Des Moines Burn Injury Lawyers

Serious burn injuries are among the most painful and costly of all kinds of human injuries. Minor burns usually heal on their own, while severe burns usually necessitate at least one reconstructive surgery for disfigurement requiring skin grafts, as well as chronic pain. If you were burned as a result of someone else’s irresponsible actions, Iowa law allows you to sue for damages for your injuries in a personal injury lawsuit with the help of an experienced burn injury lawyer.

Schedule a free initial consultation with one of our Des Moines personal injury attorneys at Mueller, Schmidt, Mulholland & Cooling. We can help file a personal injury claim, including a wrongful death lawsuit, if necessary. We can get you the compensation you need to cover your medical bills and related medical expenses.

Why You Need a Burn Injury Attorney

You will need the assistance of an expert personal injury lawyer if you have sustained a burn injury as a result of someone else’s negligence. A skilled burn injury attorney will fight for the reimbursement you deserve for your burn injuries.

If the burn victim decides to pursue the case, the next step is to acquire evidence to support the claims against the individual or persons who caused the injury. The type of burn-related injuries, the origin of the accident, and the sufficiency of any safety equipment in place to prevent burns are all common sources of factual disputes. The resolution of these arguments in favor of the burn accident victim is critical to the claim’s success.

Typically, a team of lawyers will fight on your behalf alongside medical providers, insurance companies, and other important parties to protect your legal rights and secure fair and just financial compensation.

An expert burn injury lawyer understands how to provide the strongest arguments to obtain a favorable outcome for the victim. In order to get you the compensation you deserve, they will use the most aggressive measures possible.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

According to the American Burn Association, almost 500,000 people suffer serious burn injuries that necessitate medical attention each year. Approximately 40,000 people who are injured, including 30,000 at burn centers, require at least short-term hospitalization.

To receive proper burn treatment, the burn victim, or someone acting on his or her behalf, must inform the doctor about the source of the burn. Sunlight, heat, radiation, chemicals, and electricity are the five main causes of burns. The following are some of the most common causes of serious burns:

Fires: Electrical shorts, cigars and cigarettes, catastrophic automobile crashes, daily car accidents, unattended campfires, and spontaneous combustion all have the potential to ignite a deadly fire. Flammable liquids, like gasoline, provide fuel to the fire and can result in explosive and hazardous explosions. When people become trapped and are unable to safely flee a building fire, a car fire, or a wildfire, the result is frequently severe and catastrophic burns—if they survive the calamity at all.

Chemicals: Many people come into concact with harsh chemicals every day, whether cleaning or doing tasks at home or at work. Abrasive and poisonous chemicals are not only harmful to a person’s lungs, but they can also inflict painful chemical burns when they come into contact with the skin. Bleach, chlorine, ammonia, denture cleaners, teeth whitening treatments, and battery acid are all typical culprits that erode the skin and produce burns.

Medical Treatment: Radiation is used in the medical field to treat cancer patients; it can decrease or remove some cancers. Radiation is also used to treat thyroid disease, blood abnormalities, and other forms of malignancies, albeit it is less prevalent. Radiation is also a risk for those who need x-rays or other diagnostic imaging. When a person’s body is exposed to too much radiation, the skin and other tissues inside the body might be damaged.

Electrocution: For many people, electricity poses a risk of burns. A fire can be started by careless electrical work or loose wires, and electrocution can also be caused by direct contact. Young children can potentially be harmed by unprotected outlets. Electrical injuries can be classified into four categories, according to the National Institutes of Health: (1) flash injuries, (2) flame injuries, (3) lightning injuries, and (4) electricity flowing through the body.

Types of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries vary in severity, from minor burns that heal quickly to life-threatening injuries that require extensive ongoing treatment. Understanding the following levels of severity involving burn injuries can help assess the current and future needs of the victim:

• First-Degree Burns
  First-degree burns are the mildest form of burn injury, affecting only the outer layer of the skin. They typically heal without medical intervention or scarring.
• Second-Degree Burns
  Second-degree burns extend deeper. They affect both the outer skin (epidermis) and the layer beneath it (dermis). These burns are much more painful and often result in blisters, requiring medical attention to prevent infection.
• Third-Degree Burns
  Third-degree burns destroy all layers of the skin, often damaging bones, tendons, and muscles. These burns are usually painless at first due to nerve damage. They require immediate medical attention and may involve surgery or skin grafts.

