Chemical Burn At Work Compensation Claims Explained

Chemical burns are injuries to the skin, eyes, mouth, or internal organs caused by contact with a corrosive substance. They can cause debilitating physical and psychological symptoms that can have an impact on every aspect of a person’s life. For instance, visible burns may have an impact on someone’s self-confidence.

Although not all chemical burn injuries at work result from someone’s failings, they can occur as a result of an employer acting negligently. For instance, your employer failing to provide you with gloves when handling harmful substances.

If you’ve been affected by this type of injury due to someone breaching their duty of care, you could seek compensation for the pain and suffering you’ve endured. Call our team for further guidance.

Statistics On Chemical Related Injuries

According to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR), employers reported a total of 65,427 non-fatal injuries to employees in 2019/2020.

Additionally, RIDDOR recorded 1,679 non-fatal burns during 2019/2020. The graph below provides an insight into different accidents that could reflect burn injuries.

For more information on chemical burn statistics, see the Health and Safety Executive website (HSE).

Risk Factors And Causes

Chemicals are used in various workplaces such as factories, shops, laboratories, offices, farms, hairdressers. Both employees and members of the public could be at risk if health and safety regulations aren’t adhered to. For instance, a customer at a hair salon could suffer a burn injury if a patch test is not carried out when bleaching the hair.

Additionally, employees working in certain industries may be more at risk of sustaining chemical injuries. For instance, those working with harmful substances, including paints and cleaning products.

Chemical spills could occur through products being loaded incorrectly into a transport vehicle. An employee could then suffer a chemical burn if the products fall onto them while they’re unloading the vehicle.

Additionally, chemical spills could occur on an industrial plant and are a serious risk to employees health and safety. There are various reasons why they could occur, such as:

Damage to the container causing chemicals to leak
Employees receive no training on how to store such chemicals safely.

In some cases, your employer may not be liable if they have taken reasonable steps to prevent you from suffering harm.

However, if they failed to check the safety of the work environment and equipment through regular risk assessments, they may have been negligent.

Is My Employer Responsible For My Health And Safety?

All employers must fulfil their duty of care to you. With regards to hazardous substances in the workplace, they must follow the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002.

Employers should take reasonable steps to prevent or adequately control the risk of exposure to harmful substances. For instance, by providing:

Training: Employers must ensure you are adequately trained to deal with any health and safety risks.

Furthermore, they must provide training on how to perform your job safely and effectively.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Employers must implement all other possible measures to combat risks to employees.

However, employers may need to provide PPE even after these measures to prevent employees from suffering avoidable harm.

The specific duty of care you’re owed may depend on your specific workplace. For more information on the duty of care your employer owes you, speak to one of our advisors by calling the number above.

Chemical Burn At Work Compensation – Payout Examples

If you make a successful claim for a chemical burn at work, your settlement could consist of two heads of loss. The first is referred to as general damages, and it compensates you for the pain and suffering your injuries have caused you.

The table below features some of the compensation guidelines listed within the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This is a document that may be used by those responsible for valuing your claim for general damages. It lists various types of injuries, including ones related to scarring and burns, alongside guideline compensation brackets.

The table below should be viewed as a guide only. The first entry in the table is not taken from the JCG.

Injury	Severity	Further details	Compensation Award
Multiple serious injuries plus special damages	Serious	If you have valid grounds to claim for multiple serious injuries including ones caused by chemical burns, then you may receive a payout covering all injuries plus related special damages, such as loss of earnings.	Up to £250,000+
Scarring To Other Parts of the Body	Burns	The award will be given for burns that cover 40% or more of the body whilst taking into consideration other factors such as the psychological impact.	Likely to exceed £127,930
Scarring To Other Parts of the Body	Disfiguring scar or Multiple Noticeable Laceration Scars	The scarring will be present on the hands, arms, legs, chest or back.	£9,560 to £27,740
Facial Disfigurement	Very Severe Scarring	Where injuries have caused a severe psychological impact on the person.	£36,340 to £118,790
Facial Disfigurement	Less Severe Scarring	Considerable disfigurement and a significant psychological impact.	£21,920 to £59,090
Facial Disfigurement	Significant Scarring	The cosmetic effects of the injuries will have improved with plastic surgery and the psychological impact will have also improved.	£11,120 to £36,720
Facial Disfigurement	Less Significant Scarring	A number of very small scars or one scar not markedly affecting the person's appearance.	£4,820 to £16,770
Facial Disfigurement	Trivial Scarring	The effect of this scarring is only minor.	£2,080 to £4,310

If you successfully receive general damages, then you may also be awarded a secondary head of loss known as special damages. This compensates you for the financial expenses or losses that have been caused by your injuries, such as skin burn at work.

Some examples of the financial losses you could claim for under this heading include:

Loss of earnings if you’ve had to take unpaid time off work.
The cost of certain medical treatments you’ve received as part of your recovery could also potentially be covered. This may include certain procedures or psychiatric treatments if you’ve needed them.
Travel expenses for important appointments.

Documents such as bank statements or wage slips can help with claiming special damages as part of your chemical burn at work compensation.

For more advice on the amount you could claim for a chemical burn, get in touch with our advisors for free today.

Steps To Take If You Suffered A Chemical Burn Injury At Work

Seek medical attention: When you suffer an injury, it’s important to seek treatment from a trained medical professional to ensure you avoid any complications from arising. Furthermore, it can provide medical evidence that can outline details of your injury.
Please speak to a solicitor: Although you can put forward a claim without seeking legal representation, it can be beneficial having the help of an expert solicitor. They can advise further on the steps you need to take to get the compensation you deserve.
Obtain evidence to prove negligence: Evidence such as CCTV footage, a record of your accident in the workplace accident book, pictures of the accident and your injury and witness details.

For more information, please speak to a member of our team by calling on the number above.

Could I Claim Chemical Burn At Work Compensation With A No Win No Fee Solicitor?

If you hold a valid claim, you could seek legal representation to help you pursue compensation under a No Win No Fee agreement. By choosing this option, you won’t be asked to pay solicitor fees if your claim is unsuccessful.

If your claim is successful, you will be required to pay a legally capped success fee that will be deducted from your overall compensation settlement. However, your solicitor will explain how the fee works and make you aware of it before proceeding with your claim.

Furthermore, this type of agreement can allow you to avoid upfront solicitor fees and costs that may incur as part of the claims process.

For further help and advice, get in touch using the following details:

Phone us on 0161 696 9685
Chat with an advisor using the live chat box below
Please fill out the contact form to request a call-back from a member of our team

Useful Resources

Visit the Changing Faces website for support on dealing with the repercussions of a chemical burn.

See Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for more information on the duty of care your employer legally owes you.

A Guide To Chemical Burn At Work Claims

Chemical Burn At Work Compensation Claims Explained

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