Claiming Compensation For Burns At Work

If you have suffered burns at work due to your employer breaching their duty of care, you may wonder whether you could seek compensation. This guide will discuss the eligibility criteria that must be met in order to put forward a personal injury claim and the evidence you could use to strengthen your case.

burns at work

Claiming Compensation For Burns At Work

Additionally, we discuss the duty of care employers owe to their employees and provide examples of how a breach of this duty could lead to an accident at work in which you sustain burns.

Furthermore, we discuss the accident at work compensation that could be awarded following a successful claim and how settlements are calculated.

Finally, we discuss the advantages of working with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.

If you require any further guidance about your potential accident at work claim, please contact one of our advisors. To do so, you can:

Jump To A Section 

  1. When Are You Able To Claim For Burns At Work In Scotland?
  2. How Could Burns At Work Be Sustained?
  3. What Compensation Could You Receive From An Accident At Work Claim?
  4. Evidence That Could Help You Make An Accident At Work Claim
  5. Claim For Burns At Work Using No Win No Fee Solicitors
  6. Learn More About Making Work Injury Claims In Scotland

When Are You Able To Claim For Burns At Work In Scotland?

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA) places a duty of care on employers to protect the health, safety and well-being of employees. This duty requires them to take reasonable and practicable steps to prevent employees from being harmed at work or while performing their work-related duties.

For example, employers should conduct regular risk assessments on their premises. They should provide proper training, maintain workplace equipment and machinery as well as provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE).

If there has been a failure to adhere to this duty and you have suffered burns at work as a result, you might wonder whether you could seek compensation.

In order to begin a personal injury claim following a workplace accident, you need to prove:

  • The employer owed you a duty of care at the time and place of the accident.
  • They breached that duty of care.
  • You suffered physical and/or emotional harm because of this breach.

Please get in touch with an advisor to discuss your specific case and find out whether you’re eligible to purse your burn injury claim.

How Could Burns At Work Be Sustained?

There are several ways an employee could suffer from burns at work. For example:

  • A failure to provide necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves or goggles, could result in an employees hands or eyes coming into contact with hazardous substances.
  • Failure on the part of the employer to correctly maintain machinery and tools can expose the employee to a sudden blast of burning steam or fire caused by electrical issues or faulty equipment.

Please keep in mind that not all workplace accidents will form the basis of a valid claim. You must prove you experienced harm because your employer breached their duty of care.

Find out about the potential next steps you could take by calling our team on the number above.

What Compensation Could You Receive From An Accident At Work Claim?

If a burn at work injury claim has a positive outcome, two heads of loss could be awarded in your settlement. General damages aim to compensate for the pain and suffering caused by your injuries, physical, psychological or both.

Legal professionals can use medical evidence of the burns alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help value injuries. The JCG contains guideline compensation brackets for different injury types.

Compensation Table

Below, we include an excerpt of the JCG, but please note, these are not a guarantee of what you could receive as each claim varies. These figures also only relate to claims made in England and Wales.

Injury TypeGuideline Award BracketNotes
Facial Disfigurement£29,780 to £97,330Very Severe - The cosmetic effect is very disfiguring and there is a severe psychological impact.
£17,960 to £48,420Less Severe - Substantial disfigurement and a significant psychological reaction.
£9,110 to £30,090


Significant - Plastic surgery has reduced the worst effects and the psychological reaction is better but there is still some cosmetic disability.
£3,950 to £13,740Less Significant - One scar or a number of very small scars which mar but not markedly affect the appearance.
Up to £3,530


Trivial - Minor effects only.
Scarring To Other Parts of the BodyLikely to exceed £104,830Significant burns covering 40% or more of the body.
£7,830 to £22,730Multiple noticeable laceration scars or one disfiguring scar on the arms, legs, hands, back or chest.
£2,370 to £7,830A single noticeable scar, or several superficial scars causing some minor cosmetic deficit. Scars will be present on the legs, arms or hands.

Special Damages As Part Of Your Burn Injury Compensation

You may also receive special damages in your overall payout. This awards compensation to reimburse the financial losses incurred due to your injuries. For example:

  • Lost earnings
  • Medical costs
  • The cost of adaptations to home or vehicle
  • Travel expenses.

Evidence, such as payslips, receipts, and invoices could assist you in proving any monetary losses.

Call our team on the number above to discuss the compensation you could potentially be awarded for burns at work.

Evidence That Could Help You Make An Accident At Work Claim

Evidence is fundamental to supporting a claim. With this in mind, the following could help:

  • A diary that details symptoms of both the psychological and physical impacts of your injuries.
  • Copies of medical records.
  • Photographs of your injuries.
  • Contact details for anyone who witnessed the accident.

If you call our team, they can assess your specific case to determine whether you’re eligible to instruct a solicitor from our panel to represent your case. If it’s found your case is valid, they could connect you with a solicitor who can help you gather evidence to support your case. Call the number above for more information.

Claim For Burns At Work Using No Win No Fee Solicitors

A solicitor could potentially offer a Speculative Fee Agreement or Damages Based Agreement as per the Civil Litigation (Expenses and Group Proceedings) (Scotland) Act 2018.

These are kinds of No Win No Fee contracts that could include the following terms:

  • No need to pay upfront or ongoing fees for their services.
  • No need to pay for the work completed on your claim if it is unsuccessful.
  • A small success fee, which is taken from your compensation in the form of a legally capped percentage, is required if the claim is a success.

For further guidance on making a personal injury claim in Scotland for burns at work, please contact an advisor. You can reach them via the following contact details:

Learn More About Making Work Injury Claims In Scotland

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Thank you for reading our guide on when you could be eligible to make a personal injury claim for burns at work. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to contact an advisor on the number above.

Writer Jeff Watson

Editor Meg Mochi