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San Antonio Burn Injury Attorney

We all know the pain of a minor burn. Yet, as many victims of accidents know, serious burn injuries cause terrible pain at all levels. It’s not only their skin that’s affected. Their muscles, bones, and sometimes organs can also be damaged. Often, the healing and reconstruction can also be incredibly painful. Have you been a victim of burn injuries in San Antonio, TX? Contact our San Antonio personal injury attorneys today for compassionate, experienced representation to help you get the compensation you deserve. The initial consultation is free.

Why You Need a Burn Injury Attorney

Burn injuries often require costly and extensive medical treatment. Burn injury victims may need weeks, months, or even years to recover from their injuries. Some burn injuries cause lifelong physical, mental, and emotional health complications.

Insurance companies know the expenses associated with burn injuries and rarely, if ever, admit fault for an accident. Instead, insurers look for ways to avoid paying claims in full, deny claims, or shift blame to burn injury victims.

When you retain a San Antonio burn injury attorney, like those at The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC, your attorney will handle all dealings with the insurance company. This includes building the strongest case possible for maximum burn injury compensation.

Your burn injury attorney in San Antonio will also:

  • Thoroughly investigate your accident;
  • Obtain all relevant evidence;
  • Speak with eyewitnesses;
  • Assess your total losses;
  • Negotiate with the insurance company;
  • Reach a fair settlement with the insurance company; or
  • Take your case to trial.

There are deadlines to file a burn injury claim in Texas. The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC, will manage your court filings. Should it become necessary to take your case to court, your burn injury attorney will stand beside you during litigation.

Learn how The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC, can help you navigate the burn injury claims process. Call to schedule your complimentary consultation today.

Liability for Burn Injuries in San Antonio

One or more parties may be liable for a burn injury. It depends on where the injury occurs and the circumstances surrounding the accident.

For instance:

Worker’s compensation insurance generally covers injuries that happen at the workplace. There are some instances where third-parties are liable for workplace burn injuries. Third-parties can include contractors and other non-employee labor. Keep in mind, if you’ve been burned at work, contact our worker’s compensation lawyers in San Antonio today.

Manufacturers and distributors of household products may be liable for burn injuries caused by faulty or defective devices. The same applies to automobile manufacturers whose systems malfunction and burn drivers or passengers. If you have been injured in a car accident, be sure to call a San Antonio car accident lawyer.

When companies or farming operations use dangerous chemicals and harm innocent bystanders or workers, those manufacturers and companies may be responsible for chemical burn injuries.

Victims of burn injuries may be partially responsible for their injuries. However, they may still be able to recover for their losses

An experienced burn injury attorney will investigate an accident to determine all liable parties and potential compensation claims.

Determining Compensation for Burn Injuries in San Antonio

Compensation for burn injuries in San Antonio is costly. Burn injuries can impact every area of a victim’s life

Total compensation depends on a variety of factors. The nature and severity of a burn injury are vital when determining compensation, as is a victim’s prognosis for recovery and their age.

A victim’s total damages must be considered. This includes current and future medical expenses. Many burn injury victims need ongoing medical treatment, reconstructive surgeries, and lengthy hospital stays as part of their rehabilitation

Severe burn injury treatment is costly in other areas of a victim’s life. Victims may lose significant time from work or never be capable of returning to their previous line of employment

Severe burns, especially those with extreme physical scarring or amputation, are shown to result in mental and emotional trauma. This makes mental health treatment a priority in a burn victim’s treatment plan

Ultimately, no two burn injury victims are alike, nor are the circumstances that cause their injuries. Every burn injury claim must be reviewed for damages on a case-by-case basis.

Compensation Available for Burn Injuries in San Antonio

Burn injury victims in San Antonio may be entitled to two types of damages for their losses. These are economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages are accident-related losses with fixed dollar amounts. These are usually billable amounts and readily determined.

Economic damages for burn injuries may include but are not limited to:

  • Hospital bills;
  • Reconstructive surgeries;
  • Prescription drugs;
  • Rehabilitation and occupational therapy;
  • Mental health treatment;
  • Lost wages;
  • Loss of earning capacity;
  • Property damage; and
  • Nursing care.

A burn injury attorney will factor future and anticipated medical needs into their client’s economic damages. This ensures their client will not be paying out-of-pocket for future accident-related care.

