Burn Injury Claim in Angus

General guidance is not possible with a burn injury. Personal Injury compensation is awarded according to the part of the body affected and the consequences for the victim in terms of pain, suffering and financial losses. The cause of the damage is not the principal concern. Just as there is little or no difference to the award if you are blinded in a car crash or by flying broken glass, so the compensation for losing the use of a hand because it was crushed in a machine would be similar to that if it was crippled by severe burns.

Effects of a burn injury

Burns are probably the most painful of common injuries. The burn damages or exposes sensitive nerve endings, causing intense pain signals to be sent to the brain. This pain can persist until the skin is fully healed. Burns often leave scarring which can be thick and inflexible, causing restricted movement and disfigurement.

Severe burns can penetrate below the skin, causing damage to muscles, nerves and blood vessels. There can also be long-term emotional problems.

Degrees of burn injury

The severity of a burn injury is assessed by two factors. Extent measures the percentage of the body surface covered (15% is commonly regarded as the threshold between relatively minor and more severe burns). Degree indicates the depth of skin loss or damage.

First degree burns (superficial burns) affect only the top layer of skin. They cause reddening of the skin but can still be extremely painful.

Second degree burns are when the top layer of skin is destroyed and the lower dermal layer is exposed and damaged.

Third degree burns (full thickness burns) mean the entire depth of skin has been affected and the flesh below is exposed and possibly damaged. Muscles, bone and nerves may be affected. Recovery may require skin grafts and take many months, or even years of treatment.

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Personal Injury Claim Solicitors in Angus

If you have suffered an injury which wasn’t your fault, you should consult a specialist personal injury solicitor. The effects of an injury can be wide ranging and more than your legal rights are involved in determining your eligibility for, and amount of, compensation. For this reason, a solicitor requires a combination of legal and medical expertise, and most personal injury solicitors will have built up a list of useful contacts and barristers’ chambers to call on when specialist advice is required.

How can I recognise a specialist personal injury solicitor?

In the first instance, check that your solicitor’s firm includes lawyers who are accredited members of the two principle legal bodies in this field; the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIC) and the Law Society’s personal injury panel. You should also ask if they have solicitors who belong to associations for the specific injury your claim is about – for example the Spinal Injuries Association or the Headway Panel.

You should also ask your solicitor about their record in personal injury claims. Can they give you any case histories of successful claims similar to yours?

How can I pay the solicitor’s bills for my personal injury claim?

With the exception of medical negligence, legal aid is generally no longer available for personal injury claims. This means you will have to agree payment with the solicitor yourself. Fortunately, solicitors are able to act on a Conditional Fee (“No Win, No Fee”) basis. This means your solicitor bears the cost of the claim until you have been awarded compensation. Depending on the type of agreement you have, your solicitor will then either claim his fees from your opponent, or take a percentage of your compensation as a “success fee”.

Will my solicitor charge me for costs if I lose my personal injury claim?

Before agreeing to work on a conditional fee basis, a competent personal injury solicitor will assess the merits of the claim. If you and your solicitor decide to proceed you may have to take out an insurance policy to cover both your and your opponent’s solicitors’ fees in the event that you lose your claim.

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