Any personal injury is a painful and uncomfortable experience. However, far more than simply being painful, burn injuries in particular are often very traumatic. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a burn accident in New York, you may want to consider contacting a lawyer who specializes in burn and other personal injury accidents.
Burn victims often face a long road of physical recovery in addition to deep psychological and emotional distress. You may be unable to work and support your family during your recovery. The necessary medical treatment for burn injuries can be both extensive and expensive, causing additional financial burdens to an already stressful experience.
After suffering a burn injury, you may have many questions about your legal rights and the possibility of receiving compensation for your injuries. The trusted and experienced burn injury lawyers at Cellino Law serve all of New York State and are ready to help and provide you with the legal advice and resources you need. Call us today at 888-888-8888 for a free case evaluation with our team.
How Do Burn Injuries Happen?
According to the American Burn Association, the majority of burn injury victims in the US are injured at home, and most of the time the burn is a result of an unfortunate accident. However, each year, some New York residents suffer a burn injury caused by the negligence of others.
Burn injuries caused by a defective product
It is only natural to expect that the products we purchase and use are safe and do not pose any unnecessary risks. Sometimes, due to an error in the design, manufacturing, or packaging processes, a product becomes more dangerous or lacks the necessary warnings for us to protect ourselves.
Kitchen appliances like microwaves or toasters can catch fire unexpectedly, leading to property damage or personal injury. Certain electronics that use lithium-ion batteries, such as phones, tablets, headphones, or laptops, can heat up excessively or even explode, causing severe contact burns.
Heaters are another example of a defective product that can cause a burn injury. Generally, heaters have built-in safety mechanisms to prevent them from causing a fire. If these safety features start to malfunction, they can spark a flame and cause burns.
If you have been injured due to a defective product, contact Cellino Law today. Our attorneys can help you understand whether you have a case for a personal injury claim or lawsuit and provide the guidance you need to pursue it. When you work with our team, your lawyer can investigate your case and identify all the liable parties to ensure you receive a fair settlement.
Burn injuries at work
In 2019, over 140,000 work-related injuries or illnesses were reported among private industry workers in New York, some of which were burns. Workers in certain industries tend to be at a higher risk for suffering a burn injury on the job, for example:
- Oil rig workers are at a higher risk for an explosion or fire
- Janitorial workers can suffer chemical burns from certain cleaning chemicals
- Foodservice workers are at risk for thermal burns from cooking flame or hot surfaces
- Welders can suffer radiation burns from UV, IR, or VIS rays
- Plant workers might experience chemical burns from acidic or alkaline materials
- Construction workers, in general, are at a higher risk for many types of burns, including electrical burns, chemical burns, and friction burns
After a work-related injury, many employees find it difficult to file an injury claim. It can feel like you are fighting with the insurance company to get compensation for your injuries. The New York personal injury attorneys at Cellino Law have both the resources and the experience necessary to represent our clients who have been the victim of burn injuries at work.
Burn injuries from a car
At times, a mechanical or electrical issue can cause a car to catch on fire. Or a serious car accident can create sparks that ignite combustible fluids such as fuel, bursting the vehicle into flames or turning into a dangerous explosion.
If your burn injuries were caused by a car accident, a consultation with a New York burn injury lawyer can help evaluate your case and inform you of your legal options. He or she can investigate your case to find out how the fire was started and which party or parties need to be held accountable for their negligence.
How Severe Are Burn Injuries?
In order to determine how severe a burn injury is, medical professionals look at how much of the body was affected, as well as how deep the skin was burned:
- First-degree burns are the least serious, and only damage the first layer of skin. It is rare for these burns to cause infections or scarring, and they often heal at home without further treatment.
- Second-degree burns damage the first two layers of skin. These injuries look red and blistered, but the skin often heals and grows back on its own. Topical ointments can help these burns heal, but medical treatment may be necessary.
- Third-degree burns damage or destroy both layers of skin and even reach the deeper tissues such as fat. These burns can’t properly heal on their own and often require skin grafts or other surgical treatment. They may appear black, white, or deep red in color and look charred.
- Fourth-degree burns are the most serious burns and destroy all of the skin, fat, and nerves, sometimes even reaching the muscle and bone. Since the nerves are destroyed, these burns are often painless but require extensive medical treatment and can leave the victim with permanent damage.
No matter how serious the burn initially appears, the Mayo Clinic recommends medical treatment for any burns that affect a large joint, or a sensitive area such as the face, feet, or groin.
Types of burn injuries
As a general rule, there are six main causes of burns:
- Friction (eg. rug burn)
- Cold (eg. frostbite)
- Heat/thermal
- Contact (eg. a hot stove)
- Scald (eg. hot coffee)
- Flame (eg. a fire)
- Radiation (eg. sunburn)
- Chemical (eg. cleaning products)
- Electrical (eg. an electric socket)
Electrical burns, in particular, can be more serious than they look – even if the skin doesn’t appear to be badly damaged, electrical burns can affect the organs and should receive immediate medical treatment.
Burns can cause various complications that can have lasting effects. When you work with the personal injury lawyers at Cellino Law, you can be sure that our legal team will fight for you to receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Possible burn complications
One of the biggest complications suffered after a second or third-degree burn injury is an infection. When the skin is injured and broken, bacteria can enter the wound, causing redness, swelling, or oozing. If the infection enters the bloodstream, this can lead to sepsis, a serious infection that can result in amputation or organ damage.
When burns are directly caused by fire, smoke inhalation poses another risk. Smoke can block or damage lungs and airways, even causing lifelong damage and shortness of breath.
What Types of Compensation Are Available After a Burn Injury?
As with any serious personal injury, burn victims suffer various damages after the accident, both financial and emotional.
Medical expenses
Many burn injuries require extensive medical treatment as part of the healing process. As a result of the lengthy, necessary treatment and rehabilitation, medical bills can easily start to pile up and become overwhelming.
If you have suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, your New York burn injury attorney can help you receive compensation for all of your medical expenses, including:
- Ambulatory care
- Surgical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Medication
- Home care
This compensation can help reduce the stress and financial burden caused by mounting medical bills.
Lost wages and earning capacity
Many burn victims face a long period of recovery where they are unable to work. You might not ever be able to return to the same type of job or hours you were working before the accident, or perhaps you have suffered a permanent disability that limits your ability to work at all. Compensation for this loss of wages and earning capacity can be included as part of your injury case settlement.
Emotional damages
Serious burns can result in PTSD or other emotional trauma for the victims, especially when the injuries cause scarring or disfigurement. These damages are difficult to calculate, and of course, there is no dollar amount that can make up for your pain and suffering after a burn injury.
For over 60 years, the New York burn injury lawyers of Cellino Law have made a difference in personal injury victims’ lives. The personal injury attorneys at our law firm are available 24/7 for a free consultation to answer your questions about starting a potential personal injury case or lawsuit.
How Our New York Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Burn Injury
After a traumatic burn injury, you may feel overwhelmed as you think about your next steps. The physical recovery process can be long and exhausting, so filing a personal injury claim or injury lawsuit may seem impossible to accomplish alone.
With over $2 billion won for our clients, our New York personal injury attorneys can provide you with the trusted legal representation you need to receive the best available compensation. Instead of handling the process on your own, you can trust that your personal injury lawyer will go to work for your interests, doing whatever it takes to fight on your behalf.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation to learn how our burn injury lawyers in New York can help you and your family receive the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys are ready to use their experience for you and your case.
