At Laborde Earles, we have 250 years of combined legal experience. With help from our Lake Charles catastrophic injury lawyers, you could hold the at-fault party accountable for your losses. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Types of Burn Injury Lawsuits
A person can suffer a burn in many ways, and there may not always be someone legally responsible for the injury. However, many severe injuries can be attributed to the negligence of a person or company.
Negligence forms the basis of most personal injury lawsuits. People have a responsibility to act in a reasonable manner that does not endanger others. If they fail to do so and cause an injury, they could be found negligent and be ordered to pay damages. A personal injury lawyer in Lake Charles will help you build an evidence-based case.
Burn accident lawsuits can result from multiple types of negligence, including car accidents, structural fires, arson, defective products, and liquid or chemical spills. If a fire began accidentally, a person or property owner might still have liability if injuries were caused due to a lack of smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, or other safety devices.
Regardless of the cause, victims and their Lake Charles burn injury attorneys usually must file personal injury lawsuits within one year of the date of the injury, per Louisiana Civil Code §3492.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientBurn Injuries at Work
In most cases, a person who is injured at work will seek compensation for the cost of their medical care through the Louisiana workers’ compensation system. This system allows injured workers to recover the money they need for their medical bills and other expenses quickly. In exchange for fast benefits, workers give up their right to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer.
In some situations, a person who was burned at work can still file a lawsuit and seek additional damages. An industrial accident lawyer in Lake Charles will guide you through the process. For instance, if a burn occurred because a piece of equipment or machinery malfunctioned, the manufacturer or supplier of that equipment may be responsible for paying damages.
In some cases, if the employer had workers handle toxic or hazardous chemicals in an unsafe way, that employer may have some responsibility. A Lake Charles burn injury attorney could analyze the facts of an accident and identify all available sources for compensation.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientCompensation in Burn Injury Cases
Burn injuries often cause severe complications. Victims may need to be put into a medically induced coma, require several skin grafts, and might be in chronic pain even after they heal. In addition, burns can leave scarring that may cause disfigurement, loss of appendages or limbs, or could restrict their movement.
A successful plaintiff in a personal injury case may recover economic damages and non-economic damages. Economic damages compensate the plaintiff for their actual costs for things like medical bills and lost wages. For example:
- Your medical expenses could include things like the ambulance, emergency room or trauma center, burn unit care, intensive care unit, doctors, hospital, operations, diagnostic procedures, splints, dressings, rehabilitation center, prescription drugs, skin grafts, plastic surgeries, and pain management. People who experience severe burns typically face years of ongoing medical expenses.
- Your lost wages can include past and future loss of income. Your past lost wages cover the time when you could not work at all because of your wounds and if you eventually returned to work but with reduced hours or at a lower-paying position because of your injuries. If you can no longer make as much money as you did before your burn injuries, you will have future lost wages for decreased earning capacity.
Non-economic damages compensate a plaintiff for their emotional and mental losses. The pain, disfigurement, and disabilities that severe burn injuries cause may lead to substantial non-economic damages. For example:
- Burn injuries are known for being excruciatingly painful. The wound itself is painful. The treatment for burn injuries also causes discomfort when the patient has to undergo debriding of the wound. Burn scars cause a lifetime of pain. Also, many people have to undergo multiple surgeries for scar revision, contractures, and range of motion issues.
- Pain and suffering money damages are for the physical discomfort and emotional distress of one’s injuries. In addition to the physical discomfort, it can cause a great deal of emotional distress when you realize that you face a lifetime of pain, scars, and possibly limited functioning because of your burn injuries.
You might have additional losses that could be included in your burn injury claim. We can talk with you and explore all of the adverse ways that your burn injury has impacted your life.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientWe do Not Charge Upfront Legal Fees on Personal Injury Cases
For anyone who might think they cannot afford to have a burn injury lawyer handle their personal injury claim for them, you’ll be happy to know that we do not charge upfront legal fees on personal injury cases. You do not have to be rich to get the benefit of our hard work and experience.
We handle burn injury claims and other personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that we wait until the end to get paid. Then, we receive a portion of the settlement proceeds or jury award. We do not get paid until you win.
They treated us like no other people would. Whenever we needed something they were there for us. I put my trust in them and I don’t regret it.
ClientWhat a Lake Charles Burn Injury Lawyer Can Do for You
Our clients know that when we handle their personal injury claim, they get to devote their energy and attention to getting better and rebuilding their lives. They do not have to spend their time answering questions from a claims adjuster, gathering evidence to prove the liable party’s fault, negotiating with the insurance company, or wondering how to file a lawsuit seeking money damages.
We take care of all of these things for you. We have helped thousands of families seek compensation for the losses they suffered because of the negligence of others. We negotiate directly with the insurance company so that you do not have to. If the case does not settle, we can file a lawsuit asking the court to award damages for your injuries.
Get Help from a Lake Charles Burn Injury Attorney
Burn injuries often cause catastrophic damage to the lives of the victim and their families. If you or your family member sustained a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, a Lake Charles burn injury lawyer could fight for the compensation you deserve. Call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today to schedule a consultation.
