Burn injuries are serious and cause prolonged pain, robbing people of their time, health, and money. Severe burns can leave scars that limit your movement or require several surgeries. You might even need long-term therapy to cope with your injuries. These injuries also come with the risk of dehydration, infections, and other dangerous complications.
When someone else causes you harm, an Inverness burn injury lawyer can assist in figuring out your path to compensation. An experienced catastrophic injury attorney could prove your damages and demand the maximum compensation on your behalf. Whether the at-fault party is a private citizen or a large company, you deserve justice.
What Are Common Types of Burn Injuries?
Most burn injuries result from fire, but that is not the only way that these injuries occur. Some of the biggest culprits of burn injuries include serious motor vehicle collisions, cooking or kitchen accidents, products with defective wiring, and accidents in the workplace. Different burns require different forms of care. Some burns are chemical, electrical, scalding, or even cold from frostbite.
Burn injuries can be major or minor. Minor burns usually heal themselves, but severe ones require urgent medical treatment since they often result in scarring, pain, disability, or deformity.
Burns are classified into several degrees, including:
- First-degree burns damage the outermost layer of skin
- Second-degree burns damage the outer and secondary layers of skin
- Third-degree burns are severe, damage the deepest layers of skin
- Fourth-degree burns are life-threatening and destroy all layers of skin, bones, muscles, tendons, or even organs.
A knowledgeable attorney in Inverness could determine what type of burn injury a person sustained and ensure their damages are factored into the claim.
Taking Legal Action After a Burn Injury
Depending on the facts of the case, those who sustain injuries from flames or chemical exposure have several legal options. Insurance companies often try to lowball victims who do not have an attorney to represent them and offer them a settlement that is nowhere near what their claim is truly worth.
When a faulty product injures someone, they could file a wrongful death. On the other hand, when someone is injured at work, they could have a worker’s compensation claim. After reviewing the case, a legal professional will be able to identify the appropriate type of claim to file.
The plaintiff can show that the defendant was negligent by proving certain factors. For example, the plaintiff must prove that the defendant had a duty of care, breached the duty of care, and caused the individual’s injuries and damages. When a product causes injury due to an issue with its design or a defect, the manufacturer should be held strictly liable; however, the plaintiff must show that the product was defective when it left the manufacturer.
Further, unlike other states, Florida allows the plaintiff to recover damages even when they are more than 50% responsible for the injuries. For example, when the claimant is 70% responsible, and the other party is 30% responsible, they can collect 30% of the total damages. With the help of a seasoned Inverness lawyer, the plaintiff can prove they did not contribute to their burn injuries.
Call a Dedicated Burn Injury Attorney in Inverness Today
No matter the cause, burn injuries are devastating. You need a compassionate advocate on your side to help you understand your legal options. The right attorney can help protect you from insurance companies and prove you deserve damages from the party responsible for your injury. Contact our Inverness burn injury lawyer today to begin your claim.
