Wells Trumbull of Seattle Is Your Burn Injury Lawyer
According to the American Burn Association, about 486,000 burn injuries require medical treatment in the United States each year. About 97 percent of individuals who seek burn treatment at a hospital do survive, but many go on to live with permanent disabilities, scars, wounds, and other chronic conditions afterward.
Sustaining a burn from a flame, a hot object, deadly house fires, or another heat source can have devastating effects on one’s physical and emotional health. When you’ve been hurt through no fault of your own, such as if a piece of machinery malfunctions due to a manufacturer defect, you may be eligible for financial compensation.
It is crucial to work with a Washington personal injury attorney who understands the intricacies of insurance law and how to handle this type of situation. An attorney specializing in burn injury law can better defend your rights and make sure you are compensated fairly. Burn victims can be compensated for their medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages caused by someone else’s negligence or act of recklessness that resulted in their burn injury.
Wells Trumbull is a law firm that believes in personal accountability. If someone has acted neglectfully, taking legal action may help you get the help you deserve. When a person is severely burned through no fault of their own, it can be a profound and life-changing event. Wells Trumbull provides an experienced team of Seattle burn injury attorneys to help those with severe burn injuries build a personal injury case. Contact us at (360)435-1663 today for a free consultation.
Types of Burn Injuries and Treatments
There are four types of burns; they are usually categorized by two factors: the length of time and the source’s intensity. They range from first degree, second degree, third degree to fourth-degree burns. The treatment methods will vary based on the severity of damage it is causing to the skin.
First Degree Burns
First Degree burns cause the least amount of damage to your skin relative to other degrees of burns. In most cases, you should expect reddish skin and slight swelling. They tend to take days to heal and generally just require monitoring unless there’s any risk of infection. A first-degree burn can be easily treated. It’s best to apply cool water and rub in some burn ointment to the first-degree burn. If the pain, swelling, burning sensation, or redness does not get better within a few days of applying this cream, it is advisable to consult your doctor for further treatment.
Second Degree Burns
Second-degree burns may be superficial or cause damage to a layer of skin. Depending on the depth of the burn, second-degree burn wounds can take a long time to heal. Most second-degree burns are accompanied by blisters that will begin to form and burst over the course of a few days. The surrounding skin may appear wet and weathered, but the injury can heal within 10 to 14 days with proper management. To treat it, run the affected areas under cool water for several minutes. Apply burn ointment or gel per your physician’s recommendations, then wrap the burn with clean gauze. If the burn doesn’t clear up within 2-3 weeks or in pain for more than a week after its onset, you should see your doctor to rule out any potentially serious complications.
Third Degree Burns
Third-degree burns are the most severe burns, affecting the whole thickness of the skin. They are so powerful that they can cause nerve damage, making it difficult or impossible to feel pain. When you or a loved one has a third-degree burn, make sure to take action before the injury becomes a medical emergency. The treatment of must is carried out in hospitals by medical professionals.
Fourth-Degree Burns
There are three degrees of burns, but it’s uncommon for anyone to experience a fourth-degree burn, but it’s an injury that can be incurred through electrocution. Electrical burns damage the skin, tissue beneath the skin, bones, tendons, and muscles. Fourth-degree burns are the most severe and dangerous of burns, and they can be potentially fatal requiring medical attention.
A severe burn can have a devastating effect on your health and quality of life and leave you and your family subject to a lifetime of pain and suffering. If you’ve been the victim of a burn injury caused by someone else’s misconduct, you may be eligible to seek financial relief through a personal injury lawsuit. An experienced Seattle burn injury lawyer can also assist you in understanding your legal rights and options so that you can make an informed decision about the best course of action for you and your family.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries range from minor to severe, with some requiring hospitalization. While most people associate flames with burns, there are other causes of burn injuries.
Here are some other causes:
Chemical Burns
A chemical burn can be caused by strong acids, solvents, or detergents, which may come in contact with your skin. A common cause of chemical burns is handling corrosive chemicals at the workplace, especially in an industrial or construction environment. Whether these chemicals are being used in your home, workplace, or exposure to chemicals in a public setting; burns can cause significant injury.
