West Palm Beach Burn Injury Attorney
Burn injuries in motor vehicle collisions are often extreme. In fact, a study published in the U.S. National Library of Medicine that analyzed 178 burn injury patients who were burned in traffic collisions found that 24.7 percent of cases ended in death. In cases where the victim survives, they may be left with permanent scarring and disfigurement, amputation, nerve damage resulting in loss of sense of touch or motion, and permanent disability. In the more immediate time frame, burn victims are subjected to the most extreme type of pain imaginable, and are at risk of infection while recovering from their wounds. Burn victims deserve serious compensation for their medical expenses, extreme pain and suffering, loss of joy of life, and emotional distress. Our West Palm Beach burn injury attorneys can help make this a reality, and hold the at-fault driver responsible for their actions.
Burns Caused During Traffic Collisions
Five of the most common ways in which traffic collision victims suffer burn injuries include the following:
- Being trapped inside a vehicle as it catches fire due to its gasoline igniting;
- Collisions involving commercial vehicles carrying flammable substances;
- Assisting another person out of a burning vehicle;
- Touching a door or side panel that has been exposed to heat (was recently on fire); and
- Pedestrian and cyclist victims being thrown to and knocked out on the pavement during summer can lead to third degree burns;
Three Degrees of Burn Injuries
- First Degree Burns—Damage to only the outer layer of skin, causing redness, pain, and swelling but generally no permanent damage;
- Second Degree Burns—Damage to the outer and middle layers of skin, resulting in redness, pain, swelling, and potentially blistering. A second degree burn can cause scarring.
- Third Degree Burns—Damage to all layers of the skin, causing the skin to become white or blackened (charred). Third degree burns can also burn down into muscle, tendon, bone, and organs.
According to MedlinePlus, burn injuries fall into two categories: minor burns and major burns. These classifications are as such:
- Minor burns:
- First degree burn located anywhere on the body; or
- Second degree burns less than 2 to 3 inches wide.
- Major burns:
- Any third-degree burn;
- A second-degree burn that is 2 to 3 inches wide; or
- A second-degree burn to the feet, hands, face, burrocks, groin, or major joint.
A West Palm Beach Burn Injury Lawyer Can Take Your Case Today
Unfortunately, burn victims may never fully return to their previous lives again. Even after multiple skin grafts, some serious burn victims are left with deformity, scarring, loss of body parts, or loss of range of motion. No amount of money can make up for these injuries. What compensation can do for these victims is to help create a more stable financial future, and to provide some sense of justice that the negligent party did not simply receive a minor traffic ticket and get to walk away. Here at Hale Law, our burn injury attorneys aggressively pursue full and fair compensation from the negligent driver who caused harm to our clients. To speak to one of our attorneys today at no charge, call 941-735-4529 to schedule a free consultation.
