Burn Injury Claims - Seek Compensation

Burn Injury Claims

cartwrightlaw - July 25, 2023 -

burn injury claims

Burns are one of the leading causes of accidental injury and death in America, with the National Fire Protection Association estimating that an individual is burned seriously enough to require treatment nearly every minute. 

Since burns are serious injuries, they can have life-threatening complications, which is why medical attention should be sought immediately, no matter the type of accident. If you were involved in an accident that resulted in burn injuries, it’s important to seek medical attention to determine how bad the injuries are and how long they will take to heal. 

If you seek medical attention, you will have a medical record of the incident, which will help you if you decide to hire a burn injury attorney. Sometimes burn injuries are no one’s fault as an accident can be simply an accident; there is a chance you could claim compensation if someone else’s negligence or recklessness led to your burn injuries. 

Should someone else be liable, you might have a valid claim, and our attorneys at The Cartwright Law Firm in Vacaville might be able to help. We have experience helping burn patients get the compensation and justice they deserve. So read on to learn more about burn injuries and what you can claim. 

What Are The Different Types Of Burn Injuries? 

Burn injuries are classified into different degrees based on their severity and depth of tissue damage. Here are the various types of burn injuries we often see when representing clients who have been burn victims:

First-Degree Burns 

  • These are superficial surface-level burns that only affect the outermost layer of the skin. They typically result in redness, pain, and minor swelling. First-degree burns often heal within a week without scarring.

Second-Degree Burns

  • Superficial partial-thickness burns: These burns extend beyond the epidermis, affecting the underlying layers of the skin. Symptoms include blistering, intense pain, redness, and swelling. They usually heal within a few weeks and may leave minimal scarring.
  • Deep partial-thickness burns: These burns penetrate deeper into the underlying layers of skin, resulting in a white or waxy appearance. They cause severe pain, blistering, and potential scarring. Deep partial-thickness burns may require medical intervention for proper healing.

Third-Degree Burns

  • These burns extend through all layers of the skin, causing significant tissue damage. The burned area may appear white, charred, or leathery. Third-degree burns often result in numbness due to nerve damage and may require surgical intervention like skin grafting to heal properly.

Fourth-Degree Burns 

  • These burns are the most severe, extending beyond the skin into deeper tissues, such as muscles, tendons, or bones. The burned area may appear blackened and charred. Fourth-degree burns require immediate medical attention and extensive treatment, including surgery, to prevent complications and aid in healing.

What Are The Common Burn Injury Causes Seen In Burn Injury Claims? 

Burns can be caused by various factors, including excessive heat, chemicals, and fumes, resulting in injury to the skin. The following are some common causes of burn injuries victims incur:

  • Thermal burns: Exposure to fire or hot objects causes thermal burns.
  • Radiation burns: Medical treatments or the use of tanning beds can lead to radiation burns.
  • Chemical burns: Contact with corrosive substances can cause chemical burns.
  • Inhalation Burns: Breathing in toxic fumes, steam, or smoke can result in inhalation burns.
  • Electrical burns: High voltage electricity contacting the skin causes electrical burns.
  • Scalding: Hot liquids coming into contact with the skin can cause scalding burns.

Burn injuries caused by these factors can occur due to various accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, fires in public places or residences, cooking mishaps, electrical incidents, and defective products. You could have a valid claim no matter how your burn injury was incurred, so speak with us at our law firm.

What Are The Types Of Damages That Burn Victims Can Claim?

In a burn injury claim, the compensation a victim can recover depends on factors such as the accident conditions, negligence of the responsible party, and the severity of the burns. The various types of compensation that can be sought include:

  • Economic damages: These damages directly relate to monetary costs incurred by the victim. Examples include lost wages, initial medical treatment expenses, long-term care costs, and other financial impacts resulting from the injury.
  • Non-economic damages: Non-economic damages encompass intangible losses that are not tied directly to financial costs. This category includes disfigurement, pain and suffering experienced by the victim, emotional distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and any other resulting conditions from the accident.
  • Punitive damages: Punitive damages are typically meant to serve as punishment for at-fault parties in burn injury claims. They are rarely awarded and are applicable only when the defendant’s actions were intentional or particularly egregious, causing harm to the victim.

A skilled attorney can help determine which type of damages you’re entitled to based on your burn injuries and your case circumstances.

What Compensation Can Burn Victims Receive In A Settlement? 

Understanding that the compensation awarded for burn injuries can vary significantly, depending on the damages endured, is crucial. In a burn injury lawsuit, various factors may be considered when seeking damages, such as:

  • Scarring
  • Disfigurement
  • Tissue damage
  • Infection
  • Organ failure
  • Circulation problems
  • Sensory impairment
  • Loss of sensation
  • Respiratory problems
  • Permanent disability
  • Pain and suffering

By carefully assessing the details of your case and your damages, a knowledgeable burn injury attorney can determine the potential compensation you may be eligible for, ensuring that fair and just compensation is pursued and potentially secured.

Get In Touch With A Vacaville Burn Injury Attorney Today To Discuss Your Case

Sadly, burn injuries can be some of the most painful, so it is best to focus on your recovery while a skilled attorney focuses on your legal battles. With the help of an attorney from The Cartwright Law Firm, you will have a better chance and increase the value of your settlement if you choose to file a case against a negligent party. 

One of our attorneys will work alongside you to help you build a solid foundation for your burn injury case, retaining expert witness statements, gathering evidence, and finding proof of fault. With us on your side, you’ll have an attorney familiar with burn injury claims who can help you during negotiations and a trial should the need arise. So speak to our Vacaville burn injury attorneys today to ensure your case is in good hands. 

