A serious burn injury can leave victims with a number of costly and life-altering losses. Depending on the severity, victims may suffer from permanent disability and diminished earning capacity, expensive plastic surgery or skin grafts, loss of income, long-term medical care expenses, and emotional suffering. With the help of a skilled burn injury attorney, these victims can recover the full amount of compensatory damages available to them.
An experienced attorney can provide a powerful voice for the injured and hold at-fault parties accountable for their negligence or wrongdoing. A burn injury attorney can also assist in gathering and presenting evidence to support a claim, as well as negotiating with insurers to secure a fair settlement. In addition, an experienced attorney can advise a client on when a settlement is too low and the case should be taken to court.
Victims of burn injuries can seek compensation for both economic and non-economic losses. The former include the financial costs associated with treatment, such as doctor visits, physical therapy sessions, and surgical procedures. In some cases, these treatments can be so expensive that they drain family savings and cause financial stress. Other losses include a reduced quality of life and emotional suffering, which can be harder to quantify than other types of damages.
Non-economic damages are more subjective and can be difficult to prove, but the liable party should still reimburse victims for them. These include pain and suffering, which can range from mild to severe, and can last for the rest of a victim’s life. In some cases, the resulting scarring can also cause psychological and mental distress. Additionally, patients may have difficulty interacting with others due to the physical pain and discomfort caused by their injuries, which can cause loss of companionship and a deterioration in their quality of life.
Burns are a common injury suffered by people in a variety of settings, such as car accident victims, workers in hazardous workplaces, and forest fire victims. The liable parties in each situation can vary, including employers who violate workplace safety rules or manufacturers of defective products, but in most cases it is the victim’s own negligence that leads to their injury.
An experienced burn injury attorney can investigate the incident, interview witnesses, and determine who was responsible for a patient’s injuries. In cases involving fires, the firefighters can be held liable if they failed to follow proper fire safety protocols, but in other situations, the underlying causes can be more complex and involve multiple parties. A New York burn injury lawyer can work to identify all potential liable parties and pursue legal action against them for their negligence or wrongdoing. In some cases, a victim may be eligible for punitive damages, which are meant to punish the at-fault party for their egregious actions. Contact a burn injury attorney as soon as possible to get started on a case.