Fire and Burn Injury Lawyers in Pennsylvania

The most common type of burn injury is caused by excessive heat. For instance, open flame coming into contact with the victim's skin can cause severe tissue damage in the form of a burn. 

Fire injuries are only one type of burn that can happen, however. There is a wide range of burn injuries that can serve as grounds for a valid civil claim. Some of the most common types of burn injuries leading to legal claims include:

Chemical Burns

This type of burn happens when tissue damage is caused by exposure to corrosive substances or materials. Some of the common causes of chemical burns include: 

• Certain acids
• Bleach
• Metal cleaners
• Ammonia
• Drain and toilet cleaners
• Paint thinners
• Gasoline
• Pool cleaners or chlorinators

Contact with any of these substances may cause significant damage to your skin and the underlying tissue, and in some extreme cases, chemical burns can be life-threatening. In the aftermath of a chemical burn injury, it is vital to seek medical care as soon as possible.

Chemical burns can occur in a private or residential context; however, many jobs in Pennsylvania require employees to work near dangerous chemicals. If you have suffered a workplace accident resulting in a chemical burn injury, contact fire and burn injury lawyers in Pennsylvania immediately.

Electrical Burns

An electrical burn occurs when the victim’s body comes into contact with an active electrical current. When an electrical current travels through the body, it can damage organs and tissue. 

In exceedingly rare cases, electrical burns can result from lightning strikes, but contact with loose wires or improperly connected electrical systems are far more common causes. 

Some of the typical symptoms that occur following electrical burn injuries include: 

• Seizures
• Confusion
• Persistent headache
• Weakness
• Lightheadedness
• Intense muscle spasms
• Heart arrhythmia

If you have sustained an electrical burn injury due to another person’s reckless behavior, you may be entitled to significant compensation. The accomplished Morgan & Morgan fire and burn injury lawyers in Pennsylvania can help you pursue a legal claim.

Radiation Burns

These burn injuries are the result of prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays. Sources of UV rays include sun exposure and X-rays. 

Cold Burns

Cold burns, also known as frostbite, can occur when your skin freezes and the tissue is injured as a result.  

Extended exposure to cold temperatures makes cold burns very feasible, and contact with a surface at below-freezing temperatures can result in frostbite. 

These are only a few types of burns that personal injury victims may experience. No matter what kind of burn you have suffered, it is critical that you hold the accountable parties responsible for the harm they caused. 

Medical professionals categorize the severity of fire and burn injuries via different degrees. Higher degrees of burn injuries display more severe symptoms and longer-term damage. The degrees of burn severity are:

First-Degree Burns

These injuries only affect the victim’s outermost layer of skin, known as the epidermis. An example of a first-degree burn would be a mild sunburn. 

When this type of injury happens, the person’s skin may become red and be painful to the touch at the sight of the burn, but long-term tissue damage is very rare.

Second-Degree Burns

This type of injury affects both the epidermis and the second layer of skin directly below, called the dermis. Second-degree burns are also known as partial-thickness burns. 

Some of the typical symptoms of second-degree burns include: 

• Blistering of the skin
• Bright red skin
• Swelling
• Skin appearing shiny or wet 

In some cases, severe partial-thickness burns can cause permanent scarring. This can change the color of the victim’s skin at the burn site. 

Third-Degree Burns

These injuries are also called full-thickness burns. A third-degree burn fully destroys two layers of the victim’s skin, turning the flesh at the burn site brown, white, yellow, or black. 

Third-degree turns do not cause pain, but this is because the damage has gone deep enough to hamper the function of the nearby nerves.

If you have sustained a full-thickness burn injury, seek medical care immediately. The symptoms and tissue damage from third-degree burns can last a lifetime.

Fourth-Degree Burns

Fourth-degree burns are the highest degree of burn injury, resulting in significantly deep tissue damage to the victim. These potentially life-threatening burns completely destroy all layers of the victim’s skin. 

Fourth-degree burns also damage muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and organs. If left untreated, burn injuries can become more severe over time as the damage to the skin spreads.  

It is critical to seek medical care as soon as possible following any form of burn injury. When you have been burned because of another person’s recklessness, contact fire and burn injury lawyers in Pennsylvania.

Every state has laws on the books that limit the amount of time after an incident that the victim can pursue a civil lawsuit. This legally-determined time limit is known as a statute of limitations. 

Failing to file your burn injury lawsuit before the statute of limitations expires will make it impossible to receive any financial compensation. In the state of Pennsylvania, victims must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date of the accident. 

In certain circumstances, you may be able to secure an extension on the two-year limit. For instance, suppose your burn resulted from a negligent government agency or employee. In cases like these, different protocols are in place for pursuing civil lawsuits. 

Speak with fire and burn injury lawyers in Pennsylvania to ensure that you can successfully obtain the recovery to which you are entitled. 

When you have sustained a severe burn, you will experience many challenges and hardships. These consequences can be even more emotionally difficult should your injury result from another person’s carelessness. 

Fortunately, claimants in Pennsylvania personal injury cases can pursue compensation for any losses they experience. The most obvious losses are financial, but victims also deserve monetary compensation for the intangible harm from their injuries.  

The two most common categories of financial compensation victims can seek in personal injury cases are general and special damages. 

Special Damages

Most burn injuries in Pennsylvania result in more than only the physical and emotional pain the victim experiences. Victims also typically face mounting financial costs and losses throughout treatment and recovery. 

Special damages compensate injured persons for these costs. Typical examples are: 

• Lost income and wages from missed work
• Current and expected future medical bills
• In-home care costs, if necessary
• Associated property damage, such as from a residential fire
• Inability to earn income long-term 

When you contact an attorney, they will review the bills, invoices, receipts, and other documents related to your case. A skilled lawyer will ensure that you pursue every dime of economic damages to which you are rightfully entitled.

General Damages

This type of compensatory payment makes up for burn injury victims’ physical and emotional distress. Many of the worst outcomes from a severe burn do not come with a specific price tag. 

A knowledgeable lawyer from the team at Morgan and Morgan can help you seek compensation for the following: 

• Physical pain and suffering
• Emotional distress, anguish, and grief
• Depression, anxiety, and panic disorders
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of bodily function
• Temporary or permanent disability 

Calculating special damages in a burn injury claim is a complex process, but do not let yourself agree to a lowball settlement from the negligent party or their insurance provider. Let a seasoned Pennsylvania tort lawyer fight for you.

Most personal injury claims are settled without the need for a courtroom trial. A settlement happens when both parties form an agreement that precludes the need for litigation. 

However, some personal injury claims do go to court. If the opposing party in your case is uncooperative or unreasonable, you may be forced to file a lawsuit to recover the money you are owed. 

For this reason, hiring a law firm with a track record of successful trials is critical. The team at Morgan & Morgan will not shrink from the prospect of a trial. We will file a lawsuit for you if negotiations break down.

No. Never speak with an insurance representative without the guidance of a lawyer. Adjusters are trained to undermine and devalue legitimate injury claims. 

Insurance companies are financially incentivized to deny every claim possible. When you contact the attorneys at Morgan and Morgan, we will negotiate aggressively in your best interests. Our team will not allow insurance company representatives to settle for less than the total value of your Pennsylvania burn injury claim.

When you need premier tort representation in Pennsylvania, contact our firm. The attorneys at Morgan and Morgan have decades of experience successfully recovering compensation for the victims of burn injuries. 

If a negligent party owes you money for the harm you have suffered, we can help. Schedule a free legal case evaluation today by completing the user-friendly form on the Morgan & Morgan website. We are ready to fight for you.