Atlanta Burn Injury Lawyer

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), each year there are over a million burn injuries that are bad enough to seek emergency medical care. Burns, which can happen as a result of a fire or other serious accident, can be a life-threatening injury, affecting all aspects of your life.

If you or a loved one has been in an accident that has caused burns, you may be entitled to compensation. If your accident was caused by the negligence of someone else or a defective  product, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the responsible party or parties.

In order to give you and your family the best chance at being able to receive the compensation you deserve, consider working with an experienced Atlanta burn injury lawyer. An attorney from  CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm will be able to listen to the details of your situation and assess the next steps you can take to start building a case seeking the maximum compensation.

If you are ready to start reclaiming your life after a burn injury, contact our team to set up a free, no-obligation case review with one of our compassionate, experienced attorneys. We are here to help you and to give you the best chance at receiving the maximum compensation you deserve. Schedule your confidential consultation now by completing our online contact form today.

How Can an Atlanta Burn Injury Attorney Help Me?

You may be wondering why hiring a burn injury attorney may be necessary in a burn accident case, especially if insurance is involved and they are already offering you a check. However, the truth of the matter is that insurance companies are companies, first and foremost; they are working to maximize their profits, not to help victims of accidents.

It is important to remember that burns are a very serious injury, and medical treatment is almost always needed. If you are offered a settlement from the insurance company, it could be tempting to take it to help cover medical bills that you’ve already received. However, burns often have lasting medical implications and could need follow-up care for years after the initial accident. Your attorney will gather evidence about your accident and use the information in your medical chart, as well as information from burn specialists, to help determine how much your future medical bills might be.

Additionally, your accident may have been caused by more than one responsible party. Hiring an experienced Atlanta burn injury attorney will ensure that your case is combed over carefully, and that everyone who contributed to your accident will be held accountable. We will also help you fully assess all damages you have suffered, including the predicted costs of future treatments, the value of any reduction in income you’ve encountered since the accident, and compensation for your personal pain and suffering.

When choosing the attorney to represent you or a loved one, there are several important factors to consider. Foremost: has the attorney had experience in cases like yours? An experienced burn injury attorney will be able to evaluate your case and consult with experts to help determine the total amount of compensation to which you are entitled.

What Are The Different Types of Burns?

Accidents that cause burns can take many different forms, and so there are different types of burns that can occur. These accidents can happen either at work or at home, and could be a result of anything from a fire to exposure to dangerous chemicals.

The different types of burns are:

• Thermal Burns — Thermal burns occur when someone comes in contact with flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces, or other sources of high heat. These burns can be minor, as when you brush against a hot pan in your kitchen, but can also be much more severe, such as when someone has been trapped in a burning structure or vehicle.
• Chemical Burns — These burns occur as a result of contact with caustic chemicals. You can suffer from chemical burns on every part of your body, and these burns can range from mild to severe. These burns can be caused by anything from normal household cleaners to gasoline to paint thinners. Some substances may also have a delayed reaction, such as slaked lime used in construction and cement finishing. Always use caution when handling corrosive chemicals.
• Electrical Burns — Electrical burns can be caused by contact with lightning, stun guns, or electrical currents. If electricity is involved, even if the burn seems minor, it is important to seek medical attention, as it may have also caused internal damage.
• Friction Burns — These burns occur when the skin is scraped off by contact with an abrasive material. These burns can occur from sliding across pavement or having contact with a fast moving belt or other mechanical component.

The type of burn you sustained may make a difference in how your burn is treated, but what doesn’t change is the fact that burns are serious injuries that can have lasting impacts on your life.

If you or a loved one has been involved in a burn accident in Atlanta, reach out to an experienced Atlanta burn injury attorney today to hear about your rights and what options you have available to you as work to move forward with your life.

How Is the Severity of a Burn Classified?

No matter how bad your burn is, if it was caused as a result of a product defect or someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to some compensation. Generally speaking, though, the greater the severity of the burn, the more compensation you can seek. If you have any questions about this, contact an Atlanta burn injury attorney to set up a consultation so that you can hear about the options available to you.

Burn severity is classified in degrees, based on how deeply and severely the burn penetrated the skin. Brief explanations can be found below, but a medical professional will be able to fully evaluate your burns and give you more detailed information about your specific injury.

First Degree Burns

First degree burns occur when the first layer of skin, or epidermis, is affected. A common example of a first degree burn is a mild sunburn, where the skin is red, dry and has no blisters. It may be sensitive to touch. Though long term damage is rare, these types of burns can be very uncomfortable and can cause a slight increase in risk of heat stroke or skin cancer. Further, some first degree burns can lead to extended discomfort, loss of the outer skin layer, and increased risk of infection. First degree burns can largely be treated with at-home and over the counter remedies, but if you have any questions or concerns, seek medical attention.

