Damages Recoverable for Burn Injuries

Our Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyer Is Ready To Assist You

When you purchase a product, you do not expect to be harmed by it. Every item made available for retail should be thoroughly checked and tested for safety. Electrical products can be especially dangerous if they have not gone through a proper process to verify their safety. You should be given sound instructions on how to use an electrical appliance and should be made aware of any hazards. An electrocution can inflict deep, painful wounds, which may land you in the hospital and out of commission for some time.

You may also work in a job in which burn hazards exist. If these are the conditions of the job, then you should be given personal protective equipment. The dangers should also be mitigated by the implementation of a risk management strategy.

You take your safety seriously, and you do all that you can to avoid mishaps. But other people must do their part as well. And if you have received burn injuries at home or on the job, it is right for you to hold negligent people responsible. A Los Angeles personal injury attorney can provide you the legal insight and expertise you need to do so.

Burn Injuries: Types and Cases

Injuries are classified according to the extent and severity of the burn. First-degree burns are mild and superficial injuries that affect the surface layer of the skin. Second-degree burns penetrate to the lower layers of the skin and produce pain, swelling, and blistering. Third-degree burns are the most severe, and they can be life-threatening. These burns singe or destroy all layers of skin and go deeper into the body, affecting vital organs.

The damage typically manifests externally. Charred skin is the most common sign of a burn. However, it can also occur inside the body. Internal burns caused by swallowing chemicals, drinking scalding fluid, or receiving an electric shock can be as severe as external burns. They may not show on the skin, but they are just as dangerous.

Here are some of the most common causes of burn injuries:

• Touching a hot object or fire
• Contact with certain chemicals
• Electrocution
• Touching poor or defective wiring
• Using defective appliances or electric tools
• Being scalded by boiling liquid or steam

The Burden of Burn Injuries

A serious burn injury will send you to the hospital. In the most severe cases, you will need to undergo extensive operations. You will then need to spend a great deal of time in recovery and even more time in convalescence. This can set you back financially. If you were just getting by, it can throw your life into complete chaos.

Traumatic injuries suffered on the job can be especially debilitating. The injuries you suffered may prevent you from re-assuming your old position. You may be forced into a role that pays less money or be compelled to give up your career altogether. If the burns left you disfigured or with some other kind of permanent injury, it may be tough for you to find another job and to get back on your feet financially.

A traumatic injury lawyer will help to strengthen your case for maximum compensation that you are entitled to. Although the money you receive cannot erase the trauma of the injury or the stress and strain endured by you and your family, it can help reduce the financial burden caused by your injury.

The Damages You Can Claim in a Burn Injury Case

You should not try to manage the financial fallout of your injury alone. If you were the victim of another person’s carelessness, then you should hold them accountable. You can claim damages from the losses and expenses you have sustained. A lawyer can help you get an amount that is adequate and fair.

Here are some of the damages you can claim:

1. Economic damages

These include money, medical expenses and compensation for lost wages.

2. Non-economic damages

Being injured is a traumatic experience. The surgeries you have needed to undergo and the stress that being in the hospital and out of work has caused you and your family can strain your relationships to the breaking point. You can claim damages for emotional distress, physical incapacity, and loss of companionship. You can also claim money for permanent disfigurement if you have been left with severe scars.

3. Punitive damages

If the misconduct, inattentiveness, and negligence of a person or organization are bad enough, then they may have to pay you punitive damages. Such damages are meant to punish a defendant for misconduct that is especially egregious.

Your Lawyer Will Take the Lead

If you are owed money for your burn injuries, then you should put the case into the hands of Los Angeles lawyers who represent burn victims. Once you have hired a burn accident attorney, you should leave all communication and negotiation to them.

You should not make any deals with any insurance representative who contacts you. Nor should you sign any document sent to you by your employer. In fact, you should have no direct contact with anyone on the other side. Your attorney will take the lead, and you should leave everything to them.

One of the first things your lawyer will do is establish the value of your case by reviewing your medical records. They will also speak to your physician about the prognosis for your recovery. Legal counsel will speak to your family to get a sense of the toll your accident and recovery has had on them.

The value of the case is the dollar figure your attorney will demand of the defendant. It will be the figure that shapes the contours of the negotiation. The case need not go to a jury trial. Your lawyer’s aim will be to get you a high settlement without putting you through the stress and difficulty of court. The best burn injury lawyers know how to get this result.