New York Burn Injury Attorneys
Every year in the United States, approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported. Between 8,000 and 12,000 burn victims will die while almost a million will suffer significant or permanent disabilities because of their burn injury. People with burn injuries often face a long and painful struggle that requires extensive rehabilitation and treatment.
The most common injury caused by burns is disfigurement to the skin, the largest organ of the body, which can also resulted in associated body chemistry and organ damage. When burn injuries are suffered, the severity of the burn will depend on which layers of the skin become damaged or destroyed.
Burn injuries can be caused by contact with flames, hot liquids, steam and other intense heat (thermal burns). Some injuries are caused by contact with sunlight or other ultraviolet light (light burns). Chemical burns are caused by alkali or acid while radiation burns occur because of contact with nuclear radiation or ultraviolet light.
First-degree burns involve only the first layer of skin. If both the first and second layers of skin are burned this is called a second-degree burn. The most serious burns are third-degree burns where all layers of skin and underlying tissue is damaged. Common causes of burns include:
- Chemicals at work and in the home such as drain cleaners.
- Defective appliances including barbecues, hot water heaters and furnaces.
- Defective smoke detectors.
- Fireworks.
- Scalding from spilled food and liquids.
- Inhalation of dangerous fumes.
- Defective industrial products.
The destruction of nerves from any burn is extremely dangerous as the ability to feel pain is essential to survival. In addition, burn injuries affect the skin’s ability to prevent loss of body fluids, so burn injuries can lead to dehydration. The skin also regulates body temperature by controlling the amount of evaporation of fluids from the sweat glands. Not only can burn injuries severely affect the body’s functioning, but they can also drastically alter a person’s appearance. They frequently result in permanent scars that can be mentally and psychologically difficult to cope with.
Burn victims injured by the negligence of another person or entity have legal rights to file a claim against the negligent party to recover damages. Since burns are among the most expensive catastrophic injuries to treat, settlements and jury awards in these cases are often significant. A burn victim may require skin grafts (a process where burned skin is replaced with healthy skin from another part of the body), skin replacement (a temporary alternative to skin graft), physical therapy, and reconstructive surgery (to repair skin disfigurement and scaring).
Compensation for Burn Injuries
Compensation depends on the injury and the ability of your attorney to prove the level of damage inflicted upon the victim by the negligence of others. In addition to medical costs, damage awards may consider pain and suffering, impact to lifestyle, potential earnings and medical costs.
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury due to the negligence of others, you may be entitled to monetary compensation. The Oshman Firm have been helping New York personal injury victims receive substantial settlements and awards for more than 35 years. Whether accidents occur through ignorance, carelessness or negligence, the consequences remain the same. Personal injury involves more than physical and emotional harm; it impacts the victims’ finances, family and future. We work within the justice system to return the victims of personal injury to some semblance of life they led prior to an injury. While monetary compensation cannot change the past, it can help the victim meet the challenges of the future.
If you feel that you or loved one has been burned due another’s careless actions, it is important to file suit within a specific timeframe from the injury. It is also important to choose a law firm experienced in aggressively pursuing burn injury claims to the maximum benefit of their clients.
Contact Experienced Burn Injury Attorneys
Contact us today at 1-800-400-8182, or contact us online for a free case evaluation. Our firm utilizes the contingency fee system, where we not only provide free consultations, but never charge a fee unless we are successful in obtaining a settlement or jury verdict on your behalf.