Burn At Work Compensation – Can You Make An Injury Claim?

By Ian Morris | Updated September 7th, 2023

117 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

You are entitled to claim compensation if you suffer a burn at work in an accident that wasn’t your fault. We work on a no win no fee basis, meaning there’s no financial cost to you if you don’t win your claim.

Can you make a claim for a burn at work?
What burn injuries can you claim for?
Why claim compensation?
How much is a burn claim worth?
How we can help you make a successful claim
Comments – your questions answered

Can you make a claim for a burn at work?

You can make a burn injury claim against your employer if they were negligent in following health and safety rules. Claims succeed if employer negligence can be proved, they failed in their duty of care, and the accident was not your fault. Workers are legally entitled to a safe and secure environment. They must be trained properly and made aware of their obligations to work safely. Employers must ensure the following to avoid staff being burnt at work:

That the working environment is safe, for example that floors are not wet to avoid staff falling over carrying hot liquids.
That staff are adequately qualified to use any tools or machinery that they are asked to use.
That equipment, including hot taps, are fit for purpose with regular servicing and repair.
That faulty equipment is removed from use and only returned to active service once fully repaired.
That any noxious or dangerous chemicals are handled in compliance with the ‘Controls of Substances Hazardous to Health’ (COSSH) guidelines, and that chemicals are stored and controlled accordingly.
That the correct PPE is provided.

Any person is entitled to make a claim for burn injury compensation in these or similar circumstances. Note that a claim usually has to be made within three years of the accident, unless the injured party was under 18.

What burn injuries can you claim for?

See the comments below this article for the different types of accident at work that have resulted in burns. Claims can be made for a range of workplace burn injuries, including:

Scalding by hot liquid
Hot oil burns
Chemical burns
Steam burns
Heat and fire burns
Electrical burns
Radiation burns

In medical terminology, burns are classified depending on deep they penetrate the skin:

First degree burns damage the top layer of skin only (the epidermis). They will be red and blotchy, but not blistered, and pain should soon subside.
Second degree burns also damage the second layer of skin (the dermis). The injury will turn red and blister.
Third degree burns are the most serious and reach the third, final layer of skin (the hypodermis). They take a long time to heal and cause permanent scarring, possibly requiring skin grafts.

Why claim compensation?

Burns can be very serious injuries, with ongoing and often permanent consequences such as scarring and psychological trauma. The injured party can also lose income if left unable to work for a period of time, surviving on sick pay alone. Making a work accident claim can go a long way to helping you through a difficult time and ease some of the problems you’ll experience:

It’s your legal right after an injury at work, and fairly compensates you for injuries that were not your fault.
It can pay for private medical treatment and rehabilitation therapies to speed your recovery.
If you are prevented from working again it can make up for lost income now and in the future.

There is no financial cost to make a claim – you will never be charged if it does not succeed. A successful claim will lead to a compensation settlement being made to you, with the value of the claim including any lost income and incurred costs as well as a settlement for the injuries and medical treatment that you have sustained.

Your solicitor will also look to help you to recover more quickly by obtaining rehabilitation therapy at the expense of the 3rd party (your employer’s insurers). This could also include private specialist treatments to reduce the appearance of a scar, or help with health issues caused by damage to the skin.

How much is a burn claim worth?

All claims are comprised of general and special damages. General damages apply to the injury itself and the suffering you experience. This will usually depend on the severity, or classification (first, second or third degree), of your burn. Special damages cover the financial costs you incur as a result of the injury. This would include medical fees, ongoing care, travel expenses and loss of income.

The total amount varies from case to case, but there are guidelines issued to solicitors by the courts. A first degree facial burn could have a value of up to £6,000, for example. Whereas a more severe, third degree facial burn could be more than ten times as much. The table below shows amounts for facial disfigurement, obviously burns and scarring to other, less visible parts of the body can attract lesser amounts.

Severity of injury	Compensation amount
Very severe scarring, with permanent disfigurement and psychological effects	£22,625 - £81,400
Less severe scarring, where disfigurement is still substantial with a significant psychological reaction	£13,650 - £40,480
Significant scarring which remains visible at conversational distances	£6,925 - £25,160
Less significant scarring which remains visible on close inspection	£3,000 - £11,500
Trivial scarring where the effect is minor	£1,300 - £2,940

How we can help you make a successful claim

Direct2Compensation are experts in managing claims for injuries caused in accidents at work. We know your rights and can help you to understand whether the specifics of your accident mean you can hold your employer liable.

