Annually, emergency departments across the country treat around 416,000 burn patients. Residential, vehicular, and mechanical operations are all risk factors that can contribute to a burn injury. Burn accidents are not biased and can happen to anyone regardless of safety precautions.
Burn injury law is a sector of the legal system focused on protecting you from the physical, emotional, and financial burdens caused by a burn incident. Victims of these accidents are faced with a long painful, and emotional recovery, and should not be concerned with the legal implications.
Learn how a burn accident attorney can help you gain compensation and justice if you find yourself in the aftermath of a workplace injury.
Types of Workplace Burn Injuries
While certain professions may be more at risk, burn injuries at work are unavoidable. For this reason, businesses should implement safety procedures and other precautions to protect their employees. Regardless of these measures, many may still endure a burn injury at work.
Common workplace-related burn injuries may be classified as:
- Thermal: Burns to the skin caused by contact with external heat sources such as open flames, scalding liquids, heated metal, or other hot surfaces.
- Electrical: Burns that are generated through contact with electrical sources, causing electrical currents to travel through the body and in effect damage tissues and organs. Some sources of these burns include wiring or improperly maintained equipment.
- Chemical: Burns that occur due to contact with corrosive substances such as acids, cleaners including bleach, gasoline, and other harsh chemically based substances.
What To Do Following a Burn Injury at Work
First and foremost, victims should seek immediate medical attention following the incident. Proper medical treatment varies by type and severity of the burn.
After receiving proper medical attention, employees should report their incident to their employer and file a worker’s comp claim or seek other legal action upon consulting a burn injury lawyer.
Services Provided by a Burn Accident Attorney
Due to the nature of the incident and the responsible parties involved in the workplace burn injury, each case may be approached differently. If you are suffering a burn injury please seek legal advice to understand your rights.
Employees may be able to file for workers’ compensation benefits to cover a burn injury that occurred at work. Some eligible benefits may be:
- Medical care
- Disability benefits
- Supplemental job replacement benefits
- Death benefits
In certain circumstances, employees may be able to find a third party to be negligent if another individual or entity caused the burn injury. For example, this can be concerning a manufacturer of equipment or machinery. In other cases, indirect employers such as vendors, or subcontractors may be found responsible for the burn.
When handling a burn injury lawsuit, an attorney will advise the proper measures to take to ensure their client is compensated fairly and receives the justice deserved for the trauma endured.
Our Burn Injury Lawyers Can Help
Suffering a burn injury can feel overwhelming and daunting due to the burdens it causes on an individual’s ability to work or other aspects of their life. With the right lawyer, you can receive proper compensation.
The Law Offices of John J. Perlstein has a team of burn injury lawyers with proven successful outcomes for burn victims. Whether your injury is sustained in the workplace or due to another factor, our team will fight for your righteous compensation.
Feel free to call us at (213) 252-1070 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation on the next steps following a burn incident and your legal rights as an employee.