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Can I Claim Compensation For An Injury Caused By A Jagged Object?

By Danielle Jordan. Last Updated 8th February 2024. An injury caused by a jagged object, such as a laceration and deep cut, can be dangerous. At times, a jagged object wound can be life-threatening. For example, a major vein or artery could be cut.

If you have sustained an injury because of a jagged wound laceration accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to claim compensation. Whether you were injured due to an accident at work, a road traffic accident, an accident in a public place or were assaulted, trust Legal Expert. Our advisors could connect you with a skilled personal injury claims lawyer.

Jagged object injury claims guide

Jagged object injury claims guide

If you have legitimate grounds to claim compensation for an avulsion wound, laceration wound, incised wound, infected wound or facial scarring caused by a jagged object accident that wasn’t your fault, call our advisors today.

An advisor will be happy to speak to you in-depth about your ordeal and if you have legitimate grounds to claim compensation we could connect you with a specialist solicitor to handle your claim.

To begin to claim compensation, call us today on 0800 073 8804 or use our online accident claims form to contact us. Alternatively, use our live chat. Remember, our advisors give free legal advice and are available 24/7. You’ll also be under no obligation to proceed with our services.

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A Guide To Claiming Compensation For An Injury Caused By A Jagged Object

If you have been cut, stabbed or lacerated by a jagged object, this could result in long term injuries such as scarring. If another party that owed you a duty of care acted in a negligent manner, causing an accident in which you were wounded, you may be able to claim compensation for these injuries.

Your compensation payout could include general damages which are given to make up for the pain, loss of amenity and suffering that your injuries caused you. You could also receive special damages which are given for any expenses you may have as a result of being injured.

If you want to claim compensation for an injury caused by a jagged wound, call Legal Expert today for your free accident compensation claims consultation. If we can see that you are owed compensation for your injuries, we could connect you with an expert solicitor. The solicitor could value your jagged object injury claim accurately and push to try and win you the optimum amount of compensation you could be owed.

Call us today or contact us using our online compensation claims form to get a callback at a time that suits you. We look forward to speaking with you.

What Kind Of Wound Is Caused By A Jagged Object?

It may be possible to claim compensation if you are struck by a jagged object, but you would need to prove any injuries were caused by a breach of duty of care. For example, in a road traffic accident where another driver was using the road carelessly, you could be stuck with broken glass or sharp metal objects, which could led to lacerations and scarring.

Below are some examples of what kind of wound is caused by a jagged object:

  • This is also known as a skin tear or incised wound and occurs when the top layer of skin separates from deeper layers.
  • Cuts and grazes, which could also be called abrasions. For example, falling onto gravel may cause cuts and grazes. In addition to infection, cuts and grazes may result in many tiny scars.
  • Puncture wounds could also occur. These have the potential to damage organs.

Any type of wound could result in scarring. In addition, deeper wounds, such as puncture wounds, could cause internal scarring. You might be able to claim for the scarring left by the wound as well as the wound itself if you are eligible for compensation.

Call our advisors to discuss your injuries and for a free claim assessment. If your claim seems like it might result in compensation, you could be passed onto one of our No Win No Fee solicitors.

Severity Of The Injuries Suffered

As we have mentioned, lacerations can vary in severity. For example, a jagged wound laceration that cuts into the tendons, muscles or bones can affect the person’s mobility. In extreme cases when an artery or vein is sliced open and medical help isn’t sought quickly enough, the consequences could be fatal.

Similarly, the severity of scars can vary from a faint line that is barely noticeable to deep scars which can cause permanent disfigurements.

If you make a successful compensation claim, the compensation you would receive aims to reflect your suffering. Therefore, compensation awards for injuries can depend on the severity.

Infections Due To Being Injured By A Jagged Object

There are different kinds of infections that can occur after a cut or laceration with a jagged object. These types of infections can include the following:

  • Cellulitis, which is an inflammation of the skin caused by bacteria.
  • Necrotising fasciitis, which is a severe though rare infection. It can lead to organ failure and blood poisoning.
  • Gangrene, which is a severe condition. The infected wound may release a foul-smelling liquid and the surrounding area might be severely painful.

Sometimes people suffer infections because they haven’t taken care of the wound properly. However, the infection may occur through no fault of their own. In that instance, and if the original injuries were caused by an accident that wasn’t your fault, you could add the suffering to a compensation claim.

How To Treat An Injury Caused By A Jagged Wound

If you have been wounded how should you treat your injuries? According to the NHS, less severe wounds can be treated at home. The open wound should be cleaned to avoid infection and a bandage or plaster may be applied.

