Skin Injury & Skin Damage Compensation Claims

Dermatitis

Dermatitis is a skin condition that is characterised by dry and itchy skin, red rashes that cover specific parts of the body, and discomfort. Dermatisis can be a temporary condition that is eased with medical interventions, or it can be a serious and long-lasting disease.

There are many different types of dermatitis, with contact dermatitis being the most common. As its name suggests, contact dermatitis occurs as a result of coming into direct contact with substances known as irritants. These substances can be harmful to the skin, and include detergents, chemicals, hair dyes, and cleaning fluids. Allergic dermatitis can occur when contact with a chemical or substance causes the immune system to react.

Depending on your occupation, you may have developed contact dermatitis after coming into contact with irritants at work. Nurses, hairdressers, cleaners and engineers are all likely to come into regular contact with substances which could cause contact dermatitis to manifest. In order to reduce the risk of their employees suffering a skin injury because of their job, employers have a legal duty to minimise hazards and the risk of harm occurring. Under current Health and Safety Regulations, employers must:

• Make employees aware of the risks of their roles and the substances they encounter. Knowledge of the risks associated with their jobs and handling certain chemicals will empower employees to take safety precautions.
• Providing personal protective equipment (PPE), such as gloves, googles, or suits. This will reduce the risk of the chemical coming into direct contact with the skin.
• Wherever possible, reduce the amount of time an employee spends handling a potentially dangerous chemical.

Typical treatments for dermatitis include applying topical skin moisturisers and steroids. Sadly, steroid medications can only be used infrequently and for short bursts of time due to the side-effects that they can cause to occur.

If an employer fails to undertake their health and safety duties effectively, they may find themselves liable for any injuries that their employees suffer.

Burns and Scalds

Burns and scalds are skin injuries that are caused by heat. They differ from one another in that burns are typically caused by contact with dry heat (such as a fire or an iron), while scalds are caused by contact with hot water, hot liquids, or steam. Generally, burns and scalds are treated in the same way, but the road to recovery can be very painful. Symptoms of burns and scalds are similar, and often include red or peeling skin; blisters at the site of the injury; swelling of the affected area; white or charred skin. Although some burns and scalds are very painful, some can be relatively painless, especially if the injury caused damage to the nerves in the area. For this reason, the amount of pain suffered is not always relative to the severity of the burn, so it's important to get all burns assessed by a medical practitioner.

When treating burns and scalds, doctors categorise the injury into one of four categories.

The categorisation is based on the severity of damage that has been sustained and the degree to which each of the skin's three layers have been affected.

To understand the categorisation, it's important to know that human skin has three layers.

The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin that you can see. The skin is the body's largest organ, and its role is to protect the delicate inner organs of the body from invading pathogens and other elements that could cause harm.

Below the epidermis is the dermis, which contains blood capillaries, nerve endings, sweat glands, and hair follicles. This is the second layer.

The third layer is a layer of subcutaneous fat, known as subcutis; it is the deeper layer of fat and tissue that sits beneath the epidermis and the dermis.

There are four main types of burn, all of which have their own characteristic appearance and method of treatment.

The least severe type of burn is the superficial epidermal burn. With this burn, the epidermis is damaged and appears red and swollen, but it is not blistered. It is still a painful burn for victims.

A superficial dermal burn is slightly more serious; with this type of burn, both the epidermis and dermis are likely to be affected, and the skin will appear pink and painful. Blisters will probably form around the affected area.

A deep dermal or partial thickness burn occurs when the epidermis and dermis are both damaged. When this type of injury occurs, the skin usually turns red and blotchy. It is difficult to guess how a victim's skin will respond to this type of burn. For some victims, the skin becomes dry; for others, it becomes moist. Most victims will experience some swelling and blistering, but not all will experience pain

A full thickness burn is the most severe type of burn. It occurs when all three layers of skin - the epidermis, dermis and subcutis - are damaged. The skin is usually burnt away, and the tissues underneath appear pale or blackened. Any skin that does remain will be dry and white, or brown or black, with a waxy or leathery texture.