Second Degree Burns

Second degree burns occur when the top two layers of the skin, the epidermis and the dermis, are affected. The burn site will typically be red, swollen, blistered, and painful. Second degree burns are painful and often require medical attention. These burns take days to heal and can cause significant discomfort and possibly even inhibit motor function — impacting your life long after the burn occurred.

Third Degree Burns

Third degree burns occur when the burn penetrates and destroys the entire thickness of the skin, which includes the epidermis, dermis, and may even affect the subcutaneous tissue. These burns can look white or blackened. This type of burn so thoroughly destroys the skin that it may be painless, as nerves have been destroyed. These burns always require medical treatment and are likely to cause long-term issues such as muscle and/or nerve damage, and may need extensive treatment, like skin grafts, to heal.

Fourth Degree Burns

These burns go past the subcutaneous tissue and can affect the muscle or bone. These types of burns are very serious, always require medical treatment, and will very likely need extensive medical care in order to treat and help promote healing of the burn. It is likely that these types of burns will carry long-term repercussions, including possible paralysis, amputation, loss-of-use of a bodily limb or organ, or chronic pain.

Who Can Be Held Liable in a Burn Injury Case?

If you’ve been involved in an accident that has caused burn injuries, you have the right to seek compensation from the liable parties. In burn cases, it can often be difficult to determine who exactly is to blame for the accident, so hiring an experienced Atlanta burn injury lawyer will ensure that your situation has been thoroughly explored, so you obtain the best chance at receiving the compensation you deserve.

Often, liability is determined by examining negligence. A party is determined to be negligent when they satisfy the four main factors: duty of care, breach, direct cause, and damages.

Duty of Care

When evaluating your case, your lawyer will work to determine if the responsible party owed you a duty of care. A duty of care refers to the duty that others have to ensure the safety and well-being of those around them. For instance, on the road, other drivers have a responsibility to not drive in a way that would be hazardous or potentially cause you harm. A doctor has a duty of care to provide you with proper medical attention. The first part of your case will be establishing that the responsible party did, in fact, owe you a duty of care.

Breach of Duty of Care

The next step in establishing your case will be to show that the party or parties responsible for your accident breached their duty of care. Negligence is an example of a breach of duty of care.

Breach Led to Injury

The next step in establishing liability in a burn accident case is to show that the breach of the duty of care led directly to the accident that caused your injuries, which, in turn, brought about the damages you are seeking in your case.

Comparative Fault

In Georgia, we have a rule called “comparative fault” that can affect the amount of damages you are able to collect. Under the idea of comparative fault is the modified comparative negligence rule, which states that as long as you were responsible for less than 50% of the accident, you can file a claim. However, if you are found to have been 20% at fault for the accident, the payout you are eligible to receive may be 20% less than it would be if you were not at fault for the accident at all.

Rules like these are why it makes sense to have an experienced Atlanta burn injury attorney at your side. The responsible party may try to claim that you had more responsibility in the accident than you actually did, thus restricting the amount of compensation that you could receive. However, an experienced lawyer will be able to ensure that you have the best chance at receiving every bit of compensation that you deserve.

What Damages Can I Claim in a Burn Injury Case?

When trying to determine the amount of compensation that you can claim in a burn injury case, your attorney will evaluate your damages in two distinct categories: economic and non-economic damages.

Economic Damages

Economic damages refer to any out-of-pocket losses or other financial damages you have suffered as a result of the accident. These damages can cover things such as loss of income, loss of 401(k) contributions, and diminished earning potential. Additionally, any present or future medical bills will be taken into consideration, as well as any other financial losses.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages refer to the damages that you’ve suffered that cannot be directly measured with an amount of money. Importantly, these damages reflect the effect the burn injuries have on your life, and are arguably even more important that the economic damages. Some examples of non-economic damages are:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress or mental anguish as a result of the accident
• Diminished quality of life
• Loss of consortium
• Inconvenience

As these damages do not have a concrete financial worth, it is especially important to work with an experienced Atlanta burn injury attorney so that the amount of compensation that you’re seeking fully covers all aspects of how your life has been affected from the accident. Don’t shortchange yourself or settle for the first offer you receive from the insurance company. Instead, work with an attorney from CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm to ensure that you have the best chance at receiving the compensation that you deserve.

Contact an Experienced Atlanta Burn Injury Lawyer Now!

If you are ready to start building your case, contact an experienced, compassionate attorney from CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm. When you schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us, we will listen to the details of your case and work to develop a personalized legal strategy that will give you the best chance at receiving the full amount of compensation that you need to move forward with your life after your burn accident.

Schedule your confidential consultation now by completing our contact form, and you can expect to hear from one of our Atlanta burn injury attorneys soon!