Home and Commercial Fires

The trauma associated with burn injuries can be devastating for victims and their loved ones. The physical consequences are painful and far-reaching, but the emotional scars can run just as deep.

The American Burn Association reports that over 486,000 Americans receive medical treatment each year for burn injuries. There is at least one burn injury fatality every 161 minutes in this country.

If you or someone you love has sustained a serious burn injury in Alabama through the fault of another party, the burn injury attorneys at Taylor Martino Rowan can help you get the compensation you need and deserve.

Preventable Causes of Fire and Burn Injuries

Many burn injuries are caused by accidents and other factors that could have been prevented. Some are due to improper fire safety or the lack of fire security devices, such as alarm systems and smoke detectors. Others could be the result of poor design and installation or even reckless behavior by a machine or vehicle operator. Some of the top preventable causes of fire and burn injuries include:

Smoking
Cooking
Arson
Faulty electrical wiring
Portable heaters
Incorrectly stored hazardous materials
Vehicle accidents
Chemical burns
Defective chimneys

Many fires and burn injuries result from defective smoke alarms. Even if one of these devices is present in a workplace, home, or rental property, there can be death or substantial injury if the alarm doesn’t function properly.

Possible Outcomes of Burn Injuries

A burn injury occurs when your body’s skin and tissues meet heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. Some of the most common burn injuries involve building fires, hot liquids, gases, flammable liquids, and steam. Burn injuries can also take place when a person inhales smoke, which results in internal damage to the body’s organs.

Burn injuries vary based on their type and severity. The types of burn injuries are: thermal (flame), electrical, chemical, and radiological. The severity of burn injuries are categorized as follows:

First Degree. These burns affect just the epidermis, which is the outer layer of skin. They are painful and will turn red, but usually heal in 3 to 5 days without a need for hospitalization.
Second Degree. These burns involve the entire epidermis and the upper layer of the dermis. The burn is painful, will result in blistering, and often appears wet. These burns often heal within three weeks with minimal to no scarring.
Third Degree. A third-degree burn is the most severe and involves destruction of all layers of the skin. The area may appear white or black and will be dry. These burns can be incredibly painful but some result in lost nerve sensation. Loss of tissue, hospitalization, and skin grafting is often required.

More than half of burn patients are treated at specialized burn centers, and many major hospitals have trauma teams that are trained to care for these serious injuries. Even though the survival rate for burn center admissions is now over 96%, the treatment and potential complications associated with these injuries remain a major public health concern.

Some of the painful and life-altering effects of burn injuries include:

Scarring. Burn victims often experience scarring that can range from mild to so severe that it requires reconstructive surgery.
Deformity. Burn injuries can result in many deformities resulting from a loss of tissue, flesh, and even whole parts of the body. This can cause both a physical and mental strain, making life’s daily activities more painful and less enjoyable.
Sensation. Burn injuries can affect the way that a body reacts to sensations. Some become more sensitive to them while others can’t feel pressure or notice hot/cold sensations. If extreme sensitivity becomes an issue, living in a hot climate may no longer be a wise choice.
Psychological Impact. No matter how severe the burn injury is, any traumatic event that involves fire, chemicals, or heat can leave victims with lasting psychological symptoms that could qualify as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Compensation for Burn Injuries

The party that is responsible for causing your burn injury should also be legally obligated to compensate you for your losses. Burn injury victims will not only have to pay for costly medical treatment but will have other damages as well. Among these are lost wages and earning capacity, permanent impairment, and pain and suffering. If you lost a loved one to a burn injury, you might also be entitled to damages for wrongful death.

It can be difficult to determine which person, company, or other entity is legally responsible for causing your burn injuries without help. In car accident cases, it could be the other driver or even a vehicle or part manufacturer or designer.

If there was a defective smoke alarm that allowed a fire to spread and cause injury or death, there are several possible responsible parties. These include the landlord, building owner, building maintenance company, an employer, and the manufacturer of the device.

Burn injury cases are often personal injury matters. This means that you will have to show that the party causing your injuries acted carelessly. Specifically, the other party must have owed you some duty of care and failed to meet this standard. This failure must have also either led to or contributed to your burn injury.

Fortunately, burn victims don’t have to make these difficult determinations about liability. An experienced burn injury attorney will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your accident and will determine who was responsible for your injuries. Without a skilled legal professional in your corner, you may not get the full benefit of the compensation available to you and your loved ones. By allowing a legal team to handle this aspect, you can fully concentrate on your physical and emotional recovery.

Attorneys Representing Burn Victims in Mobile, Alabama

Whether your burn injury was caused by a workplace accident, car crash, dangerous product, or other circumstances, you need an experienced Alabama burn injury attorney who will aggressively defend your right to compensation for your losses. Our personalized service and highly skilled personal injury attorneys promise to help you and your loved ones through this challenging time.

Contact our Mobile office now at 1-800-256-7728 or reach us online to schedule a free consultation.