Burn injuries are extremely painful but very common. The CDC reports that more than a million Americans suffer from severe burn injuries each year. Half of these injuries require medical treatment, and more than 50,000 patients require hospitalization.
You already know emergency medical treatment isn’t cheap. In addition to excruciating pain associated with burn injuries, the patient often incurs substantial financial damages. If you suffered severe burn injuries in Florida, you might be entitled to compensation for the losses. Consult with a reliable personal injury lawyer who can review your case and help you figure out the best course of action. Here are other important steps that you must take.
1. Seek medical attention
It would be best if you had medical assistance to minimize the long-term impact of the burns. Even when you think the burns are minor, it’s recommended to see a doctor. Medical experts can help document the extent of your burn injuries, and you will need these documents when pursuing a personal injury claim.
2. Document your burns
Burn injuries change over time. If your case goes to trial, it might take months or even years for the jury to evaluate the evidence presented successfully. Your injuries will have healed by that time. This is the reason you should document the entire recovery process.
Take short video clips and pictures of injuries as they progress. This will help the jury to get a better idea of the burns sustained and their severity. Your burn injury attorney will also recommend that you keep a pain journal to track your feelings while undergoing medical treatment and recovery effectively.
3. Establish liability
To get compensation, victims of burns should be able to hold a third party responsible for their damages. Liability is established by proving negligence. That means you cannot hold another party responsible for your injuries if you cannot prove that they acted negligently, and as a result, you suffered burn injuries. It would be best if you established the following.
Duty of care
You have to prove that the accused owed you a duty to take the right precautions to ensure your safety. Beyond proving this duty, you must establish the extent of this obligation.
Breach of duty of care
After establishing the extent of the standard of care, you must also show that the accused deviated from this required standard. For example, you can show that the accused didn’t take the right precautions to prevent fire or explosion accidents.
Causation
Further, you should establish a causal link between the accused’s breach of duty of care and the burn injuries you suffered. His or her failure to act reasonably led to an incident that caused your injuries.
Damages
Finally, you should prove that you sustained actual harm. Documenting and proving damages is an important step in this legal process. You will not be compensated unless you can prove the full extent of your burn injuries and other damages you suffered.
4. Seek legal help
Whether your burn injuries were caused by a traffic accident, dangerous products, workplace fire, or other factors, you need to consult with an experienced injury attorney. This expert should be ready to defend your rights aggressively and help you get the amount of compensation you deserve.
Compensation for burn injuries can be both economic and non-economic. Some of the damages but are eligible for compensation include medical bills, emergency room fees, lost wages, disfigurement, diminished future earning capacity, necessary rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering, and more.