Long-Term Effects of Severe Burn Injuries

Severe burn injuries leave lasting physical and emotional scars. Depending on the severity of the burns, the recovery process can be a long and arduous road. Not only do burns impact the victim’s health but also their quality of life. Here are some common long-term effects burn injury victims may face:

• Physical Rehabilitation
  Severe burns often require extensive rehabilitation to regain mobility and functionality. This includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, and sometimes multiple surgeries. Victims may need prosthetics, reconstructive surgeries, or skin grafts to restore their mobility.
• Emotional and Psychological Trauma
  Burn injuries can be emotionally devastating as well. Many victims suffer from anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therapy and counseling are often needed to help victims cope with these psychological effects of trauma and disfigurement.
• Impact on Daily Life and Relationships
  Burn victims may not be able to return to life as they knew it. This includes home life, work, and hobbies. The limitations caused by physical or emotional pain can strain personal relationships. Adjusting to this new reality can be incredibly challenging for the victims and their loved ones.

Legal Responsibility in Burn Injury Cases

To seek compensation in a burn injury case, your lawyer will help determine who is responsible. Depending on various circumstances surrounding the accident, different parties may be held liable. Here’s what you need to know about legal responsibility in burn injury cases:

Liability of Property Owners, Employers, and Manufacturers
Burn injuries are often the result of someone else’s negligence.

• Property owners may be liable if unsafe conditions such as faulty wiring or damaged fire and smoke alarms led to the injury.
• Employers can be held accountable for dangerous working environments or lack of fire safety protocols.
• Also, in defective product cases, manufacturers can be liable for creating dangerous items that led to a burn injury.

Proving Negligence in Burn Injury Claims
To successfully file a burn injury claim, the victim must prove that their injury was caused by negligence. This is where an experienced burn injury lawyer is critical to the outcome of your case. This process involves gathering evidence, consulting experts, and showing that the injury could have been prevented if proper precautions had been taken.

Compensation for Burn Injuries

It’s difficult to predict how much a burn injury may settle for, just as it is with any other personal injury case. The degree of the injury, the motives of the person who caused the burns (the defendant), and the degree to which a defendant can pay a settlement are the most important elements. Due to the pain and permanent scarring, burn injuries have a greater settlement value.

Both sides will negotiate a settlement based on what they estimate the plaintiff will be awarded at trial. The manner in which the burn injury develops is significant because the extent of the defendant’s guilt might influence the amount of damages a jury is willing to award at trial.

Punitive damages may be awarded to the burn victim if the defendant acted purposefully or extremely negligently (known as “gross negligence” in legal language).

Punitive damages are intended to penalize a defendant who has committed a heinous act, essentially making them pay more to “feel the sting.” Punitive damages are often awarded to a defendant who maliciously burns a plaintiff.

Burn Injury Statistics

Burns are a global public health danger, according to the World Health Organization, which states that an estimated 180,000 burn deaths occur each year. Non-fatal burns can result in prolonged hospitalization, deformity, and disability, as well as stigma and rejection.

Additionally, nearly 11 million people worldwide suffer from burns that necessitate medical attention on a regular basis. Females are also more likely than males to suffer life-threatening burns, according to WHO data.

Every year, fires claim the lives of residents in communities across Iowa in a variety of ways. The majority of fatalities occur in the home. According to the most recent data from the United States, a house fire occurs every 88 seconds. Fire departments responded to 357,000 residential fires in the most recent year reported, resulting in 2,630 deaths, 10,600 injuries, and $7.7 billion in property loss.

Contact the Burn Injury Attorneys at Mueller, Schmidt, Mulholland & Cooling

The personal injury lawyers at Mueller, Schmidt, Mulholland & Cooling are dedicated to representing individuals and the family of loved ones who have suffered burns due to the fault of another. Our attorneys are well-versed in personal injury law and are ready to create an attorney-client relationship to get you the compensation you deserve.

If you or a loved one has sustained serious injuries or fatal burn wounds, contact the Des Moines car accident lawyers at the law firm of Mueller, Schmidt, Mulholland & Cooling today to discuss your case. We can provide sound legal advice through a free initial case evaluation with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys. You can reach us online
or by phone at (515) 293-5955. Our offices are located in Des Moines, Iowa.