Cold Burns
Cold burns are a type of injury that can happen when exposed to extreme cold temperatures for a prolonged period of time. Your skin’s blood vessels try to protect themselves by narrowing or closing. Less blood flows to your skin, and it becomes cold and very pale. Often permanently damaging the exposed area. There are different levels of cold burns, which can be mild to moderate to severe.
Electrical Burns
An electrical burn can be a severe type of burn. It can cause a lot of pain and scarring. These include contact burns, arc burns, flash burns, electrical shock, or even electrocution. In some cases, the burns get so bad that you have to amputate the part of the body that got burned.
Friction Burns
A friction burn is a form of abrasion caused by the friction of skin rubbing against a surface. A friction burn may also be referred to as “skinning” or “chafing,” “rope burn,” or “carpet burn.” It can be a superficial injury and can be very irritating. In some cases, friction burns may cause damage to the outer layers of one’s skin.
Radiation Burns
Sunburn is the most well-known type of radiation burn that occurs when your skin is exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays. Another form that people don’t often think about is medical radiation, which is used for all sorts of reasons, like taking X-ray images.
Thermal Burns
Thermal burns are caused when something scalding comes in contact with your skin. These burns can be severe. At worst, they can lead to amputation. At best, they’re painful and leave you with a scar. If you suffer from a severe thermal burn, you may require medical attention.
What Happens to Burn Injuries if Untreated?
While burns are not commonly life-threatening, severe burns are. If someone accidentally gets burnt, it can either be minor or very severe. If it is minor, they can treat their injuries at home. However, if the burn is severe, they will need to visit a medical facility as soon as possible. This is because burns can cause serious health complications.
Victims may suffer burn injuries due to an apartment fire, house fire, or workplace fire. Burns left untreated could develop extreme medical conditions that could be deadly. It could lead to limb loss, scarring, chronic medical conditions, and even death.
Where Can Burn Injuries Occur?
Burns can be a devastating injury to the individual and their family. Whenever a person has sustained a burn, it is essential to obtain immediate treatment due to the severe nature of such an injury. Your personal injury lawsuit will depend on precisely what type of accident occurred, where the incident happened, and the extent of damage caused.
Here are some specific locations burn injuries can occur:
Apartment Buildings and Rental Homes
According to the National Fire Protection Association, there were 490,500 structure fires in the US in 2020. In some instances, landlords may be liable for severe burns from those who rent a house or apartment if they show negligence. An example of negligence is that smoke detectors are improperly installed. In this case, failure may mean that the landlord has not complied with federal, state, and local laws to protect residents from harm.
To prevent apartment fires, specific safety measures, such as using building sprinklers, fire extinguishers, and installation of smoke alarms. If the landlord neglects these safety precautions and results in the resident being injured in their property, the landlord may be liable for fire injuries and the resulting damages.
Other safety precautions include:
- sturdy fire escape
- regularly serviced fire extinguishers
- installation of proper smoke detectors
- working sprinklers to extinguish fires
The burn injury lawyers at Wells Trumbull law firm have successfully dealt with insurance adjusters and property owners to get maximum compensation for fire and burn victims.
Commercial Properties
An injury doesn’t have to happen at your workplace or your home. You can be injured by fire and burn on commercial properties. While not as common as other locations, burn injuries can still occur in a commercial space. When a potential burn hazard is present on commercial properties, the owner could be responsible if a burn injury occurs.
Commercial properties where severe to fatal burns can occur:
- fitness gym
- restaurants
- doctor offices
- sports facilities
- community centers
- hotels
- movie theatres
- malls
If you’re badly hurt by fire or scalding hot objects on a commercial property due to the owner’s negligent behavior for fire safety, you could be entitled to sue for compensation. Contact Wells Trumbull law firm for a free consultation of your severe personal injury.
The Workplace
While the typical office environment may not be explicitly dangerous, workers in industrial or agricultural settings can be at high risk for workplace hazards such as burns and other serious injuries. But any workplace where workers are required to handle chemicals, use machines that create high heat or radiation exposure is also considered a high-risk workplace.
Even in a safe environment, like a cooperate office, accidents can still happen. If there aren’t adequate fire safety precautions in place, it could be considered a workplace hazard. If someone is injured due to workplace negligence, they may be eligible worker’s compensation claim. The compensation awarded in a worker’s compensation claim can be significantly less than the amount awarded in burn injury cases. Litigation allows workers to sue for various harms, including mental distress, while workers’ compensation is more limited.
