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Accidents at the workplace happen far too often – more often than you would originally suspect. One of the potentially life-altering accidents are those that involve burns; a burn injury, depending on its severity, can lead to scars for life – or worse, death or life-long disability. The sad fact is that most of these accidents could have been prevented by implementing proper procedures or more training.
The employer has certain obligations; when employees get injured during the performance of their duties, management may very well be legally liable. Do you have burn injuries from your workplace? Here’s what you need to know for compensation.
Causes of burns
Burns are not just caused due to coming into contact with open flames or hot objects; they can be caused by a variety of sources. Here are just some of them:
- Extreme cold objects
- Chemicals
- Electricity
- Friction
- Radiation
Categories of burns
Burn injuries are usually classified into three different categories, depending on their severity. The classifications are:
- First degree: superficial burns that damage only the top layer of the skin; marked by redness and minor pain.
- Second degree: burns whereby the first and second layer of the skin are damaged; blistering and redness, as well as itchiness or other discomfort is experienced.
- Third degree: the skin is completely damaged, as well as underlying tissue; possibly muscle tissue and nerves as well. This often results in scarring.
What can you claim?
As with any other injury, what you can claim depends on the circumstances, which is why it is important to gather as much evidence of the incident as possible. If, however, it is proven that a third party is at fault, it is possible to claim damages for injury, loss of income, emotional pain and suffering, and more.
How much can you claim?
This is all depending on the circumstances of the incident and the seriousness of the injury. Legal professionals should be able to help you with this.
Legal assistance
To ensure that you are treated fairly and that you get the proper burn injury compensation, it’s essential to consult a legal professional – a solicitor specialising in personal injury – to help you with your claim.
Burn injuries (and other injuries caused through no fault of your own, such as hair damage, from which you can benefit from hair damage claims) can have serious consequences. If your employer is legally at fault, there are two good reasons why you should absolutely make a claim. First of all, you have the right to compensation to ease the physical, emotional, and financial damage you have sustained. Secondly – and arguably equally important – your employer must be held accountable, so that similar incidents can be avoided in the future.