A severe burn injury is a life-altering injury that can threaten your life and your livelihood. A burn injury can lead to significant medical expenses, lost wages, permanent injury, pain, suffering, and scarring that can forever change your life. Whether the injury occurred at work, at home, or on the road, our experienced team can fight for you and seek the financial recovery you need and deserve. We are the Houston burn injury lawyer to call!
The Callahan Law Firm understands burn injuries. With more than 25 years of experience representing people with serious injuries including burn injury clients, we have the skills, resources, and commitment to secure the full compensation you need. We tirelessly advocate for every client we represent.
We provide a free case review to answer your questions. We charge no fees unless you make a financial recovery. At The Callahan Law Firm, we are available to talk at any time. Contact a burn injury lawyer in Houston today online or by phone.
Common Types of Fire and Burn Injury Lawsuits in Houston
When dealing with a burn injury, the cause of the burn injury will determine the claims that will be made in your lawsuit as well as the damages and remedies available to you. A lawsuit because of a burn injury that happens at work will be very different than a lawsuit involving a burn injury that happens in an auto accident, at your home, or due to a defective product. It is important to have a burn injury lawyer who understands these differences and has experience in representing people with serious and catastrophic injuries as a result of an auto accident, a workplace accident, or a defective product.
The workplace is a common location where burn injuries can happen. Electrical burns, chemical burns, liquid burns, and burns as a result of explosions and fires are just some of the causes of burn injuries that happen in the workplace. If your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, you should be able to use that insurance for your medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages. However, if your employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance or gross negligence was the cause of your accident, Texas law allows you to pursue a lawsuit against your employer if it was negligent. In addition, if the burn injury was caused by the negligence of a company that was not your employer, or one of that company’s employees, Texas law allows you to pursue damages through a lawsuit in that instance as well. That is what is known as a third-party case. Whether the burn injury happens at a refinery, a chemical plant, a manufacturing facility, on a construction job, or any other work setting, a burn accident lawyer can help you understand your legal options and how to seek compensation.
Burn injuries can also happen as a result of an auto accident. Autos are fueled with highly flammable gasoline. They also have other dangerous and combustible fluids, and there can be defective electrical wiring, as well as a chemical battery that can trigger a blaze. In addition, electric cars also have a history of catching fire and severely injuring passengers. The resulting lawsuit over any burn injury can be complicated with many parties involved. The lawsuit may include automobile manufacturers, automobile component manufacturers, car dealers, repair shops, and the company that employs the other driver.
Defective products such as space heaters, water heaters, washers and dryers, dishwashers, grills, stoves, humidifiers, and other common household appliances have all been the cause of serious burn injuries. A burn injury lawsuit due to a defective product is governed by an area of law known as product liability. These types of lawsuits can be brought against the manufacturer of the defective product, a manufacturer of a defective component, as well as a distributor or retailer of the product. If you or a family member suffered a burn injury due to a defective product, you should consult with an attorney who has experience in handling product liability lawsuits.
Another common location where burn injuries happen is on dangerous properties, such as negligently maintained apartment buildings and other structures. Landlords may be required to maintain working smoke detectors and generally keep the property free of fire hazards. Too often, however, landlords do not fulfill their duties, and they can be held responsible for fires that break out.
Demanding Compensation for Your Burn Injury
In a burn injury lawsuit, a Houston burn injury attorney can explore the types of compensation that may be available to you. Common types of compensation include:
- Medical bills – Burn injuries can require expensive and highly specialized care. Hospital stays, surgeries, treatment, and long-term care can add up quickly. A lawsuit can help burn injury victims recover compensation to pay for these costs.
- Lost wages – Burn injuries can lead to lost wages and lost work, both in the past and future. If you are unable to work as a result of your injuries, a burn injury lawsuit can help you recover the wages you lose now as well as those you will lose in the future.
- Pain and suffering – Burn injuries are physically painful. The mental anguish can be just as severe. Burn injury victims often experience extraordinary stress, fear, depression, and other long-term problems. Compensation can be claimed in a lawsuit for those injuries.
- Disfigurement – The scarring from burn injuries, donor sites on other parts of the body, as well as amputation, are very real results when a person suffers a serious burn injury. These are also elements of damages that can and should be claimed in a lawsuit against the companies and people responsible for your injuries.
