The Virginia burn injury lawyers of MartinWren, P.C. have experience handling catastrophic burn injury and thermal injury cases. Severe burns can result from a number of causes, including fires, electrical fires, chemical exposure, explosions, fireworks, automobile accidents, or malfunctioning or defective products. When burn injuries result from another’s negligence, the injured party may be entitled to financial compensation.
When you suffer from a burn injury, the pain lasts longer than the initial injury. In fact, the trauma done to a burn injury victim can be so devastating that they suffer from a lifetime of physical and emotional scars. There are many reasons that someone may suffer from a burn injury. In some cases, it may be their own fault. In other cases, they may have been the victim of a burn accident from someone else’s negligence. When this is the case and someone else has caused your burn injuries, you should seek help from a Virginia personal injury lawyer that you can rely on so that you can receive compensation for the damage done. While a complete physical and emotional healing from your burn injuries may not be possible, it is possible to get the compensation you deserve for the many medical expenses you likely have. For more information on burn injury accidents and how a burn injury lawyer can help you, reach out to MartinWren, P.C. today.
What is a burn?
While this may seem like an obvious question, it is important to know what exactly a burn is. A burn happens when your skin tissue is damaged by some kind of substance, whether it is electricity, chemicals, heat, or even by sunlight. When you do get burned, your doctor will determine what kind of burn you have and how extensive it is.
The severity of burn injuries is generally evaluated according to the percentage of the body covered by the burn and the depth of the burn into the victim’s body. Burns are classified as follows:
- First Degree Burns are the least severe burn injury, where the outer layer of the skin, called the epidermis, is partially burned. Swelling occurs, skin is red, and there is some pain involved.
- Second Degree Burns occur when the burn extends past the epidermis and partially burns the underlying layer of skin, called the dermis. The skin becomes blistered, swells, and the burn victim experiences intense pain.
- Third Degree Burns, the most serious types of burns, occur when a burn penetrates every layer of skin, damages the underlying flesh and tissue, and possibly causes damage even to bones. The burned area may appear black or white.
The danger of burn injuries extends beyond just direct exposure to open flames, as there are a number of internal thermal injuries that individuals may suffer due to inhaling intense heat, smoke and other toxins. Inhalation injuries, in fact, occur among many burn victims and such injuries are the leading cause of death among those injured by burns. This is because fires may release a number of noxious and poisonous fumes, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, ammonia, chlorine gas, and hydrocarbons, possibility resulting in poisoning or injury to lungs or other respiratory system components. When you experience this kind of exposure, contact the Virginia burn injury lawyers at MartinWren, P.C. immediately.
The consequences of burn injury cases can be extensive and complex. Victims will often be disfigured by the external burn injuries they experienced and they may take years of hospitalization and surgeries to reach maximum medical improvement. And, even then, the consequences of the accident will remain and the burn victim may face a life of scarring and painful lifelong physical and emotional injuries. The pain and suffering involved in burn injury cases can be significant and settlements or verdicts in burn injury cases can be large as a result.
Because any recovery in a burn injury case depends on the negligence of another party, defendants often aggressively defend these types of claims. Because of that, it is important to choose a personal injury lawyer for your burn injury case who is familiar with the complex issues of causation and who can work closely with expert witnesses to help identify the cause and origin of the ignition of the fire that caused the injury.
For serious burn injury cases, it is also important to choose burn injury lawyers experienced in handling complex claims for compensatory damages, as burn cases often involve enormous medical bills and expenses for hospitalization and treatment. In addition, the burn victim may have lost wages, lost future earning capacity, experienced emotional distress and psychological trauma, and felt other pain and suffering. It is oftentimes the case that expert witnesses, such as life care planners, surgeons, and others, may be needed to properly present a claim for damages.
MartinWren, P.C.’s burn injury lawyers have experience with burn injury cases and have experience with complex issues of fire origination and other fire-specific matters.
For a legal consultation with a personal injury lawyer, call 434-817-3100
What typically causes burn injuries?
There are many behaviors that can result in burn injuries. In some cases, you may have gotten a burn because you were personally being irresponsible. Obvious times when this happens can be when you are reaching into the oven to get a dish or if you accidentally touch the stove when it is hot. However, someone else may cause your injuries through their own negligence, and when this is the case, your lawyer can help you build a case to receive compensation. Common causes of burn injuries are:
- Chemical Burns. These happen when different chemical compounds—like acid—contact your skin. A chemical burn can be extremely dangerous, and in some cases the burn will penetrate through the layers of your skin and into your bones. If you work at a manufacturing plant, it would not be uncommon to get this type of injury.
- Car Accidents. When someone thinks of a car accident, they likely think of the typical fender bender. However, car accidents can quickly turn deadly, and are often the reason someone gets a burn injury. When someone else was driving negligently, recklessly, or drunk, speak with your lawyer about compensation for your injuries.
- Electrical Burns. In some instances, if you are electrically shocked by something because someone else was not maintaining an electrical system the way they were supposed to, you may get seriously burned. Electrical burns can show up as either internal or external burns and you should see a medical professional immediately.
Burns injuries are extremely serious and can be life-threatening. If you are the victim in a burn injury accident and you are looking to receive compensation for your injuries, reach out to the compassionate burn injury lawyers at MartinWren, P.C. today to see how they can help you move on from these injuries.
Virginia Burn Injury Lawyers
If you are seeking an attorney for a severe burn injury case, please contact Jonathan T. Wren or Robert E. Byrne, Jr. of MartinWren P.C.’s Virginia burn injury lawyers practice group, toll free at 855-812-9220, or at (434) 817-3100. Our attorneys have experience with both injury and wrongful death claims involving burn injuries, and we can use our knowledge and experience to work for you.
You will not owe any legal fees unless we recover money for you. Contact the burn injury lawyers Virginia counts on today!
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