Suffering a burn injury can be an incredibly traumatic experience, impacting not just your physical well-being but also your emotional state and financial stability. At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we understand the pain, frustration, and uncertainty you’re facing. Our team of burn injury lawyers in Spartanburg, NC, is here to help you navigate through this challenging time.
We offer compassionate legal support, aiming to secure the compensation you need for medical treatments, lost wages, and the pain you’ve endured. Let our Spartanburg personal injury lawyers handle your case so you can focus on your recovery. Contact us today for a free case review and find out how we can assist you on your path to healing.
The Intense Treatment and Therapy Burn Injury Victims Require
Burns can be some of the most intensely painful and life-threatening injuries an accident victim can endure. Victims can suffer burns in such accidents as the following:
Car Accidents
High-speed collisions can lead to fires, especially if a vehicle’s fuel system is compromised. Occupants can suffer thermal burns from flames or hot surfaces and chemical burns from leaking vehicle fluids.
Workplace Incidents
In industrial settings, workers may be exposed to electrical hazards or chemical spills, leading to electrical and chemical burns, respectively. Construction sites and manufacturing plants are particularly prone to such accidents.
Premises Liability Incidents
Property owners’ failure to maintain safe environments can lead to burn injuries through various accidents. For example, a neglected gas leak in a commercial building can result in an explosion.
In residential settings, poorly maintained electrical systems may lead to fires, while inadequately stored chemicals can cause chemical burns upon contact. Restaurants or malls are also sites where scalding from hot liquids or surfaces due to negligent maintenance or operations can occur.
Burn Degrees and the Care Needed to Treat Them
There are four classifications used to describe the severity of a burn. The more severe the burn, the greater the damage on the body and the higher the possibility of infection:
- First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin. They cause redness and pain.
- Second-degree burns cause damage beyond the top layer of skin. They lead to swelling, blistering, and severe pain.
- Third-degree burns involve all layers of the skin, potentially destroying nerves and resulting in numbness.
- Fourth-degree burns extend beyond the skin into muscles and bones, often requiring surgical intervention, such as grafts or amputation.
Burn injuries can lead to a myriad of long-term effects, including scarring, disfigurement, and disability. These injuries can also cause the accident victim to feel anxiety and depression due to the injury’s appearance and the recovery process.
Treatment focuses on cleaning the burn, preventing infection, and managing pain. For more severe burns, this might involve surgeries, such as skin grafts. Physical and occupational therapy often become necessary to help victims regain mobility and functionality. Additionally, psychological support is vital to address the emotional impact.
For victims, the path to recovery can be long and fraught with challenges, underscoring the importance of specialized medical care and legal support to navigate this difficult journey.
Burn Injury Victims of Negligent Actions Deserve Fair Compensation
After sustaining burn injuries due to an accident, one of the legal steps to filing an accident claim is identifying the at-fault party responsible. This directly impacts your ability to seek and secure compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. The process involves a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident, gathering evidence, such as eyewitness testimonies, accident reports, and, when necessary, expert opinions.
Once the responsible party is identified, you can pursue compensation for a range of damages incurred due to the injury. The types of compensation for which you might be eligible to claim often include:
- Medical expenses: This covers all healthcare costs related to the burn injury, including hospital stays, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, and any future medical treatments required for ongoing recovery.
- Lost income: You may receive compensation for income lost while unable to work due to your injuries. This includes time taken off for medical appointments, recovery, and rehabilitation.
- Loss of earning potential: If the injury leads to a long-term or permanent decrease in the ability to earn, you could seek compensation for the future income you are projected to lose.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for the physical pain and emotional distress endured by you because of the burn injury. This acknowledges the non-economic impact of the injury, such as the emotional trauma and diminished quality of life.
- Costs of rehabilitation: Addresses the expenses associated with physical and occupational therapy needed to regain mobility, strength, or functionality affected by the burn injuries.
- Adaptive devices and home modifications: If the burn injury results in a disability that requires the use of adaptive devices or modifications to your home, these costs can also be compensated.
Your catastrophic injury attorney serving the Spartanburg area can navigate the legal process on your behalf to secure these compensations. Our team understands personal injury law and the challenges you face as a burn injury victim. Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC today and speak with our legal team during a free case review.
North Carolina’s Statute of Limitations
The statute of limitations for personal injury cases in North Carolina is N.C. Gen. Stat. §1-52. It sets a three-year deadline, starting on the date of the accident, for victims to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. If a lawsuit is not filed within this period, you may lose the right to seek compensation through the court system.
This statute of limitations also plays a pivotal role in settlement negotiations. Knowing the deadline, both you and the at-fault party’s insurance company are often motivated to reach a settlement agreement before the expiration of this period. If the deadline approaches without a settlement, your leverage in negotiations may increase as filing a lawsuit becomes more imminent. Conversely, once the deadline passes, the ability to use the threat of a lawsuit as negotiation leverage disappears, potentially affecting the outcome of the settlement discussions.
Receive a Free Case Evaluation When You Call Today
At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, our attorneys are dedicated to supporting our clients through challenging times. Offering services on a contingent fee basis, we ensure you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Contact us today for a free case review, and let us help you recover.