Get a Fair Settlement with Our Florida Burn Injury Lawyer
Each year in the US, over one million people suffer from a burn that is serious enough to require medical attention. Burns can be extremely painful and disfiguring. Some of the most severe burn injuries require repeated surgeries and painful skin graft procedures to repair. These injuries are not only painful to experience; they can also be very costly to treat, leaving victims with staggering medical bills.
Victims of serious burns may be entitled to compensation
When burn injuries are the result of someone else’s careless actions, victims have a right to seek damages from the responsible party. The Florida burn injury attorneys at Meldon Law understand the emotional and physical toll that burn victims suffer. Our experienced attorneys are committed to fighting for our clients, ensuring that they understand the process at every step and answering questions as they arise. Contact the compassionate and trial-ready attorneys at Meldon Law when you’re ready to seek compensation after a Florida burn injury accident.
What are the different levels of burn injury?
Burns are assessed based on the depth of the victim’s burn and classified according to degrees. The deeper the burn, the higher the degree the burn will be assigned. There are four degrees of burn, and each degree is described in greater detail below.
- First-degree burns, also known as “superficial” burns, only affect the outer layer of the victim’s skin. There is no blistering associated with a first-degree burn, but the skin will appear red and will be sensitive to touch. One example of a first-degree burn is a mild sunburn. First-degree burns rarely cause long-term damage to the skin.
- Second-degree burns, also known as “partial thickness” burns, have permeated both the epidermis, or first layer of skin, as well as the dermis, which is the layer beneath the outermost layer of skin. Second-degree burns are often blistered and red. Swelling is possible with second-degree burns, as well, and scarring can result.
- Third-degree burns, also called “full thickness” burns, are sufficiently intense to travel through both the epidermis and dermis and often reach or damage the subcutaneous tissue. Nerve endings are often destroyed by third-degree burns. Rather than turning the skin red like first- and second-degree burns, the layers of outer skin are destroyed by third-degree burns. Instead, the burn site may look charred or white. Long-term, the skin at the site of a third-degree burn may look leathery. Skin grafts are often needed for third-degree burns.
- Fourth-degree burns pass through the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, and can even cause damage to underlying muscle and bone or even bodily organs. Fourth-degree burns are the most severe type of burns and are often life-threatening.
What are the types of burns?
There are four main types of burns, based on the source of the burn. These are:
- Chemical burns: These burns are caused by some form of acid, alkaline chemical, or explosion from a chemical reaction.
- Radiation burns: These burns are caused by extended exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light, or to a source of radiation such as an x-ray.
- Electrical burns: An electrical burn comes from making contact with an electrical current.
- Thermal burns: These burns are the result of the skin’s exposure to an external heat source. These can include hot liquids, heated metals, steam, or fire.
The four types of burns can arise from many different types of accidents, such as:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Large truck accidents
- Premises liability accidents, such as a failure to properly store dangerous chemicals
Choose Florida burn injury attorneys with experience you can trust
When pursuing damages after a catastrophic injury such as a severe burn, it is critically important to choose the right legal representation for your claim. Claims for catastrophic injuries involve complex showings of damages including:
- Costs associated with emergency medical care and transport, such as ambulance or Life Flight transport
- Prolonged hospital stay costs
- Burn center treatment costs
- Future medical expenses
- Costs associated with rehabilitation therapy
- Anticipated future surgical procedures such as skin grafts or reconstructive plastic surgery procedures
- Costs of prosthetic devices
- Lost past and future wages
- Pain and suffering
- Potential punitive damages
Each of these forms of damages requires careful gathering and presentation of evidence, skillful use of case precedents, and the selection of respected experts to testify on your behalf. You need a law firm that can handle the responsibility of such a complex case.
Florida Burn Injury Attorneys Here for You When You Need Us
The Florida personal injury attorneys at Meldon Law have decades of experience representing victims of major accidents such as serious burns. We know how to prove our clients’ claims and won’t rest until we obtain the greatest award possible for our clients. Our track record of success in Florida injury lawsuits speaks for itself. Contact the Florida burn injury attorneys at Meldon Law to discuss your case and receive a free consultation.
