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Last updated 4th February 2026. Body piercings can be a great way to express yourself, serve aesthetic purposes, and give you a stronger sense of self. Despite the rise in popularity of body piercings, there is little regulation of the practice itself. Although most are generally safe and without complication, you may be wondering, ‘Can you claim for an infection after piercing?’ The answer is yes, if you were harmed because a practitioner negligently used incorrect techniques, provided a poorly sterilised environment, or failed to adequately advise you on aftercare.
Here at Advice, our solicitor could help you pursue compensation for a piercing gone wrong, covering both the physical and psychological harm you suffered, as well as incurred financial losses. Your solicitor can help you obtain evidence showing how the piercing practitioner failed to take appropriate steps to ensure your safety and well-being, causing you harm (whether due to infection, an allergic reaction to the jewellery, or permanent scarring).
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For a free case consultation, you can contact our advisory team today. They’re here to listen, assess the facts of your case, and explain your options clearly and honestly. If you have an eligible case, they can then connect you with one of our specialist public liability solicitors, who can handle the entire claims process on your behalf.
You can reach our advisors by:
- Calling us on 0161 509 2856
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Browse Our Guide
- Can You Claim For An Infection After A Piercing?
- How Could You Suffer A Body Piercing Injury?
- How Much Compensation For A Botched Body Piercing?
- Evidence That Could Help You Claim Body Piercing Compensation
- Claim For An Infection After A Piercing Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
- Learn More About When Can You Claim For An Infection After A Piercing
Can You Claim For An Infection After A Piercing?
You may be wondering, ‘Can you claim for an infection after a piercing?’ The body piercer or the company that they work for owes you a duty of care. They must ensure that whilst carrying out your body piercing, they take reasonable steps to prevent you from suffering harm. These steps may include:
- Providing appropriate training to staff and ensuring that they have all the necessary qualifications to carry out body piercings.
- Providing the correct equipment to carry out the piercing.
- Ensuring all equipment is correctly stored, cleaned and sterilised.
- Providing customers with the correct information regarding the aftercare of their piercing.
If you have suffered harm, such as an infection, you will need to prove that body piercing negligence occurred. This is when the following three criteria are met:
- The body piercer owed you a duty of care.
- They breached this duty.
- Due to this breach, you suffered harm.
It is important to note that not all instances of piercing infections result from negligence. In such cases, you may not be able to claim compensation.
Contact our team today to see whether you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim if you have suffered harm after receiving a piercing.
How Could You Suffer A Body Piercing Injury?
There are various types of body piercings you could receive. Customers could potentially suffer an infection or injury if body piercing procedures are not handled correctly or safely.
Some examples of different piercings you could receive and how they may lead to an infection include:
- Ear piercings. Pus could become trapped in the cartilage if a cartilage piercing becomes infected. This infection could occur due to the area not being properly disinfected before the piercing takes place.
- Nose piercings. An infection could be contracted due to the inside of the nostril not being properly disinfected prior to the piercing.
- Genital piercings. Someone could contract an infection if a genital piercing is not carried out correctly. This could be due to the piercer not having enough training on how to perform this particular piercing procedure. Such infections could cause the person to experience pain during urination or problems with sexual activities.
- Tongue piercings. You could contract an infection if the piercing tools have not been properly sterilised prior to the procedure. You could also experience injuries to your teeth or nerve damage if the piercing is carried out improperly.
You must remember that to be able to make a personal injury claim, the body piercer must have breached their duty of care and that this is what caused your infection.
Contact our team to discuss some potential examples of public liability claims made for body piercing infection. They can also inform you whether you may have a valid case.
How Much Compensation For A Botched Body Piercing?
The amount of compensation you could receive for a botched body piercing will be dependent on the extent of harm you’ve suffered, your projected recovery, and the broader effect on day-to-day life. Payouts in a body piercing injury compensation claim can consist of two distinct heads of loss: general and special damages.
The first head is for the physical pain and suffering after experiencing body piercing negligence. Where this harm causes financial losses, you may also be awarded special damages.
When assessing general damages, legal professionals may value this head by considering the extent of physical and psychological harm and the broader impact on your life. For example, this may apply if the piercing has caused disfigurement and led to a loss of confidence.
Additionally, professionals can use documents such as the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) to help them with their calculations. This text provides solicitors with categories of injury and corresponding guideline brackets of compensation.
Our table below shows some figures taken from the JCG. Please note that the top entry has not been taken from the JCG, and all figures are guidelines only and do not guarantee how much you might be awarded in a succesful body piercing injury compensation claim.
