked wet floor in your workplace, due to inadequate hazard signage.
• In a restaurant, improper training results in severe burns and scarring from hot oil spills while cooking.

This, of course, is not a full list of the types of scenarios that could result in scarring following an accident at work. Therefore, if you’ve been injured in any other way and would like us to review your claim, please get in touch now.

What Should I Do If I Sustain Scar Injuries at Work?

If you do injure yourself at work, some of the steps you might need to take include:

• Seek proper medical attention rather than relying on first aid as this could reduce the level of scarring for some injuries.
• Tell your employer what happened (in writing where possible).
• Ask for the incident to be recorded in the accident report book.

Taking these steps will make it easier for you to take action at a later date if you do decide to claim compensation for your injuries and scars. It could also mean your employer can make changes to prevent similar injuries in future.

What Evidence Can Be Used for a Scar Injury Compensation Claim?

Without a doubt, the chances of getting compensated for work-related scarring will increase if you have good evidence to prove your version of events. Ideally, the evidence you supply should prove how the accident occurred, why it was your employer’s fault and how your scarring and injuries have affected you.

Here are a few examples of evidence that could be used:

• Before and after photos that demonstrate the extent of your scars.
• Medical evidence i.e. doctor or hospital records to confirm your injuries and any treatment you received.
• Witness statements (usually collected by a solicitor) to prove what happened.
• Accident scene photographs and CCTV footage.
• Any correspondence from your employer and a copy of the accident report form.

We are more than happy to review any evidence you have already collected as part of a free initial consultation. Even if you haven’t managed to collect any evidence as yet, please call our legal advisors to check whether you might be entitled to claim compensation for your scars.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Scarring Compensation?

Generally, accident at work claims have a 3-year time limit in accordance with the Limitation Act 1980. In most cases, this will start on the date your accident at work occurred. However, if the person who sustained the scars is under 18, the three-year period starts from their 18th birthday. For individuals who are incapacitated, the time limit may effectively be paused.

While 3 years seems like plenty of time to claim scarring compensation, it can soon slip away if you don’t begin your claim right away. Therefore, if you’ve been injured and scarred at work and would like to seek compensation for your suffering, please contact a legal advisor at your earliest convenience.

How Much Compensation for a Scar?

General damages in successful scar compensation claims cover both physical and psychological suffering. For instance, you could be compensated for the pain you suffered at the point you were injured and also for any embarrassment, distress or anxiety caused by your scar.

After gathering medical evidence that proves exactly how you’ve suffered, your solicitor may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help value your claim. We’ve used JCG data in our scarring compensation list to show guideline settlement brackets for a range of scarring injuries.

• Compensation for a single noticeable scar or several minor scars to the hands, arms or legs can range from £2,370 – £7,830.
• Compensation for the operation and scar from an exploratory laparotomy where no major internal injury was found is typically around £8,640.
• Compensation for some noticeable scarring lacerations or a single disfiguring scar to the hands, arms, legs, chest or back ranges from £7,830 – £22,730.
• Compensation for significant burns which cover 40% or more of the body is likely to exceed £104,830.

On top of general damages, special damages might also be paid if your scarring leads to financial losses or expenses. For instance, you could claim for:

• Loss of earnings caused by your injuries.
• Travel expenses (for medical appointments for instance).
• Care and support costs.
• The cost of private medical treatment such as plastic surgery.
• Future loss of earnings i.e. if you’re a model and your scarring will reduce your income.

If your claim is handled by a work injury solicitor from our panel, they will ensure that all of your suffering is properly assessed before your claim is filed. This may require you to attend an independent medical assessment so that a specialist can ask questions about how your scars have affected you.

To find out how much scar injury compensation you might be entitled to, please call now.

Can I Claim Scarring Compensation if I’m Not a Full-Time Employee?

We stated earlier in this guide that employers have a responsibility towards the health and safety of their employees while they are working. That ‘duty of care’ protects all staff – not just full-time employees.

Therefore, if you are scarred whilst working as a temp, a solicitor could still help you to claim. The same is true for contractors, subcontractors, agency workers, zero-hours staff and the self-employed.

If you’d like one of our specialists to confirm your options, please contact our legal advisors now.

Do You Need a Work Injury Solicitor for Scarring Claims?

Proving why your employer was responsible for your accident at work, your injuries and any subsequent scarring can be complex. Hiring a personal injury solicitor who specialises in workplace accidents should result in a less stressful claims process and you could end up with a higher settlement than might otherwise be expected.

If a specialist solicitor on our panel offers to take your scarring claim on, they’ll represent you on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means that after you have signed a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), your solicitor will start work on your case without being paid upfront.

Crucially, you’ll only pay your solicitor for their work if you are awarded compensation. If this happens, their settlement fee will be formed by an agreed percentage of your settlement. Legally, success fee percentages are capped at 25 per cent of your settlement for your protection.

To check if you could make a No Win, No Fee scarring injury claim, please call now.

How Long Does a Work Injury Claim Take?

Compensation claims for minor scars could be resolved and settled in as little as 4 to 6 months. This could be the case if your employer accepts that they caused your accident and your wounds have fully healed.

If you are awaiting plastic surgery or other treatment to try and reduce the extent of facial scarring (or other more serious scars), the claims process may take up to a year or longer.

The extra time would enable the extent of your scarring to be assessed after all treatment options have been exhausted. If you’d like to know how long your scarring claim might take, please get in touch now to discuss your case.

Contacting Us About a Scarring Compensation Claim

If you’ve been scarred following an accident at work and would like to see if you might be entitled to claim compensation, please contact us by:

• Calling 0333 241 2519 to speak with a legal advisor.
• Connecting to our free live chat service (open 24 hours a day).

There is no obligation or pressure to start a compensation claim after your consultation. However, if you decide to take legal action against your employer and a work injury solicitor on our panel offers legal representation, you’ll receive a No Win, No Fee service throughout the scar injury claims process.