Serious, large-scale burns can cause extensive injuries or even fatalities for victims. In the United States, four out of every 100 serious burn injury victims die from their injuries despite significant developments in treatments over the years. If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury, it is imperative to seek medical attention immediately.
Additionally, if you or a loved one has suffered from a serious burn injury due to the negligence of another party, you may be able to pursue legal action against the person or party responsible for your losses with the help of a qualified attorney from Robert Wilson & Associates. Our Minnesota burn injury lawyers are committed to the rights of all accident victims and we will fight hard to help you pursue the compensation you need for your burn injury-related losses. Contact us today at (612) 334-3444 for more information.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer After a Burn Injury?
If you or a loved one have suffered a burn injury, you are likely experiencing unspeakable trauma and pain. A veteran burn injury attorney can handle all the details of your burn injury case and will have a team of specialists ready to help. While you are recovering from your injuries, your experienced lawyer will be working diligently to build a strong case on your behalf.
Working with a knowledgeable burn injury attorney is the only effective way to recover maximized compensation. This can be crucial as the cost of your burn injury may lead to endless medical bills and ongoing care, as well as lost wages, loss of potential income, and emotional pain and trauma. Compensation is your legal right. C
Contact Robert Wilson & Associates today at (612) 334-3444 to speak with a burn injury attorney about your case.
Why Should I Choose Robert Wilson & Associates?
Our team at Robert Wilson & Associates has been serving our Minnesotan neighbors for years. During this time, we have become one of the largest and most trusted firms in the state. We will handle your burn injury case using our expertise and access to a multitude of resources, and we will treat you with the empathy and the individualized care that you deserve. When you partner with Robert Wilson & Associates, you become part of our family.
For over 35 years, our founding partner, Robert Wilson, has been fighting for the rights of the injured. Robert has been awarded a Medal of Valor for heroism from the Minneapolis Police Department. He has also successfully argued before the Minnesota Supreme Court to improve the legal rights of the disabled. Robert Wilson has built a career on advocating for the injured, and his experience and skill will be invaluable to your burn injury case.
Call us now at (612) 334-3444 to see how we can help you get the compensation you are entitled to.
Types of Burn Injuries
Burns are classified by the degree to which they penetrate the skin and underlying structures:
- First-degree burns involve only the outer layers of the skin and can heal without medical attention.
- Second-degree, or partial-thickness burns, can involve all layers of the skin and may require skin grafting treatments.
- Third and fourth-degree burns extend all the way through the skin to the muscles and bones beneath and may require excision and amputation.
Burn injuries can cause permanent damage and even death, and they are excruciatingly painful. If you have suffered from a serious burn injury, it is important for the responsible party to be held accountable for the unnecessary and inexcusable pain and suffering they have forced you to endure. Typically, burn injuries result in incredibly expensive medical bills, and if your burns were caused by someone else’s actions, you should not be forced to cover these expenses on your own.
How Negligence Can Cause Burn Injuries
According to the American Burn Association, over 480,000 burn injuries required medical treatment in 2016. Burn injuries are excruciatingly painful and, to make matters worse, they can result in lost wages, high medical bills, and even drastic lifestyle changes. Victims coping with even slight burns can face decreased functionality in the impacted area, making these injuries a daily challenge to overcome.
While many burns happen accidentally in the home, a surprising number result from the negligence of property owners, companies, and employers. The personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyers at Robert Wilson & Associates know that all too often burn victims are afflicted because someone else behaved irresponsibly.
Negligent Behaviors that Can Lead to Burns
When businesses and property owners deal with exceptionally hot materials, they have a responsibility to ensure the safety of others. Some reckless behaviors that might result in burns include the following:
- Exposing individuals to beverages at scalding temperatures
- Lacking the proper safety equipment around gas stoves or other fire-starting tools
- Failing to perform first aid quickly enough after someone has been burned
- Allowing a child in their care to touch a stove or bathe in overly hot water
- Leaving fires unattended
Even if you strictly obey the time-honored rule “don’t play with matches,” you are still at risk of enduring a burn when others behave negligently. When a third party shirks its duty to treat hot materials responsibly, it can cause irreparable damage.
Who is Liable for My Burn Injury?
The party who caused the fire may also be held financially responsible for the burn injuries that result. To recover compensation after you have been burned, your burn injury attorney must be able to demonstrate that negligence played a role. To show that your burn was caused by negligence, your burn injury lawyer must be able to prove:
- Duty: the defendant was responsible for preventing your fire or burn
- Breach: the defendant failed to uphold their responsibility
- Causation: your injuries resulted directly from the failure
- Injury: the defendant’s actions lead to your injury
At Robert Wilson & Associates, we will work tirelessly on your behalf to build a strong burn injury case and help you recover the compensation you deserve after being injured because of someone else’s negligence.
What Compensation Might I Recover for My Burn Injury?
Burn injuries can be catastrophic and may result in lifelong debilitation. The pain and trauma of a burn injury can be magnified when the bills for your care arrive in the mail. Compensation for a burn injury may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Current or future medical bills
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
At Robert Wilson & Associates, we are dedicated to providing our clients with a realistic assessment of their cases’ worth. We will never mislead you and will work only in your best interest.
Frequently Asked Questions
At Robert Wilson & Associates, we always aim to establish clear lines of communication between our empathetic legal staff and our clients. To strive toward better communication, we have listed the answers to questions we commonly hear at our firm below:
How are the different degrees of burns categorized?
Experts categorize burns into four classifications. No matter how severe, if you have been burned, seek medical attention and contact a burn injury attorney as soon as you are able. The four burn categories are:
- First-Degree Burn: This burn causes superficial damage to the outermost skin layers.
- Second-Degree Burn: Severe damage to top skin layers and some to deeper layers may occur with this burn.
- Third-Degree Burn: Deep tissue damage will likely occur, may require surgical repair with burns of this severity.
- Fourth-Degree Burn: Burns this severe are rare but cause damage to skin, tissue, organs, bones, tendons, and muscles.
How long do I have to file a case?
The statute of limitations for a personal injury case ranges from two to six years. If you have been burned, contact a burn injury attorney right away, since missing a filing deadline will likely result in a dismissed case and an unsuccessful outcome.
What if I am partially responsible for my burn?
The state of Minnesota follows comparative negligence laws. This means that if your own actions contributed to your burn injury in some way, you can remain hopeful that you can recover compensation. Under comparative negligence laws, each party involved is assigned a percentage of the blame.
If the court determines that you were 20% responsible for your injury, you can collect up to 80% of the potential compensation. If you are found to be more than 50% responsible, you cannot seek compensation under Minnesota law.
Contact Us
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury, the legal team at Robert Wilson & Associates is dedicated to helping you fight for the compensation and justice that you need at this time. To discuss your case and how we can put our experience to work for you, contact our Minnesota burn injury attorney at (612) 334-3444 today.