Burn injuries are very traumatizing, as they are extremely painful and require extended treatment and rehabilitation. Burn injuries figure in the top five causes of death in the United States and leave the victims scarred for life. That’s why you need to speak to a Brooklyn personal injury lawyer immediately to get suitable compensation to help you overcome the trauma.
Over 2.4 million burn injuries happen every year in the United States, and burn injury deaths come next to accidental deaths caused by motor vehicles in the US. Did you know that most of these burn injuries happen in the kitchen?
Unlike a car accident injury, a burn injury costs much more to treat as the treatment involves a process involving extensive reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Causes of Burn Injuries
As mentioned earlier, most of the burn injuries happen in the kitchen. However, several burn injuries occur for no fault of yours.
Other causes include:
- Automobile accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Explosions
- Construction site accidents
Major burn injuries among restaurant workers were reported in the New York City area. Scalds from hot coffee or water were the most common burn injuries reported, which required an average hospitalization for a fortnight or so. Over 97% of the burns were related to the extremities, and over half the patients had to go in for surgery, which they could ill-afford.
When you suffer burn injuries because of another person’s negligence, you are eligible for suitable compensation. Regardless of the circumstances, an experienced Brooklyn personal injury lawyer will help you assess the extent of injuries and advise you on the compensation amount you can claim.
How Burn Injuries affect you
Burn injuries may take more time to heal, after which scar tissue forms leading to effects that almost last a lifetime. These effects are:
- Destruction of sweat glands makes a victim unable to sweat, leading to a lack of control over body temperature.
- If the oil glands present in the skin are destroyed, the skin turns dry, losing its natural lubrication property.
- While the scars can be permanent, they cause the skin to be discolored, and the resultant color will depend on the degree of burns.
- The skin of burn injury victims becomes sensitive to heat and cold, and touch sensation is affected.
Time Limit to File a Lawsuit
Most of the country’s states have set a time framework for burn injury victims to file their lawsuits. Per the New York Civil Practice, the time framework is 30 months from the date of injury, though there are a few exceptions. You must file a claim well within the deadline, failing which there is a likelihood for the authorities to reject your claim. That’s why you must contact a Brooklyn personal injury lawyer who will advise and guide you on all the formalities and help you get the compensation you deserve.
How an Attorney Can Help
Burn injuries call for long-term treatment and rehabilitation, and the medical bills can be prohibitively high. Most burn injury victims cannot return to work or go back to their regular routine. If the negligence of a third party caused the burn injury, your lawyer would help you get suitable compensation for the damages as well as the lost time.
Your burn injury lawyer may offer free consultation on compassionate grounds and wait for the compensation claim to be settled before discussing the legal fees due. Burn injury victims should never delay seeking legal recourse as most lawyers waive the initial consultation fees and the fees for filing the claim and processing it, understanding that payment shall be made on receipt of the compensation amount.
Summing it Up
Burn injuries cause a lot of trauma, with the restaurant industry reporting the most number of burn injury cases, which is considered an underappreciated public health hazard by the authorities. In case you witness a burn injury, it is advisable to report it immediately before seeking legal help. The burn injury reporting hotline for New York is 1-800-345-5811.
Bio: Ellen Hollington is a freelance writer who offers to ghostwrite, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.