New York Burn Injury Lawyer

Burn injuries happen more frequently than most people realize. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates every year, 1.1 million people suffer burn injuries that need medical attention.  The federal agency also states up to 10,000 people in the United States die every year of burn-related infections. While many burn injuries are accidental, a good number of incidents also involve negligence.

If you, or a loved one, suffered a burn injury at work, on unsafe premises, in a car accident, or in another way, contact a New York burn injury lawyer at Terry Katz & Associates as soon as possible. The State of New York sets a three-year statute of limitations on burn injuries, which starts at the time of the accident. Once this date passes, you can no longer file a claim. The personal injury lawyers at Terry Katz & Associates can help. Contact our injury law firm today at 888-488-7459 to receive a free consultation or case review.

Types of Burn Injuries Our Firm Handles

When a burn occurs, skin tissue is badly damaged to the point it dies. This can happen by being scalded by hot water, steam, or coming into contact with chemicals, radiation, or electricity, to name a few ways people get hurt.

Five Primary Types of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can occur in a number of situations, some will be minor, but other burns are serious and life-altering. Here are the five primary types of burn injuries that can occur.

• Thermal burns: Thermal burns occur when a person is exposed to or makes contact with a hot object, such as steam, hot water, fire, or other hot objects.
• Electrical burns: Persons coming into contact with electricity or electrical currents can burn their skin tissue. Electrical burns can also damage internal organs due to electric currents being able to travel through the body quickly.
• Chemical burns: Also known as caustic burns, chemical burns occur when a person makes contact with a chemical containing harmful properties.
• Radiation burns: Most commonly caused by x-rays or radiation therapy for people with cancer, these burns often are severe and may also harm internal organs. People who work close to radiation equipment can also be vulnerable to a burn injury.
• Cold burns: Exposure to prolonged periods of freezing temperatures can result in a serious burn that can be just as damaging to skin tissue as other burns.

Any type of severe burn can have lifelong consequences. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of people are injured every year and suffer much pain and suffering as a result.

Severity of Burns

Burn injuries are “graded” by medical professionals on a scale of one to six based on their severity. First-degree burns are less serious than sixth-degree burns.

• First-degree burns: Affect the outer layer of a person’s skin. Symptoms include redness and pain on the skin’s surface.
• Second-degree burns: Impact both the skin’s outer and inner layers. Symptoms include blisters, feelings of hot to the touch, and a “shiny” or “wet” appearance.
• Third-degree burns: Affect the skin along with the layer of fat below its surface and usually cause nerve damage. A more severe type of burn and recovery can often involve the need for skin grafts to repair the burned skin.
• Fourth-degree burns: Often, cause significant damage and affect a person’s nerves, tendons, and muscles. This degree of a burn can be life-altering because it also leads to an increased risk of secondary infections; amputations are sometimes needed.
• Fifth degree burns: These are deep burns that can affect everything between the skin’s outer layer down to the bone. Permanent internal damage is often the result of organ failure; amputations are often needed to stop infections from spreading.
• Sixth degree burns: The most serious of burns, sixth-degree burns, cause extensive damage, including injury to the bone itself. Unfortunately, this type of burn is often fatal.

A healthcare professional should evaluate any type of burn as soon as possible because burns are frequently more serious than they look. The personal injury attorneys at the Terry Katz & Associates Law Firm handle all types of burn injuries and can provide guidance on how to proceed after a burn occurs to ensure victims receive the correct medical treatment and compensation to pay for their burn-related medical bills.

Common Causes of Burn Injury

The American Burn Association states burn injuries are one of the leading causes of unintentional death and injury in the United States, with about 486,000 fire or burn injuries seen by hospital emergency rooms between 2011 and 2015. Common causes of burn injury include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Construction accidents
• Medical malpractice or negligence
• Explosions
• Defective products and product liability

Premise liability is also another contributing cause to injuries relating to burns. For example, sometimes accidents also occur at privately-owned property, including but not limited to apartment buildings, residential homes, restaurants, hotels, and other types of businesses. Essentially, anywhere a property owner has a duty of care to protect people invited onto their premises from harm can fall under premises liability.

Do I Have a Burn Injury Case?

Any person who has suffered a serious burn injury due to another party’s careless action or reckless decision may potentially have a burn injury case. The key to building a successful burn injury case in New York City is to prove negligence.

• Get Medical Treatment Immediately. Treatment documents the injury, when it occurred, how it happened, and any long or short-term treatment required.
• Call and Speak to Burn Injury Attorney at Our Firm. We will document the circumstances surrounding the burn injury. Depending on where the burn occurred (e.g., at work or elsewhere), our skilled personal injury attorneys will determine if workers’ compensation or a personal injury lawsuit should be filed.
• File a Burn Injury Claim ASAP. The clock for New York State’s statute of limitations starts ticking at the time the accident occurred. The sooner a case is filed, the better.

The attorneys at Terry Katz & Associates will meticulously look at the accident’s circumstances and determine what course of action to take. Our lawyers are well-versed in New York’s workers’ compensation and lawsuits involving personal injury claims.

Who is Held Liable for My Burn Injuries?

If another party’s negligence caused your burn injury, you may want to pursue financial compensation for your injuries. Under New York State law, any party that contributes to an accident causing a burn injury can be held responsible for any damages suffered. Liable parties may include:

• Motorists, pedestrians, or bicyclists.
• Building or property owners.
• Owners or general contractors on construction sites
• Companies that manufactured or sold a defective product.
• Transit companies.
• Government agencies.
• Employers of negligent parties.

Even if you’re not sure who caused your accident, this doesn’t mean there isn’t a premise liability case. Our NYC burn injury attorneys can ascertain blame once all relevant information related to the accident is gathered. In New York, burn victims are permitted to pursue different types of damages, including:

• Economic damages. Economic damages make up any money lost due to the injury; this includes any emergency treatment, medical bills, medical care, rehabilitation expenses, lost wages, physical damages to any personal property lost, and any other expenses directly related to the accident.
• Non-economic damages. Non-economic damages make up the intangible “costs” a victim pays for their injuries, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship, and consortium loss.
• Punitive damages. If a court or jury sees a defendant’s actions as egregious, punitive damages may be awarded. This is usually done to punish the liable party for their recklessness and set an example for others who may be tempted to make the same bad decisions. This type of damage award is rare and will directly relate to the liable party’s actions or decisions.

The attorneys at Terry Katz & Associates will examine your personal injury case, determine liability, and then work to ensure you receive the maximum financial compensation for your medical expenses and other costs related to your injuries.

For a Free Case Evaluation Call Our Top Burn Injury Attorneys Today

A burn injury can have a significant impact on a victim’s life. Any party who breached a duty of care should be held responsible for their actions or failure to act. In New York State, burn injury victims have the right to pursue justice for their injuries or if a family member’s accident is fatal for wrongful death. Don’t wait, call 888-488-7459 for a free burn injury consultation.