Philadelphia Burn Injury Lawyer

Compensation for Your Pain

Burn injuries are uniquely destructive and painful. In addition to incapacitating victims and leaving them in great pain, burn injuries also wreak havoc on mental health and self-esteem. Fortunately, these and other impacts are considered compensable losses that can be recovered with the aid of an experienced Philadelphia lawyer.

Why Choose a Burn Injury Lawyer from Wapner Newman?

We Fight Hard for Your Compensation

Burn injury victims need an advocate who will fight for every bit of compensation they need to treat their injuries and recover from financial and intangible losses. Wapner Newman is there to stand by your side and do what it takes to get you the compensation that will make a difference in your life.

When you choose Wapner Newman, you get a firm with:

You can also expect to receive personalized legal services and care tailored directly to your needs.

Has a burn injury turned your life upside down? Call (215) 569-0900 to speak with a burn injury lawyer from Wapner Newman to discuss your case. You may be entitled to substantial compensation for your losses. Contact us today!

Damages for Burn Injuries in Philadelphia

Justice for Your Losses

Burn injuries destroy the body and damage the mind. Victims are typically left with deep physical and psychological scars that impede them from living normal lives and earning the money they need to support themselves and others. Fortunately, compensation for these unfortunate consequences is available when someone causes a victim’s burns.

Economic Damages

Economic damages are categories of compensation to address financial losses, including:

  • The financial impact of medical treatment
  • The financial losses from not working due to an injury
  • Expenses related to medical care
  • Property damage .

When a burn injury proves to be fatal, the victim’s loved one or their personal representative can also seek compensation for reasonable funeral and burial expenses.

Non-Economic Damages

Not all losses occasioned by burn injuries are financial. Victims also suffer from emotional and mental impacts for which they may seek compensation, such as:

  • Pain and suffering
  • Discomfort
  • Inconvenience
  • Loss of enjoyment of life.

In some burn cases, the person responsible for the burn acts with outrageous conduct, which is conduct with an evil motive or reckless disregard of the rights of others. When this is the case, the victim may be eligible to pursue punitive damages, which punish instead of compensate and are paid on top of your economic and non-economic damages.

Workers’ Compensation

If you were burned at work, you will likely automatically receive workers’ compensation coverage, which includes:

  • Medical care coverage
  • Partial wage replacement
  • Compensation for certain expenses.

In cases where an on-the-job burn injury is fatal, the worker’s spouse and dependents may be entitled to funeral and burial expense compensation as well as death benefits.

How Burn Injuries Occur

A burn injury might occur in any number of ways. In nearly every situation, there is a risk of being burned. If you do experience a burn injury, you can pursue compensation from the party that caused your injuries, but you typically must prove that they were at least negligent.

Traffic Accidents

Traffic accidents are a major source of burn injuries. Gasoline and extremely hot auto parts make it common for burn injuries to occur in crashes. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists have a higher risk than auto passengers of suffering friction burns caused by road rash.

Negligent acts that commonly cause traffic accidents include:

  • Distracted driving
  • Driving while drunk or on drugs
  • Excessive speeding
  • Road rage and aggressive driving
  • Disregarding traffic laws
  • Disregarding traffic signs and lights.

Driving an unsafe vehicle is also negligent.

House and Apartment Fires

The interior of a home contains numerous powerful appliances that can easily cause a burn injury, such as:

  • Space heaters
  • Ranges
  • Water heaters
  • Hotplates
  • Fireplaces and wood-burning stoves
  • Toaster ovens
  • Pressure cookers.

Burns in the home are also caused by hazardous cleaning products, faulty wiring, and electronic devices.

Outside of the home, the following items can lead to burns:

  • Yard care equipment
  • Cleaning chemicals, such as chemicals for the pool
  • Outdoor fire pits
  • Electric wires.

If a homeowner, landlord, or tenant fails to reasonably protect their guests from these dangers, they can be held liable for damages.

