Burn injury survivors endure more than the initial burn of an accident. They sustain the extensive impacts of surgeries, hospitalizations, and medical treatment, and they often experience a metamorphic change mentally and physically. Quality of life may have shifted from what existed before the burn injury to the “new normal,” or after the burn injury.
Burn injury survivors learn how to cope with pain, suffering, scarring, disfigurement, and trauma. The Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers work with burn survivors to obtain compensation for all aspects of their suffering.
Burns 101
If an accident burns you, seek medical attention. Contact 911 or be seen by your medical provider.
Burns injuries have many causes, and burn cases range from car, truck, or motorcycle accidents, explosions or electrocution from live electrical wires or power lines, chemical exposure burns, bike accidents with friction burns, home and workplace fires, and food burns.
Johns Hopkins Medicine defines a burn as “a type of painful wound caused by thermal, electrical, chemical, or electromagnetic energy.”
Medically, the four types of burn categories are defined by the Mayo Clinic:
- A first-degree burn affects the epidermis, the outermost layer of skin composed of five additional layers. While painful, healing could take approximately one or two weeks. Briefly touching a curling iron or hot stove could result in a first-degree burn. The outer skin will appear red but does not blister. Many sunburns are considered first-degree burns.
- A second-degree burn damages both layers of skin; the epidermis and the dermis. Second-degree burn victims will experience pain, redness, swelling, and the possibility of infection. Seek medical treatment and avoid at-home remedies.
- A third-degree burn affects all three skin layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, or the fat layer below the epidermis and dermis. This burn destroys fat cells, hair follicles, and sweat glands. These burns can damage nerve endings, so the burn area may not hurt. Burned skin can be black, white, or red with a leathery appearance. Third-degree burns often require skin grafts.
- Fourth-degree burns damage muscles, bones, and tendons. These burns can result in amputation. This burn may look charred or white.
Your initial response to your injuries may not raise concern, but it is imperative to be examined by a medical professional. Some injuries are not initially noticeable, especially after the chaos of an accident, and a trained eye can properly identify your injury and follow-up care.
Medical Treatments for Burns
Burns can require long-term medical treatment, multiple surgeries in the form of skin grafts, and extensive healing times. Burns can also cause emotional anguish, fears, post-traumatic stress disorder, and other anxiety disorders, and disfigure or scar the skin permanently. Seek medical attention if you have experienced a burn injury.
There are numerous medical treatments for burns, and your healthcare team may choose one of the following options based on your burn severity, complications, and the treatment's ability to encourage healing.
Fluids for dehydration
Intravenous (IV) fluids can be provided to prevent dehydration. When burns cover large areas of skin, fluid is lost through the skin, and shock or organ failure can ensue. As the largest organ of the human body, it becomes essential to hydrate burn victims.
Medication for pain or anxiety
Burns and the healing process can be wildly painful. Dressing changes can be excruciating no matter one’s pain tolerance, and pain and anxiety may need to be managed through pharmaceuticals.
Wound care
Burn creams and ointments in the form of topical products such as bacitracin and silver sulfadiazine (commonly known as Silvadene) to help prevent infection and promote wound closure, dry gauze, or specialty wound dressings. Antibiotics can promote healing and fight infection as infection can occur easily.
Tetanus shot
Your doctor might recommend a tetanus shot after a burn injury. Because secondary infections are common in second and third-degree burns, a tetanus shot should be done as soon as possible after the burn. Check your medical record for your last immunization.
Physical and occupational therapy
Physical therapy and occupational therapy can be essential if you have had excessive burns that cover any joints or require surgery. These therapies will help you gain back movement through flexibility, and improve muscle strength with exercise, and the plan will be tailored to your injury. Occupational therapy aids in re-training your body and mind to complete everyday activities after a major accident.
Surgical and other life-saving procedures
Breathing assistance
Face and neck burns may cause your throat to swell shut. Doctors may insert a tube down the windpipe (trachea) to keep oxygen supplied to your lungs. A ventilator can provide breathing assistance if the lungs don’t function properly.
Feeding tube
A feeding tube may be used if extensive burn victims are undernourished or need additional nutritional support. Doctors can place feeding tubes through the nose to the stomach.
Easing blood flow around the wound
An eschar, or burn scab may tighten and cut off the blood circulation to limbs or other areas of the body such as the chest, making it hard to breathe. Your provider may cut the eschar to relieve pressure.
Skin grafts
Skin grafts are used to surgically replace scar tissue caused by deep burns. Sections of your healthy skin are removed and used to replace the damaged skin. Donor skin from deceased organ donors can be used as a temporary solution.
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery, both reconstructive and cosmetic surgery, can repair the body using tissues and other organic materials to improve the appearance of burn scars and increase joint flexibility after a burn injury.
All of these medical expenses can be costly. Help is available to you and your family members through our legal team. The team at Frankl Kominsky will review the accident for free and then, help you gather an evidence file by compiling all medical expenses and calculating future treatment plans, as well as aid in your claims for compensation for the emotional anguish the burns have caused you or a loved one.
Compensation for Personal Injury in Florida
After a burn accident, a lawyer can explain your legal rights and what claims you can pursue. Below is a list of damages you may be eligible to recover after a personal injury in Florida. Burns are covered under types of personal injury.
