Minor burns are a common injury and are often easy to treat. However, many people are not aware that burns are also one of the leading causes of accidental death in the United States, with more than 100,000 patients losing their lives to burns or complications arising from a burn injury every single year.

Severe burns can be extremely debilitating. They can mean extensive and expensive medical treatments, time off of work, and even ongoing medical problems that require specialist care. The physical, emotional, and financial fallout of a burn injury can impact both you and your family, and is all the more difficult to bear when someone else is to blame for your pain and suffering.

If you have suffered a burn as a result of someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation. The team here at Juan Lucas Alvarez, P.A. have the knowledge and experience that you need to achieve fair and just recompense for your burn injury.

Types of burn injury

Burns can vary widely in severity and are usually graded by medical professionals based on the extent of the injury. Typical grading is as follows:

• First degree burns – This refers to burns that only affecting the outermost layer of the skin. They may be extremely painful, but they not cause the patient to experience health issues, and they leave little to no scarring.
• Second degree burns – This is characterized by injury to the top two layers of skin. Second degree burn patients will likely experience severe pain, tightening of the skin and muscle tissue, known as contractors, and infections. After the burn has healed, there is also likely to be moderate scarring.
• Third degree burns – This grade of burn penetrates the fatty layer of tissue under the skin, putting the patient at risk of infection and nerve damage. Scarring is also likely to be considerable.
• Fourth degree burns – This is the most severe grade of burn, when tissue damage reaches the bones. Tendons, muscles, and nerves are affected, often to the level where the patient suffers from permanent disability. Injuries this severe may be life-threatening.

Other side effects, such as from smoke inhalation, may also require medical attention.

Causes of burn injuries

Burn injuries can occur in both home and workplace settings and can be caused by a variety of different things, including:

• Fires inside the home
• Workplace accidents, particularly those in the manufacturing and food service industries
• Electrical burns
• Chemical burns
• Burns resulting from defective products such as mobile phone chargers
• Friction burns (normally suffered by motorcyclists involved in road traffic accidents)
• Other burns sustained in road traffic accidents, such as from fires or explosions

Burn injuries and worker’s compensation

If you have suffered a burn at work, while performing your usual day to day tasks, you could be entitled to worker’s compensation. Florida law requires virtually all employers to purchase worker’s compensation coverage, which provides an employee who has suffered an injury in the line of work with a number of financial benefits. Worker’s compensation can cover medical bills, loss of earnings, and costs accumulated through reemployment services.

Our attorneys specialize in worker’s compensation cases in Miami and the South Florida area. We will be able to advise you if you have a viable claim for worker’s compensation.

Pursuing a compensation claim for a burn injury

If you suffer from a burn injury that was caused by the negligence of a third person or party, your claim will rest on the evidence that can be collated about your injury. These could include:

• photographs of the injury
• witnesses from statements who saw the injury occur
• any CCTV or other footage of the incident
• reports from any first responders or medical professionals

Here at the offices of Juan Lucas Alvarez, P.A., our team have extensive experience in gathering the evidence and documentation needed to build a strong case for fair and adequate compensation for physical, psychological, and financial damages caused as a result of a burn injury. Contact Juan Lucas Alvarez, P.A. today for a complimentary consultation at 305-442-7375.