Burns and scalds are injury to the skin caused from excessive heat.  A burn is caused by dry heat for example fire and a scald is caused by something wet, such as boiling hot tea.  Burns and scalds as we all know can be very painful depending on their severity and can cause red skin, blistering, swelling and charred skin.  Depending on the severity they can leave a person disfigured with scarring and all the associated problems including psychological problems arising from that and in the more extreme cases can cause a limb to be amputated, or worse, can cause death.  If you have suffered a burn or scald injury that was not your fault then you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Types of burn

The human skin has three layers, namely: the epidermis, that is the outer layer of the skin that is visible; the dermis which is the middle layer between the outer skin and the subcutaneous fat (the dermis contains all the nerve endings, sweat glands and hair follicles) and finally the subcutis, this is the bottom layer containing mostly fatty cells of the skin.

There are four main types of burn which each have their own unique characteristics:

• A superficial epidermal burn. This is where the epidermis or outer skin layer is injured and the skin may be slightly red and painful
• A superficial dermal burn. Both the outer and middle layer of the skin are injured and the skin may be pink with some blistering
• A deep dermal or partial thickness burn. This is more severe and the skin may turn red, become swollen and badly blistered
• A full thickness burn. All three layers of the skin (the epidermis, dermis and subcutis) are injured. The skin is often burnt away and the tissue underneath may appear black

What are the main causes of burn or scald injuries?

The main causes can be many and varied and the most common we have seen include the following:

• Road traffic collisions – on occasions when the airbags go off a person may suffer a burn injury from the heat of the airbag exploding
• Industrial injuries – there are many risks in industrial work including burns from chemicals, friction, electric shock. It is essential that employers identify the risks, train employees appropriately and provide the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Construction site injuries – similar to industrial, construction sites have many risks for burn or scalding injuries including contact with various chemicals
• Workplace injuries – separate from industrial and construction above, more sedentary type jobs such as office based work have their own burn and scald risks, for example electrocution and scalds from hot drinks
• Faulty product injuries – if a product is faulty it could cause electric shock, which in turn may cause a burn

Our personal injury compensation claims solicitors

If you or a loved one have suffered a burn or scalding injury that was not your fault, then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. It is important you seek advice as soon as possible to protect your legal rights. We believe in putting you our client first and we are committed to achieving the best result possible while all the time remaining sensitive to your needs. Please feel free to reach out to us below and will be pleased to discuss your case and offer no obligation advice.

To contact one of our personal injury solicitors please call 0818 888 555 or WhatsApp/call 087 398 7386 or complete our online enquiry form