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How Much Compensation For Botched Body Piercing Negligence?

By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 26th January 2023. Body piercings have become exceptionally popular in the UK over the past few years. More and more people are searching for piercing ideas online so that they can find a unique piercing – something different from the standard ear piercing. While the vast majority of piercings are carried out without complication, there are a high number of cases that lead to unpleasant symptoms and even hospital admission. If this is something that has happened to you, there is an extremely high chance that you will be entitled to compensation. To find out more, read on.

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A guide to botched body piercing claims

While the procedures for body piercings that are in place are safe, there are cases that do go wrong. If a trained professional has not carried out your piercing, they may have followed the incorrect procedure. Alternatively, someone may have used the wrong equipment or failed to clean it properly. Quite clearly, there are a number of different circumstances that could occur and cause complications. No matter what applies to you, if you have been injured as the consequence of a botched body piercing, there is an extremely high chance that you will be entitled to compensation. That’s what we are here to help with.

We have many years of experience in securing compensation for personal injury victims, including those that have suffered due to a botched body piercing. We can help you to get the maximum amount of compensation you are entitled to. But, before you give us a call, why not read on to find out everything you need to know regarding these claims? In this guide, you will find information on everything from eligibility and making a claim to average compensation payout amounts and tips on collating evidence.

Body piercings – What Is A Body Piercing?

Body piercings are when a puncture is made in the skin to accommodate body jewellery. Body piercers have a duty of care towards their customers.

The Health and Care Act 2022 is relevant in relation to certain cosmetic procedures, including body piercings. It states that people who perform cosmetic procedures need a license to do so. These licenses are issued by the local council. Once you’ve obtained a license, you can only practice this procedure in the premises where the license applies.

There are pieces of legislation that are relevant in administering body piercings. For example, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 outlines the requirements for handling substances that can harm individuals. This will be appropriate if a piercer needs to dispose of a needle or body jewellery that has come into contact with blood or tissue.

Furthermore, the party in control of a piercing shop owes a duty of care according to the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This states that they need to take steps to ensure the reasonable safety of those who visit the space.

For more information on claiming if the negligence of a body piercer has resulted in you being harmed unnecessarily, speak with an advisor today.

What are the risks of body piercing procedures?

There are a number of risks associated with body piercing procedures, including infection, swelling, bleeding, and scarring. If the procedure is carried out correctly, you should not encounter any of these risks. However, if the procedure is not carried out as it should be, infections can easily occur. The level of risk does depend on the body part that is being pierced, so let’s take a look in further detail:

  • Nose piercings: Nose piercings come with a higher infection risk because the inner surface of the nose is not easy to disinfect.
  • Ear cartilage piercings: Ear cartilage piercings, i.e. those at the top of the ear, carry greater risk than earlobe piercings. This is because the underlying cartilage and the skin are extremely close together, which can cause pus to become trapped, which leads to abscess development and infection.
  • Genital piercings: Genital piercings can make urination and sex painful and difficult.
  • Tongue piercings: Tongue piercings can lead to chipped teeth and speech impediments.
  • There is also the risk that airways will be blocked if the tongue swells.

 

Body piercing

A salon pierced my under 18 child without my consent and with a consent form can I sue?

As per the regulations that are in place in the industry, any child that is under the age of 18-years-old needs to have consent from a parent or guardian. If a salon has pierced your child without your consent or the consent of your partner, you will be able to launch a claim. After all, the person that has performed the procedure has broken the rules and regulations that are in place. Simply give us a call today and we will help you to get started.

The most common types of body piercing negligence

In this section we have provided some examples of how body piercing could be performed incorrectly. This is a non-exhaustive list intended to act as guidance. For an eligibility assessment of your specific circumstances, contact our advisory team today.

Examples can include:

  • In an ear piercing gone wrong, poor hygiene practices at the piercing studio resulted in a serious infection.
  • An inadequately trained staff member caused a major laceration to your tongue by performing the piercing incorrectly. 
  • A lack of instructions on how to properly clean your piercing caused a major infection in your nasal passage.

Our team is available all day every day to provide a free eligibility assessment. Get in touch with our advisors at any time using the contact information given below.

How much compensation will I get following a botched body piercing?