Although we tend to think of scalds and burns as involving fire and hot steam, it's important to remember that there are many different types of burns. An electrical burn happens when someone experiences an electric shock. When electricity comes into direct contact with the body, it can course through the body quickly, damaging tissues and organs. High-voltage burns occur when a person encounters a power source of more than 500 volts. It is an extremely serious burn, with the electricity coursing through the victim's body and causing severe internal injuries. Often, the victim's outside appearance is misleading; the outer skin is unlikely to be affected by the burn, with most of the damage existing beneath the victim's skin. Electrical burns often require hospital treatment, with medics' first job being to assess the damage caused.

Burns and scalds have many causes, and can occur because of contact with fire, steam, chemicals, electrical equipment, and even sunbeds. Injuries such as burns can occur as a result of working with hot materials in the workplace.

Workplace Accidents

Burns and scalds are a common injuries in workplaces where employees often handle hot substances. Kitchen staff, waiters and waitresses are at high risk of suffering a burn or scald due to the nature of their jobs.

In construction and engineering jobs, using machinery that heats liquids to extremely high temperatures can cause severe scalding if the machine malfunctions in some way.

In workplaces that frequently use potentially dangerous machinery, employers have a legal duty to regularly inspect the machines their employees work with for signs of damage. This is also true of workplaces, such as tanning salons, that offer their machines out to customers for commercial use.

Machinery should be regularly maintained and, when necessary, removed, replaced, or upgraded to ensure worker safety. Workers who regularly operate such machinery must be given regular training. If a machine is faulty or training has not been provided, it is likely that the employer will be found liable for any accidents that occur.

Burns and scalds can also occur during road traffic accidents. Whatever the cause of your burn or scald, contact PSR Solicitors today to find out whether you could make a claim for compensation.

Body Scarring

Skin injuries that lead to scars are a sad but common consequence of many accidents. Because they occur due to the initial injuries, scars are known as 'secondary injuries'.

In the past, we have successfully aided with claims for scars caused by accidents at work, road traffic accidents, and trips and falls. Scars can also be a by-product of scalds and burns; as part of a claim for a burn or scald injury, the courts will consider whether any permanent scarring has occurred.

Compensation claims for scars are usually handled as a secondary claim following an initial accident or injury claim. In this way, it is shown that the scars were caused by the initial accident, which wasn't the victim's fault, and are causing additional distress for the claimant. Claims for scars that are made after the initial accident claim have been settled are unlikely to be responded to, but doctors during the initial claim can provide a prognosis that details whether scars are likely to occur, and how extensive and permanent they will probably be.

There are many different types of scars, and their appearances typically differ depending on their cause.

The most common types of scars are flat, pale scars that manifest as a pale line on the skin. Burns and scalds typically cause scars known as scar contractures, which occur when the skin shrinks and becomes tight. These scars can have physical ramifications, resulting in difficulties moving the skin. Hypertrophic scars are raised, red scars that are usually thick in width. These scars can restrict movement and are caused by an imbalance in the amount of collagen that is produced by the body when the wound is healing. 

Many people who are left with scars after an accident find the marks unsightly, which can lead to issues with confident and self-esteem and potentially cause mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In the most serious cases, people may be reluctant or unwilling to socialise with others or leave their homes. They may feel worried that their scars will be judged by other people.

Making a Skin Injury Compensation Claim

If you have suffered a skin injury through no fault of your own and you feel there is evidence of 3rd party liability, then you are entitled to try and make a claim for compensation.

By employing the services of one of PSR's qualified personal injury lawyers, you can rest assured that you have secured the legal expertise and experience to win your case and receive the maximum compensation available.

In the unlikely event that your claim is unsuccessful, our No Win No Fee promise offers you the peace of mind that there will be no legal costs to pay, meaning no risk to you.

All PSR’s Personal Injury Solicitors in Wales and our Injury Lawyers in Cheshire are accredited by the Law Society for Personal Injury Claims. Our accredited status as specialist personal injury solicitors provides the reassurance you should be looking for and guarantees that we have the expertise and tenacity to secure the maximum levels of compensation for you or your family.

Covering North Wales and Cheshire, with offices in Colwyn Bay, Ellesmere Port, Rhyl, Shotton, Wrexham, Wallasey, and Chester, PSR Solicitors is one of the leading firms of Personal Injury Solicitors out there, affording you confidence that if you recruit the services of one of our expert solicitors, they will manage the entire claim and allow you to concentrate on more important issues, like recovery.