You may be surprised to learn that close to half a million people suffer some sort of burn injury in this country every year. That’s a lot of people. Many of these injuries are minor. They heal themselves within a few days or weeks. Unfortunately, some of these injuries are quite severe. If you suffer third- or fourth-degree burns, you may be in the hospital for quite some time. In fact, you might need multiple surgeries or skin grafts. This can be extremely painful. Some of the Phoenix burn injury lawyers at TorkLaw have handled cases where our clients describe terrific pain. That’s why it’s important that you pursue the person responsible for your injuries sooner rather than later.
A lot of people assume that all burn injuries come from house fires. This isn’t necessarily that case. While many people do get hurt in residential or commercial fires, that isn’t the only way you can get hurt. Here, we’ll talk about the different causes of burn injuries in Arizona. We’ll also discuss what the different types of burns are. One of the things our Phoenix burn injury lawyers at TorkLaw do for our clients is fighting to get them as much money as possible. In order to do this, we need to prove two things. First, we need to prove that the defendant was responsible for your injuries. The second thing we need to do is prove that you suffered actual damages.
Burn Injuries Are Caused by More than Just House Fires
As mentioned above, a lot of people think that the only cause of burn injuries are house fires. In fact, there are a variety of accidents that can result in burn injuries. Phoenix burn injury lawyers at TorkLaw handle all of these types of cases. In our experience, the most common causes of burn injuries include the following:
- Car accidents
- House and electrical fires
- Chemical spills and explosions
- Workplace accidents
- Gas and oil accidents
- Child burns such as scalding or an incident at their daycare or school
Sadly, some of our cases do involve burn injuries to children. And some cases involve serious workplace incidents or accidents. The bottom line is that we aren’t as concerned with what caused your injuries. Our main concern at TorkLaw is proving that the defendant is responsible for your injuries. This means we have to find a way to prove that the defendant was negligent.
Your Phoenix Burn Injury Lawyer Must Prove Fault
In order to prove the first part of your case, we need to prove that the defendant was at fault. This means we need to show that they were negligent. This requires four (4) things:
- The defendant owed you a duty of care – Believe it or not, this is the easiest part of your case to prove. For example, if you’re hurt in a car accident, all your Phoenix burn injury lawyer needs to show is that they didn’t obey the traffic laws. All motorists are required to follow these laws.
- The defendant breached this duty – The hardest thing to prove is that the defendant actually breached their duty of care. They need to show that the defendant specifically did (or did not do) something that contributed to your accident and injuries.
- You were injured – If you suffer serious burn injuries, it won’t be hard to document this. Anyone with third- or fourth-degree burns is going to seek medical treatment. Your Phoenix burn injury lawyer at TorkLaw can submit copies of your medical records to prove this.
- Your injuries were proved by the defendant’s breach – if the defendant can prove that something other than their breach of duty caused your injuries, it may be hard to collect damages. For example, let’s say you’re in a car accident. Immediately after the accident, your car is hit by a second vehicle. It then catches on fire. You may only have a valid legal claim against the second driver.
If your Phoenix burn injury lawyer can prove negligence, there’s a good chance you’ll be awarded damages.
What are the Different Types of Burn Injuries?
When it comes to burn injuries, they are measured in degrees. First and second-degree burns are minor. They normally don’t require medical treatment. In fact, a doctor may tell you that they can’t do anything to treat this sort of injury other than give you an ointment or bandage. When it comes to third- and fourth-degree burns, they’re a lot more serious. You’ll be in a lot of pain. You may need surgery and skin grafts. It could take months to heal. In fact, some of our clients never recover fully from their burn injuries.
Your Phoenix Burn Injury Lawyer Can Get You the Compensation You Deserve
The first question our clients usually have is – how much is my case worth? The answer is – it depends. There’s no way for us to tell you how much your case is worth until after we’ve reviewed the information. Phoenix burn injury lawyers at TorkLaw will demand the following types of damages:
- Medical bills
- Future medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost future income
- Permanent disability
You may be entitled to some or all of these damages. It really depends on the facts of your case.
Schedule Your Free Consultation with the Phoenix Burn Injury Lawyers at TorkLaw
If you suffer a burn injury at the hands of another, you should call and talk to a Phoenix burn injury lawyer at TorkLaw sooner rather than later. You only have two (2) years to file your claim per the Arizona statute of limitations. That’s why you should schedule your free initial consultation as soon as possible after your accident. Make sure you bring whatever information you have with you to this first meeting. This could include any or all of the following:
- Copies of any correspondence between you and the insurance company
- Letters and emails you have received from the defendant or their lawyer
- A picture of your injuries
- A copy of your medical records
- Proof of any lost wages or income
- Proof of what you have paid out of pocket for your medical treatment
The consultation is free, so you have nothing to lose. Call today and set up a date and time that works for you.