Burn injuries that affect significant portions of the body can have a permanent impact on a victim’s life. Treatment may be able to stabilize their health, but the impacted body parts may never regain their full functionality.
When another party’s carelessness causes an otherwise avoidable burn injury to occur, the injured person deserves compensation for their losses. However, proving fault can be difficult in some cases, and it is necessary to connect the event to your or your loved one’s past, present, and future damages.
A Houston burn injury lawyer at our firm is prepared to pursue your case with the necessary knowledge and passion. The goal of our catastrophic injury attorneys is to obtain the compensation your family deserves with minimal stress to you.
Categories of Burns Injuries and Their Impact on Civil Claims
Medical science separates burns into different classes of severity, the least serious of which is a first-degree burn. Doctors will likely prescribe pain medications and topical creams to minimize the impact of first-degree burn injuries. As a result, victims of first-degree burns will likely make a full recovery, although they may develop scars in the affected area. Importantly, first-degree burns may not be enough to win a personal injury settlement or jury verdict.
Second-degree burns are more serious and affect the tissue under the skin and may even destroy nerves or muscles underneath. Doctors treating these burn injuries may use intensive surgeries to implant skin grafts in an attempt to save the affected areas from disfigurement.
Third-degree burns are the most severe and can affect the bone in the impacted area and can even require a medical provider to amputate the site of injury, depending on the circumstances. Plastic surgery may be a viable option for repairing the effects of a third-degree burn.
Proving Liability for a Severe Burn
While the severity of a burn injury is never proof of fault, it can be an indicator of how much compensation may be awarded in a successful civil lawsuit or insurance settlement.
A comprehensive case will examine the full impact of the burns on a victim’s life. This includes medical costs, mental health concerns, lost earnings, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and more. A Houston burn injury attorney recognizes the immense changes that severe burns can have on a person’s life and will aim to place an accurate value on their and demand that all liable parties provide appropriate compensation.
How Burn Injuries May Occur
As a Houston attorney could further explain, people who suffer severe burn injuries due to negligence must prove that another person or entity was responsible for the incident that caused their losses. Examples of common causes of burn injuries include:
- Traffic accidents – Many burns are the result of car, truck, or motorcycle collisions. Gas or oil may ignite and severely injure people trapped in vehicles and around the wreckage. For bikers and cyclists, sliding along pavement after a collision can cause friction burns that are just as much a threat as open flames.
- Defective products – The makers of consumer products always have an obligation to produce items that are safe for their intended use. Defects in items such as stoves, ovens, irons, or water heaters can place consumers at an unreasonable risk of harm.
- Exposure to dangerous chemicals or radiation – Caustic substances can cause chemical burns. Especially for people spending time on industrial sites or at hospitals, exposure to these substances is an ever-present risk.
- Faulty electrical work – Faulty or exposed wiring can lead to electrical burns that travel throughout the body and cause ongoing damage.
Call a Houston Burn Injury Attorney to Protect Your or Your Loved One’s Rights
The compensation awarded in a successful burn injury lawsuit can cover a person’s medical bills, lost wages, mental trauma, physical pain, and more. Still, it is up to you to prove fault for an incident, as well as that incident’s impact on your or your loved one’s life. Seeking legal assistance may be the best way to move forward from this traumatic event.
Talk with a Houston burn injury lawyer at our firm today. We are available to listen to your story, explain your rights, and take the lead in pursuing the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation now to get started.