Compensation Table
| Nature And Severity Of Injuries | Injury Notes | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation for multiple serious injuries and financial losses | Up to £250,000+ | Compensation awarded for multiple serious injuries as well as for the financial impact, such as lost earnings, medical expenses and travel fees. |
| Facial Disfigurement - Very Severe Scarring | £36,340 to £118,790 | Claimants are aged between being a teenager and 30. The disfiguring cosmetic effect causes a severe psychological reaction. |
| Facial Disfigurement - Less Severe Scarring | £21,920 to £59,090 | There has been a significant degree of psychological impact and substantial disfigurement. |
| Facial Disfigurement - Significant Scarring | £11,120 to £36,720 | Cosmetic surgery will have reduced the worst impacts. |
| Facial Disfigurement - Less Significant Scarring | £4,820 to £16,770 | The person's appearance has not been markedly affected. They could have one large or several small scars. |
| Scarring to Other Parts of the Body - Disfiguring or Noticeable | £9,560 to £27,740 | This could include a single scar which is disfiguring or multiple smaller scars. |
| Scarring to Other Parts of the Body - Superficial or Noticeable | £2,890 to £9,560 | Either one scar which is noticeable and which causes minor cosmetic defect or several superficial ones. |
| Psychiatric Damage - Moderate | £7,150 to £23,270 | Despite struggling to cope with daily work or social life, marked improvements will have been made. |
Special Damages In A Body Piercing Compensation Claim
As part of your body piercing compensation claim, you could also be awarded special damages for any financial losses incurred as a result of the harm you experienced.
Special damages may include:
- Lost income if you’ve had to take time off work during your recovery.
- Medical expenses such as prescription costs or private medical treatments.
- Therapy or counselling costs.
- Travel expenses for medical appointments.
We must, however, state that you will need evidence of these financial losses in order to include them in your claim. This proof can include:
- Payslips.
- Prescription receipts.
- Copies of invoices for therapy or counselling, if you’ve chosen a private provider.
- Copies of fuel receipts or taxi expenses.
For more information about how much compensation you could receive in a body piercing injury compensation claim, get in touch with our advisors today.
Evidence That Could Help You Claim Body Piercing Compensation
The evidence that could help you claim body piercing compensation can include photographs documenting the scene of where the incident occurred, as well as a copy of your medical records. Evidence should demonstrate how a practitioner acted negligently and what harm resulted from this.
Below, we’ve provided a streamlined list of steps you can take in order to prioritise your health and create a strong legal position:
Seek Medical Help
After experiencing a negligent body piercing, your first priority should be your health. So, make sure to visit a clinic, GP, or A&E to fully assess the extent of harm caused by a botched piercing. Some negligent piercings can lead to infection, which may progress to sepsis if left untreated.
Not only does seeking medical help get you the care you need, but it also creates an official record documenting diagnoses, harm, treatments, and prognoses. This can be used to support your case if you later decide to pursue a claim.
Gather Information
Making a note of the body piercing studio and the practitioner’s name can be highly beneficial. Furthermore, if anyone witnessed the negligent procedure, try to obtain their contact details and forward them to your solicitor. This can support your account of what happened and show how the body piercing practitioner is liable for your injuries.
Document Everything
Take photographs of the piercing site to document any non-sterile or outdated equipment, or to show that the salon itself was unsanitary. If you notice any changes or developments, such as pus or redness, take note of when they occurred. This can further support your version of events and provide a timeline of your injury’s progression.
Report The Piercing Incident
Negligent or unhygienic body piercings can be reported to your local authority, which may launch an investigation. Its findings might document poor hygiene standards or inappropriate piercing techniques. This can be used to corroborate your version of events and act as evidence if you make a body piercing injury compensation claim.
Preserve Evidence
Make notes on the jewellery used by the practitioner and whether they discussed any known allergies before the piercing. Additionally, you can keep a diary of your daily symptoms, pain levels, and how the body piercing negligence has affected your quality of life.
If you’d like tailored guidance about what evidence could be useful in your own claim, get in touch with our advisors.
Claim For An Infection After A Piercing Using A No Win No Fee Solicitor
Another question you may be asking is, ‘Can you claim for an infection after a piercing on a No Win No Fee basis?’ If you meet the eligibility requirements, one of the No Win No Fee solicitors here at Advice could help you with making a body piercing injury claim.
They may offer to represent you under a Conditional Fee Agreement. With this particular type of No Win No Fee arrangement in place, you will not need to pay your solicitor anything for their services prior to the claim starting, while it is progressing or if it fails.
At the end of the claims process, if successful, your solicitor will deduct a success fee from your compensation. The percentage which may be deducted is capped by law. This ensures that you retain the majority of your compensation.
If you have any questions regarding how to make a No Win No Fee claim with the help of a solicitor, you can contact our advisors. They can also provide you with free advice for your specific case. Connect with them today via one of the following methods:
- Call 0161 509 2856
- Talk to a member of our team using the live chat feature
- Contact us online.
Learn More About When Can You Claim For An Infection After A Piercing
These additional resources can help you understand infections after body modifications:
- In this Gov.UK resource, you can find information on licensing for tattoo, piercing and electrolysis in the UK.
This NHS resource provides further information on care for infected piercings. - Information from Gov.UK on litigation friends and how you could apply to be one.
If you are still wondering, ‘Can you claim for an infection after a piercing?’, you can contact our advisors.