The only exception may be a third-party claim against another entity, such as a product manufacturer or a subcontractor, who may award additional compensation in addition to the worker’s compensation claim. Individuals who are burned because of a product defect or through the negligence of the subcontractor may be eligible for additional compensation from a third party.
Compensation Burn Victims Can Seek
Burn injuries can be devastating, and it may be challenging to know where to turn for help. Some may be entitled to compensation for their burn injuries. The burn victim and their families may be entitled to different types of payment for their damages.
Here are some types of compensation victims can seek:
Economic Damages
When someone else’s negligence causes you grave burn injuries, seek compensation to protect your financial future. Economic damages include expenses incurred by the plaintiff due to their injuries. Economic damage is part of any tort claim and includes past and future treatment costs, lost wages, childcare, home care services, or property damage.
Non-economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for subjective personal losses such as physical pain and suffering, inconvenience, and emotional distress. If you suffered serious burn injuries, you might be entitled to damages that can help to cover how your burn injury has affected you. This can include pain, disfigurement, mental anguish, and more. An experienced lawyer from Wells Trumbull can pursue non-economic damages to maximize your compensation.
Punitive Damages
When a person is injured as a direct result of the negligence of a second party, they might be entitled to damages that cover health care expenses and lost income. Punitive damages are given to the injured party by the court as a punishment for the defendant’s behavior.
When it comes to fire and burn injuries, everyone’s case is unique, but burn injuries are usually due to the negligence of another party. Burn injury victims deserve a team that will fight for them! A free consultation with a Wells Trumbull burn injury attorney will give you the best chance of getting the compensation you deserve. Whether your burn is from apartment building fires, motor vehicle accidents, or chemical exposure, the burn injury lawyers in Seattle will assess your case and help you calculate your total amount of damages.
A Wells Trumbull Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help
According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, around one million burn injuries occur per year in the United States. Severe burn injuries can be life-altering and extremely painful. They can also take a long time to heal. If you’ve suffered burns in an accident, you might be wondering what to do next. It is crucial to reach out to the burn injury attorneys in Seattle to help you with your burn injury claims.
Here are some ways a burn injury attorney specializing in burn injury lawsuits can help you:
Seeks Maximum Compensation
Being compensated for damages or losses can be tricky. While typical damages like medical bills or treatment costs are simple to quantify, damages like pain and suffering are often hard to value since they are subjective experiences. A lawyer is a person who will assess your burn injury lawsuit. Burn injury lawyers of Wells Trumbull will discuss your case’s details and then find ways to legally help you recover compensation for your damages.
Identifies All Those Involved
Things can get tricky when it comes to assigning fault. In cases where there are multiple parties at fault for an incident, you may need to take legal actions against all of them. It could be a matter of taking compensation from each party or seeking relief from one party that covers losses from both. A burn injury attorney in Seattle with experience handling burn cases will investigate the facts in your case and decide who to sue to find relief.
Guidance Over Legal Hurdles
When dealing with medical bills and loss of income, it may be hard to discern what is right or wrong or who to trust when in an injury dispute. In Washington, the statute of limitations for a burn injury case is three years. This means you have up to three years to bring forth a burn injury lawsuit against the party that has harmed you in some way. Get in touch with experienced burn injury attorneys immediately to ensure the best legal and medical help and filing of claims and in time to get financial compensation for your severe injury.
Helps Burn Injury Victims Recover
After a severe burn injury, it’s essential to get the proper medical treatment and manage the pain. However, you also want to be compensated for your burn injuries. It can be impossible to deal with civil procedures, paperwork, and court meetings after a burn incident. Let the Wells Trumbull burn injury attorneys deal with the legal “red tape.” At the same time, you focus on recovering from your injuries.
Our Seattle Burn Injury Lawyers Are Here for You
If you or a loved one have suffered from a burn injury, you might be entitled to compensation. As a burn injury victim, Wells Trumbull will recover compensation for your lost wages and medical expenses. In many states, the time to file a burn injury claim is limited by statute.
We understand that you have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a personal injury lawyer. We’re going to give you what we can – our sincere commitment. When you choose us as your injury lawyer, we’ll provide a level of personal service that is second to none.
Call our office right away for a free case evaluation.