It is important to make sure that the details of your workplace accident have been recorded properly within an employer’s accident book and that medical attention is sought for any burns you sustained. If you haven’t done this already, we can help you to do so.

Levels of compensation vary according to the severity of a burn and its long-term impact on the claimant’s life. Therefore, one of the first steps in making a claim is to get a medical assessment of the injury. We can arrange this for you at no cost.

We work with some of the best accident at work solicitors in the UK. With our easy to understand claims process and ability to handle your claim quickly, simply and transparently, there are many reasons that make us the right choice when it comes to starting your claim for injury compensation.

If you have suffered a burn injury at work and want to know if you can make a claim for compensation, contact us today. You can start your claim online or , and one of our expert team will be in touch to offer help. Alternatively, call us on 01225 430285.

117 questions have been answered on this subject - ask us your question

Comments & Questions

Read on for questions and advice about claiming, plus burn injury claim examples...

Hi,
My daughter works in a care home. When she was on duty she was scalded on her left hand and foot by boiling water. This happened due to a member of staff not securing the lid of the container holding the boiling water. Her hand is now purple and has a blister on it and two blisters are present on her left foot. Could you please advise if she would be eligible to claim compensation? 111 was phoned on the day it happened. An accident form has been completed and she has photos of the areas which were burnt.

A claim would be valid in the scenario you describe. Please go to our ‘start your claim for compensation‘ form or call us on 01225430285 to get further help and advice.

I was working a night shift last night, I am a waste operative and I just started 2 weeks ago. Last night I was told to go into a clave (steams waste in metal bins). They go up to 140 degrees Celsius and when I went in to collect the bins boiling hot water dripped onto my face just near my right eye, so I narrowly avoided that one but it’s left me with a 2nd degree burn on my face. When I told my team leader he just laughed at me and said, “it happens to everyone” – I was baffled!

At the end of the shift a supervisor (who also happens to be the managers son) pulled me up in front of everyone and said that if I don’t go in the clave again, I’ll lose my job. So I showed him the burn, only for him to reply “so, you should know how to do it right”. I then told him that I’ve never been shown how to do it. So I have had no training on it and no PPE for entering that death trap, I was not offered any first aid and for about 3 hours I was refused the accident book. I also have photographed evidence of burn and accident report.

Well done for photographing the burn injury and accident report. This useful evidence protects your interests and rights going forwards should you opt to pursue a claim for compensation against the employers insurance cover. It would seem that your employer has a lackadaisical approach to workplace safety and their failure to provide you with appropriate training or PPE indicates employer negligence. As such, although you are only a couple of weeks in to this new job, you have a valid right to make a claim and you should ignore the comments of the shift supervisor as they are unhelpful, misleading and quite frankly do not comply with employment law let alone Health and Safety law. Many people wrongly worry about being sacked after an accident at work if they make a claim. In law, you are legally entitled to pursue a claim if the employers negligence can be attributed to injuries sustained at work.

I burnt/scalded my arm at work whilst getting food out of the steamer. I had my arm under water for 20 mins and then went to the walk in centre and had it dressed by a Nurse. I Went back the next day to have the dressing changed and had a monster of a blister. They said if it popped I was to go to A&E. It popped on the Sunday so I went to A&E who cut all the blistered skin away and redressed it. This was recorded in the work accident book and when I went back we were told we were having training on how to remove trays from the steamer. All kinds of people came in filling in paperwork, so I think it was recorded with health and safety reps also. I do have photos of my arm .

Not only are burn injuries painful and sore at the time of the injury, they can remain sore and problematic for a considerable time and may well leave scarring. As such, compensation settlements for burn or scalding injuries can be substantial.

In this case, it would seem that the employer has realised that they need to provide more training for staff using the steamers in order that employees can work safely. Whilst this is a good move by the employer, it has come too late in your case and this indicates that you would be likely to succeed with a claim against the employers insurance for the injury you have sustained as it may have been avoidable if the employer had provided the appropriate training at an earlier date.

