Claim Compensation Payouts For Scarring

In this guide, we will look at the process of claiming compensation for scarring. Scarring is the result of the natural healing process of the body. It happens when collagen is released to strengthen damaged tissue. It will continue to build up in the area of the wound, which will make it raised and visible. 

Compensation for scarring claims guide

Compensation for scarring claims guide

Scarring can be physically painful and restrict movement. It can also have a cosmetic impact, which might affect you psychologically. In some cases, you might even be left unable to work which could impact your earnings.

In order to be eligible to claim compensation for this kind of injury, you must have been injured as the result of negligence. This means that a duty of care must have been in place and have been breached, resulting in your injury, in order for you to be eligible to receive compensation.

If you’d like to see if you have a valid claim, you can get in touch with a member of our team today. They can tell you whether you have a valid claim and if so, could connect you with a lawyer from our panel. 

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Can I Make A Claim For Compensation For Scarring After An Accident?

You can make a claim for compensation for scarring if you have been injured as a result of negligence in a way that has impacted your quality of life. Negligence means that someone with a duty of care towards you breached this duty, and you experienced harm as a result. This guide will include examples of the situations in which a duty of care applies.

You might be wondering how long it will take for a scar to reduce in appearance or heal completely. We will look at recovery times, as well as the treatment kinds that are available, as we progress through this guide.

The amount of compensation you could receive in a scarring claim will be dependent on a number of different circumstances. We’ve included a section on how these claims are valued.

Finally, we will look at what a No Win No Fee agreement is and how this could benefit you when working with a lawyer on your claim. At the end of this guide, you’ll find some additional resources that we have included in the hopes that you will find them useful.

Scarring Statistics 

The charity Changing Faces offers support to people living with visible differences, which include scarring. Their research has shown that:

  • An estimated 1.3 million people in the UK have significant disfigurements.
  • One in three people say that their visible difference makes them depressed or sad
  • Nearly 25% feel anxious going in public because of their visible difference
  • 6 in 10 people have experienced hostility from strangers because of it

Ways That You Could Suffer A Disfigurement

For a compensation for scarring claim to be successful, you must prove that your injuries were the result of the negligence of a third party. Subsequently, to prove a party’s negligence, you must establish that they owed you a duty of care prior to the injury. Below, we’ll look at some of the scenarios in which a duty of care applies, what this duty entails, and how a breach could occur. 

At Work

The Health And Safety At Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA) outlines the duty of care that your employer has towards you. They need to take reasonably practicable steps to ensure your safety while you’re in the workplace. 

For example, they should maintain good housekeeping and provide you with the training you need to do your job safely. If, for example, you were not trained on how to use welding equipment, this could result in you experiencing a burn injury that results in a scar. 

On The Road

On Britain’s roads, the Highway Code and the Road Traffic Act 1988 outline the responsibilities of all road users to each other. They should act in a way that reduces the risk of themselves or others coming to harm. 

For example, they need to abide by the speed limit and follow road signs and traffic lights. If a driver were to run a red light and hit a pedestrian crossing the road, this could result in lacerations that leave scars/

In Public

When you’re in public spaces, you’re owed a duty of care according to the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This means that the party in control of the space needs to protect the safety of those who use the space for the intended purpose.

For example, if you were on an escalator that abruptly stopped, you could be thrown forward down the escalator and hit the floor as you fall. This could result in you cutting your face, leading to scars.

For more advice on when you could claim compensation for scarring, speak with an advisor from our team today.

How Long Do Scars Take To Heal?

According to the NHS, it’s not possible to completely remove a scar, but it can reduce over time. You can get treatment that can help improve the appearance of a scar. Furthermore, there might be some treatment options if a scar is restrictive or uncomfortable and stops you from moving.

In the aftermath of your injury, you could collect evidence that could help you to build a successful personal injury case. While the scarring itself is evidence of an accident occurring, you may still want to prove the liability of a third party. To this end, you can procure the following: 

  • Witness statements are a valuable addition to your arsenal and you can obtain them with little difficulty. Gather the contact details of any witnesses at the scene so that you can contact them for a statement at a later date.
  • You can make a request for CCTV footage from the area if it captured footage of the accident happening. 
  • Take photographs of the circumstances of the accident, as well as of your injuries. 
  • Seek appropriate medical attention. Your health and well-being are important and should be addressed as soon as possible. Seeing a medical professional also generates a report that you can request to support your claim throughout the claims process. 

If you’d like to know more about claiming compensation for scarring, get in touch with our team today.

Estimating Compensation For Scarring

There are two main heads of compensation that you can pursue when investigating personal injury compensation. General damages are intended to compensate for the pain, suffering and loss of amenities that result from the injury you suffered. This can be physical pain and suffering, or psychological. The Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)  include a list of guideline compensation brackets that we have included in the table below.  

These brackets are based on previously settled cases. General damages are awarded in every successful claim. 

InjuryCompensation BracketNotes
Facial disfigurement- Very severe scarring £29,780 to £97,330Where the scarring causes a very disfiguring cosmetic effect and severe psychological reaction
Facial disfigurement- Less severe scarring £100,670 to £150,110Where the person is substantially disfigured and there's a significant reaction psychologically.
Facial disfigurement- Significant scarring £9,110 to £30,090Where plastic surgery has (or can) reduce the worst effects.
Facial disfigurement- Less significant scarring £3,950 to £13,740Where the may be only one scar, or a number of very small scars, that markedly affect the appearance of someone without marring it.
Facial disfigurement- Trivial scarring £1,710 to £3,530The effect is only minor.
Scarring Likely to exceed £104,830Scars resulting from burns
Scarring £7,830 to £22,730A number of visible laceration scars that can be noticed, or a single disfiguring scar, on the legs, arms, hands, back or chest.
Scarring £2,370 to £7,830One noticeable scar or a number of superficial scars on the legs, arms or hands with some minor cosmetic impact.
General psychiatric harm- Severe £54,830 to £115,730There will be marked problems relating to factors such as future vulnerability, relationships with family and ability to cope with all aspects of life. Prognosis will be poor.
Post-traumatic stress disorder- Severe £12,590 to £21,070The injured person will be severely affected in a way that stops them from being able to work the way they did before the trauma, which will badly affect all areas of their life.

Special damages are awarded to compensate you for the financial impact of the accident that caused your injury. These expenses can include: 

  • Medical costs 
  • Travel costs to and from hospital appointments 
  • Loss of income

For more information on what can be included in your claim for compensation for scarring, or for a free assessment of your case with no obligation to continue with us, speak with an advisor today.

What Can I Do With A No Win No Fee Agreement?

When hiring legal representation, you might be put off by lawyers asking for large upfront fees to secure their services. If this is the case, you might benefit from a No Win No Fee agreement otherwise called a Conditional Fee Agreement. 

Under this kind of agreement, there are no upfront fees to pay and nothing for you to pay your lawyer as they work on your claim. You will be charged a success fee if your claim is won, and this will be taken from your settlement. If your claim loses, then you don’t pay this fee.

We can offer you free legal advice about claiming compensation for scarring. If you have a valid claim, we could connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.

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Further Resources About Scarring Claims.

Getting Help With Anxiety, Fear and Panic| NHS

Statutory Sick Pay | GOV 

Burns And Scalds: Complications | NHS

If this reading was useful, you might be interested in these additional guides from our website: 

Could I Get Compensation After An Accident On A Bus?

If you have any more questions about claiming compensation for scarring, please get in touch.

Writer Ryan Witcher

Publisher Fern Stringer