Cutting ourselves is easy to do. You graze past anything with a bit of an edge and our skin is vulnerable to being cut. But can you make a claim for personal injury compensation if you are cut by a sharp object? Can you even claim for just a cut or scarring? Here’s some advice.
Firstly, you can make a personal injury compensation claim for a cut – or laceration as we call it (the posh term!). You do not have to have broken anything to make a claim. Superficial scarring is a claimable injury, and it’s normally based on the severity and longevity of the scarring. You may not be in pain, but the fact you have a scar on you is claimable. If you have a facial scar, this is obviously taken in to account way more.
Lacerations can of course be much more serious if they are deeper and hit a tendon or nerve. The damage that can be done if a tendon is torn or severed is significant, and can affect mobility in the affected area. Inuring tendons in the hand and arm could lead to a permanent loss of mobility in the hand or fingers, and this will of course be taken in to account for a claim.
So injury aside, if there any liability for being cut by a sharp object? As always, it is circumstantial.
If you are in a premises like a shop or a bar or restaurant and you are cut by something dangerous, the Occupiers Liability Act should apply. This puts a duty on premises owners to take all reasonable steps to make sure people are not injured when visiting their premises. If there is a sharp object protruding from something, like on a handrail, or from a shelf, you may be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation.
In work, the duty is on your employer to make sure that you are safe at work. If you handle potentially sharp objects and you are exposed to a risk of injury, your employer should provide you with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which in these kinds of scenarios is generally gloves. Failing to provide PPE is a breach of the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, which paves the way for a work injury compensation claim against your employer. They have insurance – so we shouldn’t have any problem claiming compensation from it!
For more advice about making a personal injury compensation claims, call our free claims helpline on 0800 634 75 75 today.
