Burn injuries are some of the most devastating, not only in terms of the pain they cause, but also due to the long term scarring and disfigurement they frequently leave behind. If you suffered burn injuries as a result of another’s negligence, you can pursue a claim for compensation against the at-fault party.
What is a burn accident, and what does bringing one entail? A burn injury lawsuit is a type of personal injury claim involving any accident that caused severe burns. To succeed in bringing a burn accident claim, you must be able to establish that the other party was legally negligent.
At Console & Associates, P.C., our compassionate team of burn injury lawyers has more than 25 years of experience successfully bringing claims on behalf of burn victims. We recognize that the thought of filing a lawsuit may seem overwhelming, given everything else going on in your life. However, by doing so, you may be able to recover meaningful compensation, enabling you to focus on what’s important–and not worrying about paying the bills. At Console & Associates, P.C., we offer free consultations to all prospective clients. During your consultation, we will answer all your questions about the process, and listen attentively to what you tell us about the accident and your injuries. At the end, we will offer you our sincere guidance and honest opinions. What we won’t do is pressure you to bring a case with us, because we’re here to help you, not convince you of anything. If you decide to bring a burn injury lawsuit with us, we won’t bill you for any of our services unless and until we can recover compensation on your behalf, whether it’s through a burn injury settlement or a jury verdict. That’s part of the “No Fee Promise” we make to each one of our clients.
Call us at (866) 778-5500 for a free, confidential evaluation.
At Console & Associates, P.C., our skilled team of burn accident lawyers is dedicated to helping injury victims overcome their injuries. We realize that nothing can turn back time to before the accident; however, by pursuing a burn accident lawsuit, you can recover meaningful compensation that will allow you to begin the process of moving on with your life. For the past 25 years, we’ve been working closely with burn injury victims to hold negligent property owners and businesses accountable for the grave damages our clients’ have suffered. We have developed a tried-and-true method to preparing these cases that often ends in an insurance company extending a fair burn injury settlement. However, as experienced litigators, we are equally as comfortable taking your case to trial.
Doctors classify burns according to “degrees,” based on the seriousness of the damage to the skin and the underlying tissue. Below are the three most common categories of burns:
First-degree burns, also called superficial burns, are the least serious type of burn. A first-degree burn only affects the outermost layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. A first-degree burn will turn the skin a pink or reddish color, but it is not likely for blisters to appear. Although they are the least severe type of burn, first-degree burns are still painful. Medical attention is not always needed for a first-degree burn.
Second-degree burns are referred to as superficial partial-thickness burns and affect the first and second layers of the skin. If you suffer a second-degree burn, your skin will turn red. You can also expect the skin to look blistery and wet. Second-degree burns are extremely painful and often require medical treatment. They typically heal within three weeks. Some, but not all, second-degree burns cause long-term scarring.
Third-degree burns are the most common type of severe burn. A third-degree burn damages all three layers of the skin, the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous layer. If you experience a third-degree burn, your skin will turn a blackish-brown color and will not blanch, or change colors, if you apply pressure to the affected area. The skin will also appear leathery and dry. Surprisingly, third-degree burns are usually not as painful as less serious burns because of the damage to the underlying nerves. Almost all third-degree burns require a skin graft, which is a surgical procedure where doctors apply healthy or artificial skin over the burnt area to encourage new growth. Third-degree burns take at least eight weeks to heal and frequently leave permanent scarring.
There are also fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-degree burns, although these burns are rare and often result in fatal injuries.
At Console & Associates, P.C., we represent clients who have suffered all types of burns, helping them effectively bring a claim for compensation. Regardless of the nature of the accident leading to your burn injuries, we are here to help.
When most people think of burns, fire comes to mind. Certainly, flame-related burns are perhaps the most common type of burn. However, burns can occur in various other ways as well. Some of the most common causes of burn injuries include:
After a car accident, it is common for the force of the collision to compromise the fuel system of one or more of the vehicles involved. When this happens, spilled fuel may come into contact with a heat source, causing the vehicle to ignite. According to the National Fire Protection Association, about 17 percent of all fire-related deaths are the result of vehicle fires.
The last thing you think of when you get up and go to work is that you will suffer a serious burn injury. However, work-related burn injuries are much more common than most people realize. Some estimates place the total number of workplace burn injuries at around 5,000 per year. Of course, certain occupations present a higher risk, such as those in the food industry, manufacturing industry, and cleaning industry.
An electrical burn occurs when the skin comes into contact with electricity. When electricity enters the body, it causes damage to the internal organs, including the brain, heart and kidneys. Once inside the body, an electrical current “looks” for a way out. The faster the current is able to escape the body, the lower the chance of severe injury. Electrical burns are especially concerning because you cannot tell how serious a burn is by looking at it.
Everyone’s seen warnings on common household chemicals and cleaning supplies indicating that the product can pose a burn risk. These labels are legally required to be placed on the packaging to inform consumers of the possible dangers presented by the product. Some of the most common hazardous chemicals include:
These products can cause severe skin damage if touched but are also capable of causing internal organ damage if inhaled.
