Kent Burn Injury Lawyer

If you recently suffered serious burns in an accident, you are not alone. Extensive second and third-degree burns cause not just physical but emotional injuries as you relive the catastrophe that caused them and undergo prolonged medical and rehabilitative care.

The incident and recovery are even worse when someone else’s unreasonable behavior causes you harm. A reckless driver may have slammed into your car at high speed, causing it to roll and catch fire, or a careless co-worker may have spilled toxic chemicals on you. As long as you are receiving competent medical care, there is hope you will fully recover. While you recuperate, a Kent burn injury lawyer could fight for the financial compensation you may be entitled to through a catastrophic injury claim.

The Severity of Burns

First-degree burns affect only the epidermis and generally heal in time with little or no medical care. Second-degree, partial-thickness burns that cover more than 10 percent of the body should be treated at a special burn center. The epidermis layer is burned through into the dermis layer, the site reddens and blisters, and swelling and pain are common.

Third-degree or full-thickness burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. When the damage extends beyond the dermis to bones, muscles, and tendons, the burn is a fourth-degree one, the most debilitating and deadly. Severe burns cause patients to lose physical function, limbs, and mobility. Disfigurement and scarring are real possibilities. Many people experience recurring infections since the skin is a waterproof organ that protects what lies beneath. A lawyer in Kent could determine whether a burn injury could lead to a claim for compensation.

Burns Caused by Another’s Negligence

These traumatic burns can take months or years to heal. Some people require a lifetime of care and never fully recover. Some patients die. The emotional trauma to the injured person and their family is difficult to measure financially.

A burn injury attorney in Kent could negotiate with insurers or file a lawsuit against the defendant to ask the jury at trial to compensate the plaintiff for injuries suffered because of negligence. A person establishes negligence by proving four elements:

• The defendant had a duty to act reasonably and responsibly
• The defendant breached the duty by a reckless, careless, or intentional act or omission
• The defendant’s actions were the cause of the plaintiff’s accident
• The plaintiff suffered damages, such as burns

Once a person and their attorney prove negligence, the jury will consider how much compensation the plaintiff should receive for losing many aspects of a former life. Burn patients lose financial security as medical bills mount and they are unable to work. They are also compensated for emotional losses, such as living in pain or disfigured, and other problems common with catastrophic injuries.

Why a Damages Award Matters

The state does not permit juries to award punitive damages, which are meant to punish a defendant whose acts were egregious, intentional, or grossly negligent. For example, when a drunk driver slams into another car that catches fire, a court could consider punitive damages.

Juries can award as much as they deem appropriate in compensatory economic and non-economic damages, which are capped in some states. A burn injury lawyer in Kent could calculate how much money a plaintiff will need, possibly for a lifetime, in the traumatic aftermath of being burned severely.

A Kent Burn Injury Attorney Could Secure Compensation

Your road to recovery after an accident in which you are severely burned is physically arduous and emotionally draining. Your finances may become unstable if you cannot work for a while. Living in discomfort with skin grafts, infections, and loss of mobility will take a high emotional toll.

Our Kent burn injury lawyers hold reckless people accountable every day. We understand how your life has changed and offer compassionate, committed representation to get you the money you need to live your new life comfortably. Call for a consultation today.