Approximately two million people suffer burn injuries every year, making such injuries the third highest cause of accidental death in the United States. Even worse, burn injuries are among the more dangerous types of wounds, particularly because of the high risk for infection, scarring, and other complications. Recovery from severe burns, especially those covering a large portion of the body, can be an extremely long and arduous process.
Burn injuries are one of the most painful injuries one can experience. Burns can damage nerve endings which causes very intense pain. Thousands of people die in the United States each year as a result of burn injuries. Burns are a leading cause of accidental death in the United States. If you need a Houston burn injury lawyer, please contact us for a free burn injury consultation.
Fortunately, individuals who have sustained burn injuries as a result of another party’s wrongdoing or negligence have legal rights, including the right to recover damages for their losses. If you or a loved one has sustained a burn injury through no fault of your own, you may be eligible to seek compensation for your medical expenses, pain, and suffering, and more. Please contact us today to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney free of charge.
Causes of Burn Injuries
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Burns can be caused by a number of factors. Exposure to heat, exposure to chemicals, and exposure to electricity are the three sources of all burn injuries. Thermal burns are the most common and usually the deepest. Chemical burns are commonly caused by acids, and electrocution typically causes electrical burns. Burn injuries are frequently sustained as a consequence of:
- Residential fires
- Wildfires
- Automobile accidents
- Arson
- Malfunctioning products
- Contact with acids or corrosive materials
- Lack of smoke detectors
- Inadequate compliance with fire codes
- Inadequate electrical wiring of apartments and homes
- Electrocution burns
- Burns caused by defective products including vehicles with defective fuel systems
- Chemical burns
- Car seat heater burns
- Hot water scald burns
- Defective room or space heaters
Burn Injuries: The Consequences
Burn injuries vary in severity, depending primarily on the extent and degree of the burn as well as its location. Even burn injuries that do not result in death often result in severe pain and suffering. Many serious burn injuries require extensive treatment and specialized care including skin grafts, therapy, and rehabilitation.
In addition to the burdensome financial costs, people with burn injuries also often suffer severe psychological and emotional pain stemming from their changed appearance and immobility.
If your burn injuries are the result of another party’s fault or negligence – regardless of intent – you may be eligible to receive compensation for your monetary and emotional losses. Please contact us today for a FREE case evaluation with a caring and competent personal injury attorney who has experience representing burn victims and who can help you seek the justice you deserve.
Burn Injuries Lawsuit
A burn injuries lawsuit can be brought by a victim of a burn injury in the civil court system. A burn injuries lawsuit helps the victims of burn injuries recover damages related to their losses in cases where another person is responsible for causing the injury or failing to prevent injury. Half of all burn injuries cases are preventable, which means that negligence factors into fifty percent of all burn injury cases.
In the United States, almost two and a half million people report burn injuries every year. Of this population, 650,000 require medical treatment, 75,000 must be hospitalized, and almost 12,000 die as a result of their burn injuries. More than one-third of all burn injury victims will suffer from a substantial or permanent disability as a result of their accident.
Compensation
In light of these statistics, it is clear that burn injuries lawsuit cases can significantly help burn victims compensate for what they have lost as a result of their injuries. A burn injury lawsuit can help a victim receive damages related to all medical expenses including initial treatment, surgical procedures, rehabilitation, and psychiatric treatment. A victim can also receive compensation for lost wages or the ability to earn future wages by filing a burn injuries lawsuit. Qualitative damages, including pain and suffering, the trauma associated with a permanent injury, and spousal loss of consortium may also be recovered in a burn injuries lawsuit.
Negligence
A burn injuries lawsuit may be appropriate in circumstances where another person’s actions or negligence contributed to the burn injury accident. This can occur in a number of different situations. Burn injuries may be the result of an occupational accident. There are several industrial hazards that can potentially lead to burning injuries including chemical and flammable material exposure, equipment failure or malfunction, gasoline spills, exposure to extreme heat, and many more. Most employers have protected against burn injuries lawsuit cases, though there are some exceptions. In general, worker’s compensation insurance will compensate the victims of occupational burn injuries regardless of who was at fault in the accident.
Defective Products
Defective products may also be to blame for serious burn injuries. Failure or malfunction of products such as smoke detectors and water heaters can lead to serious burn injury accidents. If a defective product is responsible for an individual’s burn injuries, the manufacturers of the product can be held liable in a burn injuries lawsuit. Motor vehicle accidents are also involved in twenty percent of all fires that can result in burn injuries. A burn injuries lawsuit might be an option in these cases as well.
Most states have statutes of limitations that restrict the amount of time an individual has to file a burn injuries lawsuit and may also be different when a child is the burn victim. If you are interested in a burn injuries lawsuit, you may wish to confer with a burn injury lawyer who can advise you of your legal rights and options in a case and protect your legal interests in a burn injuries lawsuit.