Although not a burn injury per se, smoke inhalation injuries are commonly associated with fires. In fact, it is estimated that more than 3,200 people die each year due to smoke inhalation, and many more or injured. The vast majority of smoke-inhalation injuries and deaths occur in structure fires, with vehicle fires coming in a distant second.
A structure fire occurs when a building, often a home or business, catches fire. Not only are structure fires the most feared cause of burn injuries, but they are also the most common. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports there were over 2,800 deaths caused by residential structure fires in the three-year period between 2017 and 2019. According to FEMA, there are also nearly 4,000 fires in hotels and motels each year.
Property owners, product manufacturers, employers, and businesses are all responsible for protecting society from fires and burn-related injuries. When someone’s negligence causes a fire, they can be held accountable for the injuries you have suffered.
Determining who is responsible after a burn injury can be a straightforward task. For example, if another driver caused a car accident and you suffered severe burns as a result, you would pursue a case against the at-fault driver. However, figuring out who is responsible for your injuries is not always that easy. In many cases, it will not be clear who was responsible. For example, if you were seriously injured in an apartment complex fire, you can’t be sure who started the fire, whether the complex’s management team had followed the appropriate building code ordinances, or who legally owns the building. Each of these facts can determine who is responsible for your injuries, and in turn, who you should name in your burn injury lawsuit.
Burn injury claims can fall under several different legal theories, depending on the type of accident causing your injuries and where the accident occurred. However, the vast majority of these cases fall under the legal framework of “negligence.”
Negligence is a legal term referring to tort liability. To prove a negligence claim, you must present proof of each of the following elements:
At Console & Associates, P.C., our burn accident lawyers have more than 25 years of experience investigating and preparing personal injury cases stemming from burn accidents. We can confidently assess your case, explain how the law applies, and provide you with an estimate of what we think a fair burn accident settlement would look like.
If you recently suffered serious injuries in a burn accident, you should not wait to contact a lawyer. In fact, the sooner you reach out to a lawyer, the easier it will make it for your lawyer to prepare a compelling case for recovery. At Console & Associates, P.C., we recognize that this is a challenging time for you and your family, and you may not be looking forward to the thought of pursuing a case. This is why we make the process as streamlined as possible so you can remain focused on your family and recovering from your injuries.
In 2014, the Insurance Resource Council released a study finding that those accident victims who worked with an experienced personal injury attorney recovered 3.5 times more in damages than those who pursued the claim on their own. Thus, retaining the assistance of a skilled burn accident attorney will not only make the process easier on you but also increase the likelihood of success.
At Console & Associates, P.C., we recognize that there are many attorneys out there vying for your business, some better than others. However, most burn injury attorneys are capable of competently handling a case from beginning to end. However, when you’ve suffered debilitating injuries in a burn accident, you deserve more than mere competence. The respected lawyers at Console & Associates, P.C, offer more than legal representation; we provide you with a friendly, compassionate team of advocates who are looking out for your best interests at every turn. We value the long-term relationships we form with our clients and value each of our clients as individuals. From the moment you pick up the phone to schedule your free consultation, you will see what makes Console & Associates, P.C. different from other local personal injury law firms.
Choosing which burn accident lawyer to represent you is a big decision and not one that you should make lightly. We offer all clients a No Fee Promise, which means that you will not pay us anything unless we can successfully resolve your case, either through a bus accident settlement or favorable jury verdict. At every stage of the process, we are there for you, advocating on your behalf in pursuit of fair compensation for your injuries. We want you to feel confident that you made the right decision when you chose Console & Associates, P.C. We aren’t here to pressure you or convince you that you need to file a claim immediately. We are here to help, and if we can’t help, we will be upfront with you from the beginning.
To schedule your free consultation, just call (866) 778-5500 today or fill out our secure contact form.
All personal injury cases must be filed within a certain amount of time. Burn accidents cases are no exception. You have up to two years from the date of the accidents to file a claim. If you wait too long, the court will no longer be able to hear your case, which will leave you with no way to recover for your injuries. While you have two years to bring a claim, it is generally better to reach out to a lawyer well before that time is up. That way, your attorney will have ample time to investigate the accident while evidence and witnesses are still easy to locate.
Yes. In fact, it is common in burn accident cases for more than one defendant to share responsibly for a victim’s injuries. For example, one person may have negligently started the fire, but a property owner may not have taken the necessary precautions to protect occupants. In this case, both the person who started the fire and the property owner could be liable to you for money damages.
In the wake of a serious accident, money is tight. You may have missed a lot of work, spent time in the hospital, and are now facing what seems like a constant inflow of medical bills. However, this does not mean that you cannot afford a lawyer. Most burn injury lawyers accept cases on a contingency basis, meaning you will not need to pay anything upfront for the lawyer to handle your case. Only if your lawyer is able to recover compensation for you, either through a burn injury settlement or a favorable jury verdict, will you pay them a fee for their legal representation.
