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If you have suffered a burn injury due to the negligence, or recklessness, of another party or an on-the-job accident, the Augusta GA-based burn injury attorneys at Nicholson Revell LLP are here to help. Our lawyers have years of experience dealing with burn injury cases and will work diligently to ensure you receive the full compensation you are due under the law. Our burn injury lawyers have handled lawsuits involving:
Although it is possible to handle a burn injury and scarring claim without help from an attorney, this might not be in your best interest. Handling your claim on your own can expose you to bad faith insurance dealings. Bad faith insurance refers to an insurance company handling your claims unfairly or dishonestly, such as devaluing your losses or denying your claim without a valid reason. A lawyer can help you combat insurance company tactics for a fair settlement.
A burn injury attorney in Augusta can protect you from settling for less money than your life-changing or permanently scarring injury is worth. A lawyer can handle the entire legal process on your behalf, including investigating your case, gathering evidence, and giving your case the attention it needs. This way, you can focus on healing from your serious injuries without the stress of conducting negotiations. With an accident lawyer in Augusta by your side, negotiating or litigating a case can become much easier.
Doctors categorize burn injuries according to their thickness – how deep into the soft tissues the burn has injured the skin cells and nerves. There are three different categories of burn injuries, organized from least serious to most serious:
The treatment required for your burn injury depends on its degree. Without proper treatment, First-degree and second-degree burns can sometimes worsen to the next level of burn injury.
First-degree burns only damage the outer layer of the skin and are typically denoted by redness and pain. These types of burns will usually heal on their own with the aid of over-the-counter creams, ointments, and pain medications.
If not properly treated, a first-degree burn can become infected and cause additional problems. However, first-degree burns typically do not cause permanent damage or scarring.
Second-degree burns damage the first two layers of the skin and are as painful as first-degree burns but appear over a larger area and may also blister and ooze. Burns greater than 2-3 inches and that appear on parts of the body such as the buttocks, face, feet, groin, or hands are often considered major burns. Second-degree burns may leave scars or discolored skin pigmentation.
Third-degree burns are the most severe and can destroy all layers of the skin including underlying tissues such as muscles, tendons, and bones beneath the burn injury site.
Third-degree burns are characterized by skin and or tissue that is blackened and charred, pale, or leathery, according to the Health Information Library at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Third-degree burns are deceptive in that they may not hurt as much as first-degree and second-degree burns, but this is due to the extensive tissue loss where nerves were damaged or destroyed.
These types of burns often require medical treatment to prevent infection, aid new skin and tissue growth, and minimize scarring. Third-degree burns almost always cause some scarring or disfigurement.
While it is important for a doctor to properly assess the degree of a burn injury to administer the correct treatment, it is also necessary to identify the type of burn. The type of burn refers to the source of energy that caused the tissue damage. There are four types of burn injuries:
Each type of burn injury requires different treatment methods. A chemical or electrical burn, for example, may not show outward signs of injury but cause severe internal damage. A doctor must treat these burns differently than external thermal burns.
Filing a personal injury lawsuit for a critical burn is extremely important. You might not be able to afford your past and future medical care out of pocket – nor should you have to if you did not cause your injury. Living with a burn injury can involve the following costs:
A patient with a critical burn could easily spend more than $1 million in medical care, especially if he or she encounters complications. Scarring or disfigurement, for example, can incur tens of thousands of dollars in additional treatment costs and reconstructive surgeries. Not to mention the money the victim will lose in having to take time off work, either temporarily or permanently.
The economic or financial costs of a severe burn injury are not the only price a burn survivor has to pay. Most burn survivors also suffer significant physical pain, suffering, emotional distress, and psychological trauma. Fires or explosions, for example, can cause mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
Lasting effects from burn injuries, such as physical disfigurement, can also take a toll on a survivor’s emotional health. Burn injuries are also significantly painful, with some survivors experiencing chronic shooting pains from nerve damage.
The substantial tangible and intangible losses a burn injury victim can suffer make it comparative for a victim to come forward with a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party. An injury lawsuit can reimburse a victim for many different types of damages and losses:
Some claimants may also be eligible for punitive damages. In Georgia, punitive damages are only awarded to punish a defendant for grossly negligent or malicious behaviors. If you’re curious about the potential value of your burn injury case, ask our attorneys for an in-depth assessment.
Before you can recover compensation for your critical burns and scarring, your lawyer must identify the correct defendant(s). The defendant is the party you are alleging is to blame for your injury. Under Georgia’s personal injury laws, the defendant is the person or party most responsible for causing the victim’s (plaintiff’s) injuries. The liable party in your burn injury case could be one of several possibilities depending on the circumstances of your injury:
An attorney from Nicholson Revell LLP can help you determine liability for you or a loved one’s critical burns. We can investigate the accident or incident that led to your burn injuries for signs of fault, negligence, or causation. If we find evidence of fault, we can collect it and present it to an insurance company or judge on your behalf. Our lawyers have years of experience going up against all types of defendants throughout Georgia, from individuals to multimillion-dollar corporations. We have what it takes to help you.
At Nicholson Revell LLP, we are passionate about putting our years of experience and knowledge to good use on behalf of injured victims in Augusta and throughout Georgia. Our Augusta Personal Injury Attorneys can help you understand and protect your legal rights. With assistance from our personal injury attorneys, you can finally move forward after a critical burn injury. Contact us today for a free consultation.