I burned my self a couple of months ago at work on a petrol strimmer – the engine guard was damaged so engine was showing and not covered. It’s left a nice scar on my arm. At the time I was worried about trying to collect compensation in case I lost my job. I took a few days off with it thinking they would maybe still pay me but no, they’ve terminated my employment for no reason. So I think it’s only in my right to claim back what I’m owed – they had no first aid to treat it with the guy on the yard literally wrapped it in a bag off the floor, highly unhygienic.

Please contact us to make your claim for compensation. This is certainly a matter we can help you with.

My partner burnt her hand at work after not being provided with the correct PPE to carry out her job. As a result of this she took several trips to a walkin centre and spent roughly a week off work. Now they have issued her with a disciplinary hearing for taking time off. Is this something they can do and is there any legal standing to argue this. Further to this she was not paid any SSP for the time that she was off due to this injury.

Any advise would be appreciated.

Whether or not the employer is acting legitimately in undertaking a disciplinary procedure for the absence from work caused by the accident at work is unclear, but this can be looked in to.

However, the employers failure to provide the correct PPE to your partner is employer negligence and she therefore has a right to make a claim for personal injury compensation against the employer for the injuries sustained, the pain caused, any lost income or other costs such as petrol/parking at hospital visits etc.

We’d like to help your partner make her claim, so please ask her to call us on 01225430285.

I burnt my hand with boiling water at work. I work in a college the starbucks unit. I poured the boiling water to make a cup of tea for a customer. But the lid wasn’t on properly the lids didn’t seem to fit the cup so when i lifted the cup the lid popped off and poured down my hand. I run it under cold water informed my manager and asked to put in accident book, which wasn’t done. I asked for the first aid kit and there wasn’t an updated one. I went to the chemist to ask advice and brought some cream. It has blistered and now they have popped, i think it will scar my hand.

If your accident was recorded in the employers accident book/accident reporting system you have a right to make a claim. If you would like to find out more about a potential claim, please call us on 01225430285.

I burned myself using a instant boiled water tap that is always spitting out boiling water everywhere and Left a big red mark going across my hand of which I have images, I’m an apprentice but have received no training in health and safety whatsoever, I don’t even know where the fire exists are, would something like this warrant a claim?

Make sure that your injury is recorded with the employer in writing – ideally in an accident book, but if not, email your Managers to report what happened stating where and when you were injured.

I burnt myself on a chute at work (chute is where we pushed burgers and chicken between the hot hold to front counter to pack orders) I burnt myself once and told the store manager it was too hot then 3 months later burnt myself badly, no accident report was done and no first aid given, could I claim anything?

There is certainly a claim to be investigated in this scenario. You appear to have warned the employer of a risk of injury and they have not acted upon that. Therefore, it may be possible to hold the employer liable for employer negligence should you pursue a claim.

We would be happy to further consider this matter for you and investigate a potential claim.

I burned my arm in January at work on a fry station. The handle on the fry basket had broke on one side and slipped so I had the hot basket and oil burn my arm. It looks like a second degree burn to me and I am still scarred now. I was working on my own under a lot of pressure to get fries cooked as it was a busy day so my manager wouldn’t even look at it or help me. It wasn’t recorded in an accident book and I couldn’t put it under cold water so it blistered. It has effected my confidence as I model for a hobby and now the scar can been seen in all of my photos and photographers do not want to work with me. Could I make a claim? And would my employer need to know?

You can certainly make a claim as the cause of the injury was not your fault. Any claim would be against the employers insurance and not the business directly. Of course, if a claim is made, someone within the business would know but they would not be able to discuss with you directly and UK law protects you from discrimination should you pursue a claim against your employer.

Amazing! Also would I need any kind of evidence of proof for this?

Do you have photographs of the burn injuries? Any copies of text messages or emails between you and the employer? Also, your medical records should state that you had treatment for burn injuries.

I burnt my legs in chip fat when emptying a fryer while wearing shorts in the kitchen while cheffing. Went hospital around 2.5 years ago. Not much scaring but very minor ones.
However the company has been closed since then and declared bankruptcy.
Anything I can do?

It can be possible to pursue a claim against a now closed employer, but it will depend on whether the employer had insurance in place at the time of the accident. Do you know how long after the accident the business closed? If it was over a year later, it is likely that the insurance in place at the time of your accident had been paid in full and could therefore still be pursued.