Burns are one of the leading causes of accidental injury and death in America, with the National Fire Protection Association estimating that an individual is burned seriously enough to require treatment nearly every minute. 

Since burns are serious injuries, they can have life-threatening complications, which is why medical attention should be sought immediately, no matter the type of accident. If you were involved in an accident that resulted in burn injuries, it’s important to seek medical attention to determine how bad the injuries are and how long they will take to heal. 

If you seek medical attention, you will have a medical record of the incident, which will help you if you decide to hire a burn injury attorney. Sometimes burn injuries are no one’s fault as an accident can be simply an accident; there is a chance you could claim compensation if someone else’s negligence or recklessness led to your burn injuries. 

Should someone else be liable, you might have a valid claim, and our attorneys at The Cartwright Law Firm in Vacaville might be able to help. We have experience helping burn patients get the compensation and justice they deserve. So read on to learn more about burn injuries and what you can claim. 

What Are The Different Types Of Burn Injuries? 

Burn injuries are classified into different degrees based on their severity and depth of tissue damage. Here are the various types of burn injuries we often see when representing clients who have been burn victims:

First-Degree Burns 

  • These are superficial surface-level burns that only affect the outermost layer of the skin. They typically result in redness, pain, and minor swelling. First-degree burns often heal within a week without scarring.

Second-Degree Burns

  • Superficial partial-thickness burns: These burns extend beyond the epidermis, affecting the underlying layers of the skin. Symptoms include blistering, intense pain, redness, and swelling. They usually heal within a few weeks and may leave minimal scarring.
  • Deep partial-thickness burns: These burns penetrate deeper into the underlying layers of skin, resulting in a white or waxy appearance. They cause severe pain, blistering, and potential scarring. Deep partial-thickness burns may require medical intervention for proper healing.

Third-Degree Burns

  • These burns extend through all layers of the skin, causing significant tissue damage. The burned area may appear white, charred, or leathery. Third-degree burns often result in numbness due to nerve damage and may require surgical intervention like skin grafting to heal properly.

Fourth-Degree Burns 

  • These burns are the most severe, extending beyond the skin into deeper tissues, such as muscles, tendons, or bones. The burned area may appear blackened and charred. Fourth-degree burns require immediate medical attention and extensive treatment, including surgery, to prevent complications and aid in healing.

What Are The Common Burn Injury Causes Seen In Burn Injury Claims? 

Burns can be caused by various factors, including excessive heat, chemicals, and fumes, resulting in injury to the skin. The following are some common causes of burn injuries victims incur:

  • Thermal burns: Exposure to fire or hot objects causes thermal burns.
  • Radiation burns: Medical treatments or the use of tanning beds can lead to radiation burns.
  • Chemical burns: Contact with corrosive substances can cause chemical burns.
  • Inhalation Burns: Breathing in toxic fumes, steam, or smoke can result in inhalation burns.
  • Electrical burns: High voltage electricity contacting the skin causes electrical burns.
  • Scalding: Hot liquids coming into contact with the skin can cause scalding burns.

Burn injuries caused by these factors can occur due to various accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, fires in public places or residences, cooking mishaps, electrical incidents, and defective products. You could have a valid claim no matter how your burn injury was incurred, so speak with us at our law firm.

What Are The Types Of Damages That Burn Victims Can Claim?

In a burn injury claim, the compensation a victim can recover depends on factors such as the accident conditions, negligence of the responsible party, and the severity of the burns. The various types of compensation that can be sought include:

  • Economic damages: These damages directly relate to monetary costs incurred by the victim. Examples include lost wages, initial medical treatment expenses, long-term care costs, and other financial impacts resulting from the injury.
  • Non-economic damages: Non-economic damages encompass intangible losses that are not tied directly to financial costs. This category includes disfigurement, pain and suffering experienced by the victim, emotional distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and any other resulting conditions from the accident.
  • Punitive damages: Punitive damages are typically meant to serve as punishment for at-fault parties in burn injury claims. They are rarely awarded and are applicable only when the defendant’s actions were intentional or particularly egregious, causing harm to the victim.

A skilled attorney can help determine which type of damages you’re entitled to based on your burn injuries and your case circumstances.

What Compensation Can Burn Victims Receive In A Settlement? 

Understanding that the compensation awarded for burn injuries can vary significantly, depending on the damages endured, is crucial. In a burn injury lawsuit, various factors may be considered when seeking damages, such as:

  • Scarring
  • Disfigurement
  • Tissue damage
  • Infection
  • Organ failure
  • Circulation problems
  • Sensory impairment
  • Loss of sensation
  • Respiratory problems
  • Permanent disability
  • Pain and suffering

By carefully assessing the details of your case and your damages, a knowledgeable burn injury attorney can determine the potential compensation you may be eligible for, ensuring that fair and just compensation is pursued and potentially secured.

Get In Touch With A Vacaville Burn Injury Attorney Today To Discuss Your Case

Sadly, burn injuries can be some of the most painful, so it is best to focus on your recovery while a skilled attorney focuses on your legal battles. With the help of an attorney from The Cartwright Law Firm, you will have a better chance and increase the value of your settlement if you choose to file a case against a negligent party. 

One of our attorneys will work alongside you to help you build a solid foundation for your burn injury case, retaining expert witness statements, gathering evidence, and finding proof of fault. With us on your side, you’ll have an attorney familiar with burn injury claims who can help you during negotiations and a trial should the need arise. So speak to our Vacaville burn injury attorneys today to ensure your case is in good hands. 

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Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.

Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner