Washington State Burn Injury Lawyers
Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner PLLC is proudly serving Seattle, Bellingham, Mt. Vernon, Takoma, Spokane, Olympia, and other areas in Washington State.
When a person suffers a severe burn injury, every part of their life changes. Putting aside the physical pain of being burned and the time and money of getting treated, the disfigurement suffered following a burn accident can devastate a victim for the rest of their life. We see every day how our clients are affected by their injuries after an accident. We know there are no more debilitating injuries than serious burn injuries.
A burn victim often requires skin grafts, skin replacement, physical therapy, and reconstructive surgery. Often, scarring is permanent, disfiguring, and incredibly painful. Our clients can suffer secondary complications like infection and bone and joint problems, and some have not been able to continue their careers as before. Their relationships and their quality of life can be negatively and permanently impacted. If a burn injury has affected you, speak to one of our experienced Washington burn injury lawyers as soon as possible.
What Are Different Types of Burn Injuries?
Burn accidents are shockingly common. In fact, according to the American Burn Association, there are nearly half a million burn injuries each year that require medical treatment. You may have heard burns categorized as first-degree or third-degree, for example. This is the terminology medical professionals use when describing how severe a burn is. The different levels of severity of burns include:
- First-degree burns are superficial burns that affect only the outermost layer of skin and are often treated with over-the-counter first aid supplies;
- Second-degree burns penetrate into deeper layers of skin and often require medical attention;
- Third-degree burns destroy multiple layers of skin and require immediate medical treatment; and
- Fourth-degree burns completely destroy the skin and expose underlying tissues, muscles, or bones.
If you suffer a burn accident, your prognosis may depend upon the location, size, and severity of the burn injury. You may also experience additional complications depending on the substance that caused your burn. For instance, chemical burns can cause respiratory problems if you inhale the corrosive or toxic substances that burned your skin. Radiation burns can increase your risk of developing some cancers. Electrical burns can cause severe nerve damage and cardiovascular issues.
How Are Burn Injuries Caused?
People commonly associate burn injuries with house fires or wildfires. But burn accidents and injuries usually happen in less dramatic ways, not all of which include fire. As experienced Washington burn injury lawyers, we see burn accidents occur in a variety of circumstances, which include:
- Auto accidents,
- Truck accidents,
- Chemical spills and explosions,
- Radioactive exposures,
- Defective products,
- Electrical shocks and fires,
- Hot water scalding, and
- Accidental burning by fire.
As you can see, there are many ways to suffer a burn accident. If you have been the victim of a burn injury, contact the Washington burn injury lawyers at Brett McCandlis Brown & Conner. We can evaluate your case and help you obtain the recovery you deserve.
Treatment for Burn Injuries
Physical Injuries and Scarring
Doctors have made huge strides in effectively treating burns and scars and performing facial reconstruction. Since the early 2000s, the U.S. military and private hospitals have made serious investments in ways to treat severely burned soldiers wounded in Afghanistan and Iraq. Treating these soldiers has prompted research into innovative new reconstructive plastic surgery techniques. But, these treatments come with a price. Like the treatments for the burns themselves, reconstructive surgeries can be painful, prolonged, and extremely expensive. If you suffer a burn accident, you can expect multiple surgeries, including skin grafts, skin transplants, and skin expansions. Sometimes this process can take years.
Psychological Injuries
Scarring and disfigurement can also cause severe psychological effects for burn victims. Each time a person with serious scarring and disfigurement sees their own reflection, they must relive the traumatic burn accident they suffered. It is also common for burn victims to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They can be socially isolated after a burn accident and find it challenging to make friends, keep a job, or stay in school. Burn victims with scarring and disfigurement victims also have a high rate of suicide.
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury, speak with our Washington burn injury lawyers today. We cannot help you regain your past, but an experienced lawyer can help you take control of your future and get the compensation you deserve for the accident you’ve experienced.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Burn Accident?
The parties liable for your burn injury will depend on the facts and circumstances of your situation. The location where the burn accident happened often helps determine who can be liable. For instance, in the case of a burn accident that happens at a residential location, like a house fire, the homeowner and a Washington homeowner’s insurance policy may be responsible for some of the costs of your injury. In the case of burns from a defective toy or device, both the manufacturer of the device and the party who sold it to you might be liable. To prove liability for your burn accident, you will need to show that another person’s negligent or malicious conduct caused you to become injured.
What does a successful burn injury claim look like?
When a client is suffering from a burn injury caused by an accident, our injury lawyers take special steps to identify the extent of the injury, to evaluate its cause, and to determine how the injury affects our client’s life, now and in the future. Since burn injuries often require long-term, costly medical care, we ensure that this cost is fully factored into the insurance-claim process. A successful claim is one in which our client receives a settlement or verdict that enables them to fully recover financially, and compensates them for their current and future losses.
Speak with a Washington Burn Injury Attorney Today!
Contact us today! 800-925-1875
