Whether caused by a fire or hazardous chemical, severe burns can have a profound impact on a person’s life. These injuries leave many people with permanent scarring and disfigurement, among other things.
If someone else’s negligence caused you or a loved one to suffer severe burns in The Colony, a burn injury lawyer could evaluate your case and help you get the compensation you need. Handling these cases on your own can be challenging. By enlisting the help of an experienced catastrophic injury attorney, you could improve your chances of a successful claim.
Burns occur whenever human skin is exposed to a temperature high enough to cause damage, such as an open fire or scalding water from burst pipes. Chemicals and radiation also cause severe burns. Some common causes include:
The specific cause of a burn determines who is responsible for it. An experienced lawyer in The Colony could investigate the direct cause of the burn injury.
Burns are categorized by their degree of severity, including first degree, second degree, and third degree. While first and second-degree burns are serious, third degree burns are the most devastating.
First-degree burns are the least severe form of burn injury. They usually heal with little to no treatment, although a burn ointment can relieve the painful burn site, which will turn red and could be swollen. These burns singe only the outer layer of skin, leaving underlying layers and muscles untouched.
Second-degree burns blister and are very painful because underlying nerves are damaged, as is the dermis layer of skin. Since infections are common with these burns, a doctor may need to prescribe antibiotics, incurring additional cost.
Third-degree burns impact the outer and inner layers of skin, and sometimes the underlying tissue, bone, and muscle mass. Multiple surgeries and skin grafts are often required to treat third-degree burns. Victims and their loved ones may face astronomical medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and the loss of enjoyment of life. An attorney in The Colony who has experienced handling personal injury suits that involve burn injuries could help calculate the amount of compensation a victim may need to meet future challenges caused by the injury.
Landlords must follow common sense guidelines as well as local, state, and federal regulations that protect tenants safe from burns and fires. A landlord who locks fire doors, stores gas cans by a hot water heater, or sets the water heater at a scalding temperature, may be responsible for a tenant’s burn injuries via a lawsuit.
Every year, thousands of employees are burned at work while doing their jobs. Employers have a duty to provide safe working conditions, or to mitigate danger by following federal and state laws to prevent occupational safety hazards. Employers who are negligent may have to pay for employees’ burn injuries.
Manufacturers that put a product into the stream of commerce must make sure it is safe to use as intended. If a faulty product or design leads to a fire that injures a person in The Colony, they may have the right to pursue compensation.
A severe burn injury can leave lasting physical and psychological scars. Although healing is your first order of business, you also need to know that compensation is available to pay for your care. If you or a loved one was burned in an auto accident, at work, or at home, a burn injury lawyer from The Colony may be able to help. Call today to schedule your consultation.
McCraw Law Group