If you’ve been the victim of a burns accident, our Denver burn injury attorneys can help. Burns are some of the most painful and expensive injuries you can suffer from, with extensive medical bills, lengthy recovery periods and time off work.
If someone else’s negligence caused your burn injuries, you deserve financial compensation.
Why Hire a Denver Burn Injury Attorney?
Every burn injury is painful. But the most severe can have lifelong consequences with the need for extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
Anyone burned due to someone else’s negligence should be reimbursed for their financial losses and compensated for their suffering.
Sadly, insurance companies care more about their finances than your recovery. They will always try to pay the minimum fee possible.
That’s where our Denver burn injury attorneys come in. With impressive experience and specialist resources, our team will fight on your behalf to win the money you deserve – from conducting a thorough investigation and determining liability, to calculating the cost of your losses.
Burn Injury Statistics
The latest American Burn Association (ABA) reports that:
- Over four years, around 486,000 burn injuries were seen in emergency departments.
- In 2016 alone, 3,390 civilians died from fires.
- Every 2.5 hours, a civilian dies from a fire.
- 24% of all burn injuries are suffered by children under 15 years old.
- 96.7% of burn center patients will survive, usually with severe scarring and physical disabilities.
- 73% of victims treated in burn centers were injured at home. 8% were injured at work.
Liability for Burn Injuries in Denver
Proving Negligence
Like any personal injury claim, a burn victim must prove that someone else’s negligence directly resulted in their injuries.
The at-fault party will depend on the circumstances of your accident. Common examples include:
- Burns from a car accident could leave the at-fault driver liable for your damages.
- Burns from a dangerous or defective product or equipment may allow for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
- If you were burned while working, injuries are usually covered by workers’ compensation.
- If a restaurant employee spilled boiling liquids on you, you might file a claim against the restaurant.
Our Denver burn injury attorneys can analyze your case and determine liability before preparing a robust case on your behalf.
Comparative Fault Laws
In Colorado, we have comparative fault or comparative negligence laws. These laws require each case to be analyzed to see if there is a share of the responsibility.
The court will determine the responsibility share as a percentage which will then reduce the amount of compensation you could receive.
Retain Evidence of Your Injuries
We always advise victims to retain as much evidence as possible. Including:
- Photos of your injuries
- Photos of the accident scene
- Witness statements
- Doctors’ notes
- Medical Bills
- Any receipts for expenses related to your accident.
Our Denver burn injury attorneys will work to gather evidence on your behalf. Creating a paper trail to prove the link between your injuries and damages is always beneficial.
Types of Burn Injuries
A burn is an injury to the skin or other organic tissue caused by heat, electricity, radiation, friction or chemicals.
In Colorado, burn severity is a crucial element to any burn injury claim or lawsuit.
Generally, the more severe the burn, the more your claim will be worth. With higher severity comes the need for more extensive medical care and greater compensation for scarring, disfigurement and other suffering.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns are the least severe type of burn injury. Most people experience a first-degree burn in their life, as they’re usually caused by hot objects and hot liquids.
First-degree burns only damage the surface layer of skin, known as the ‘epidermis’.
- Reddening skin
- Slight swelling
- No blistering
- Typically heals within a week, without medical treatment.
- Over-the-counter skin cream or lotion is usually advised.
Although first-degree burns are not life-changing or of high value, they may still justify a personal injury claim. If you missed time off work or had to pay to visit a doctor, for example, the liable party should cover your costs.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns are more severe and can require immediate medical attention if they’re large or on delicate parts of the body. Second-degree burns inflict significant damage to the top layer of the skin and the second layer, known as the ‘dermis’.
- The skin may seem wet
- Skin may turn a pale pink
- Slightly blistering
- To avoid infection, you must sterilize and bandage the burn.
- Extremely painful and will take around one month to heal.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns are always serious and can sometimes be life-threatening. Third-degree burns cause deep tissue damage and affect all layers of the skin.
- Burns will likely require skin grafting and surgery.
- Extremely painful.
- Can damage nerve endings, muscle tissue and blood vessel damage.
- Skin will turn a blotchy red, black or white.
- Swelling and significant blistering.
- Immediate medical attention is required to avoid the body losing critical fluids.
- Specialist burns units are usually required.
Third-degree burns are of high value as they require extensive medical treatment. If you’ve been burned this severely, you should contact our Denver burn injury attorneys so we can aggressively fight to get the compensation you deserve.
Fourth-Degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns are rare but life-threatening. They cause deep, full-thickness skin damage, tissue damage, bone damage, muscle damage and tendon damage. Considerable time in burn units and extensive surgery is necessary.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a fourth-degree burn injury, then you deserve financial compensation for what is likely a high-value claim. Our Denver burn injury attorneys welcome you to receive a free consultation today.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
The American Burn Association (ABA) reports that the following are the most common causes of burn injuries:
Fire or Flame – 43%
Thermal burns caused by contact between the skin and heat, such as flame, can vary in severity. The time spent in the fire and the temperature of the fire are significant factors.
Scalding – 34%
Scalds are usually caused by something wet, such as hot water or steam. In worst-case scenarios, tissues and cells can be destroyed, which may cause the victim to go into shock. Scalding can also be life-threatening.
The American Burn Foundation reports that over 500,000 scalding burns are reported every year.
Contact with Hot Objects – 9%
Contact with hot objects such as metals can cause extremely painful burns and are often experienced while cooking or working with machinery.
Electrical – 4%
Electrical burns can cause deep burns, from the skin to internal tissues. Live wires are the most common cause.
Chemical Burns – 3%
Contact with a base or acidic chemical can injure or destroy the skin. Toxic or corrosive chemicals can cause internal or external injuries that require extensive medical treatment.
Other Burns – 7%
Other burns may include exposure to harmful radiation such as sunburns, x-ray machines and sun-tanning beds.
What If a Loved One Died From Burn Injuries?
If a family member or someone close to you has died from burn-related injuries, we may be able to help you file a wrongful death claim.
Wrongful death claims are designed to help surviving families recover expenses such as funeral costs, loss of earnings and compensation for their suffering.
Feel free to contact us for a free consultation today.
What Damages Can I Recover for a Burn Injury Accident?
Our Denver burn injury attorneys regularly help victims win financial compensation for the following damages:
Economic Damages
- Medical Expenses (past and future, since the date of the accident)
- Rehabilitation Costs
- Treatment Costs
- Lost Wages
- Loss of Future Earnings
- In-Home Care Expenses
- Childcare Costs
- Medical Equipment Costs
- Transportation Expenses
Non-Economic Damages
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life
- Loss of Consortium
- Depression
- PTSD
- Pain and Suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Scarring / Disfigurement
- Long-Term Disability
- Potential Punitive Damages
- Property Damage
- Wrongful Death
Contact a Burn Injury Attorney in Denver, CO
Free Consultations
If you’ve been burned as the result of someone else’s negligence, contact our Denver accident attorneys as soon as possible.
With a combination of a proven track record, impressive financial resources, esteemed legal reputation and a compassionate approach, we believe there is no better attorney team than Denver Personal Injury Lawyers.
