Almost half a million people require medical care for burns each year. Serious burn victims often face a lifetime of challenges, including intensive medical care, excruciating physical and emotional pain, and financial uncertainty. Keep reading to learn more about burn injuries and how the team at Crosley Law helps our clients recover.
What Is a Burn Injury?
Burns can occur in a wide variety of situations. In a car crash, you might suffer burns from exposure to heat or corrosive chemicals. When your skin makes contact with these substances, the skin cells die and your tissues suffer damage, causing a painful burn.
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Your skin is made of up of several layers:
- Epidermis: The visible top layer of skin
- Dermis: The middle layer of skin that contains nerves, blood vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands, and other structures
- Subcutis: The bottom layer of skin that protects your body with a layer of fat and collagen
Doctors grade the severity of a burn based on how many layers of skin it damages. First-degree burns harm the epidermis, second-degree burns damage the dermis as well as the epidermis, and third-degree burns destroy all three layers.
Serious burns, especially second- or third-degree burns, electrical burns, and chemical burns, require intensive medical treatment. Burn victims typically require a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation plan that provides mental health treatment, physical and occupational therapy, and other services. They also face a high risk of infection and sometimes require plastic surgery and skin grafting procedures.
A burn victim’s long recovery process requires both time and money. In 2010 alone, burn injuries created an estimated $6.5 billion in medical bills and lost income across the United States. Because these claims are so expensive, insurance companies look for reasons to reduce burn victims’ compensation.
“In 2010 alone, burn injuries created an estimated $6.5 billion in medical bills and lost income across the United States.”
How to Know if You Need a Burn Injury Lawyer
If you’ve suffered a second- or third-degree burn because of someone else’s negligent behavior, you should consult a burn injury lawyer. These types of burns are serious injuries that often require intensive treatment and rehabilitation. Without help from an experienced attorney, you might undervalue your claim and make mistakes that could complicate your legal case.
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If any of the following apply to your situation, you should contact an attorney for help and advice immediately.
- You suffered burns because of someone’s negligent or reckless actions
- Multiple parties caused or contributed to your burns
- A dangerous or defective product caused your injuries
- The insurance company sends you to an “independent medical examiner” or a vocational consultant
- The insurance company approves some of your treatment but refuses to pay for other types of care
- The insurance company says they want to interview you
- You receive a settlement offer from the insurance company
- The insurance company denies your claim completely
- You’re approaching the two-year filing deadline for a personal injury claim
In these circumstances, a burn injury lawyer can help protect your rights, educate you about your legal options, and work to ensure that you get fair compensation for your injuries.
Handling Burn Injury Claims Requires Expertise, Experience, and Dedication
Calculating a burn victim’s damages isn’t a simple process. Unless your lawyer knows how to calculate burn-related damages, you might lose out on valuable compensation. At Crosley Law, we have significant experience representing burn victims and their families.
For example, our lawyers represented the family of an Air Force Academy graduate in a first-of-its-kind claim. The victim in question participated in a private flight training program. During a simulated forced landing, her plane struck a series of electrical lines and burst into flames. The victim died from severe burns, and her family reached out to Crosley Law for help.
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While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) blamed pilot error for the crash, our team became convinced that the plane’s poorly-designed fuel system was to blame. We worked with a team of scientists, engineers, and other experts, building a case against the flight school and the airplane manufacturer. We eventually obtained a confidential settlement for our clients.
While burn victims require aggressive representation, they also deserve compassion and kindness. At Crosley Law, we understand from experience how a serious burn injury can devastate a family. We appreciate the special challenges that burn victims face, and if you choose us to represent you, we’ll fight for you with efficient, effective strategies that are tailored to your unique needs.
Crosley Law: Experienced San Antonio Burn Injury Lawyers
The attorneys at Crosley Law have handled burn injury claims arising from car crashes, airplane disasters, and other traumatic incidents. We combine our legal expertise with insight from technical and medical experts to demand justice for our clients. To schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys and get an assessment of your case at no cost, fill out our online contact form or call us at 210-LAW-3000|210-529-3000.
References
Burn incidence and treatment in the United States: 2016. (2017). American Burn Association. Retrieved from https://ameriburn.org/who-we-are/media/burn-incidence-fact-sheet/
McDermott, K., Weiss, A., & Elixhauser, A. (2016, December). Burn-related hospital inpatient stays and emergency department visits, 2013. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Retrieved from https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb217-Burn-Hospital-Stays-ED-Visits-2013.pdf
The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.