Non-economic damages are accident-related losses that are subjective or personal in nature. Non-economic damages can be challenging to define and value.

Non-economic damages may be awarded for the following and more:

  • Physical pain and suffering;
  • Mental and emotional trauma;
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);
  • Loss of enjoyment of life; and
  • Loss of companionship.

A third type of damages, punitive or exemplary damages, may be awarded at trial. Punitive damages are used to punish or set an example of a defendant for extremely reckless or negligent behavior and disregard for others

Punitive damages are rarely awarded.

What Compensation Is Available for Burn Injury Victims?

If a burn injury is the result of someone else’s negligence, the victim may be eligible to receive compensation. There are two types of compensation: economical and non-economical. An economical claim is something that affected the finances of the victim. Examples include:

  • Medical expenses, including future expenses
  • Prescriptions
  • Skin grafts and other surgeries
  • Loss of income
  • Loss of earning capacity

Non-economic damages are awarded for suffering that does not hurt the victim’s finances. One example is pain and suffering.

Is There a Time Limit to File a Burn Injury Claim in Texas?

If you are the victim of a burn injury that resulted from some type of accident, there is a time limit when it comes to filing a claim or lawsuit. This time limit is known as the statute of limitations, and it states that you have two years from the date that you were burned to file your claim or lawsuit. If you don’t file your claim by that time, you cannot file one.

What Are Burn Injuries?

A burn injury occurs when part of the body is exposed to and injured by some type of extreme heat. The heat can come from any number of things, but the injury remains the same: a burn that can impact more than just the skin of the victim.

Types of Burn Injuries in San Antonio

Burn injuries vary according to the source of energy that causes the burn. Burns may be caused by chemical, thermal, electrical, or radiation energy. 

While some burn injuries are more common than others, burns can be caused by the following:

  • The inhalation of smoke or chemical gas. Dangerous gasses like carbon dioxide can damage the airways and lungs, suffocating a burn victim;
  • Contact with hazardous chemicals. When hazardous chemicals come into contact with the skin, a chemical reaction can produce a serious burn injury. Household and industrial cleaners can quickly become toxic when misused, without proper protection, or mixed;
  • Thermal burns, those from open heat sources, are the most common burn injuries. Fire, steam, boiling liquids, and the sun can all cause thermal burns;
  • Electrical currents can cause burns. Contact with exposed wires, electrical outlets, and power lines can cause severe burns or death; and
  • Overexposure to radiation from devices such as X-ray machines can result in a radiation burn.

Burns are further classified by their degree of severity.

The Severity of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are categorized by degrees according to severity. There are four degrees of burn injuries. 

Burn injuries have four degrees that are used in determining their severity.

  • First degree burns affect only the first layer of skin. It is the least severe although it is still painful.
  • Second degree burns hurt the top layer of skin and the dermis beneath. It often results in both pain and blisters. It can also be extremely tender when someone touches it.
  • Third degree burns turn the skin black, brown, white, or yellow because two layers of skin are injured. This type of burn may result in nerve damage where the burn occurred.
  • Fourth degree burns are the most serious and severe. They injure the skin, muscles, tendons, and can also injure the bone. They can be life-threatening and require long-term medical care.

Burn injuries can also result in an infection. These infections can be serious and cause further damage to the body part that was hurt.

Are Burn Injuries Common?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, more than a million burn injuries each year require medical attention or restriction of activity. Every year, 90,000 patients are admitted to hospitals due to burns.

Patients with burns require over a million days of hospital care. This is an average of 12 days of hospital care per admission.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries in San Antonio

Common causes of burn injuries in the San Antonio and the surrounding areas include:

  • Car accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Truck accidents
  • Defective products
  • Workplace burns
  • Workplace explosions
  • Post-accident fires
  • Pipeline explosions
  • Electrical accidents
  • Oilfield accidents
  • Chemical burns
  • Radiological burns

Call the Attorneys at Aguirre Law Firm for a Free Consultation

If you suffered a burn injury in San Antonio or the surrounding area, The Aguirre Law Firm, PLLC is here to help. With more than 20 years of experience, our San Antonio burn accident attorneys are proud of their track record when it comes to helping victims get the compensation they deserve. Schedule your free consultation now.

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