You may be left with severe burn injuries that result in high medical bills, loss of income, and severe pain. Workers’ or personal injury claims can help you recover your costs.
Burns can cause irreparable injuries that can change a person’s life. Learn how to proceed following an accident like this, get a settlement amount for burns, and hire a lawyer to represent you if someone has caused burns.
We’ve all been burned.
Literally and metaphorically, yes. A kitchen accident that causes minor burns on your finger can be treated with an over-the-counter cream and bandage. However, a severe burn will leave you permanently disabled and scarred.
Some accidents can leave you with a burn injury, but that’s not always the case.
You may be eligible for workers’ compensation or personal injury litigation if this is the case.
Types of burn injuries
A burn can be classified into one of the following categories:
1st-degree burn
This is a mild injury that doesn’t need medical attention. Although you may feel some discomfort or reddening in the outer layer of your skin, it is possible to use an over-the-counter topical treatment to ease the pain. After a few days, a 1st-degree burn should heal itself.
2nd-degree burn
Red skin, blistering, and pain are all signs of a 2nd-degree burn. The skin may appear shiny or prone to fluid leakage and skin loss. A medical professional or doctor should always take this type of burn seriously.
3rd-degree burn
This type of burn injury is the most serious. It penetrates the skin and damages tissue. The skin may become dry and leathery or appear black, brown, or white. A 3rd-degree burn should be reported to emergency medical care immediately.
There are many ways to sustain a burn injury. These are the most common:
- Scalding occurs when hot liquid touches the skin.
- Electrical burns can also cause internal damage.
- Inhalation of smoke, steam, and toxic fumes can cause inhalation.
- Chemical burns caused by strong acids or bases in contact with the skin
- Gas explosions are caused by gas leaks that catch fire.
- Thermal burns are caused by exposure to heat (e.g., a car accident, a building fire, or liquid disclosure).
- Radiation burns can occur from X-rays or radiation from medical treatment.
A burn injury can be more severe or less depending on the part of the body being injured, its source, and the victim’s age. Older people and children don’t heal as quickly as others. Burns to the face can cause vision or breathing problems. A similar level of burn to the arm or leg might not lead to complications. A burn may be more severe for people with heart disease, diabetes, respiratory illness, or kidney disease than for those without these conditions.
Common causes for severe burn injuries
A burn injury can occur anytime, no matter how carefully you try. The most common causes of severe burn injuries are:
- Accidents involving trucks or car
- Workplace injuries
- Defective products
- Electrical accidents
- Scalding of pipes or water
- Public places such as restaurants, nightclubs, and hotels with fires are not permitted.
- Apartment building fires
How to file a claim for burn injuries
There are options to help you recover costs if someone else’s negligence has burned you.
If the incident has cost you money, you can file a claim to recover burn injury damages.
Minor burns you treat wouldn’t be covered by damages even if someone else caused them. Personal injury claims are meant to return the plaintiff to their pre-injury state. You might be eligible for damages if you have medical bills, lost wages, or other expenses.
You’ll first need to determine which elements constitute negligence.
- A person or entity owed the plaintiff care.
- The duty was not fulfilled.
- The breach caused the injury.
- The injury caused financial loss.
A “duty to care” is an obligation to prevent another person from being hurt by your actions or inactions. Two people can have a duty of care even if they don’t know each other. A driver, for example, is responsible for caring about other road users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists. A manufacturer also must ensure that its products are safe for use in a foreseeable manner.
A defendant who fails to uphold their duty to avoid injury to another person is called a “breach.”
Find a personal injury attorney for your burn injury.
It is essential not to feel ashamed about filing for the damages you are entitled to, regardless of whether you were hurt at work, in an accident at home, or because of negligence.
Whether your injury’s minor or severe, you have the right to seek compensation.
A personal injury lawyer who has handled similar cases will be able to help you determine the extent of your losses. They also have access to financial experts such as accountants and actuaries who can accurately assess your losses. Professionals should be able to determine your damages, especially if your burn injury prevents you from working in the future or if you are receiving ongoing medical treatment.
