Burn victims may experience extreme pain and trauma. You may need cosmetic surgery to address permanent scarring and disfigurement. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious burn injury, you may be facing skin grafts, a lengthy recovery, and significant medical expenses. You may be facing a long absence from work to allow your burn injuries to heal. You should understand your legal options for seeking compensation to cover your medical bills, lost income, and other related expenses. If your burn injuries were caused by someone else’s carelessness, negligence, or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to seek compensation. But there are time limits on how long you have to pursue a claim.

Let our trusted burn accident lawyers provide a case review. Founded in 1959, Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, is Austin’s oldest personal injury law firm. Our experienced Austin burn injury attorney team has been providing legal representation to burn injury victims and other personal injury victims in Austin and the surrounding areas of Texas for nearly 60 years. We offer a case review at no charge. We handle every burn injury case with dedication and compassion, ensuring that victims receive the maximum compensation they deserve. Contact us to schedule your confidential consultation today.

Types Of Burn Injuries

 

  • Thermal burns — A thermal burn results from contact with hot objects, flames, boiling liquids, or steam. Injuries caused by contact with open flames account for a significant portion of burn injuries to adults. Scalds from boiling water, hot liquids, or grease are common causes of thermal burns among children.

  • Chemical burns — Most chemical burns occur on the face, eyes, hands, arms or legs. They are caused by skin contact with strong acids or strong bases and often involve workplace exposure or accidents. Corrosive chemicals can cause severe damage to skin tissue. Chemical burns are also known as caustic burns. The most common types of corrosive products are acids, bases, solvents, alkaline and oxidizers. Damage usually occurs immediately. Limiting the duration of exposure can reduce the damage. Some concentrated chemicals can cause deep tissue damage that may not be apparent. These incidents can lead to severe burn injuries.

  • Electrical burns — Electrical burns are caused by electricity coursing through the body. This type of burn often causes damage below the skin. Electrical current exposes workers to a workplace hazard.

  • Radiation burns — Excessive exposure to radiation from tanning booths, sunlamps, X-rays or radiation therapy can cause a radiation burn. Many cancer patients who undergo radiation therapy experience peeling skin and ulcers symptomatic of radiation dermatitis or radiation burn. Sunburn is a type of mild radiation burn.

 

Degrees Of Burns

Burns vary in severity and are classified by the extent of tissue damage and the area of the body affected. More serious burn injuries require prompt medical attention and may require treatment at a specialized burn center hospital.

  • First-degree burns — These are superficial burns that cause irritation and redness to the outer layer of skin. First-degree burns typically heal within five to 10 days. Mild sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn.

  • Second-degree burns — Known as partial thickness burns, second-degree burns damage the outer layer of skin and the lower layer known as the dermis. They cause swelling and blistering and are extremely painful. The burn wound may look moist and can cause scarring.

  • Third-degree burns — Third-degree burns are known as full-thickness burns. They leave the skin charred or leathery, damage deeper layers of tissue, and may destroy nerve endings and cause numbness. If a person’s clothes catch on fire, the individual can suffer third-degree burns in a matter of seconds. Victims of third-degree burns may need to file a burn injury claim to recover damages and prove liability.

  • Fourth-degree burns — Fourth-degree burns extend through all layers of skin and affect bones and muscles. Fourth-degree burns make the skin black and may cause loss of limbs or permanent impairments.

 

Types Of Accidents That Cause Burns

Thermal burns may be caused by a child touching a hot stove or turning over a pan of boiling liquid. Thermal burns also may be caused by firecrackers and serious car accidents. Chemical burns can occur at home such as contact with bleach, toilet bowl cleaner, pool chlorinators, or in hospitals and nursing homes.

However, chemical burns are more likely to occur in the workplace, particularly in businesses that use large quantities of chemicals. Electrical burns may be caused by contact with household current, ungrounded appliances high-voltage power lines, or lightning strikes. If the power supply to electrical equipment at a construction site is not grounded, electrical current may travel through a construction worker’s body, causing electrical burns or death. In such cases, seeking the assistance of an Austin burn injury lawyer is crucial to navigating the complex legal processes and ensuring victims receive the justice they deserve.

Compensation Available For Burn Victims

If you suffered burns in a workplace accident, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation, but Texas does not require private employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance to protect injured employees. Private employers in Texas can decide whether to provide workers’ compensation benefits.

You may need to pursue a burn injury lawsuit against an employer or another contractor working on a job site if that contractor caused your injuries. Our injury attorneys can review the details of your accident and explain your legal options. You may have a right to pursue a burn accident lawsuit settlement if you have suffered a serious burn due to someone else’s negligence or misconduct. Burn injury settlements can include compensation for economic, non-economic, and punitive damages, and hiring an experienced attorney is crucial to navigating the complex legal landscape and securing a fair settlement.

By filing a burn injury lawsuit, you may be entitled to claim compensation for:

  • Doctor and hospital bills

  • Lost wages due to being unable to work after a burn injury

  • Pain and suffering based on the severity of your injuries

 

Our attorneys will calculate your present and future losses related to your severe burn injury and pursue a second-degree burn lawsuit settlement or third-degree burn settlement that reflects the full extent of your losses. We have a strong track record because we prepare our cases meticulously and use cutting-edge accident reconstruction technology to our client’s advantage. 

In many cases, our attorneys can obtain a fair settlement without a trial because we have proven our case before setting foot in the courtroom. Among our notable cases, we obtained a significant settlement for a student at the University of Texas who was severely burned in a fatal fire at his University Towers apartment, which did not have a smoke detector.

What To Do If You Are Injured In Texas

If you suffer a burn accident, it is best to seek medical attention, unless the burn is obviously minor. You should seek medical attention if the burn:

  • Is large
  • Affects your face, hands, or feet
  • Causes severe pain or loss of sensation
 

The American Burn Association classifies severe burns for people ages 10 to 40 as those involving 25 percent of the body surface or more or a burn affecting the eyes, face, hands, feet, or genitals. Treatment for superficial burns includes soaking the wound in cool water for five minutes or longer to reduce pain and applying an antibiotic ointment if there is no opening of the skin. For more serious burns, medical treatment should always be sought. Additionally, seeking legal assistance from experienced burn injury lawyers can help victims navigate complex legal processes and pursue rightful compensation.

Talk With An Austin, Texas, Burn Injury Attorney

Our attorneys at Byrd Davis Alden & Henrichson, LLP, are committed to helping burn injury victims pursue maximum compensation. When someone else’s negligence has caused serious injury or the death of someone you love, contact us at 512-454-3751 or use our online contact form to arrange a no-cost consultation. For nearly 60 years, we have served clients with honesty, integrity, and excellence.