A Guide To Claiming Permanent Scar Compensation

Last Updated 19th March 2026. Permanent scar injuries can cause lasting physical and psychological effects, including chronic pain, a reduced range of motion, and lowered self-esteem from disfigurement. A person may be able to start the permanent scar compensation claims process if the injury was caused by the negligent acts or inactions of a third party, such as on roads, in workplaces, in public, in healthcare settings, or in a violent crime. Whether you’re suffering from a keloid, hypertrophic, or contracture scar, permanent scars often serve as ongoing reminders of trauma, leading to mental distress.

As such, permanent scar compensation will be calculated on a case-by-case basis, factoring in the severity of your scar, your prognosis period, the impact on your quality of life, and the financial losses you suffered as a result. Compensation for the scarring alone can range from £2,080 for trivial facial scars or could even exceed £127,930 for burns covering 40% or more of the body (these figures are from the guidelines published by the Judicial College, which legal professionals use to value injuries in compensation claims). 

At Advice, we’re here to help you through this challenging time. We understand that no one should have to suffer from a permanent scar from an accident that wasn’t their fault. That’s why our advisors are committed to providing you with a personalised service, ensuring your questions are always answered. Following a free initial consultation, you could be connected with one of our experienced No Win No Fee solicitors to start your permanent scar compensation claim. As experts in personal injury cases, our solicitors are ready to hold the responsible party accountable on your behalf.

For more information on the permanent scar compensation claims process, please get in touch with our team:

• Call us on 0161 509 2856
• Contact us by filling out our online form
• Use our free live chat feature

Select A Section

1. Examples Of Permanent Scar Compensation Claims Payouts
2. What Is Scarring?
3. Common Causes Of Permanent Scars
4. What Evidence Do I Need To Support A Claim For A Permanent Scar?
5. Permanent Scar Compensation Claims Time Limits
6. Why Claim For Permanent Scar Compensation With Our Solicitors?
7. No Win No Fee Permanent Scar Compensation Claims
8. Advice And Resources For Scar Victims

Examples Of Permanent Scar Compensation Claims Payouts

Permanent scar compensation can be awarded under two different heads of loss, general and special damages:

• General damages are awarded for the physical and psychological impacts of permanent scarring.
• Special damages, which we’ll examine in the section below, are awarded for associated financial losses.

When it comes to calculating a possible permanent scar compensation figure, our solicitors can help. Those assigned this duty can refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) alongside your medical documents.

The JCG details guideline compensation figures for various injuries, a few of which you can see here. Please take note that the top entry was not taken from the JCG. It is here to account for complex cases.

• Up to £150,000 or more – Serious multiple injuries plus special damages.
• Likely to exceed £127,930 – Significant burns to more than 40% or more of the body.
• £36,340 to £118,790 – Very severe facial scarring, higher ends of which involve young claimants who suffer severe psychological reactions to very disfiguring scars.
• £21,920 to £59,090 – Less severe facial scarring that nonetheless involves substantial disfigurement with a significant psychological reaction.
• £11,120 to £36,720 – Significant facial scarring, the worst effects of which have been or are expected to be reduced by plastic surgery.
• £4,820 to £16,770 – Less significant facial scarring that, depending on quantity and appearance, have minimal to no cosmetic effect.
• £9,560 to £27,740 – A number of noticeable bodily scars or a single disfiguring scar.
• In the region of £10,550 – A scar under which there is no significant internal injury.

These figures are not guaranteed. Instead, they are designed to guide the parties to a claim in a similar direction and help to reduce points of disagreement.

Special Damages In A Permanent Scar Claim

As part of your permanent scar claim, you may receive special damages payments for the financial losses you sustain. Permanent scarring can have severe cosmetic and psychological impacts, with long term effects. Compensation paid out under special damages will very often be higher than that paid under general damages.

Examples of costs you could be reimbursed for include:

• Medical treatment.
• Loss of current and future earnings.
• Therapy or counselling needs.
• Travel expenses.

Remember to keep hold of your payslips, receipts and other financial documents to show you experienced these losses.

For a more personalised estimate of the potential value of your permanent scar compensation claim, or for a free consultation regarding your eligibility to claim, talk to our advisors today.

What Is Scarring?

Scarring is where your skin is left marked after a laceration/wound has healed. There are 5 main types of scarring, and they can vary in severity:

• Fine line scars – a scar following a minor cut, which will gradually flatten and fade. 
• Keloid scars – a raised scar caused by an overgrowth of scar tissue after the wound has healed. 
• Hypertrophic scars – similar to a keloid scar, but where the overgrowth of scar tissue doesn’t increase beyond the boundary of the laceration. 
• Pitted scars – dips in the skin where fat has been lost under the skin. These scars can also form as a result of damage from skin conditions such as severe acne and chicken pox. 
• Contracture scars – a scar following a burn where the skin has shrunk and become tight. Burns can also result in keloid and hypertrophic scars. 

Scarring, especially when visible (such as facial scarring) could potentially have a serious effect on your confidence. You may feel anxious to leave the house and struggle psychologically adjusting to your new appearance. 

If you sustained your scarring from a traumatic experience, such as an act of violence, then your scarring could be a permanent reminder of that experience. 

Scarring can also be physically painful. Sometimes, scars can be very sensitive to touch and restrict your movement even when they’re healed. In serious cases, amputation may be required. 

To learn more about claiming permanent scar compensation, please have a chat with us today. Our solicitors are experts in permanent scar compensation claims, and can help you if you’re eligible to claim.