Compensation in body piercing injury negligence claims is awarded under two separate heads of claim, general and special damages. Compensation for the physical as well as psychological pain and suffering is awarded under general damages. Certain financial losses may be compensated under special damages.

When it comes to calculating general damages for your body piercing injury compensation claim, those assigned this task can refer to your medical evidence alongside the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). 

The JCG publication contains guideline compensation brackets. We have provided a selection of these brackets here. However, we need to emphasise that as every claim is assessed individually, these values are intended as guidance only.

Compensation Amounts

Please be advised that the first bullet point is not a JCG figure.

  • Multiple very serious injuries with special damages – Up to £500,000 and above.
  • Facial disfigurement – very severe scarring in young claimants with a severe psychological impact – £36,340 to £118,790.
  • Facial disfigurement – less severe scarring where the disfigurement and psychological impact are still substantial – £21,920 to £59,090.
  • Facial disfigurement – significant scarring where the worst effects have been reduced by surgery, and the psychological effect is not great or has diminished to a relatively minor level – £11,120 to £36,720
  • Facial disfigurement – trivial scarring where any effects are minor – £2,080 to £4,310.
  • General psychiatric damage – Moderately severe harm where there are significant problems regarding the ability to cope with work, social life and personal relationships, although the prognosis is optimistic. – £23,270 to £66,920
  • Scarring to other parts of the body – a single disfiguring scar or a number of noticeable lacerations – £9,560 to £27,740.
  • Scarring to other parts of the body – a single noticeable scar or multiple superficial scars with minor cosmetic deficit – £2,890 to £9,560.

Special Damages

If you are eligible to claim special damages, you could be compensated for any related financial losses you have experienced. This could include loss of earnings, travel costs or care expenses.

To successfully claim special damages, you would need to provide evidence such as receipts and payslips.

As an alternative to a soft tissue injury compensation calculator, get in touch with our advisors for a comprehensive estimate of your claim.

No Win No Fee body piercing claims

You will be pleased to know that all of our solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis. This means that anyone is able to make a personal injury claim, irrespective of their current financial standing. This is because you won’t need any cash to start up your claim, and you are only going to pay legal fees if your case is a success. If, for some reason, we do not manage to secure compensation for you, you won’t have a penny to pay. Sounds good, right?

There are actually many other knock-on benefits of going down the No Win No Fee route. For instance, you can rest assured that we will not waste your time and that we will only take on cases that have a genuine chance of success. If you were to use the services of a solicitor that charged per hour, there would always be the risk that they were merely taking on your case to take your money. After all, they are not impacted by the outcome of the claim. This is why it is always better to go for a No Win No Fee solicitor.

Why choose us as your claims service for a botched body piercing claim?

No matter whether you want to make a claim for a belly or nose piercing that has gone wrong, there is only one company that you should use! We have many years of experience in the industry and an exceptional reputation to back it up. You can rest assured that you are in safe hands when you work with us. You only need to look at the feedback that has been left by our past clients to see that this is the case.

One thing that makes us different from other personal injury law firms is the fact that we genuinely care about our clients. We can assure you that you will receive our full amount of attention and efforts at all time. We want you to focus on your recovery while we focus on getting you the compensation that you deserve. This is why we aim to resolve all cases in an efficient manner. Nonetheless, we will always be at the end of the telephone if you need us or want an update on the case.

Call for free advice and to start a claim

If you want to make a claim for a body piercing that has gone wrong, all you need to do is give us a call on 0800 073 8804. You will speak to an experienced and friendly member of our team who will be more than happy to answer any queries you may have. If you are ready to proceed, they will connect you with one of our leading No Win No Fee solicitors who will be with you every step of the way. It is always our aim to secure the maximum amount of compensation for our clients, so you can rest assured that we will do all in our power to make sure this is the case.

Helpful links

NHS – Body Piercing

This link takes you to the NHS page on body piercing, where you will find plenty of helpful information. This includes details on self care, symptoms of an infection, when to get medical advice, risks, and licensed piercers.

Government’s tattooists piercing and electrolysis licence

This takes you to the UK Government’s website, where you will be able to find information on the tattoo, piercing, and electrolysis licence.

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