When filing a scalp burn claim, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible in order to get the maximum scalp burn compensation. In this article, you will learn how to put together a strong and valid claim, plus how you could benefit from a No Win No Fee agreement.
Before we begin, it’s important that you consider the following:
- Did a third party legally owe you a duty of care?
- Was this duty of care breached?
- Did the third party’s breach of care result in your injury or illness?
If you answered yes to the above questions, you may have grounds for a valid claim. Our team of advisors can offer you a free consultation with no obligation. You can contact us or get in touch by:
- Scrolling to the top of this page and calling the number
- Requesting a call back using the form at the top right-hand corner
- Connecting instantly using our live chat service
A guide on claiming for scalp burn
Choose A Section
- What Is A Scalp Burn?
- Ways That Burns Could Happen
- How Long Does It Take For A Facial Burn To Heal?
- Compensation For A Scalp Burn
- Can I Work With A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
- Discover More About Scalp Burn Claims
What Is A Scalp Burn?
A scalp burn is an injury that affects the skin on your scalp and may occur due to products like bleach and hair dye, or electrical equipment such as straighteners. Fires and sunburn can also cause injuries to your scalp. Symptoms may include tenderness or pain around your scalp, itching and small, fluid-filled blisters.
If you are considering making a claim in regards to a scalp burn, it is crucial that you can prove your injury was caused by a breach of duty of care. A legal duty of care is when someone has a responsibility to protect others from harm.
Additionally, you must prove that the party who owed you a duty of care breached it. If a party has done everything they reasonably could to protect you from an injury, your chances of claiming are unlikely.
Lastly, you must have evidence that this negligence caused you harm. You must have suffered physical or psychological harm. You may also claim for losses caused by your injury.
Ways That Burns Could Happen
In this section, we will discuss ways that a scalp burn could happen as a result of a third party acting negligently and breaching a legal duty of care they owed to you.
- An accident at work – Employers have a duty of care to reasonably ensure the workplace is safe from the risk of injury. This is established in the Health and Safety At Work etc. Act 1974. For example, you might work in a laboratory and suffer a chemical burn due to a lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If your employer failed to provide you with PPE where it was necessary, they may have acted negligently and caused your injury.
- Accidents in public spaces – The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 sets out the duty of care that those in charge of public spaces, including hair salon owners, owe to anyone who uses their premises. For example, you might visit a hair salon and your hairdresser bleaches your hair as part of a treatment. However, if the hairdresser has not performed a patch test beforehand, you could risk a chemical burn to the scalp.
- A road traffic accident – All road users owe a duty of care to other road users. The Highway Code establishes how road users should act, whether they are motorists, cyclists or pedestrians. If you are involved in a road traffic accident caused by someone else, you could suffer a scalp burn injury if your car catches fire.
Our advisors can clarify who was responsible for your personal injury. Get in touch for a free consultation with no obligation to use our services afterwards.
How Long Does It Take For A Facial Burn To Heal?
Less serious facial burns take around two weeks to heal but may cause infection, pain, swelling and fever. On the contrary, a more serious facial burn could take over 30 days to heal and may result in a full-thickness injury or become infected.
An important element that can help you prove a personal injury claim is an independent medical assessment of your burn. A medical report can help prove the extent of your injuries and could help determine what caused the injury. A solicitor from our panel could help you arrange this. They may also be able to arrange the medical assessment in your local area; therefore you might not have to travel far.
Other ways you can prove that a third party’s negligence was the main cause of your injury include:
- Obtain CCTV footage that shows the incident taking place
- Collect the contact details of witnesses who can provide a statement
- Photographs of your injury and the scene of the accident
Our team of advisors can confirm if you have the evidence you need and if you are eligible to make a claim. They may connect you with a solicitor from our panel, but only if your claim is valid.
Compensation For A Scalp Burn
If you can prove a third party caused your scalp burn by negligence, you could be able to claim. There are two damages you may claim for:
- General damages: This head of damage accounts for any physical or mental harm caused by your injury. For example, damage to your hair or post-traumatic stress disorder. A medical report can prove the extent of your injuries.
- Special damages: Any financial losses incurred because of your injury are covered by special damages. For example, loss of earnings or medical fees. You can use wage slips or receipts to prove financial harm.
We’ve taken compensation ranges from the 16th edition of the Judicial College Guidelines to estimate how much you might receive for general damages.
| Injury | Compensation Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Psychiatric Damage Generally | £54,830 to £115,730 | Your ability to work and live are detrimentally affected. |
| Burns | Likely to exceed £104,830 | The effects of burns are regarded as more severe due to the significant pain and harm they may cause. Significant burns cover 40% or more of the body. |
| Facial Disfigurement: Less Significant Scarring | £3,950 to £13,740 | Cases may involve a single scar from your burn, however this scar can be hidden or camouflaged. |
| Facial Disfigurement: Trivial Scarring | £1,710 to £3,530 | The effects of your burn scarring will be minor. |
| Damage to Hair | £7,340 to £11,020 | A scalp burn may cause dry, brittle hair to break off or fall out, leading to severe mental health problems. |
| Less Serious Damage to Hair | £3,950 to £7,340 | The level of award is determined by how long it takes for your hair to grow back. |
| Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | £59,860 to £100,670 | All aspects of your life will be negatively affected and you are unlikely to be able to work at all. |
| Moderately Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | £23,150 to £59,860 | Significant disability is likely to persist in the foreseeable future, however the prognosis is slightly better. |
| Moderate Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | £8,180 to £23,150 | Ongoing effects do not have too much of an impact on your quality of life. |
| Less Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | £3,950 to £8,180 | A full recovery is likely to be made by two years at the most, while only minor effects continue. |
If you can’t see your injury listed above, that doesn’t mean you can’t claim. Call our advisors for a free consultation of your case. If you have a valid claim, they could connect you with a solicitor from our panel and they can give you a more accurate estimate for your injury.
Can I Work With A No Win No Fee Lawyer?
We understand that finding the money to fund legal representation is probably the least of your concerns. That’s why our panel of solicitors offer their services on a No Win No Fee agreement. A No Win No Fee lawyer will only take payment if they are successful in getting you the scalp burn injury compensation you could be owed. Other benefits include:
- You won’t pay any upfront solicitor fees
- Legal costs are covered during the claims process
- You’ll pay your lawyer a legally capped fee from your compensation, but only if your claim succeeds
It should be noted that our panel of solicitors try to work with claimants who claim within the time limits. The Limitation Act 1980 outlines the time period within which you can claim. Typically, you should claim within 3 years of sustaining your injury, or 3 years from when you clarified that negligence at least contributed to your injuries.
Tell Us About Your Scalp Burn Claim
If you think a No Win No Fee lawyer could help you, why not get in touch today? You can connect instantly to an advisor using our live chat function to find out if you are eligible to claim. Alternatively, you can:
- Ring the number above
- Use our live chat
- Or why not contact us via our website?
Discover More About Scalp Burn Claims
Before we conclude our guide on making a scalp burn claim, we want to share some additional resources with you.
Burns and scalds – NHS guidance on treating burns and scalds.
Scalding and burning – The Health and Safety Executive advise on the risks of burns.
Compensation after an accident or injury – The government advises how to seek compensation following an injury.
We have also featured some more of our guides you may find useful.
- What Should You Do After A Workplace Accident? – If you were injured at work, this guide may help you.
- Different Types Of Personal Injury Claims – Find out what personal injury claims you could make.
- Personal Injury FAQs
That concludes our guide on getting scalp burn compensation. We hope what you need to do to take action is clearer.
Writer Lewis Judd
Publisher Ruth Vincent