Burn Injury Lawyers You Can Trust

Our experienced Atlanta personal injury attorneys will fight for you

There are more than a million burn injuries that require medical attention in the U.S. every year. Burn injuries can range in severity from minor (first degree) to most serious (third degree). There are a variety of causes of burns, some of them terrible accidents and others the result of negligent or irresponsible behavior.

The trauma for the victim of a burn injury is devastating. The physical scars are painful, but the emotional scars can last a lifetime. At Fried Goldberg LLC, we hold negligent parties accountable and fight to help victims recover the financial compensation they deserve.

Experienced burn injury attorneys who get results

Burns occur when tissue is damaged by heat, chemicals, electricity, sunlight or nuclear radiation. First- and second-degree burns can be extremely painful. Third-degree burns sometimes are not painful, because the nerves that transmit pain sensation have been destroyed. In very severe cases of extensive burns, loss of fluids can lead to depletion of blood volume, shock and dangerously low blood pressure resulting in death if not treated quickly.

Many burn injuries could have been prevented with proper safety regulations, safety equipment or responsible behavior when operating vehicles and dangerous machinery or handling dangerous chemicals. When unsafe behavior leads to a burn injury, the negligent person or entity should be held accountable. A burn injury lawyer can help victims receive proper compensation from parties whose irresponsible behavior caused them harm.

Our firm is known nationally for our work on truck accident cases, but we also handle other practice areas, including personal injury accidents involving burn injuries. We are dedicated to helping our clients get the best possible outcome and have a lengthy track record of favorable verdicts and settlements.

Causes of burn injuries

Burns can result from accident or from a broad range of negligent behavior. When burn injury results from the irresponsible or harmful behavior of a person or entity, the victim deserves compensation for cost of medical treatment, loss of income, and physical, emotional and psychological damage. There are many possible causes of burns including:

• Car accidents – Serious car accidents can often be a source of burn injury, due to the presence of gasoline and other flammable objects. Fires and explosions can turn a serious car accident into a deadly one very quickly. If a car accident was the fault of a negligent, drunk or otherwise distracted driver, compensation may be awarded to victims of the accident.
• Chemical exposure – Chemical burns are caused when caustic chemical compounds such as acid or base come into contact with the skin. Chemical burns are often severe, with toxic chemicals quickly burning down to the bone in many cases. These injuries may be the result of accident or assault. Workplaces such as manufacturing plants where large amounts of caustic chemicals are used are common sites for chemical burns. If safety precautions are not taken or not available, employers and business owners may be held responsible for injuries incurred due to this irresponsibility.
• Electricity – Electrical burns are caused by either an electric shock or an uncontrolled short circuit. Extreme internal damage can be caused, such as cardiac arrest, although some internal damage is not evident at the time of incident. Some electrocutions do not produce external burns at all. Common occurrences of electrical burns are seen in the workplace or when a person is defibrillated without conductive gel.
• Hot liquids – Scalding occurs when a hot liquid comes into contact with the skin. Most common experiences with scalding are related to hot drinks or high temperature of bath or shower water. Scalding is frequently the cause of burns experienced by children younger than five.

The consequences of burn injuries

Burns can be terrible injuries harming not only the skin, but the muscles, blood vessels, nerves, and bone. Severe burns affect much more than the skin. Additional consequences include:

• Scars and disfigurement
• Extensive emotional and psychological damage
• Infection – burns can damage the skin’s protective barrier
• Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – occurs in patients with severe burns and causes the lungs to fail, sometimes proving fatal

Many burn patients require hospitalization, and some are admitted to a specialized Burn Unit or Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In Georgia, many burn victims are treated at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center, which has dedicated over 30 years to treating burn patients and is considered the largest burn center in the country.

First- and second-degree burns can heal in time without skin grafts, as there is enough underlying skin tissue to rebuild the skin. Third-degree burns require skin graft surgery or application of artificial materials to cover and protect the exposed areas and trigger new skin growth. A skin graft is the process of removing either a thin layer or a full thickness of skin from a healthy part of the body and applying it to the burned area. When successful, the grafted skin is accepted by the remaining injured skin.

What is the average settlement for a burn injury?

The average settlement for a burn injury can range significantly depending on the severity and impact of the injury. For minor burns, settlements may range from $10,000 to $50,000, while severe burns that cause permanent damage or scarring can result in settlements exceeding $100,000 to several million dollars.

There are different types of compensation in a burn injury lawsuit. These include medical expenses, such as hospital stays, surgeries (such as skin grafts), and rehabilitation. Victims may also seek compensation for lost wages if they are unable to work. There are also pain and suffering damages, which account for the physical and emotional distress caused by the injury. In cases of permanent disfigurement or disability, compensation for loss of enjoyment of life or future earning capacity may also be included.

Contact a burn injury lawyer to learn more

If you or someone you care about has been the victim of a burn caused by the negligence of another person or entity, it’s important to get legal advice from a burn injury attorney as soon as possible. Contact Fried Goldberg for a free consultation to learn more about your right to compensation.