Wilmington Burn Injury Lawyers
We Represent Clients In Burn Injury Cases Anywhere In North Carolina
Burn injuries are often traumatic. Not only is there severe pain accompanying these types of injuries, but burns can also lead to permanent scarring. If scars mark visible parts of the body - such as the face, neck, or arms - the burn victim is left dealing with embarrassment, annoyance, and lifelong suffering. When those burns are due to the negligence of another person, the victim may be eligible for compensation.
Our lawyers at Rhine Law Firm, P.C., seek the maximum amount of compensation for the medical expenses, long-term care, and emotional damages our clients have endured. We handle burn injury claims arising from:
- Industrial accidents
- Construction site accidents
- Explosions
- Electrical fires/electrocution
- House fires or beach fires
- Gas can explosions
- Car fires caused by collisions
Types of Burns
There are three main types of burns.
- Thermal burns, which are the result of a body part coming into direct contact with flames. In personal injury claims, these are most commonly seen after a motor vehicle accident.
- Chemical burns are most commonly associated with workplace accidents, mainly in manufacturing, mechanical, electrical, janitorial, and construction industries. Other chemical burns may be the result of a product, such as household cleaners.
- Electrical burns are also mostly seen in the workplace; for example, when an electrical worker comes into direct contact with power lines. However, like chemical burns, electrical burns can also occur from coming into contact with a defective household product.
Burns are given a category that indicates their severity. The categories are:
- First-degree burns: The mildest; only involve minor pain and some redness of the skin.
- Second-degree burns: These burns cause blisters and destroy the top layer of the skin.
- Third-degree burns: These go deeper into the skin and may destroy multiple layers of the skin, including the dermis and epidermis, which will cause scarring.
- Fourth-degree burns: The most serious, these burns completely destroy the skin and also damage the muscle or bone underneath.
Compensation for Burns and Scarring
If a person is burned in an accident caused by someone else, he or she may be eligible for compensation. This compensation can cover all costs related to the accident, including scar-related expenses. When scarring is present, the person may require cosmetic surgery in order to avoid embarrassment and create the best possible future in society.
In order to get compensation covering cosmetic surgery, the accident victim should speak with a Wilmington personal injury attorney as well as a cosmetic surgeon. A surgeon will be able to provide a full outline of the procedures that will be needed, as well as the costs. A personal injury attorney can help the victim get the full amount needed to cover these surgical costs.
Cosmetic surgery would fall under medical expenses, but there are other types of compensation available to victims who were burned as a result of someone else’s negligence. These include lost wages, rehabilitative care, housekeeping expenses when severe burns and scarring prevent the victim from taking care of himself and his home, and pain and suffering.
Compensation for Workplace Accident Burns
The only time an accident victim cannot file a personal injury claim for burn injuries is when he or she has been injured at work. Workplace accidents are covered by workers’ compensation, which prevents employees from filing personal injury lawsuits against their employers.
If an employer was extremely negligent and an employee suffered burns as a result, the employee may be able to sue the employer directly under a Woodson claim. But these claims are very hard to prove and compensation is rarely granted.
However, third-party claims can be filed against another person or company (not your own employer) if you were burned at work as a result of someone else’s negligence. For example, a property owner that fails to maintain the premises you are working on, or a non-employer supervisor who causes you to receive a burn injury through negligence or error, or even a manufacturer, if your defective equipment causes the burn. Determining who is potentially liable for your workplace burn can be complicated and depends on the situation, so speak to an attorney right away.
No one should have to live with the pain and embarrassment that accompany burn injuries and scarring. If you’ve been burned as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact Rhine Law Firm, P.C., at (866) 772-9960. There may be compensation that can help you, and we know how to get it.
Additional Information
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