Burn injuries are often painful and devastating and can leave the victim permanently scarred. Some burn injuries happen due to your own mistakes—you accidentally spill scalding water on your hand or you touch a hot pan in the oven. However, some burn accidents occur due to the negligence or recklessness of someone else and cause harm that could have been preventable.
Our Orange County burn lawyers at Case Barnett Law understand that a burn can be a traumatic injury and recovery a challenging and terrifying time. If your burn injury happened because of someone else’s negligent behavior or a defective product, you may want to pursue compensatory damages. Here, our burn lawyers discuss common causes of burn injuries and what may qualify for legal compensation.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries Caused by Negligence
When you understand some of the common causes of burn injuries that occur due to negligence, you are better equipped when filing a personal injury claim and seeking fair compensation. Here are some common causes of burn injuries:
- Wiring defects. Wiring defects, due to negligent installation or electrical problems, can cause electrical fires. If you’ve hired contractors or electricians to do work in your house or business, they have a legal duty to ensure the safety of the electrical systems they install and prevent hazards that could lead to burn injuries.
- Product defects. You can sustain burn injuries from defective products if they malfunction or fail to operate as intended. These defects can include flaws in the design of the product, the manufacturing, or the labeling. For example, you may buy an appliance, such as a blender, that malfunctions when the motor burns out. Or, you may purchase clothing that does not meet the guidelines set forth in the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA), enacted by Congress, to protect people from burns, fires, and death as a result of flammable clothing. Manufacturers have a legal obligation to produce safe products, and failure to do so may result in liability for any resulting injuries. It’s essential that consumers to be aware of product recalls and exercise caution when using potentially hazardous products. If you’ve been injured by a defective product, you may have a valid legal claim against the manufacturer or distributor.
- Unsafe workplace conditions. If you work at a job where you’re exposed to hazardous materials, equipment, or chemicals, you’re at a higher risk of a burn injury. Employers must comply with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations and provide a safe work environment, implement proper safety measures, and provide adequate training.
- Poorly installed fuel components. If you have a propane tank, gas line, or diesel system, they can lead to fuel-fed fires and explosions. Anyone responsible for installing these components, such as builders and contractors, has to meet strict safety standards and regulations to prevent accidents and burn injuries. If they don’t install them correctly, they could be liable for any resulting damages or injuries.
- Scalding liquid products. Burns can be caused by hot liquids and/or steam—there have been instances in the news about fast food restaurants serving too-hot coffee that spilled on customers. Burns can also be caused by improperly installed hot water heaters and poorly manufactured tea kettles and baby bottle warmers or sterilizers. This can cause trauma injuries and permanent scarring.
- Car accidents. It’s possible to suffer a burn in a car accident if there was a fire or explosion from leaking gas, an engine malfunction, or a crash with another vehicle carrying hazardous materials.
Our Burn Lawyers Can Help Your Recovery
When you suffer a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, it’s important to hire legal representation to help ensure you receive a fair settlement. Our burn injury lawyers will evaluate all possible sources of compensation for your injuries, examine potential insurance coverage, identify all responsible parties, and determine whether a defective product contributed to your burn. We will also handle the following:
- Communication with insurance companies and opposing counsel, so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. This prevents insurance adjusters from getting you to make statements that might jeopardize your claim and/or pressuring you into accepting low-ball settlement offers.
- Investigation of the circumstances that led to your burn injury to help determine liability. We will gather evidence, including photos, videos, witness statements, and safety records of the at-fault party.
- Documentation of your medical treatment and continuing care to build a strong case for compensation. We may work with medical experts to project future care costs and ensure your settlement covers long-term needs.
- Filing a lawsuit if the insurance company for the at-fault party won’t offer a fair settlement. We can represent your interests in court. Many burn injury cases settle before trial, but having an experienced litigator ensures you're prepared for any outcome.
The burn lawyers at Case Barnett Law know you don’t have to face the trauma of a burn injury alone. We can help you understand your legal rights and pursue the fair compensation you deserve. Read our case results to learn how we have helped many clients who’ve recovered from burn injuries.