Colleyville Burn Injury Lawyer
Everyone faces unavoidable risks when they leave their homes. Often, these risks lead to injuries, and some are more serious than others. For example, burn injuries pose unique challenges to those they affect.
When you suffer a serious burn, a hardworking catastrophic injury attorney could advocate for you. Our Colleyville burn injury lawyers can document your injuries, investigate the cause, and determine whether you have a claim for compensation.
What Qualifies as a Burn Injury?
Burn injuries vary depending on the source, and sadly, they often cause long-lasting health consequences. An attorney can investigate the circumstances of a burn injury and work with medical professionals to determine the implications.
Types of Burn Injuries
Some burns primarily affect the outside of the body, such as thermal, electrical, or chemical; however, other kinds of burns can cause internal damage, such as lung damage from smoke inhalation.
Burns are measured by degree, each one causing different types of harm. The degrees include the following:
- First-degree burns are mild, usually superficial, and limited to the skin
- Second-degree burns are moderate, painful, and red
- Third-degree burns are severe, discolored, can affect the nerves and muscle, and often lead to permanent scarring
- Fourth-degree burns leave the skin’s tissue exposed, are life-threatening, and permanently scar
Burns can also lead to serious infections when left untreated. Some are so severe they require advanced or extended medical treatment.
Common Sources of Burns
Burns can be the result of many factors, such as poor electrical wiring or car accidents. Workplace incidents can also lead to burns depending on the profession. Even defective products can cause serious burns when they explode, catch fire, or release a hazardous chemical.
Several parties could share legal responsibility for a burn injury. For example, an employer could be responsible for unsafe working conditions, or a manufacturer could be responsible for a malfunctioning product.
Effects of Burn Injuries
Burns damage skin and tissue, and often cause emotional or psychological injuries like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety. Sometimes, permanent scarring and disfigurement result from burns.
Holding Someone Liable for a Burn Injury
To succeed in a legal claim, the injured person must show several elements. First, they must show that the responsible party had a duty of care, such as a business owner making sure that their premises are safe for customers, and that the duty was breached through unreasonable behavior or decision-making. Then, they must show that the breach of duty actually caused the injury. Finally, they must prove their damages from the injury, such as the medical costs, loss of future earnings, and mental anguish associated with the injury.
In proving the negligence of another party, the injured person must also show that they did not contribute to their own injuries. Texas Civil Practice & Remedies Code Section 33.012 establishes a system of comparative negligence, which reduces the damages available to the plaintiff by their percentage of fault. When the injured plaintiff is more than 50 percent responsible for their injuries, Texas Code Section 33.001 bars them from financial recovery.
The injured person must file their claim within two years of the injury, as described by Texas Code Section 16.003; however, in certain circumstances, the deadline can be extended. Holding someone accountable for a burn injury requires diligence, but an experienced burn injury lawyer could help build a claim well within the statute of limitations.
Evaluating Your Burn Injury Case with a Colleyville Attorney
The risks of debilitating health consequences of a burn can be overwhelming for you or a loved one who requires extensive medical care. Burns can also affect your mental health and self-image over time.
The experience of a Colleyville burn injury lawyer puts them in a position to help. Speak with our attorneys today to schedule your confidential consultation.