Severe burns are unique – and devastating – injuries. Unlike injuries that eventually heal, severe burns can have a lasting impact on your life. The nerve damage that comes with these injuries can cause lifelong pain that worsens over time. Burns also may leave permanent physical and emotional scars.
If you sustained burns due to another person’s negligence, you may have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit against the at-fault party. If successful, you could recover monetary compensation for all of your related losses. Some forms of compensation may cover your medical bills, lost wages, and more. An East Hartford burn injury lawyer could advise you on the damages that could be available in your case.
You should not have to deal with the stress of a severe burn injury on your own. By working with a thoughtful East Hartford catastrophic injury lawyer, you could leave the challenges of litigating your claim to the professionals while you focus on your physical recovery.
What Constitutes a Severe Burn Injury?
Medical professionals classify burns using four different levels of severity. These levels, referred to as degrees, are increasingly more severe from the first degree to the fourth. While all burns have the potential for pain and irritation, more severe injuries could drastically impact a person’s quality of life. An East Hartford attorney could determine what an injury case may be worth depending on the severity of an individual’s burns.
First Degree Burns
First-degree burns are relatively minor. These injuries only impact the outermost layer of the skin. While painful, they typically clear up without medical intervention in a manner of days. Symptoms could include mild pain and redness.
Second Degree Burns
Second-degree burns damage more than just the surface of the skin. These burns destroy the outermost layer as well as several layers underneath, and the pain can be significant. In addition to the pain and redness, these wounds also could lead to blistering and swollen tissue.
Third Degree Burns
Third-degree burns are severe injuries that require immediate medical attention. These injuries damage every level of skin and often damage nerve endings as well. Due to the destroyed nerve endings, the pain of these wounds might not register immediately. These burns can leave charred, red, or white skin in addition to open blisters. Finally, fourth-degree make up the most severe types of burns. These injuries can destroy not only the skin but the tissue and bone underneath.
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How Does Shared Fault Factor into a Burn Injury Claim?
The fault for a burn injury is not always clear. In some cases, the person suffering the burn may play a role in causing the accident. When an injured party is partially responsible for their losses, the doctrine of comparative fault determines whether they can seek compensation from the other at-fault party.
Under this law, a person with burn injuries or their East Hartford attorney may only pursue compensation if they are not primarily responsible for the accident that caused their losses. If the court determines the plaintiff is 51 percent or more at fault for causing their burns, they may not obtain compensation. If the court determines that a person is less than 51 percent responsible, the court may reduce a plaintiff’s damage award by their percentage of fault.
Call an East Hartford Burn Injury Attorney
Living with severe burn injuries takes significant financial resources, especially if you are no longer able to work. The amount of medical treatment and pain management necessary can be costly and overwhelming.
If you suffered a severe burn injury due to another person’s actions, you could seek compensation for your losses. Contact an East Hartford burn injury lawyer as soon as possible to seek the compensation you need.
