Knowing whether you have the legal grounds to file a lawsuit against an individual or an organization can prove to be quite challenging. Fortunately, some accidents can be relatively straightforward in this regard, especially when you’ve sustained injuries. If you were involved in an accident due to negligence that resulted in you getting burned, you are certainly justified in filing a lawsuit against the guilty party. When filing your injury claim, there several types of burn injuries to be aware of to ensure your legal compensation.
Types of Burn Injuries That Provide Cause for a Lawsuit
Burns do not always occur as a consequence of fire exposure. Though direct heat is undoubtedly one of the leading causes of these injuries, other kinds include the following:
- Chemical burns: If your bare skin is in contact with a potent chemical substance (this can be either acidic or basic in nature), the fluid may begin to corrode your skin. Some of the most common culprits for such harm are ammonia products, often taking the form of household cleaners.
- Radiation burns: The most familiar form of a radiation burn is the infamous sunburn; however, radiation therapy and X-rays can also result in this type of injury. (If this is the case, you may have the grounds to file a medical malpractice claim.) These can be quite serious, as they often penetrate past the skin and can wreak havoc on internal organs and potentially initiate cancerous growth.
- Electrical burns: This is one of the most common injuries that befall many different professionals, from construction workers to restaurant employees. Unfortunately, electrical burns are easy to experience, as it only takes the accidental contact between an electrical appliance and water, a mishap when plugging something in, or other simple mistakes. These burns can vary in severity, primarily depending on the voltage.
Burns resulting from heat exposure are known as “thermal burns.” These often cause blisters to appear on the skin and may leave permanent marks or disfigurement.
Your Basis for a Burn Injury Lawsuit
You have the right to press charges for a burn injury as long as your condition was the result of another individual’s negligence or a willful act of harm against you. If your injury occurred in the workplace, however, this may not necessarily be required. For example, in construction work, electrical or thermal burns are covered by worker’s compensation insurance. Thus, your employer is likely obligated to provide you compensation under your state’s labor code
, whether another person caused your burn or not.
No matter your case’s details, though, you might also sustain effects outside of the physical harm done to you. Related impacts of burn injuries often include:
- Pain and suffering (i.e., psychological trauma related to the incident)
- Financial impacts due to ongoing medical expenses
- Reduced quality of life
You should not be expected to pay for such a burden, especially if it was not your fault. To get your lawsuit underway, contact a burn injury lawyer today. A lawyer will ensure that your monetary needs are met and that the negligent individual is held accountable for their actions. With experienced legal counsel, you’ll be on your way back to a normal standard of living in no time.