Huntsville Burn Injury Attorney
Burn injuries are some of the most painful and debilitating injuries one can receive. According to the American Burn Association, around 486,000 people receive medical treatment for burns and 40,000 people per year are hospitalized with burn injuries. The Huntsville burn injury attorneys of Conchin, Cole, Jordan & Sherrod have witnessed first-hand just how devastating burns can be. While the overwhelming majority of those suffering a burn will live, the pain can last for months, and for many the scars will last a lifetime.
Sources of Burn Injuries
The thought of severe burns typically elicits an image of hot surfaces or fire. These types of burns are known as thermal burns. Typically, thermal burns occur when you come in contact with fire, hot liquid or steam (also referred to as a scald), or hot surfaces or objects. However, while they are common, thermal burns are hardly the only mechanism of burn injury. Friction burns can occur when the skin is rubbed against another surface. Electrical burns occur when the body comes into contact with electric current and chemical burns happen when the skin or eyes come into are exposed to a harsh chemical, such as ammonia, bleach or an acid.
Serious burns are tragically common on worksites where exposed electrical wiring and dangerous chemicals are prevalent. When reasonable care is not exercised, these workplaces can become dangerous places to work, exposing employees to unnecessary risk of injury.
Those working around hot irons or ovens are also at risk of burn injuries when the proper precautions to ensure their safety are not taken, or fellow employees fail to follow the proper safety procedures.
Burn Injuries from Negligence
Burn injuries are almost always preventable and are often caused by negligence in providing the due care to see to it that potential sources of burns do not become a hazard. Proving who is at fault in a burn injury case can be challenging at times.
Alabama’s laws regarding contributory negligence often mean that the attorneys for the business or insurance company you are facing will attempt to show that you were partly responsible for your burns. Having an attorney represent you in these cases is extremely important to ensure you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. An important exception to this is in workers’ compensation cases, where you are entitled to compensation for your injuries regardless of who was negligent in your accident.
Compensation for Burn Injuries
If you have suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injury.
Compensation for burn injuries may include:
- Medical expenses
- Prescription medications
- Lost wages due to missed time at work
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages for gross or intentional negligence
You should not have to bear the financial burden of your injuries when they are caused by someone else’s negligence.
Do I Need an Attorney for My Burn Injury Case?
While an insurance company may offer you a settlement offer after your burn injury, it is important to remember that their job is to protect the interests of their company, not to look out for you and your family. You may be entitled to far more compensation than you are being offered, in an attempt to close your claim out quickly. A free consultation with a personal injury attorney at Conchin, Cole, Jordan & Sherrod can help you determine if your case is worth pursuing through legal means or if you are being offered a fair settlement for your claim.