Burn injuries can significantly impact a victim’s physical, financial, and emotional well-being. Car accidents, gas explosions, and workplace accidents are only a few of the many causes of burn injuries. Severe burn injuries can cause extreme pain and may require multiple surgeries, months of missed work, and long-term rehabilitation.
If you’ve experienced a burn injury caused by another person’s negligence, you should not be required to bear the financial burden yourself. You may be entitled to compensation through a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim. Rest assured, our skilled personal injury attorneys at Dell & Dean, PLLC will pursue compensation for all of your losses with a comprehensive approach.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries frequently occur because of accidents caused by a negligent person or company. Dell & Dean, PLLC will carefully investigate the circumstances that caused your burn injury while gathering evidence to pursue settlement negotiations and litigation when necessary. Some of the most common causes of accidental burn injuries include the following:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Fires
- Gas explosions
- Defective electronic appliances, such as laptops
- Workplace accidents
- Electrical accidents
- Construction accidents
- Radiation exposure
- Defective radiators
- Exposed steam pipes
- Welding accidents
- Boiler accidents
- Defective products
Types of Burn Injuries
Doctors classify burn injuries into four different categories. First-degree burns are the least severe and often heal on their own. Second-degree burns can cause blisters and may scar. Patients may require skin grafts, and victims are at risk of infection. Burn injuries may require medical attention and result in medical bills.
Third-degree burns are more severe and require immediate medical care. Surgical procedures, including skin grafting operations, may be necessary to treat damage to deep skin tissue and nerves. If an infection develops, the individual may accumulate more medical bills. Individuals with third-degree burn injuries may experience permanent damage and ongoing medical complications.
Recovering from Fourth-Degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns are the most severe types of burn injuries and require emergency medical treatment. A patient may be transferred to a specialized burn unit for the treatment of fourth-degree burns. The damage will extend beyond the skin layers and may lead to disability, disfigurement, and injury to other organs and bodily functions.
Patients need extensive treatment plans and may become disabled and unable to work in the future because of their severe injuries. Victims of fourth-degree burns are more likely to suffer from infections and other complications. Patients with fourth-degree burns are also more likely to suffer fatal complications.
The Debilitating Impact of Severe Burn Injuries
The medical treatment for burn injuries has improved over the last fifty years. Mortality rates have decreased while patient outcomes have increased. However, even with expert medical treatment, burn injury victims can suffer devastating, debilitating outcomes. Burn injuries are complex traumatic injuries that often require multiple surgeries and extended hospital stays and can result in painful and disfiguring scars.
A study from the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that burn injuries can result in long-term and severe physical and psychological problems for victims. Additionally, burn injuries require hospitalizations, resulting in higher long-term mortality rates from all causes for children and adults. Burn patients are more likely to face the following negative health outcomes:
- Increased risk of nervous system disorders
- Increased risk of all types of cancer
- Muscle wasting
- Decreased bone density
- Increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease
- Increased risk of anxiety and depression
Pursuing Compensation After a Burn Injury Accident in New York
The treatment of severe burn injuries may require months-long hospital and rehabilitation stays. The associated medical expenses for severe burn treatments can easily exceed $1 million. Pursuing a claim for compensation can help you recover compensation for all of your current and future medical expenses.
Victims can pursue compensation for their lost income and loss of future earning potential if they are no longer able to work due to their injuries. They can also pursue compensation for their loss of enjoyment, loss of consortium, and pain and suffering. There is no limit to the amount of compensation you can pursue after experiencing a burn injury. However, New York follows the legal principle of contributory negligence. A victim’s recovery will be decreased by the percentage of fault assigned to them by the court.
Obtaining Disability Benefits After a Burn Injury
If you’ve suffered a burn injury on the job, you may be entitled to disability benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation benefits. Through workers’ compensation benefits, you can recover lost wages if you earn less income because you’re working a different job or fewer hours or can no longer work.
You can also pursue medical care benefits. However, you’ll need to seek medication treatment from a healthcare professional authorized by New York’s Workers’ Compensation Board. Before accepting workers’ compensation benefits, speaking to an attorney is important. Pursuing a personal injury lawsuit may be the best legal option for you to recover the full compensation you deserve.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim for Compensation?
In New York, most injury victims must file a personal injury claim within three years of becoming injured. If your loved one has died because of their burn injuries, surviving family members have two years to file a wrongful death claim. When a government agency, such as a city, state, or county, caused the injuries, victims have one year and 90 days to file a claim.
Contact a Burn Injury Attorney in Garden City, New York
Burn injuries can cause painful, debilitating, and life-long complications. You may be entitled to compensation if you’ve suffered a burn injury because of another person’s negligence. Don’t hesitate to contact Dell & Dean, PLLC to schedule a free case evaluation. We represent clients in Garden City and throughout New York.
Dell & Dean, PLLC, represents burn injury victims throughout Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island, as well as the boroughs of New York City and the surrounding areas.
