According to the American Burn Association, approximately 486,000 burns occur each year in the United States. About ten percent of burn patients will need to be hospitalized.
If you or someone you love sustained a burn from the negligence of another person or entity, a Manchester burn injury lawyer could help you seek compensation for your medical bills and other damages. With your skilled catastrophic injury attorney’s help, you could file a lawsuit against the responsible party and fight for the justice you deserve.
Obtaining a Verdict in a Burn Injury Claim
The success of a burn injury case rests on several central claims. For a plaintiff to win a verdict, the jury must first see and believe that the defendant in the case owed some kind of duty to the plaintiff and that they breached that duty. Furthermore, a jury must also believe that the plaintiff incurred an injury due to the breach, known as proximate cause and that the injury caused them economic or non-economic damages.
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Compensable Damages in Burn Injury Cases
There are two types of compensable damages; economic and non-economic. Economic damages reflect ways that the injury has impacted the complainant financially. A burn injury plaintiff is likely to have significant medical bills, including therapy and prescriptions. They may also be unable to go to work and earn a paycheck and could be eligible to recover compensation for their lost wages.
Non-economic damages represent other, non-financial ways that the victim has suffered. Non-economic damages vary from case to case, but they may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of companionship
An experienced lawyer in Manchester could help outline the possible damages following a burn injury and work to ensure that the complainant receives the full compensation they deserve.
Punitive Damages
While some burns may be caused by actions that are simply negligent, other burns may be the result of willful disregard for the safety of the injured party or wanton recklessness. Complainants who suffered either type of burn injury are eligible for compensatory damages, but only the latter may receive punitive damages. A jury may award punitive damages for the purpose of punishing the responsible party and deterring future willful behavior.
According to General Statutes of Connecticut §14-295, the jury has the option to award punitive damages to the plaintiff that are double or treble the amount of their compensatory damages in some burn injury cases, such as those caused by car accidents. An accomplished burn injury lawyer in Manchester could explain the concept of punitive damages in more depth and explain the role they could play in a particular case.
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How a Manchester Burn Injury Attorney Could Help
A Manchester burn injury lawyer understands that burns can cause extreme pain, disability, and disfigurement. They also know that the medical bills resulting from burns can lead to a lifetime of financial ruin. With the help of a compassionate and dedicated attorney, you could recover compensation to cover high medical costs and account for you and your family’s suffering.
Call today to speak with a lawyer who could represent your interests and work for the compensation you deserve.