Common Causes Of Permanent Scars

There are a few different incidents that can result in permanent scars. Below, we’ll explore when you could be owed a duty of care, and how a breach in this duty could result in a scarring injury. However, it’s important to note that in all of the cases we mention below, you must be able to prove that:

• You were owed a duty of care.
• This duty was breached.
• You were injured as a result.

Permanent Scars From Accidents At Work

While you are at work, your employer owes you a duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HASAWA). As set out in this legislation, your employer must take all reasonable and practicable steps to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of their employees while they are working. If they fail to do so, and you suffer an injury due to this breach in their legal obligations owed to you, you could be eligible to claim compensation for scarring.

Public Liability Claims For Permanent Scars

The controller of a public place owes you a duty of care, as set out by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957. This means that they must ensure your reasonable safety while you are using the space for its intended purposes. If the organisation or individual breaches this duty and you suffer an injury as a result, you could claim compensation for permanent scar injuries.

Permanent Scars From Road Traffic Accidents

Vehicle drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and those on motorbikes are expected to use the roads in a manner that prevents causing injuries both to themselves and other road users. This is their duty of care. As part of this duty, they must comply with the Highway Code and Road Traffic Act 1988 while on the roads. If you suffer an injury because another road user failed to adhere to these rules and regulations, you could be eligible to claim for a road traffic accident.

Permanent Scars Due To Medical Negligence

You could also suffer scarring due to medical negligence. When a doctor or hospital treats you, they automatically owe you a duty of care. This means that you should be provided with the correct standard of care by the medical professionals responsible for your treatment. If you suffered harm that could have been avoided because of a breach of this duty, you might be eligible to seek compensation for permanent scarring.

If you have any questions about the eligibility criteria for different types of claims, please speak with an advisor from our team. Additionally, if you satisfy the requirements, you could be connected to one of the No Win No Fee solicitors from Advice.

Scars Caused By Criminal Injuries

If you have suffered an injury due to a crime of violence, you may be able to make your claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). The CICA is a government body that handles compensation claims for those who have been criminally injured.

To be eligible to seek facial scar compensation through the CICA, you will need to meet the following criteria:

• You must have been injured in a crime of violence. The CICA Scheme lists some examples of incidents considered as a crime of violence, such as an attack or arson.
• The incident must have occurred in England, Scotland, Wales or another relevant place.
• The incident must have been reported to the police.
• You need to adhere to the relevant time limit. We will explain what these are in a later section.

What Evidence Do I Need To Support A Claim For A Permanent Scar?

If you are seeking scar injury compensation, you will need to prove that negligence occurred.

Some examples that could help support your personal injury claim for a permanent facial scar include:

• Photographs of the scar and, if you have them, photographs before you suffered a scarring injury.
• A copy of your medical records stating your injury and the treatment you required.
• Videos of the accident that led to your permanent scars, such as CCTV footage.
• The contact information of anyone who witnessed the accident so they can give a statement at a later date.

Contact our advisors today to discuss your potential claim. If they believe you may have a strong case, they could connect you with one of our solicitors, who could assist you with gathering evidence.

Permanent Scar Compensation Claims Time Limits

If you are entitled to make a personal injury claim for a scar injury, you can only take legal action within the limitation period. For personal injury claims, this is generally three years from the date of the incident that caused your scar injury, as per the Limitation Act 1980.

However, in certain circumstances, there is a suspension applied to this time limit. In these cases, a litigation friend could be appointed by the court to start the claims process on behalf of the injured party.

Cases when a time limit suspension applies include:

• Young people under the age of 18 at the time of the incident that caused severe scarring cannot begin legal proceedings for themselves. A pause is applied to the limitation period that lasts until the day of their 18th birthday, giving them three years from that date to start a scar injury claim unless a litigation friend claimed for them.
• Those without the mental capacity to begin legal proceedings themselves have the limitation period suspended for as long as they are unable to start the claims process. This could be indefinitely. However, if they regain their capacity and a litigation friend has not started the compensation claim for them, they will have three years from the date their mental capacity was recovered to make a permanent scarring claim.

If you have any questions about this time limit or anything else connected to personal injury claims, speak to a member of our advisory team for a completely free no-obligation consultation.

Why Claim For Permanent Scar Compensation With Our Solicitors?

You should claim permanent scar compensation with our solicitors due to their specialism in personal injury claims, helping you to maximise your damages for physical pain, psychological harm, and financial losses. If you’re connected to a member of our team, our solicitors could provide you with the following benefits:

• Regular case updates so you’re never left wondering where your permanent scar compensation claim stands.
• Providing you with knowledgeable assistance about permanent scarring claims, ensuring details such as a lack of protective equipment or dangerous driving are not overlooked.
• Connecting you with specialists to help with your permanent scar injuries, including manual therapy, root scar therapy and counselling.
• Explanations of legal jargon to give you a well-rounded understanding of the permanent scar claims process.
• Helping you gather evidence that may be difficult for you to obtain, including medical reports, CCTV footage and police reports.
• Organising an independent medical assessment to produce a report that details the level of harm you suffered.

For more information about the benefits of our expert solicitors, please get in touch with our team.

No Win No Fee Permanent Scar Compensation Claims

Our specialist No Win No Fee solicitors operate under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), providing you with the following benefits:

• No solicitor service fees at the start of your case, as it progresses or if it’s unsuccessful.
• If your permanent scar claim is successful, you’ll pay a success fee to your solicitor. Please note that the fee percentage is capped by law and will be taken from your compensation.

To discover more about the benefits of a CFA, please contact one of our friendly advisors today.

Advice And Resources For Scar Victims

• All about scars  – NHS information on scarring
• The Scar Free Foundation – Help and assistance for those with scarring.

For more advice on claiming compensation for a permanent scar, please get in touch.