How a Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help You Get the Maximum Recovery

A burn injury lawyer can help you get compensation from the right parties when you have suffered any type of burn due to the negligence of another. There are many different types and degrees of burn injuries. The types of burn injury depend on how the burn was caused, while the degrees of burn injury refers to the severity of the burn.

Burn injuries can result from unsafe working conditions, staff that is not trained to handle flammable materials, failure to properly store flammable materials in a warehouse, and defective or faulty electrical products. Burns can also be caused by skin contact with chemicals or extremely hot surfaces, defective tanning booths, or faulty electrical outlets. The amount of damages you can claim will depend on the severity of your injury and the negligence of the party causing the injury.

If you are looking for a burn injury lawyer, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are here for you. You can call us at 212-233-1233 or send us an email at [email protected].

Types of Burns

Thermal burns

A thermal burn occurs when skin is exposed to an external heat source, which then raises the skin’s temperature. This can result to tissue cell death and black skin charring. Examples are skin contact with fire, hot liquids, steam, and hot metals.

Radiation burns

A radiation burn happens when there is prolonged exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. It can also be caused by exposure to cancer treatments or nuclear power plant leaks.

Chemical burns

One suffers from a chemical burn when skin or eyes are exposed to strong acids, detergents, alkalis or solvents.

Electrical burns

An electrical burn is a skin burn that is caused when electricity comes in contact with the body. This electricity can travel through the body, causing damage, not only to the skin, but to body tissues and organs. It can be mild, severe, or fatal.

Friction burns

A friction burn occurs when the skin rubs against another object, causing abrasion. An example would be rope sliding through one’s hands.

Degrees of burns

There are six degrees of burns, the first being the least severe, while the sixth being the most severe.

• A first-degree burn is a surface burn. One will only experience redness or pain.
• A second-degree burn will result in blisters.
• A third-degree burn can damage one’s nerve endings and will cause skin discoloration and pain numbness at the site of injury. One will likely need skin grafts in this case, a very expensive medical procedure.
• A fourth-degree burn may cause damage to tendons, nerves, and muscle beneath the skin. It can produce long-term consequences such as joint problems. In some cases, amputations may be necessary.
• A fifth-degree burn affects not just the tissue but the bone. It may expose the bone at the site of the injury and can lead to permanent internal damage, including organ failure. Amputations may also be required.
• A sixth-degree burn, the most severe of them all, usually results from a gas or car accident explosion. It does not only expose the bone, but it damages the bone. This type of injury can be fatal.

Damages recoverable in a burn injury case

Your burn injury lawyer will analyze your situation to see who to file a case against and what damages you will be able to recover. As previously mentioned, it would depend on the severity of your burn injuries, the type of medical treatment you need, whether long term medical treatment is required, whether you will sustain long-term damage, or if you have lost employment or had to take a leave of absence because of the injury. Damages you may be able to recover are pain and suffering due to serious burns, loss of enjoyment of life based on permanent injuries, disfigurement, emotional trauma or scarring, medical bills such as hospital bills, nursing care, rehabilitation, past and future medical costs, lost wages, wrongful death damages, and punitive damages.

When you have sustained burn injuries, it is important to call a burn injury lawyer immediately. The burn injury lawyer will tell you the kind of documentation you need to obtain to strengthen you case. Should you need assistance, we at the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin are here for you. We have offices in New York City, Brooklyn, NY and Queens, NY. You can call us at 212-233-1233 or send us an email at [email protected].