How To Claim Permanent Scar Compensation

By Jade McCoy. Last Updated 27th June 2024. In this guide, we will explore the process of seeking facial scar compensation.

When seeking permanent scar injury compensation, you’ll want to know what legislation is in place that makes it possible for you to start a claim. Additionally, you might benefit from using a scarring compensation calculator to work out how much permanent scar compensation you might be entitled to. If so, this guide could help.

If you are someone who has a facial scar injury caused by someone else’s negligence, we could help you get permanent scar compensation. You might use our scar compensation calculator to get an idea of the settlement you could receive, or you could speak to an advisor to find out a more accurate compensation amount.

They could also discuss how much compensation you get per stitch in the UK and why you might benefit from working with a No Win No Fee solicitor from our panel.

You can contact us at any time by doing the following:

• Calling 0800 073 8804
• Using our live chat function
• Requesting a call back by filling out our contact form

Select a Section:

1. What Is A Permanent Scar Injury?
2. Potential Causes Of A Permanent Scar
3. Evidence For Permanent Scar Compensation Claims
4. How Much Is A Scar Worth In The UK?
5. Permanent Scar Compensation – How Long Do I Have To Claim?
6. No Win No Fee Permanent Scar Injury Claims

What Is A Permanent Scar Injury?

Scars are a common injury which can occur to any person for any number of different reasons. They exist as a result of the body’s healing process; tissue damage resulting from an injury causes scar tissue to form in place of the original tissue. These can potentially be dangerous (especially if internal scars form on your vital organs) but most scars simply create emotional or mental stress and damage.

Types of Scars that Could Lead To Compensation

However, there are a number of different types of scars, which do vary in both aesthetic effect and damage to your body. These include:

• Flat pale scars – these tend to be small in the area of effect and lack any pronounced nature. They create little permanent damage to your body but often have a permanent aesthetic effect, which can impact on your emotional state or self-confidence.
• Keloid scars – these are much more pronounced than flat pale scars and often painful and raised from the skin. They can easily cause damage to your body if formed on a joint or sensitive area of your body and can be a cause of long-term pain problems.
• Scar contractures – these have a heavy aesthetic effect on the body. These scars are created through a contraction of the skin and can have a negative effect on your mobility and quality of life as well as pain problems.

If you’d like to discuss bodily or facial scar compensation claims at greater length or start your own claim, please get in touch with our team today;

Potential Causes Of A Permanent Scar

There are several different incidents that could cause a scarring injury. These include accidents at work, accidents in a public place, road traffic accidents and medical negligence. However, to be eligible for compensation for a permanent scar, you must be able to prove that you were owed a duty of care and a breach in this caused your injury. We examine evidence later in this guide. In the sections that follow, we look at different situations where you are owed a duty of care.

Workplace Injuries

The key piece of legislation that governs workplace health and safety is the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). It sets the duty of care as employers must take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees.

For example, you may suffer lacerations due to faulty machinery or a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE). Lacerations can result in permanent scarring. Additionally, if you break a bone, such as in a slip trip or fall at work, the injury may leave a scar. This could be included in your compensation payout.

Road Traffic Accidents

The Road Traffic Act 1988 sets the duty of care that road users owe to each other. This means that they must do everything they reasonably can to prevent each other from experiencing harm. For example, by following the Highway Code, which sets additional rules for navigating the roads. Some of these rules are found as law in other pieces of legislation.

A road traffic accident may result in a burn injury. These can occur if the car ignites or the airbag deploys. A burn could cause a permanent scar. If you suffered due to another driver’s breach in the duty of care, you might be eligible to claim.

Accidents In A Public Place

The Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957 governs the duty of care for those in control of public places. It states that those in control of the space must ensure reasonably safety of those using it.

For example, a pavement accident may cause cuts that result in permanent scars. Additionally, a tripping on the pavement may result in gravel becoming trapped under the skin. This could cause further scarring if it needs to be surgically removed.

Medical Negligence

Medical procedures, whether necessary or elective, can cause scarring. However, if you are left with unnecessary scarring due to a medical professional’s breach in the duty of care, you might be eligible to claim. Medical professionals owe you a duty of care to provide a minimum standard of care to their patients.

For example, if have a delayed diagnosis of a fracture, it may require surgical intervention for setting, whereas it wouldn’t if diagnosed in a timely manner. Surgical fracture setting can leave scars.