If the wound is more severe, pressure should be applied to stop the bleeding. If the open wound is severe it may require immediate medical treatment.

How can you tell if you need medical treatment for your jagged object laceration or open wound injury?

The NHS advise you should go to A&E if:

  • The bleeding does not stop.
  • An object such as glass is stuck in the wound.
  • There seems to be an infection in a cut on the palm of your hand.
  • You lose sensation near the wound.

An injury caused by a jagged object may need cleaning, stitches or the removal of a foreign body.

A wound that has become infected will require medical treatment, or the infection could lead to a serious illness or dead skin tissues. An infected wound treatment can include a course of antibiotics. If you have a wound infection, it is important to see a doctor right away who should be able to determine what is the right course of treatment for you.

Seeing a doctor after suffering a laceration could also help if you are later able to make a claim. The notes created could be used as evidence.

What Are The Long Term Effects Of Injuries Caused By Jagged Objects?

As we have mentioned, an injury caused by a jagged object such as a laceration can be a slight wound that will heal on its own. However, if the jagged object causes a deep open wound, which damages soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments or muscles, or cuts through a bone, this can be a serious injury resulting in loss of mobility.

This may mean that you suffer from lifelong disabilities such as reduced motor control, which may mean that you have to retrain for a different job role over the long term.

A rough, jagged wound made by tearing of the skin can result in scarring, which may require cosmetic treatment. If the injured person ends up with a permanent scar that is visible, such as facial scarring or a deep scar on their hands, this can lead to a loss of self-esteem and other psychological problems.

You could recover the costs the injury has caused you in a compensation claim if the accident that caused them wasn’t your fault. You could also recover compensation for the mental and physical suffering caused.

To claim compensation for your injuries and funds to pay for any future costs you may need due to your injuries, call Legal Expert today. If we can see that you have legitimate grounds to make an accident and injury claim we could connect you with a No Win No Fee solicitor to handle your claim.

Jagged Object Injuries Affecting Children

Places children use, such as parks, are generally safe. And children may often injure themselves accidentally. However, sometimes injuries can be caused that aren’t the child’s fault.

For example, a council may have been made aware of dangerous, faulty equipment at a park. If the council doesn’t try to reduce the hazard (such as by putting warning signs up) or they don’t remove it, it could be a risk to those who use it.

If your child has been injured because of a jagged object accident that was not their fault, you could claim compensation on their behalf until they are 18 years of age. Alternatively, they will have three years after their 18th birthday in which to claim compensation themselves.

Where Do Jagged Object Injuries Happen?

Laceration injuries can be caused by accidents anywhere. In the workplace, it could involve an accident involving industrial tools. We will now look at common scenarios where jagged object injuries can occur.

Workplace Accidents

According to legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 your employer owes you a duty of care when you are on their premises. This means that adequate standards of health and safety must be upheld at all times. The employer should take reasonable steps to protect your wellbeing or they could be held liable for your injury if their negligence causes it.

Regulations such as The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 state that employees should be properly trained to use industrial equipment. What’s more, industrial equipment and tools should be properly installed and inspected regularly to ensure that it is safe to use.

What is a jagged wound at work?

Here are some examples of how a laceration or jagged object injury can occur in the workplace:

  1. Employees are assigned tasks using machinery or equipment that is faulty and, even though the employer is aware of these faults, they still request that employees use them and don’t rectify the problems.
  2. The employer asks employees to use machinery that they know they have not been properly trained to use.
  3. Employees are not provided with the necessary, correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
  4. Clutter or other trip hazards on the floor aren’t removed or the risk isn’t reduced even though the hazards have been noticed. It causes an employee to fall onto a jagged object and cut themselves.

If you have suffered an accident that was not your fault at work, resulting in an injury caused by a jagged object, call Legal Expert today to see if you can claim compensation.

Road Traffic Accidents

A jagged wound laceration or injury can occur in a road traffic accident. If a driver, passenger or pedestrian is involved in a high impact collision they can be cut by a broken car window, for example.

Drivers have a duty of care towards other road users. They should use the roads with the correct standard of awareness and skill. This means that if another road user caused your injuries through negligence, you may be able to claim compensation from them.

If you have been injured due to a road traffic accident that was not your fault, call Legal Expert today to see if you are eligible to claim compensation.

Other Public Places

According to the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957, the controllers of places that are accessible to the public should ensure they’re safe. This includes, for example, public venues such as shops, restaurants, parks and shopping areas.

If you suffer a jagged object laceration or injury caused by unsafe conditions in a public place, you may have eligibility to claim compensation. Unsafe conditions could include a hazard that the controller was aware of but hadn’t reduced or removed.

