Examples of Negligence That Can Lead to Burn Injuries
Burn injuries often happen because of exposure to fire, liquid, chemicals, and steam. Burn injuries can happen anywhere, whether a person is at work, at home trying to prepare a meal, or even out in public at a store, restaurant, or shopping center. People who suffer burn injuries don’t always do so because they made a mistake, or the incident was simply an accident. Sometimes, those injuries occur because of the negligent actions of another person or entity.
The most common examples of negligence leading to burn injuries are often related to unsafe working conditions and defective products, but they are not the only ways to be injured:
- Scalding. These burns occur when a person is exposed to extremely hot steam or water. They often occur in restaurants; cooks and chefs can be splattered by hot oil, or a busser or line cook can slip and spill boiling water all over another employee. The most famous personal injury case of all time – the case involving McDonald’s hot coffee – actually resulted in 2nd and 3rd degree scald injuries.
- Chemical burns. You can suffer easily burns when you work in industrial settings, but hospital workers, cleaning service workers, and grounds workers are at risk, too. If your co-worker was acting negligently and caused the accident, or if your employer failed to fix a hazardous condition, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation, or may have grounds for a third-party personal injury lawsuit.
- Thermal burns from car fires. Cars, trucks, and vans catch on fire more often than you think, and a defective part is usually at the root. If your vehicle caught on fire because of a defective part, you could be entitled to compensation in a product liability claim.
- Electrical burns. When electricity travels through your body, it can burn you from the inside out. Construction workers and electricians are at the greatest risk, of course, anyone who works near power lines can be burned. Burn injuries can also be quite common after natural disasters, which lead to downed power lines and short circuits.
- Radiation burns. Anyone who works with nuclear technology or power needs to be protected, but people undergoing X-rays or cancer treatments can also be injured. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, “An estimated 85 percent of patients who undergo radiation therapy experience moderate to severe skin reactions” related to radiation treatments. If the burns are worse than they were expected to be, or if they are caused by an act of negligence by a technician or doctor, you may be able to make a medical malpractice claim.
Suing for burn injury compensation
You are well within your rights to sue the person responsible for the incident that led to your burn injuries. Compensation often centers around the severity of your injuries. The most severe burns lead to skin grafts, which are not only painful but also very expensive. You shouldn’t have to pay for your medical care out of your own pocket. Victims of burn injuries can sue for the following compensation:
- The loss of income caused by missed time at work
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Expenses for travel if you need to visit specialized surgeons
Depending on the accident that caused your injuries, the judge in the case might award you punitive damages. These are damages aimed at punishing the person responsible for your injuries in the hopes that they will not commit the same negligent act in the future.
The amount of money you receive in a lawsuit depends on three important factors:
- The extent of the physical harm you suffered
- The extent of the financial harm you suffered
- The level of negligence of the defendant that led to your burn injuries
When you have suffered burn injuries due to the negligence of someone else, you should speak with experienced Chicago burn injury lawyers about your situation. Call Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers at your convenience at 312-600-9585 or complete the contact form on our site to schedule a consultation with a member of our team.
Attorney Neal Gainsberg has spent the last 20+ years fighting to protect the rights of the injured in Chicago and throughout Illinois. For dedicated legal help with a personal injury, car accident, or wrongful death matter, contact Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers in Chicago for a free consultation.