Severe burn injuries can cause significant physical pain, disfigurement and psychological trauma. If someone else’s careless or wrongful act caused your burn injuries – such as a distracted driver in a car accident case or the manufacturer of a defective product – The Hill Law Firm can help. Our Kerrville burn injury attorneys can guide you through the legal process to help you establish fault and seek justice. Call (210) 960-3939 today for a free consultation.
Kerrville Burn Injury Resources
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Why Hire The Hill Law Firm?
How Do Burns Occur?
Burn Severities
How Our Attorney Can Help
Burn Injury Lawsuit Process
Value Of a Burn Injury Lawsuit
How Long Do I Have To File?
Contact Us
Why Hire The Hill Law Firm After Suffering a Burn Injury?
- Our Kerrville burn injury lawyer, Justin Hill, has over a decade of experience representing injured accident victims throughout Texas. We understand burn injury claims.
- We have secured millions of dollars for our clients in settlements and jury verdicts, including many positive case results for burn victims.
- If we don’t win your case, you won’t pay our fee – guaranteed. Our Kerrville personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, with $0 charged upfront.
How Do Burns Occur?
Burn injuries can arise from many different accidents and incidents in Kerrville. Structural fires are a common cause, including house fires, as are car accidents that lead to burning vehicles. If you’re hurt by a burning vehicle, a car accident lawyer in Kerrville may be able to assist you. Explosions, such as oil rig disasters, also frequently cause burn injuries in Texas. In addition, defective products, such as an object that gets too hot while in use, may lead to consumer burn injuries.
Common sources of burn injuries include:
- Boiling water and steam
- Hot objects
- Fires and explosions
- Cooking fires
- Structural fires
- Acidic or caustic chemicals
- Electrical currents
- Friction burns, such as road rash
- Radiation burns
- Overexposure to the sun
- Workplace disasters
In many scenarios, burn injuries are preventable. In the workplace, for instance, employers should properly equip workers with safety gear to prevent foreseeable burns. If you suffer injury due to unsafe work practices, a workplace injury lawyer in Kerrville may be able to secure compensation on your behalf. If one or multiple parties caused or contributed to your injuries as a burn survivor in Kerrville, they may be financially responsible for your associated medical costs and losses.
What Are the Different Severities of Burns?
When a burn victim arrives at a hospital, the physician must assess the severity of the burn and classify it into the correct degree. Burn injury classifications help inform a doctor’s treatment plan, as different severity levels come with various potential complications.
Burn injuries are classified into four degrees:
- First degree: the most minor type of burn, affecting only the epidermis (outermost layer of skin). These burns can be painful and cause minor swelling but do not break the skin.
- Second degree: a burn that extends into the second layer of skin, or the dermis. A second-degree burn often causes a blister or open wound, with a risk of infection.
- Third degree: a burn that reaches the deeper tissues beyond the skin, such as tendons and ligaments. These are serious burns that often lead to permanent scarring and disfigurement.
- Fourth degree: a deep tissue burn that destroys all layers of skin and reaches muscle or bone. These burns may require amputations and are often fatal.
It is important to see a doctor for any type of burn injury, as you may be at risk of health complications like infections, nerve damage and permanent scarring. However, receiving professional medical care is most critical for second-degree to fourth-degree burns.
How Our Kerrville Burn Injury Attorney Can Help
In the aftermath of a burn injury, it is normal to feel overwhelmed, frightened and confused. Reaching out to a burn injury lawyer in Kerrville can help you understand your rights and legal options during this difficult time. You can focus on your medical treatments and recovering from a disaster while your lawyer handles complicated legal matters for you.
Legal services offered by your lawyer may include:
- Comprehensive accident investigation
- Evidence preservation and collection
- Identification of the responsible party
- Eyewitness interviews and depositions
- The hiring of expert witnesses
- Claims-filing processes
- Settlement negotiations with an insurance claims adjuster
- Personal injury trial litigation, if your case goes to court
During your burn injury case, a lawyer can give you tailored legal advice and answers to your specific questions. You can enjoy greater peace of mind about your future with a lawyer fighting for optimal case results and maximum financial compensation on your behalf.
Process of a Burn Injury Lawsuit
First, your attorney will investigate the accident to determine who or what caused your burn injuries. Your lawyer will draft and submit a complaint against the at-fault party or parties, which will include the key facts of the case and a settlement demand. If the claim gets accepted, your lawyer will negotiate a fair settlement. If the defendant’s insurer rejects liability or refuses to offer a reasonable settlement, your case may go to trial in Kerr County. However, the majority of burn injury cases in Texas reach settlements.
What Is the Value of a Typical Burn Injury Lawsuit?
There is no one-size-fits-all settlement for burn injury lawsuits; the value of each case is unique. Case values are decided based on a variety of factors that are unique to each individual, such as the severity of the victim’s burns.
Available financial compensation may cover:
- Past and future medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disability or disfigurement
- Lost wages and capacity to earn
- Property damaged in the incident
- Punitive damages, in rare cases
In general, the physical and emotional trauma associated with burns means these cases may be worth a significant amount, with severe fourth-degree burn injuries valued higher than less substantial burn injuries. Discuss the potential value of your case with an attorney before accepting a settlement.
How Long Do You Have to File a Burn Injury Claim?
In Texas, a law called the statute of limitations places a two-year filing time limit on most personal injury cases. If you wait too long after your burn injury and attempt to file a claim after two years have passed, you will most likely be barred from seeking a financial recovery. This is why it is important to contact an attorney in Kerrville as soon as possible about a potential burn injury claim.
Speak to Our Kerrville Burn Injury Attorney Today
Do not wait to speak to an attorney if you or someone you love has suffered a burn injury in a preventable accident in Kerrville. Contact the experienced burn injury lawyers of The Hill Law Firm to schedule a free case consultation with a lawyer. We will help you take the next steps toward justice. Contact us online or call (210) 960-3939 today.