How a Houston Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help
A Houston burn injury attorney can handle your lawsuit and help you in these ways:
- Gathering evidence – After you or a loved one have suffered a burn injury in an accident, many different types of evidence must be collected and preserved to support your claim. A Houston burn injury lawyer can help you gather critical evidence required to succeed in a lawsuit.
- Helping you understand the law – The laws, rules, and regulations dealing with a workplace burn injury can be very different than those governing a car accident or a burn injury at home. An accident lawyer will help you understand which laws are involved. The burn injury lawyer can also identify the parties that can be held responsible for your injuries.
- Advising you on types of compensation – Different types of compensation may be available to you, depending on where your injuries occurred, and who caused them. A Houston burn injury attorney can help you understand the types and amounts of compensation you may be entitled to recover.
- Fighting for the compensation you deserve – An attorney can advocate for you by negotiating with employers and insurance companies, and aggressively handle your case through trial when required.
How Long Do You Have to File A Burn Injury Lawsuit in Houston?
The amount of time that you have to file a burn injury lawsuit can depend on many circumstances. If the incident that caused the injury happened in the state of Texas, there is a two-year time limit during which a lawsuit must be filed, or the claim is forever lost. There can be exceptions to this rule, which is why it is so important to consult with a burn injury lawyer to understand your rights. The general rule is that the deadline for filing a lawsuit starts at the time of the accident. That means your case must be investigated, the evidence must be collected, the facts must be thoroughly analyzed, and the lawsuit must be filed within the required time period.
Personal injury lawsuits can be very complicated and require an extraordinary amount of time and energy to handle properly. If you have suffered a burn injury, contact a Houston burn injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Types of Burn Injuries
Common types of burn injuries include:
- Thermal burns – Thermal burns occur when a flame, liquid, steam, or hot surface encounters a person’s skin. These burns can range from light burns that harm the outermost layer of skin to deep burns that can require skin grafts, amputation, and long-term care.
- Electrical burns – Electrical burns are caused by an electrical source such as a live wire on a construction site, an ungrounded power line, or contact with a defective home appliance. This category of burns can result in severe external and internal injuries. Contact with electrical currents can cause internal burn injuries to vital organs including the heart, brain, nervous system, blood vessels, and more resulting in serious and permanent long-term conditions.
- Friction burns – This category of burns occurs when a person’s skin encounters a hard surface, with either or both being in motion at the time of contact. This type of burn can occur in situations such as car accidents if an individual is ejected and slides across a hard surface, such as a road.
- Chemical burns – These burns are among the most serious types of burns. Chemical burns occur when a person is exposed to harsh chemicals such as cleaning solvents, acids, and other powerful chemicals. Chemical burns can be caused by many common fluids and solvents used in automotive or manufacturing settings.
- Radiation burns – Any radiation source can cause these burns, including medical imaging and treatment sessions. Individuals in treatment for cancer and other serious diseases are often exposed to radiation treatment as part of their care plan. If medical professionals make a mistake, radiation burns can be the result.
What to Expect With a Burn Injury and Recovery
Burn injuries are intensely painful. They can lead to life-threatening infections, disfigurement, and permanent injuries. No matter the cause, burn injuries can damage the skin and soft tissue, causing lasting pain, nerve damage, and scarring.
In general, burns are classified in a three-tier system known as “degrees,” depending on their severity and how deep in the skin they go:
- First-degree burns are considered the mildest burns. They affect only the outermost layer of skin and result in pain, swelling, and redness. These burns may seem superficial but sometimes conceal deeper damage to the tissue. Usually, these types of burns heal within a week or two but can be very painful. These burns can lead to significant health issues for individuals with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical problems.
- Second-degree burns are a more serious form of burn. Second-degree burns affect the first and second layers of skin. These burns may result in blistering, scarring, and serious pain that can take a long time to heal. Recovery from these burns may involve medications such as antibiotics and pain medication. Skin grafts or other surgeries are required in certain circumstances. If you experience a second-degree burn, it is important to get a medical evaluation to understand the best course of treatment.
- Third-degree burns are the most serious category of burns. Third-degree burns destroy all the layers of skin. These types of burns may not be painful right away because the pain-sensing nerve endings in the skin have been damaged or destroyed. Treatment for these burns often involves skin grafts and major surgeries. Third-degree burns can cause long-term pain and require long-term care.
Talk to a Houston Burn Injury Attorney Now
If you have suffered a burn injury, talk to a Houston burn injury attorney now. With decades of experience and a focus on you and your needs, we are available to help anytime. Contact us online or call The Callahan Law Firm today for a free case review.