Thank you.
Around 6 months after the injury they decided to close. Another one would be would the person who owned the company know there is a claim as the company is now shut?

The former company owner would have no idea if any claim were made.

I work in a private mental health hospital, recently I have had a cup of boiling hot water thrown into my face by a patient which has resulted in 2nd degree burns to my face, head and ear all on my left side. I spent 5 hours in the hospital and transferred to another hospital as the doctor thought I may need a skin graft, thankfully I didn’t but all the left side of my face has been left peeling, blistering and I am in a lot of pain. I keep getting flash backs of the incident and now afraid of hot water, i’m scared to go into work in case this happens again. With it being a mental health hospital am i to expect this or is there a claim? I have logged it with the police, I have medical records on file to prove I was there, I have pictures of my wounds and all paper work has been completed regarding the assault. Is it worth me chasing this up?

The fact that you were working in a mental health hospital does not mean that your rights and the obligations of the employer to minimise the risk of injury are waived, indeed you and all support workers have a right to make an assault claim.

Our Solicitors would want to know what information you were given about the potential risks of the patient who assaulted you and whether the employer had failed to provide the right guidance, updated care plan or risk assessment or whether you had received the correct training.

Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can take some further details and have this matter formally considered for you by our Solicitors. We work on a No Win No Fee basis, so you can further investigate your potential claim without having to pay any costs should the claim either not be pursued or if it were to fail.

I am a caterer on a ward and i was probing food at work using the right equipment and ppe and when placing a lid back onto something the tub slipped and my hand went into boiling hot soup that splashed all over me and onto my arm that is covered by my oven gloves. I took my gloves off ASAP and my arm had all burnt, I ran it under cold water and within 10 minutes it had blisters in 3 places.
This was through the oven gloves provided by my employer. I reported it my supervisor and was sent to a and e. It was treated and dressed. I was sent home due to un able to work on wards with dressing on and they are refusing to pay me for the afternoon they sent me home for. Even though this injury happened at work and through ppe provided. Is there anything I claim for?

Thankyou

This is certainly a matter we would like to investigate further for you. As the employer has provided the required PPE, it would appear that they have considered the risks posed in your work. However, as the item that caused your scalding injury ‘slipped’ there is a potential to succeed with a claim if it can be shown that the equipment you are using to move the hot items around is not fit for purpose.

Please call our team on 01225430285 so that we can discuss this matter with you in more detail and submit a formal claim enquiry to our specialist Solicitors. Whilst it may be the case that your employers have a robust defence and you may not succeed, there is sufficient in this matter to warrant pursuit of a claim for compensation and as our No Win No Fee service protects you from the risk of facing costs if you don’t succeed, you can pursue a claim without worrying about the cost implications of doing so.

i was working and the chef was pouring boiling water into the sink and it went onto my foot and through my shoes and socks and burnt 4 of my toes. My work has not provided the appropriate footwear as since i joined no one has said anything. i have missed events and opportunities due to this and i’ve only been to the pharmacy but it hurts really badly whenever i walk as i have to cover it up with a gauze when i go out.

If the incident and your scalding injuries has been recorded in an accident book at work, you could make a claim for compensation. The employers failure to provide you with the appropriate footwear could lead to a successful claim.

I suffered a burn at work caused by a hot oven tray and the Head Chef. There was no accident book to report the accident or my injury and neither was there any first aid equipment dress it in the first aid box. Fortunately, the burn hasn’t gone septic. I am hoping it doesn’t leave a scar but it is still quite red and this was 4 weeks ago. Can I claim?

Given the nature of the injury and cause there is certainly a valid point in pursuing a burn injury at work claim. We would like to assist you in making a claim for compensation. Please call us on 01225430285 so that we can discuss this further with you and take your claim forward.

I was burnt at work with a chemical called one shot it is an acid it burnt through my trousers, sock and trainer.

In the UK, employers using chemicals and substances hazardous to health must ensure that the substances and chemicals are stored safely and handled correctly by way of the COSHH guidelines.

The COSHH guidelines would require staff using such chemicals to have received training and for the employees to be provided with the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves, clothing and face masks.

It would appear that your employer has failed to carry out their statutory obligations. As such, please call us on 01225432085 so that we can help you further investigate whether or not you can claim compensation for the chemical burns you have sustained.