Before you access our scarring compensation calculator, you might like to speak to our advisors. They can explain how much compensation for a scar you could get, along with the injuries that caused it. Get in touch with the details at the top of the page.

Evidence For Permanent Scar Compensation Claims

To be able to make a personal injury claim for a permanent scar injury, you will need to prove that negligence occurred. Collecting sufficient evidence could help prove the type of injury you suffered and who was liable.

Some examples of evidence that could help support a claim for permanent scar injury compensation include:

• Photographs of the scar. These could be compared to photographs taken prior to the injury if you have any.
• Accident footage, such as CCTV footage.
• Contact information from anyone who witnessed the incident so they can provide a statement later on.
• A copy of your medical records stating the injury you suffered and the treatment you required.

Call our advisors to see whether you could pursue a claim for permanent scar compensation. Additionally, they may also put you in contact with one of our solicitors, who could help you with gathering evidence.

How Much Is A Scar Worth In The UK?

When claiming for permanent scar compensation, many individuals vastly underestimate the number of different costs and damages that they are legally entitled to claim. If your permanent scar claim is successful, there potentially could be two heads of claim which can make up your payout – general and special damages.

General damages is the first head of claim which will make up your payout total. This provides compensation for the psychological and physical effects permanent scarring has had on you. Aspects such as these can determine the worth of general damages:

• Where the scar is located.
• The extent of your scar.
• How negatively it has impacted your quality of life.

An independent medical assessment and the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) can help put a value to your general damages. The JCG publishes different guideline compensation brackets for varying injuries and illnesses. 

Permanent Scar Compensation Guidelines

To provide you with guidance, we have taken injuries and compensation brackets from the JCG (the top figure is ours, however) that relate to permanent scar claims. 

However, no specific amount from this table can be guaranteed, because every claim has unique circumstances. 

Special Damages

Special damages is the second head of claim which might make up your payout total. This provides compensation for the monetary effects permanent scarring has had on you, including:

• Loss of earnings. 
• Medical bills, such as the cost of painkillers. 
• Therapy and counselling costs. 

To maximise the chance of receiving compensation for special damages, you must provide proof. Such proof can be bank statements, payslips, invoices, and receipts. 

You may have more questions, such as “How much compensation per stitch can I claim?”. If so, please feel free to contact us.

Permanent Scar Compensation – How Long Do I Have To Claim?

For personal injury claims, you generally have 3 years to begin a claim. This time limit begins from the date you sustained the injury that caused your permanent scar. The compensation claim time limit can be found in the Limitation Act 1980.

However, there are some scenarios where this time limit may not apply. For instance, if the injured person is under 18, then the 3-year time-limit only begins from the day they become an adult. Until then, a litigation friend can make a claim on their behalf without the typical time constraints. A litigation must be used in this case, as a child cannot pursue their own claim until they reach adulthood.

Similarly, a litigation friend must also be appointed if a claim is to be made for a claimant whose mental capacity is reduced. Their time limit is also suspended, with it only beginning should the injured person recover.

If you have any questions regarding factors such as how much compensation for a scar you could receive, please get in touch. Whether you’ve sustained a scar on your arm, leg, or even a facial scar, our compensation calculator could also give you a rough valuation of your claim.

No Win No Fee Permanent Scar Injury Claims

Another aspect of your claim of which you should be aware before making any decision is the potential legal fees that you could incur.

When using the services provided by a Claims Service, legal fees could be charged before the end of your claim and regardless of whether your claim is actually successful in receiving compensation. These fees can be extremely damaging to you, especially at a time when you may be dealing with the trauma associated with any kind of injury.

This is why, if you choose our company as your Claims Service, we will not charge you legal fees unless your permanent scar compensation claim successfully results in compensation being awarded to you.

Our ‘No Win No Fee’ policy (known in legal parlance as a Conditional Fee Agreement) ensures that we will not charge you any legal fees prior to the end of your facial scar compensation claims process and, even then, only on the condition that your claim is successful. This highlights our care towards you as our client and our commitment to ensuring individuals receive the compensation that they deserve after an accident or injury.

Call For Free Advice And To Start a Claim

Contact us now by calling 0800 073 8804 or by filling out the contact form below. Whatever the circumstances of your permanent scar injury compensation claim, getting advice from an expert Claims Service can only help you with your understanding of the process. Let us help you get the compensation that you deserve.

Feel free to contact our advisors today if you still have any questions about permanent scar compensation claims.