To make a public place accident claim for a jagged object injury, call Legal Expert today to see if you are liable to claim compensation.

Jagged Object Compensation Claims Calculator

If your claim for injuries caused by a jagged object accident is successful, what will you receive? In regards to compensation, there are two heads of claim. The first is general damages which compensates you for the loss of amenity, pain and suffering that you have experienced as a result of your injuries.

Should you use an accident claims calculator to predict the amount of compensation you could be owed? These are not always accurate. However, the compensation table below shows how much you may receive in general damages for your injuries (special damages are not included, but are explained below the table).

These compensation amounts are based on guidelines from the Judicial College. These guidelines are used by legal professionals to help them when valuing injuries.

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Nature Of Injury Settlement Amounts Comments
Very Severe Facial Scarring £29,780 to £97,330 Awards paid to claimants who are younger (teenagers up to early 30s). There are severe and disfiguring cosmetic effects as well as a severe psychological reaction.
Less Severe Facial Scarring £17,960 to £48,420 Disfigurements suffered are substantial and cause a significant reaction psychologically.
Significant Facial Scarring £9,110 to £30,090 The worst effects may be mitigated or reduced through cosmetic or plastic surgery. Any psychological reaction is not severe and will have lessened.
Less Significant Facial Scarring £3,950 to £13,740 The scar may be covered up or camouflaged, or there could be several small scars.
Trivial Facial Scarring £1,710 to £3,530 The effect is only minor.
Chest Injury (d) – Relatively Simple £12,590 to £17,960 One penetrating wound that causes some tissue damage but doesn’t have a marked impact on long-term lung function.
Digestive System (a) (iii) – Penetrating £6,610 to £12,590 Instances of industrial lacerations as well as penetrating stab wounds.

Special Damages For An Injury Caused By A Jagged Object

You could also be eligible to claim special damages. This reimburses you for any financial expenses incurred due to your injuries. It also covers any expenses you may have in the future such as the cost of retraining if you have injured your hand (for example) and need to change careers.

Types of special damages compensation that could be claimed can include:

  • Medical expenses (such as counselling that the NHS can’t cover)
  • Travel expenses for related medical appointments
  • Loss of income reimbursement if you took unpaid leave to recover
  • Care costs (such as gracious care your family provided while you recovered)

If you are left with a permanent disability as a result of your injuries, you may be able to claim funds to pay for mobility equipment or home and car adaptations.

The compensation table above aims to give you an indication of how much money you could be owed. However, each claim is different. So call Legal Expert to speak to a claims advisor who will be able to estimate how much your laceration injury could be worth. This service is free and you’ll be under no obligation to proceed with the services of our solicitors.

No Win No Fee Claims For An Injury Caused By A Jagged Object

If you suffered an injury because of an accident involving a jagged object which was not your fault, you may be eligible to claim compensation for your injuries. Our solicitors can offer you the option to have your compensation claim handled on a No Win No Fee basis.

A No Win No Fee claim means that instead of paying an upfront solicitor’s fee, your solicitor will agree that you will only be charged a solicitor’s fee if they win your compensation claim.

Additionally, there are no ongoing solicitor fees as your claim progresses.

If your claim doesn’t win, you don’t pay any legal fees. That means that there is less monetary risk involved in hiring a solicitor’s services on a No Win No Fee basis.

You also don’t need to worry about affording the funds to pay for your solicitor’s services. That’s because the success fee will be deducted from your claim at a lawfully capped percentage only if you win. You’ll also be fully aware of this percentage before anything is signed or the claim begins.

Discuss Your Claim With Our Team

Read our online guide today to learn more about No Win No Fee claims. Alternatively, to see if you could begin your claim for a jagged edge injury:

  • Call Legal Expert today on 0800 073 8804 and speak to a trained personal injury claims advisor.
  • Use our live chat to speak to an advisor online.
  • Use our online claims form to contact us for a callback.

If you find that you have any questions on this guide at all, our advisors could help. Our advisors are available 24/7 and their advice is free. Plus, you won’t be under any obligation to proceed with the services of our solicitors. Why not reach out for guidance?

Essential References

We hope you have found this guide to making a compensation claim for an injury caused by a jagged object helpful. You may also find these guides informative.

How Much Compensation Can I Claim For Laceration And Scarring?

Case Study: £8,000 Compensation For Serious Facial Scarring

How Much Compensation Can I Claim For A Factory Accident?

HSE: Manual Handling Of Sharp Edges In The Engineering Industry

HSE: Struck By Something Sharp In The Food Industry

NHS: Cuts And Grazes

Other Guides You Can Check Out

Written by Chelache

Edited by Victorine