Dangerous Products

Products can be dangerous because they are defective or because they are inherently dangerous. Sometimes, the problem turns out to be a combination of the two. Who is responsible for compensating victims depends on why the product was dangerous.

If a product burns a consumer due to a manufacturing, design, or labeling defect, the manufacturer, designer, distributor, and retailer may all be on the hook for damages. However, if the product burns a customer because it is inherently dangerous but not faulty, someone else may be liable, like a teacher for allowing an untrained student to use a blow torch.

Food and Beverages

Thermal burns from hot food and beverages are common and often preventable. Food service companies can be held liable when they negligently serve hot food and beverages. For example, a drunk waitress who spills scalding coffee on a patron would likely incur liability for herself and her employer.

Work Accidents

On-the-job burn injuries are common, especially in certain industries, such as:

  • Food service
  • Construction
  • Manufacturing
  • Oil and gas
  • Fire prevention.

Workers’ comp is typically available for work injuries. However, lawsuits against negligent third parties may be appropriate.

Criminal Causes

Tragically, many burn injuries come about due to criminal conduct, such as:

  • Child abuse and neglect
  • Nursing home abuse and neglect
  • Intentional violence.

Arson also causes burn injuries.

Medical Malpractice

Medical negligence often exacerbates the consequences of burn injuries due to failure to properly treat and care for burn patients. The results are life-threatening infections, amputations, and permanent scarring.

If you have experienced a burn injury, don’t hesitate to seek representation from an experienced lawyer. Call Wapner Newman at (215) 569-0900 for a free consultation and more information about burn injuries and compensation.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers You Are Looking For

The following answers can help you get a better grasp on burn injuries and compensation for your losses.

Should I hire a burn injury lawyer to represent me?

If you are seeking full compensation for your losses, you need a Philadelphia burn injury lawyer. Burn injury lawyers fight to ensure that insurance companies pay proper compensation totals — they do this by building strong cases and threatening trials. Without a burn injury lawyer, you stand to receive subpar compensation.

How much does an attorney in Philadelphia cost?

Burn injury lawyers charge anywhere between 30% and 40% for their services and don’t get paid unless they win. Additionally, there are costs involved in burn injury claims that are later recouped from your compensation payment.

Is there a time limit for filing a burn injury claim in Pennsylvania?

Yes. If you have suffered a burn injury in Philadelphia, you have a total of two years from the date of the injury to seek compensation. Exceptions to the rule are rare and may be available for minors. However, most burn injury cases do not allow for exceptions to the statute of limitations and must be pursued within two years.

What happens if I am burned at work?

If you are burned at work, you are likely eligible to file for worker’s compensation benefits. You may also have standing to file a personal injury claim if a third party had a hand in your injuries. If you are burned at work, make sure to report the incident to your employer and seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Then, contact an experienced burn injury lawyer for help.

How long will my burn injury claim take?

The duration of burn injury claims varies from case to case. Some may be resolved in as little as a few months after the injurious event. On the other hand, others may take many more months and potentially over a year to resolve.

What are the different types of burns?

The three degrees of burns are:

  • 1st degree, resulting in damage to the epidermis (outer layer of skin)
  • 2nd degree, causing damage to the epidermis and part of the dermis
  • 3rd degree, destroying the epidermis and dermis and potentially more.

When a burn affects between 15 and 20% of an adult’s body (10% for a child), extensive hospitalization is needed.

Do you have more burn injury questions? Give us a call anytime for the answers you are looking for.

Wapner Newman Is Ready to Help

Contact Us for Help Today

If you or a loved one has been burned due to someone else’s actions, you don’t have to shoulder your pain and losses alone. An injury lawyer can potentially recover the money you need to address the harm that has been done to you.

Let the team at Wapner Newman fight to get you the money you need to heal from your burn injuries and provide for your future. Call (215) 569-0900 for a free consultation with a burn injury lawyer today!