Did You Suffer a Burn Injury in Florida?
All burn injuries are extremely painful, and even a relatively minor burn can be excruciating. Unfortunately, burns are also very common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that more than one million Americans suffer from serious burn injuries each year. Nearly half of these injuries require some form of medical treatment and more than 50,000 require hospitalization. As we all know, emergency medical treatment is never cheap. In addition to the immense pain, victims of serious burn injuries often also incur substantial financial damage. If you have suffered a severe burn injury in Florida, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Please consult with an experienced personal injury attorney who can comprehensively review your case.
The Most Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Burns occur in a number of different ways. According to data provided by the American Burn Association (ABA) the five most common causes of burn injuries are as follows:
- Fire or an open flame: 45 percent
- Hot liquid (scalding): 32 percent
- Hot objects (thermal): 8 percent
- Electrical currents: 4 percent
- Contact with chemicals: 3 percent
Liability for Burn Injuries
In order to recover compensation, victims of burn injuries must be able to hold another party liable for their damages. Generally, liability is established by proving negligence. In the most simple terms, negligence is the failure to take reasonable care when performing an action. You will only be able to hold another party liable for your injury if you can prove that their negligence was at least a partial contributing factor in causing that injury. More specifically, burn victims will need to establish the following:
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Duty: First, you must be able to prove that the other party owed you a duty to take precautions to protect your safety. Beyond proving the existence of this duty, you must also establish the extent of this obligation.
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Breach: After the extent of the standard of care has been established, burn victims must also show that the defendant deviated from this required standard.
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Causation: Further, you must also be able to prove that there is a causal link between the defendant’s breach of their legal responsibilities and your burn injuries.
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Damages: Finally, you must have sustained actual harm. Proving damages is an extremely important step of the legal process. You will not be able to recover fair compensation unless you can prove the full extent of your damages.
Compensation Available for Burn Injury Victims
Compensation for burn injury victims can include both economic and noneconomic damages. Further, victims are entitled to compensation for damages that have already been sustained and for any likely future damages. Some specific types of damages that are eligible for compensation include:
- All emergency room fees;
- All other medical bills;
- Any necessary rehabilitation costs;
- Expenses related to the cost of medication or medical equipment;
- Lost wages;
- Diminished future earning capacity;
- Pain and suffering; and
- Disfigurement.
Do You Need Legal Help?
At The Pawlowski//Mastrilli Law Group, our personal injury attorneys have extensive experience helping victims recover the full and fair compensation that they deserve. If you suffered a severe burn injury in Florida, please do not hesitate to contact our team today to set up your free case evaluation. Our firm is based in Tampa Bay and we serve victims throughout the region, including in Pasco County and Pinellas County.
Resource:
cdc.gov/masstrauma/factsheets/public/burns.pdf
ameriburn.org/about.php
