If you or a loved one has sustained burn injuries, our San Diego burn injury lawyers can help you. Being a burn injury victim is a very traumatic and painful experience. Depending on the severity of the burns, you may have to confront the possibilities of permanent disfigurement, scarring, and disability.
This is why it is so vital to hold the negligent party accountable for your burn injuries. Before you file a burn injury claim, though, you must be informed about various aspects of such a claim. Here is a look at the types of burn injuries and the process involved in seeking compensation for such injuries.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can be caused by a wide range of incidents. Here is a look at some of the most common causes of burn injuries:
- Automobile accidents. A leading cause of burn injuries remains automobile accidents. In the event of an automobile accident, the vehicle is very likely to catch fire. When a vehicle catches fire after a crash, its occupants are often unable to escape as they are unconscious or stuck. This can lead to serious burn injuries.
- Domestic Fires. Domestic fires refer to fires that occur at residential homes as well as residential apartment buildings. Any accident at your home or flat can trigger a fire that can spread rapidly and cause injuries.
- Workplace Accidents. Workplace fires are another common cause of burn injuries. This is particularly true for industrial units where fire accidents can lead to harm to both material and human resources.
- Wildfires are large-scale fires that can spread across a large area fairly rapidly. These fires cause a huge amount of damage every year. In 2018 alone, property damage caused by the Wildland Urban Interface fires in California was determined at $12.4 billion.
- Electrical Accidents. Problems with electrical circuitry and appliances can also result in fires that lead to burn injuries.
A wide range of other causes may also lead to a burn injury. Such injuries are typically divided into three distinct categories based on their severity. Here is a look at these.
Categories of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are categorized based on their nature, severity, and the parts of the body they affect. Although many categories are used for the purposes, typically, only three categories are relevant for most burn injury claims. These are:
First-Degree Burns: First-degree burns usually affect only the outermost layer of the skin. This category of burns can lead to pain, redness, swelling, or some visible form of skin damage. However, these burns can be easily treated at home or resolved with some basic medication. You can expect to recover from first-degree burns within a week or so.
Second-Degree Burns: Second-degree burns go beyond the topmost layer of the skin. This category of burns affects both top layers of the skin. You may experience more painful redness or swelling of the skin. In severe cases, blisters may form on the skin and result in painful fluid discharge. You will typically need visits to a physician for treatment of this kind of burns. Healing and recovery may take up to 3 weeks or longer.
Third-Degree Burns: Third-degree burns are the severest form of burn injuries for a survivor. This category of burns results in damage not only to all layers of the skin but also to the tissues, organs, and bones underneath. Victims in this category require emergency hospitalization, typically at a burn unit. Treatment and healing can extend over several months or even years.
How to File a Burn Injury Lawsuit?
When filing a burn injury lawsuit in California, it is important to know what type of negligence is involved in your case. A burn injury typically occurs due to the negligence of an entity, premises liability, or defective product.
Negligence is when an entity owes you a duty of care but breaches this duty of care, and this breach then directly results in a burn injury. Defective products are products that come with insufficient warnings or carry a design or manufacturing defect. Such products can directly cause burn injuries or indirectly contribute to a fire incident that causes injuries.
Premises liability is when you suffer a burn injury on the property of a person or entity when that person or entity was responsible for the premises. If the incident that causes your injuries was foreseeable, but the owner didn’t warn you, you can seek compensatory damages.
Damages You Can Recover In a Burn Injury Claim
You can seek a wide range of damages for a burn injury. Depending on the precise circumstances of the case, you can recover:
- Medical costs. These include both short-term and long-term medical costs of your treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation.
- Lost wages. These cover both present and past wages you were unable to earn following your burn injuries.
- Property damage. A burn injury may result in damage to your property in addition to the harm to yourself. You can seek compensation to cover this loss in your claim.
- Non-economic damages. These damages are sought for the pain and suffering you face in the wake of burn injuries. Unlike many other states, California has no cap on non-economic damages in burn injury claims.
Why Hire San Diego Burn Injury Lawyers?
Being the victim of a burn injury can be a very painful experience. It can be immensely hard to undergo treatment for your injuries and file for damages at the same time. This is where it helps to have a good lawyer on your side.
Here at TorkLaw, we help you file a claim for compensation without losing any time. Our experienced attorneys also help you submit the relevant evidence and meet other requirements to make sure you win your claim. At the end of the day, our aim is to help you get the settlement amount you deserve. Call us today to discuss your case with our attorneys in a one-on-one consultation.