The Legal Considerations in Rehabilitating from a Burn Injury

A burn injury is serious and might require extensive treatment to heal. Some people suffer permanent damage, disfigurement, or impairment from a burn. A car wreck, fire, and other accidents can result from someone’s negligent actions. When that happens, and you’ve been injured in the accident they caused, knowing your rights and how to pursue legal action is crucial.

Here, you will find necessary information about the types of burn injuries, who could be held liable, and the compensation that could be owed to you.

Establishing Liability for a Burn Injury

One of the essential aspects of a burn injury case is determining who was at fault. You must then establish liability to seek compensation from the at-fault party. However, proving someone else is responsible for an accident is challenging, especially if multiple parties are involved.

Various circumstances can lead to a burn injury, including:

• Occupational accident
• Fire or explosion
• Car crash
• Dangerous property conditions
• Truck accident
• Defective product
• Medical malpractice

You must gather evidence to show what happened and prove someone else’s actions caused your burn injury. If you sustained burns in a car accident, another driver might be at fault for speeding, running a red light, swerving into your lane, or whatever negligent behavior caused the accident. Burn injuries at work can occur if you handle electrical wires or encounter toxic chemicals. Burns can also result from a defect in a consumer product that causes electrical shock or sparks a fire. 

Determining the Type of Burn Injury

Multiple types of burn injuries can result from an accident. Knowing which type you sustained can help determine the type of claim you have and how much compensation you’re entitled to from the at-fault party.

The most common types of burn injuries include:

• Radiation burns – A radiation burn results from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays or other radiation sources, such as an X-ray.
• Thermal burns – A thermal burn occurs when an external heat source raises the temperature of the skin and tissue, causing tissue cells to die. Scalding liquids, flames, steam, and hot metals can lead to thermal burns during contact with the skin.
• Electrical burns – An electrical burn comes from contact with an electrical source. It causes skin damage at the site of the injury, leading to pigmentation changes and blisters. Damage to internal organs, nerves, and tissue can also occur as the current travels through the body.
• Chemical burns – A chemical burn occurs when detergents, strong acids, solvents, or alkalis directly contact the skin.

Seeking Medical Treatment

You must seek immediate medical care after a burn injury. The doctor can diagnose the injury and determine the degree of the burn. Proving the degree of your burn and the expenses you incur while treating the injury can benefit your case. You might be entitled to significant compensation if your burn is severe and requires extensive treatment to repair the damage.

The three primary classifications of burn injuries include:

• First-degree burns – A first-degree burn is damage to the outer layer of the skin. The injury site can appear dry and red. However, it typically doesn’t blister.
• Second-degree burns – A second-degree burn is damage to the outer layer and other layers of the skin. The burn site is often painful and looks blistered, swollen, or red.
• Third-degree burns – A third-degree burn occurs when all layers of the skin are destroyed. Such a burn can damage the underlying tendons, nerves, muscles, and bones.

Compensation for a Burn Injury

You can pursue compensation in an insurance claim or lawsuit if someone else is at fault for your burn injury. The money you receive might compensate you for your:

• Emotional distress
• Scarring
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Hospitalization, skin grafts, prescriptions, and other medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost income
• Lost earning capacity
• Damage to personal property

How a Burn Injury Attorney Can Help

Long-term complications can arise from a burn injury. Recovering can be a long and painful journey. However, you don’t have to go through this devastating ordeal alone.

The Mandel Law Firm is ready to represent you and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Call us at (646) 779-1441 today for a confidential consultation with an experienced New York City burn injury lawyer if you suffered burns in an accident due to someone else’s negligence.