Houston Burn Injury Attorneys

Serious Burn Injury Claims in Texas

Severe burn injuries often lead to permanent scarring and significant disfigurement. Such injuries can be catastrophic in nature, resulting in numerous physical, emotional, and financial hardships for victims and their loved ones.

If you or someone you love suffered serious burns as a result of another person or party’s negligence, you could be entitled to financial compensation—and The Shellist Law Firm, PLLC can help. Our Houston burn injury lawyers provide compassionate legal representation and aggressive advocacy on behalf of our clients, both in and out of the courtroom. With 20 years of trial experience, we understand what it takes to effectively present your case to the judge and/or jury, and we are prepared to do everything possible to maximize your recovery.

Continue reading to learn more about burn injuries and filing a burn injury claim, or contact us directly at (713) 999-6855 for a free consultation with a member of our team.

When to File a Burn Injury Claim

Although some burns are truly the result of blameless incidents, many are directly or indirectly caused by the negligent and wrongful conduct of others. This is often the case when an individual suffers severe burns due to an unexpected accident or violent incident. For example, a property owner may fail to conduct routine maintenance, causing them to fail to notice exposed and/or faulty electrical wiring. If this wiring causes a fire that leaves victims with severe second- or third-degree burns, the property owner could be legally responsible.

Some of the most common causes of burn injuries include:

• Fires and explosions
• Contact with hot surfaces, liquids, or substances
• Motor vehicle accidents, including car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
• Unsafe premises and poor property maintenance
• Defective products
• Contact with electrical currents
• Radiation, including x-rays and other medical treatments
• Contact with abrasive chemicals, including acids, solvents, and lye
• Abuse, assault, and other violent crimes

You could have grounds for a burn injury claim if you can prove that someone else—whether another person, a landlord or property management company, a business, or even a government entity—was responsible for the incident that led to your injuries.

Under the state’s rule of modified comparative negligence, you will also need to prove that you were no more than 50 percent at fault for the injury-causing event. If you are found to be more at fault than the other party, you cannot file a personal injury claim. Additionally, if you do share some of the blame for your injuries, your total recovery will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if the insurance adjuster/court finds that you were 30 percent at fault for the accident or incident that led to your burn injuries, you could only recover up to 70 percent of the total dollar amount you are seeking in damages.

Types of Burns

There are several different types of burn injuries:

• Thermal Burns: Thermal burns result from contact with hot surfaces, substances, and objects, such as boiling liquids, steam, flames, and other heat sources.
• Chemical Burns: Chemical burns are caused by contact with harmful chemicals and abrasive substances, such as solvents, paint thinners, dyes, and cleaners.
• Electrical Burns: Contact with live electrical currents, including exposed circuits or wiring, may result in electrical burns. These burns are often accompanied by electrocution.
• Radiation Burns: Radiation burns result from all types of radiation, including solar (sunburns) and radiation related to various medical treatments, including x-rays and some cancer therapies.
• Friction Burns: Also known as “road rash,” friction burns are a combination of a severe skin abrasion and thermal burns resulting from friction between the skin and another surface.
• Cold Burns: Cold burns, or “frostbite,” refers to severe skin damage resulting from prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures and/or extremely cold substances, surfaces, or objects.

When Are Burns Considered Catastrophic?

Generally speaking, burns are considered “catastrophic” when they are severe enough to result in significant and/or permanent damage. This is typically the case with second- and third-degree burns.

Burn severity is categorized in the following way:

• First-Degree Burns: The upper layer of skin (epidermis) is affected, leading to redness, pain, and superficial scarring but long-term damage is rare
• Second-Degree Burns: Both the upper and lower layers of skin (epidermis and dermis) are affected, resulting in redness, swelling, blisters, and a shiny or wet appearance
• Third-Degree Burns: The epidermis, dermis, and surrounding tissues/bones are affected, leading to redness or “charring,” numbness, nerve damage, and severe damage

The location of a burn also affects whether or not it is considered catastrophic. For example, burns on the face, hands, and genitals, as well as those affecting large areas of the body, generally constitute medical emergencies. Such burns will generally be considered catastrophic and may lead to lasting effects for victims.

Compensation for Burn Victims

If you or someone you love suffered severe burn injuries due to the negligence or wrongful conduct of another, you could be entitled to financial compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages are losses that have a set monetary value, such as medical bills, and non-economic damages are those that are more intangible in nature.

Depending on the specifics of your case, you may be entitled to the following damages:

• Past, current, and future medical expenses
• Past, current, and future pain and suffering
• Past, current, and future lost wages/income
• Lost earning ability due to disability and/or disfigurement
• Emotional distress and anguish
• Mental health treatment, including therapy/counseling
• Disfigurement
• Lost or diminished enjoyment/quality of life

At The Shellist Law Firm, PLLC, our Houston burn injury attorneys fight for maximum compensation for our clients. We understand just how devastating severe burns are, as well as the impact these injuries have on the lives of victims and their loved ones. We can seek fair compensation for emergency medical care, skin grafting and other surgeries, pain management, medications, medical equipment, lost earnings, lost earning ability, pain and suffering, trauma, and other damages on your behalf.

Contact The Shellist Law Firm, PLLC Today

In Texas, you only have two years from the date of the injury (or the date on which the injury was discovered/reasonably could have been discovered) to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you wait too long, you could lose your right to sue the liable party for damages. We strongly recommend that you reach out to an attorney at our firm right away so that we can immediately begin investigating your claim and putting together evidence on your behalf. The sooner you contact our firm, the sooner we can begin fighting for you and the recovery you deserve.

When you choose The Shellist Law Firm, PLLC, you do not pay any upfront or out-of-pocket costs. Instead, we only collect legal fees if/when we win your case. There is no risk in speaking to a member of our team today about your legal rights and options.

Call (713) 999-6855 or contact us online for a free consultation with a burn injury attorney in Houston. We are available 24/7 to assist you!