Vancouver Burn Injury Attorney

Burns can cause catastrophic injuries that require extensive, long-term treatment. Victims may suffer from disfigurement, scarring, muscle damage and respiratory failure. Unfortunately, many burn injuries are the result of someone else’s carelessness, which means the victim’s suffering could have been prevented. If you or someone you love has suffered a burn injury, do not hesitate to contact one of our Vancouver burn injury lawyers at Rizk Law for help. Our experienced attorneys have helped recover compensation for those who have been injured in many different situations. We know how to build a strong case to help hold any at-fault party liable for the damages and losses you have endured.

Contact our firm today for a free, no obligation legal consultation. We can review your case, determine your options, and guide you every step of the way to pursue the compensation you deserve. There are no upfront costs or fees involved unless you receive compensation at the end of the legal process.

Complete our online form now or call 503.245.5677 for a free consultation.

What Are the Different Types of Burns?

Burn injuries come in many different forms and are categorized based on how they occur and their level of severity. Even the most minor burns carry a serious risk of infection. Burns can be divided into four different categories:

• Thermal burns – These burns occur when you come in contact with something hot. Typically, you can suffer a thermal burn when touching flames or fire, hot, molten liquid or steam or hot objects, such as cooking pans, irons and heating appliances. Thermal burns can also be caused by an explosion of gasoline, propane or natural gas or another flammable substance.
• Chemical burns –  Chemical burns can happen when your skin and/or eyes come in contact with acidic or alkali substances. These substances are often found in household cleaners with bleach or ammonia and can cause significant damage even after washing off the chemical.
• Radiation burns –  These burns occur from exposure to alpha, beta or gamma radiation. Sunburns are the most common type of radiation burns, but you can also get radiation burns from a tanning booth, sunlamp or when receiving radiation treatment to shrink or kill cancer cells.
• Electrical burns – Electric burns can happen when you come in contact with electrical current, such a wall outlet or high voltage machinery. Severe electrical shocks can cause significant burns and even internal organ damage.

It is important to be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible after a burn injury. While your burn injuries may appear minor from their external appearance, you could have internal complications.

After receiving treatment, you should consider contacting a Vancouver burn injury lawyer for legal representation. You may be able to pursue compensation for your injury, such as medical expenses and lost wages.

Contact Rizk Law right now by calling 503.245.5677.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

A burn injury is also categorized by degrees, based on the severity of the injury and how deep the damage is underneath the skin. The higher the degree of the burn, the more serious the injury is.

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns only damage the outer or first layer of the skin, also known as the epidermis. The most common type of first-degree burn is a sunburn. These burns can result in redness, swelling and pain. Generally, these burns often heal within a few days to a week. First-degree burns can be treated by applying cool, wet compresses or fresh water to the burn and covering it with a clean cloth or non-adhesive bandage. However, do not apply any oil to the burn as it may cause an infection.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns damage both the outer layer (epidermis) and the layer beneath it, known as the dermis. These burns are often the result of a more serious sunburn, chemical burn, scald burn or burns involving flames or electrocution. Second-degree burns will appear red, blistered, and cause full thickness of the skin.

These types of burns may require skin grafting for the best healing and result in some scarring. It can take several weeks or months to properly heal. Second-degree burns can be treated by using antibiotic ointments, cleaning the affected area regularly and changing the wound dressing once or twice a day.

Third-Degree Burns

Third-degree burns damage or destroy the deepest layer of the skin and tissues underneath. Burned areas may appear black, brown or white in color. The skin may also look dry and leathery. There is typically no pain in the affected area because third-degree burns can destroy nerves, causing numbness.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), serious burn injuries such as third-degree burns require immediate medical attention by a trained medical professional. These burns can be treated with skin grafts, antibiotic creams, cleaning and removing dead skin, and supplying intravenous fluids to help prevent an infection.

Even with the necessary treatments, burn injury victims may never fully recover. Victims can be left permanently scarred or disfigured with lifelong, chronic pain from the injury. Treating burn injuries can be costly, leading to mounting medical bills, which are more difficult to afford if you are unable to work and earn wages. If you think your injury was caused by another person’s negligence, contact a burn injury attorney in Vancouver for help.

Fill out our Free Case Evaluation form or call 503.245.5677 now for a free consultation.

Accidents Involving Burn Injuries

A burn injury can happen in a wide variety of settings and situations. The Vancouver burn injury attorneys at Rizk Law are ready to handle burn injuries caused by:

The American Burn Association estimates that about 486,000 burn injury victims receive medical treatment each year. This results in more than 3,275 burn-related deaths – 2,745 of these deaths are a result of residential fires, 310 from vehicle crash fires and 220 from other causes, such as flames, smoke inhalation, scalding and electricity.

Our lawyers understand the painful struggles a burn victim endures and we are ready to help you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve to recover from your injuries and get your life back on track.

Call 503.245.5677 today to see how we might be able to help you.

Obtaining Compensation for a Burn Injury

Our burn injury lawyers in Vancouver are prepared to pursue compensation for all of the damages you suffered after a burn injury, including economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages refer to compensation for verifiable monetary losses, such as:

Non-economic damages refer to compensation for subjective, non-monetary losses, such as:

In some cases, burn injury victims may also be entitled to punitive damages. These are damages awarded for the purpose of punishment – to prevent intentional or reckless behavior or actions motivated by malice.

Contributory Fault

What if you are partially to blame for the accident that resulted in your injury?

These situations are governed by Washington State’s contributory fault statute. This law states that the amount of compensation you may be entitled to recover will be reduced according to your percentage of fault. For instance, if you are found to be 50 percent at fault, your award will be reduced by 50 percent. However, unlike other states, it does not matter how high your percentage of fault is in order to obtain compensation as long as you are less than 100 percent at fault for the accident.

We can help you build a strong case to try and ensure that you are not assigned more fault than you deserve so that you have a chance to recover the all compensation you need.

Complete our Free Case Evaluation form now so we can get started.

Time Limit for a Burn Injury Claim

In Washington State, there is a time limit or statute of limitations within which you must file a lawsuit in civil court. If you do not bring your claim within this time limit, you will be barred from filing a lawsuit and recovering any compensation for your injuries.

If your burn injury was the result of negligence by another person or entity, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is limited to three years from the date of the injury.

Although three years seems like enough time to file a lawsuit, there are many different factors to take into account when it comes to the claims process. You need sufficient time to seek medical treatment and obtain a copy of your medical records showing the severity of your burn injuries. A detailed investigation into your accident needs to be done in order to prove that negligence occurred. This includes revisiting the scene and interviewing witnesses who saw the accident.

It also takes time to determine an accurate value of your claim by calculating any damages you have suffered, communicating with the insurance companies to receive a fair settlement and making sure any paperwork and documentation related to your case is prepared, reviewed and properly filed. All of this work can seem overwhelming, but you do not have to do this on your own. A Vancouver burn injury attorney can handle every aspect of your case so that you can focus on your recovery.

A knowledgeable member of our legal team is ready to talk to you: 503.245.5677.

Contact a Vancouver Burn Injury Lawyer Now

If you have suffered a burn injury, you may need an expensive and long-term recovery that may greatly affect your family and professional life, causing severe physical pain and leaving you unable to work.

At Rizk Law, our Vancouver burn injury lawyers will have your best interests in mind. We are prepared to fight for your right to obtain fair compensation if your injury was caused by someone else’s negligence.

Your consultation with us is 100 percent free and you will not be charged any legal fees unless you receive compensation for your case.

Call our Vancouver personal injury attorney at 503.245.5677 so we can start reviewing your case.