Aside from being extremely painful, a high-degree burn caused by someone else’s negligence can make for very complicated civil litigation if you want to demand financial compensation for your injury-related losses. Even if you can prove that the defendant’s misconduct was the direct cause of your burn, meeting all the other criteria necessary to pursue a lawsuit and recover damages fairly for both short-term and long-term harm can be challenging to accomplish alone.
Fortunately, help is available from an experienced catastrophic injury attorney who knows how to proactively pursue a positive case resolution. With an Austin burn injury lawyer on your side, you can have much better chances of securing the compensation you deserve.
Burn injuries are separated into “degrees” based on how many layers of skin and other tissue they impact. First-degree burns are the least severe, as they only impact the outermost skin layer and generally clear up after a few days of basic first aid. In fact, because first-degree burns are usually so mild, they usually cannot serve as the basis for civil litigation. In order to file a claim after a burn, the injury needs to require professional medical attention.
Meanwhile, second-degree burns almost always require professional care since they affect multiple skin layers and cause permanent scarring if not treated promptly. These burns are characterized by blotchy skin discoloration, swelling, blistering, and severe physical pain.
Third-degree burns are substantially worse, as they penetrate through multiple skin layers to impact the underlying fat layers and muscle tissue. These burns often cause permanent scarring and loss of nerve function. In extreme cases, skin grafts and other surgical interventions may be necessary to stabilize a third-degree burn victim.
A dedicated attorney in Austin can implement a plaintiff’s medical records to prove the degree of burn injury and seek compensation for the ensuing losses.
Emergency medical bills are far from the only “compensable loss” that someone who suffers a burn can seek compensation for. For instance, an injured plaintiff can also recover damages for the expected cost of future medical care, lost work earnings, reduced or lost working capacity, an any relevant property damage.
It can also be crucial to demand restitution for non-economic damages like physical pain and suffering, emotional and psychological trauma, lost consortium, reduced quality of daily life, and permanent disfigurement or disability. A burn accident lawyer in Austin can discuss financial compensation in more detail during an initial consultation.
Severe burns make for long, painful, and frustrating recovery processes, both in physical terms and in legal terms. Thankfully, while you are seeking treatment from an experienced medical professional, a seasoned legal team member can help you work diligently to enforce your rights and maximize the chances of a positive case outcome.
A conversation with an Austin burn injury lawyer can provide you with clarity and confidence about what next steps to take in your unique situation. Call today to set up a meeting.