For specialist guidance on claiming compensation for a medical burn on a No Win – No Fee basis, call our free helpline on 0333 888 0412 or send an email to [email protected]
Medical burns can occur in a wide variety of ways. This includes diathermy burns, excavation injuries, burns due to faulty equipment, chemicals catching on fire, or surgical error, but the list is almost endless.
Medical burns are a massive problem in healthcare. Between 1 March 2009 and 31 March 2019, the NHS awarded £13.9 million in damages and legal costs associated with medical burn injuries.
If you have suffered a medical burn then you may be entitled to compensation. Our lawyers, who are highly experienced in helping people recover compensation for a medical burn, are here to assist and will be happy to assess your case.
In order to make a claim, you need to be able to show that the medical care provided to you was below the standard that a patient can reasonably expect. This could, for example, include, a surgeon who uses a medical instrument or piece of equipment that was too hot, causing burns to your body, or a healthcare professional using an incorrect cleansing solution prior to closing a wound, thereby causing a solution burn.
We also encounter medical burns occurring as a result of hospitals not implementing Safe Practice on the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health standards, or failing to undertake regular inspections to ensure that equipment and machinery is not at risk of overheating.
In addition you can claim compensation for a delay in the treatment of a burn where it has had an impact on your recovery, has led to more severe scarring or has even caused necrosis.
When dealing with a claim for compensation for a medical burn we will always consider:
- The physical and aesthetic effects of the burn;
- Whether revision surgery is recommended;
- Loss of earnings for time off work;
- The need for specialist camouflage makeup to mask the appearance of scarring;
- Whether specialist clothing is required; and
- The need for specialist aids and equipment.
In addition, if your injury is one that requires care we will incorporate a claim for the value of care you have received from friends and family, as well as the cost of the care that you are likely to need in the future.
Our medical negligence solicitors deal with cases on a No Win, No Fee basis so there is no need to allow worries about funding legal costs to put you off making a claim.
However, as with all other clinical negligence claims, if you wish to recover compensation for a medical burn, you must make your claim within what is known in law as the ‘limitation period’. The limitation period in these cases starts to run from the date of the injury, or, if later, the date that you became aware you had suffered an injury as a result of clinical negligence. You then have three years to issue a claim in court. If you fail to pursue a claim by this deadline, then unless you were under 18 or lacking mental capacity, any potential claim would be barred.