Burn Injury Lawsuit and Compensation
Burns are highly painful injuries that frequently occur across the world. While many burns are self-cased accidents, many others happen at the hands of someone else. If you or someone you love has suffered a burn injury because of another person’s actions, you may be able to sue. Read on to learn more about burn injury lawsuits and compensation.
What Is A Burn Injury?
A burn injury occurs when your skin or other body tissues are injured by heat or because of radiation, electricity, friction, or contact with certain chemicals. Heat burns are typically caused by contact with hot liquids, flames, or hot objects like cooking pans or irons. They mainly occur at home or work, and they can cause disease, long-term medical conditions, and death.
Burn Injury Facts And Statistics
Burn injuries are a global problem, causing about 180,000 deaths per year. In the United States, over one million burns need medical attention every year. They’re also one of the leading causes of accidental death or injury. Children and people with disabilities are more at risk for burns. The good news is that burns are preventable, and most burns do not cause any life-threatening injuries.
How Do You Calculate Burn Injuries?
Emergency rooms and doctors use “The Rule of 9’s” to determine the total body surface area that a burn affects. This handy method divides the body’s surface area into different percentages, all of which are multiples of nine. It’s usually only used for second and third-degree burns. The body areas and percentages are:
- The front and back of the head and neck — 9%
- The front and back of both arms and hands — 18%
- The chest and stomach — 18%
- The upper and lower back — 18%
- The front and back of both legs and feet — 18%
Physicians use this method to quickly assess what percent of a victim’s body surface area has been burned. For example, a person with burns on their chest, stomach, and one arm would have burns on about 27% of their body. This fast assessment helps doctors make treatment decisions like the necessary degree of care and fluid replacement.
How Much Is A Burn Case Worth?
Similar to other personal injury cases, the average settlement for a burn case varies depending on the severity of the burn and how it occurred. Third-degree burn cases (the most serious) have much higher settlements than cases for a first-degree burn.
It’s also common to seek compensation for pain, suffering, and punitive damages in a burn injury case. Payment for any of these settlements will increase the overall payout you receive from your burn injury case.
If you or your child has suffered a burn because of someone else’s actions, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. They will use their expertise to help you get adequate compensation for your injuries.
Get A Free Case Review
Massey Law Firm is experienced in suing for burn-related personal injury in Arizona. We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve the justice that they deserve. You should never have to suffer because of the carelessness of someone else.
If you or someone you love has burn injuries caused by someone else, call our office today at 602-955-0055, and a member of our team will give you a free case review.
While we can’t always ease the emotional or physical burden of the experience, we will work as hard as we can to get you the justice and financial compensation you deserve.
