Skin is essential for protecting your organs from external hazards. Severe burn injuries can lead to life-threatening diseases or other risks resulting in fatal consequences. Serious burns cause disfigurement, scarring, and other bodily harm and take a substantial toll on your emotional, psychological, and financial well-being.
After an accident caused by someone’s thoughtless actions, you could be eligible to file a lawsuit to recover damages. Our hardworking and determined injury attorneys can help you determine your losses and take legal action against the at-fault party. Call an experienced Bakersfield burn injury lawyer to discuss your case.
Common Accidents Leading to Civil Lawsuits
Accidents resulting in catastrophic burns can happen to anyone. They often occur due to one of the following reasons:
- Buildings fires from failing to comply with safety rules, regulations, and fire codes
- Dangerous and defective products, such as faulty wiring or poorly designed vehicle parts
- Explosions occurring because of negligent storage practices or other violations, including volatile chemicals and propane tanks
- Hazardous substances and chemicals at the workplace
- Electrocution from faulty wiring or failing to ensure adherence to safety codes and statutes
- Smoke inhalation from vehicle collisions, house, or wildfires caused by negligence
Severe burn victims require hospitalization, surgeries, and ongoing treatments, amounting to thousands of dollars. They may also need long-term care to help handle daily tasks they can no longer complete. The high costs of medical care and other expenses can mean recovering a substantial settlement from the at-fault party. A skilled attorney in the Bakersfield area can hire experts to investigate how the incident occurred and determine who is responsible for the damages.
Recoverable Damages After Proving Liability
After satisfying the requirements to prove liability, the court may award compensation to cover the following:
- The full value of medical care related to the accident caused by negligence
- Medical devices or equipment, prescriptions, and travel costs for healthcare appointments
- Lost pay, benefits, and total earning potential if the individual cannot return to work
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Mental and emotional distress leading to mental health illness or disorders
- Pain and suffering
A Bakersfield lawyer can build a sound legal strategy to ensure the injured person’s damages are accounted for following their burn injury.
What Are the Consequences of Burns?
Burns damage or destroy the skin, underlying tissue, and, in the most severe cases, the bones around the injury site. They commonly happen during exposure to extreme temperatures, such as open flames, scalding liquid, electricity, or chemicals. According to the federal government agency, the National Institutes of Health, burns are a leading cause of permanent disabilities, loss of bodily function, and mental health decline, profoundly affecting an injured person’s quality of life.
Burn accident victims commonly suffer from organ failure, inflammatory response, and disruptive shock, causing permanent damage or death. Therefore, pursuing action against the liable party is crucial to cover the ongoing exorbitant costs of care, loss of income, and psychological injuries.
The Maximum Time to Seek Legal Action
California’s statute of limitations restrains the maximum time people have to file lawsuits in negligence cases. According to the California Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1, the injured person must petition the court to commence an action within two years of the accident. A burn injury lawyer in Bakersfield could handle the legal work to ensure compliance with these laws.
Call a Talented Burn Injury Attorney in Bakersfield
Severe burns can alter your appearance and bodily functions, affecting nearly every part of your life. They can also drastically change your appearance. When you sustain an injury from an open flame, chemical, or hot liquid, the law allows you to take legal action and hold the responsible party financially accountable.
A settlement could cover your current and ongoing medical services, lost benefits or salary, and other expenses, allowing you to focus on your health and recovery. Schedule a consultation for this week and begin strategizing your case.