Our kitchens are the home’s ground-zero location for burns. Anyone who cooks will occasionally reach for a hot pan and experience a burn. These are the kinds of injuries that are self-inflicted and might not require a trip to the emergency room. However, there are more severe burn injuries that can occur as a result of a car collision or workplace incident. They might also happen when patronizing a restaurant or visiting someone’s home.
When the burn injury can be attributed to someone else’s negligence, you have the right to take action to seek compensation for medical bills and your pain and suffering. That’s where The Solomon Law Group, LLC, can help.
We know that recovery from these types of injuries is arduous, and the aftermath leaves families struggling with growing bills and lost wages. Contact our Columbia burn injury lawyer to discuss your options if the burn wasn’t your fault.
The Lasting Impact of Burn Injuries
Some burns only require minimal treatment and will heal on their own. But sometimes, there are catastrophic injuries that leave behind physical pain, emotional distress, and lasting disfigurement.
Burns are classified as first, second, or third-degree based on how deeply the burn penetrates the skin. This is what those degrees mean:
First-degree Burns
First-degree burns are the least severe; these injuries only affect the outer layer of the skin and cause redness and mild pain. Usually, a person can recover quickly from them, and there won’t be a lasting scar.
Second-degree Burns
Second-degree burns are more serious. This damages both the outer and underlying layers of skin. These burns often cause blisters, swelling, and intense pain.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns penetrate all layers of skin and damage nerves and tissue. These burns may require surgery, skin grafts, and long-term care.
The recovery process for a burn injury is often long and difficult. Many times, those who suffer these injuries will need multiple surgeries, physical therapy, and emotional healing. Scarring and disfigurement can impact a person’s self-esteem and quality of life.
Also, the financial burden of medical bills and lost income can create additional stress. For this reason, you will want to have a skilled Columbia burn injury lawyer as your advocate to help you seek fair compensation for your losses.
What Causes Burn Injuries in Columbia?
According to the American Burn Association, an estimated 486,000 people suffer burn injuries each year, which is one burn injury every 65 seconds. Burns happen in several ways, often when someone else fails to act responsibly.
This can include:
- Workplace accidents: Industrial sites, construction zones, and commercial kitchens are full of burn hazards. Employers are required to provide a safe work environment, but when they fail to do so, workers can suffer severe injuries.
- Car accidents: Motor vehicle crashes can cause fires and explosions, leading to severe burns. Defective vehicle parts, like faulty fuel systems, can also contribute to these injuries.
- Defective products: Appliances, electronics, and other products that overheat, catch fire, or explode can cause burns. When a product is faulty, the manufacturer can be held liable.
- Unsafe premises: Property owners have a duty to keep their premises safe. Exposed wiring, faulty heating systems, and open flames are just a few hazards that can lead to burn injuries.
No matter how your injury happened, if someone else’s negligence played a role, you have the right to seek compensation. Find out how The Solomon Law Group, LLC, can assist with your potential claim.
Proving Negligence in a Burn Case
If negligence caused your injuries, you need tangible evidence, witness statements, and maybe even the help of expert testimony. You need to show that you would not have been injured if it were not for the other party’s actions. This is the basis of proving negligence. Your legal team will need to focus on these four claim elements.
- Duty of care: The responsible party had a legal obligation to act in a way that would prevent harm. For example, employers are obligated to provide safe working conditions, and property owners must keep their premises hazard-free.
- Breach of duty: The responsible party failed to uphold their duty of care. This could involve ignoring safety regulations, failing to maintain equipment, or producing a defective product.
- Causation: The breach of duty directly caused your burn injury. Your lawyer must show that your injury would not have occurred if the responsible party had acted responsibly.
- Damages: You suffered physical, emotional, and financial harm due to the injury.
South Carolina Injury Laws Could Affect Your Case
One of the most important laws is the statute of limitations. In South Carolina, you have three years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you could be blocked from pursuing compensation.
Next is the comparative negligence rule. If you were partially responsible for your burn injury, your compensation may be reduced by your percentage of fault. There is good news: As long as you are less than 51% at fault, you can still recover damages.
For those injured at work, you must be mindful of workers’ compensation laws. In these cases, you could be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits to cover medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages. But if a third party, such as a contractor or equipment manufacturer, contributed to your injury, you may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit.
These laws can complicate your claim. That’s why you will want to work with an expired Columbia burn injury lawyer to help you determine how they could affect your case.
Compensation Available in Burn Injury Claims
Burn injuries often bring more than just physical pain. They lead to financial burdens and emotional distress that impact every aspect of a victim’s life.
Burn injury compensation falls into two main categories: economic damages and noneconomic damages. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded.
Some of these damages include:
- Burn injuries often require extensive medical treatment, including emergency care, surgeries, skin grafts, rehabilitation, and long-term care. Compensation can cover both current medical bills and future medical expenses related to your injury.
- If your injury prevents you from working, you may be entitled to compensation for your lost income during your recovery.
- Some burns can cause permanent disabilities that limit your ability to work in the future. Compensation can help make up for this loss of earning potential.
- Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological counseling are often necessary for burn injury victims. These costs can be included in your compensation.
- Burn injuries are known for causing intense physical pain, both during the initial injury and throughout the recovery process. Compensation can help account for this pain and the long-term discomfort caused by nerve damage and scarring.
In cases where the responsible party’s actions were extremely reckless or malicious, the court may award punitive damages. One example may be if an employer willfully ignored safety regulations, leading to a burn injury, or a driver was intoxicated and caused the accident. In those scenarios, punitive damages may be awarded.
An experienced burn injury lawyer in Columbia will ensure that all your damages are accurately calculated. With that, you can be fairly compensated for all the expenses related to your injury.
A Columbia Burn Injury Lawyer Is Standing By
Being involved in a burn injury can be extremely painful and emotionally traumatic. You should not have to suffer when someone’s negligence leads to that type of injury. Our Colombia burn injury lawyer can fight for your entitled compensation.
At The Solomon Law Group, LLC, we know that these injuries can have a major impact on your life, and we’re ready to help you move forward.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
