We are solicitors that can claim compensation for personal injuries caused by scabies mites such as scarring, infection, and the cost of treatment. Catherine Smith introduces our no win no fee services in this video.

Read more about the scabies mite skin disease below, or use our free legal advice service opposite to ask us can I claim for a scabies infection?

Solicitors Suing For Scabies Infections

Scabies is an under-reported problem in the UK, with one survey highlighted by the NHS suggesting that 1 in 1,000 people become infected every month with the highly contagious skin disease. This is because the majority of scabies sufferers choose to treat themselves, without visiting their local GP. Worldwide around 300 million cases of scabies are recorded each year according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the majority in developing countries. Increased ease of travel has however contributed to regular outbreaks in the US and Europe. Scabies is most often transmitted from person to person via prolonged skin-to-skin contact. For this reason it is very easy to pass it on to family members and sexual partners. The disease may however also be contracted from infected bedding and towels in hotel rooms for example. An outbreak of scabies may require fumigation of a house or flat, as well as high temperature washing of clothing and bedding. All those exposed will also need to be treated with a dermal cream that needs to be spread over the entire body.

How A Scabies Infection Progresses

A scabies infestation of the body becomes apparent when allergic itching sets in, and rashes begin to develop in various areas. Scabies is caused by a tiny parasite, a mite known as Sarcoptes scabiei. The female mites burrow under the skin, laying eggs and spreading faeces. The incubation period can take up to 8 weeks. Once layed, the eggs take around four days to hatch, and the new mites then burrow to the surface of the skin and the whole breeding process begins again. Though the majority of scabies cases are caused by skin-to-skin contact, the mites themselves are resilient, and can live outside the body, on towels or bedding for example for up to 36 hours. Crusted (Norwegian) scabies is a particularly virile type of the disease, and can be passed from human to human after brief skin-to-skin contact. It is also easily transmitted by exposure to infected bedding, clothes and towels. It is for these reasons that often whole families are infected by scabies, and a large number of people may need to be treated on the basis of a single outbreak.

Where Do People Catch Scabies?

Hotel rooms and other forms of rented accommodation such as caravans are common locations for scabies infestations. If mattresses and linen have not been cleaned thoroughly scabies may be passed on by a previous guest. Often the owners, management or staff of a hotel or holiday park will have known about the scabies infestation previously, but will have taken no steps to eradicate it via cleaning and fumigation. Nursing homes, schools and nurseries also often experience outbreaks of scabies among patients, pupils and staff, due to the amount of skin-to-skin contact that takes place between people in these places. Again, management may have been aware of a scabies contamination, but ignored it, directly exposing visitors and staff to the risk of becoming infected. Widespread outbreaks of scabies have been reported at care homes and schools across the country in recent years. This is because the scabies mite is so easily passed from person to person. Children are particularly susceptible to scabies due to the amount of close contact they have with other children.

Legal Rights Following A Scabies Infection

The proprietors of premises visited by members of the public have a legal responsibility to take all reasonable measures to reduce the risk of injuries and diseases occurring to the lowest possible level. Clearly, if the management of a hotel have been aware of a scabies infestation, but have taken no measures to deal with it, they will have breached this duty of care. Employers owe a similar responsibility to their employees, and are obliged to provide a safe workplace for their staff. Again, prior knowledge of a scabies contamination, lack of action, and resulting infections among staff would classify as negligent behaviour. Scabies cases often involve medical bills for the whole family, as well as the cost of cleaning and fumigation. Loss of earnings due to time off work may also be significant. All these factors, as well as physical and emotional pain and suffering from scabies will be taken into account for the purposes of a compensation claim against a public premises, such as a hotel, or an employer.