Past and future medical expenses
Burn injuries require various medical treatments and surgeries, including rehabilitation, physical therapy, scanning and X-rays, hospitalizations, and future treatment costs. In-home medical care, prosthetics, and other medical equipment are included under medical expenses.
Pain and suffering
Pain and suffering can be considered physical, mental, or emotional. As a non-economic damage and can be calculated by a burn injury attorney. Pain and suffering are subjective depending on each burn case and pain tolerance or suffered experience or emotional loss. Hiring a personal injury attorney experienced in burn injuries guarantees a better compensation package.
Lost wages or benefits
Burn injuries can make it difficult or impossible to work due to the complexities of the burn injury. The liable party for the accident may be required to compensate for the duration the burn injury survivor failed to attend work while healing. The victim may recover their future earnings for a long-term or permanent injury.
Commonly, manual and contractual workers experience burns, and often, their earnings experience a reduction every day they take off to heal.
Loss of earnings or diminished earning potential
Florida tort laws allow injured victims to file personal injury claims for compensation due to lost or reduced earning potential.
Reduced quality of life
Quality of life refers to one’s overall well-being, health, and ability to enjoy life. If your accident causes your quality of life to be diminished, you may recover compensation.
Loss of consortium
The spouse or dependent of the injured person can file for loss of consortium, or the loss of physical, emotional, or sexual relations with a spouse due to the injury.
Temporary or permanent disability
Your injuries may force you to temporarily or permanently refrain from working. You can file a claim after your accident.
Disfigurement or scarring
Burn accidents commonly cause disfigurement or scarring of the skin and alter survivors' appearances. You can recover compensation for these physical and emotional damages.
Vehicle or property damage
If your burn accident occurred due to a car, truck, or motorcycle accident, your property may have experienced damage.
Funeral and burial expenses
Unfortunately, death can occur as a result of severe burns covering large areas of the body. You can claim funeral and burial expenses after a death due to personal injuries.
Wrongful death
If the accident caused death, the families of loved ones may be able to file a wrongful death claim. Ask about this compensation.
The experienced attorneys at Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers will work with you every step of the way to assist you in receiving the compensation you deserve after your accident from making a claim to the litigation stage. Don’t wait to file a claim; there is a statute of limitations for a personal injury in Florida.
Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury in Florida
Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers understand recovery and healing are your priorities. Let an attorney manage the claims process, investigate and create a case, negotiate and demand recovery, and pursue other legal options if necessary.
After your initial phone call, a claim must be filed within the required deadline to avoid risking being denied compensation due to not filing within Florida’s statute of limitations.
Florida’s statute of limitations is two years based on your personal injury accident or burn. If filing with a government entity, the deadlines are shorter and usually, under six months from the injury date.
How Can Our Burn Injury Lawyers Get Compensation for You?
By waiting to contact Port St. Lucie burn injury lawyers, Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers, you place your case at risk. Our Port St. Lucie burn injury attorneys understand how to establish the facts, gather detailed evidence, and present the compelling legal arguments necessary for a successful outcome.
We:
- Manage a deadline: With Florida laws to adhere to, Frankl Kominsky's lawyers will push the case forward by managing deadlines in the insurance and legal systems.
- We establish a claim with the insurance company: DO THIS ASAP. Our lawyers will work with you to try to properly establish a claim that fits your case's evidence.
- We aid in the investigation process: Once your claim is filed, your insurance company will assign someone to your case. This person will likely begin investigating the events leading to the accident and the accident itself.
- We gather evidence: The legal team will collect all documentation necessary for your claim such as accident reports from police, eyewitness statements, medical records and bills, accident scene and injuries and documentation, documentation of lost time from work, calculations of pain and suffering, and other evidence relative to your case.
- We fiercely negotiate for you: After all parties investigate your accident, your legal team at Frankl Kominsky will begin the negotiation process. During these negotiations, we will attempt to obtain a favorable settlement for your claim. Demands will be made for compensation.
- Finally, litigation is possible: A burn injury lawyer can represent you in future legal proceedings. Representation from a burn injury law firm offers your case reliability with higher chances of the recovery of fair and reasonable compensation.
Proving Liability
Proof of who is liable for the accident is the individual, group, or company that caused you direct harm by acting in a neglectful and reckless manner that caused the incident. Burn cases caused by neglect in the workplace or commercial areas can take much longer due to the increased complexities of these cases.
A personal injury attorney can increase your chances of a higher compensation package to help with your injuries and recovery.
Contact Frankl Kominsky Injury Lawyers
The days and weeks following a serious burn injury can be agonizing. While compensation does not help take the pain and anguish away, our firm can be a resource to help you and your family obtain compensation for your injury.
When you call our firm, we can provide an overview of the settlement process and guide you through your legal options. Our firm offers a no-obligation, free-case review upon initial consultation.
Our team provides quality representation for burn injury cases in Port St. Lucie and throughout Florida. No matter the accident, we will fight for your rights to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. Call today if you or a loved one are injured in an accident in Florida. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation about your burn case.
Contact Frankl Kominsky Personal Injury Lawyers through the website or call directly at (772) 800-8000. We visit hospitals to speak with clients and can visit your home if your injury prevents you from an in-person meeting. Our Port St Lucie office is conveniently located off South U.S. Highway 1 and East Prima Vista Boulevard.
An experienced and dedicated lawyer will work with you through the entire claims process to pursue the compensation you deserve after your burn injury. Don’t wait.