I am a cook in the cafe of this well known large supermarket. I was wiping the table next to the large fryer. A colleague had spilt beans everywhere so he was busy cleaning that up which made us behind. I was using blue kitchen roll paper as i always do. I didn’t realise the end of the roll was in the fryer. As i raised my arm the paper stuck to my face burning it. I did put my face under the tap. I put my burn lotion on it which did relieve it for a while. I carried on working till 5pm because the kitchen had to be clean in case the auditors came in, I finished work put it in the accident book and went home. I went to A &E where i was treated over 2 separate days. I now have a scar down my cheek. Can i claim?

The scenario you describe certainly warrants detailed and specialist consideration by our expert panel Solicitors.

I burnt myself in work on a ‘de carb’ machine. I am untrained on the machine but have used it multiple times. I was wearing the safety glove, but the water which is mixed with chemicals has managed to splash down my arm. The water sits at around 90 degrees and once I burnt myself I ran it under cold water and put burn gel and bandages around it.

However, around an hour later, I was informed by my Manager that he wanted to take me to Hospital I didn’t refuse, nor did I agree and I said I feel fine. The details of this injury have not been put in the accident book as there isn’t one provided, nor is anyone first aid trained. I did eventually attend Hospital that night where the burn was sterilised and new dressings were applied.

Your description of the cause of your injury indicates employer negligence. UK law requires that all employers and employees adhere to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act and follow safe working guidelines. As such, your employer should not have allowed you to operate the machine without having ensured that you had received the correct training and guidance to use it safely. As they did not, you may well succeed with a claim for compensation against your employer.

If you would like to take this further and find out more about how we can help you, please call us on 01225430285.

I was trying to light the gas fryer at work, it wasn’t working and the manager had left and said she would be back soon. I couldn’t light it so I told her, she said try this try that, I still couldn’t so I got help from another member of staff – he moved some things around and asked me to light it, I tried to then the gas explosion happened. It left me with second degree burns to both arms, right hand, my left leg, minor burns to my face and singed my hair, and has had a major effect on my mental heath and well being, what am I entitled to? She said I’m not entitled to sick pay because I’m self employed but she has offered to pay me sick pay out of her money, should I make a compensation claim? Please help me.

You will not be entitled to sick pay if you are self-employed and your only real option is to make a claim for personal injury compensation. It would appear that the gas fryer you were working with was unsafe and it could be that the employer hasn’t had it maintained or serviced as she should do. The self-employed are still entitled to claim in this respect.

We would be happy to help you make a claim for compensation and explain the process to you. Given the injuries you have to both arms, your hand, leg and the mental health aspect of this incident, claiming compensation will not only see you achieve a settlement (if you are successful) but will also enable you to access specialist rehabilitation therapies, which could greatly benefit your recovery.

My friend recently had an accident at work where her colleague spilt a tray of boiling hot water over her is she entitled to help?

The details of the scalding injuries sustained by your friend in her accident at work should be recorded in the employer’s accident book to ensure that a proper record is retained and that evidence is available to support any future claim. We would be happy to assist your friend in claiming compensation for the injuries sustained.

2 years ago I was involved in an accident which resulted into blistering burns on my toes and onto my foot, this is because after repeated asking for safety shoes to be provided I was simply told there was no money left in the budget for uniform. Because of this during my daily tasks within a kitchen environment I had to clean the floor I.e pour water out of a boiler on the floor then clean it. However upon doing so the water splashed back and went over the top of my shoes which were not safety shoes provided by the company. After being sent home for my injuries and have 1-2 days off work I submitted a accident report form. Subsequently the manager the purchased me safety shoes after my accident report had been submitted. I do have evidence of the invoice for the date of which they were purchased, however the manager at the time fraudulently filled the date in wrong on the sheet (apparently he bought them for me in 1970…) I also have pictures of the burns to my feet. Although effectively I was responsible for using boiling water on the floor it was one of my job roles to do so, but I would like to claim on the basis of manager negligence as he had not provided me the correct footwear.

This is certainly a claim that can be considered and looked in to further. The issue you cite regarding the date of the purchase of the safety shoes should not be an issue.

We would like to know more about this so it would be wise for you to make further contact and discuss this possible claim with us. Please call us on 01225430285 or use the ‘start a claim’ page of our website to make an online enquiry.