Burn Injury Lawyers in New York
Burn Injury Attorneys located in Rosedale and servicing New York City and the counties of Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester.
A severe burn injury can change your life forever. Even if you get the best possible treatments, you could be permanently living with the consequences of your severe burns. The entire situation will only get more frustrating if your catastrophic injury was caused by someone else’s mistakes.
At Alex Yadgarov & Associates, we believe that no one should have to suffer financially and emotionally due to the harm someone else caused them, which is why we proudly offer our legal services to anyone who has been badly burned in an accident. Our team of burn injury lawyers in New York are accustomed to handling catastrophic injury cases and wrongful death claims brought against stubborn insurance companies and uncooperative defendants. Whether your case can reach an amicable settlement or has to go to court for litigation, we’re the attorneys you can count on.
Dial (718) 276-2800 to request your FREE case consultation now.
Permanent Disabilities Caused by Burn Injuries
A severe burn injury has the potential to cause permanent disabilities. The outcome will depend on what body part was burned, so one burn injury survivor could experience vastly different disabilities than the next.
People who have been severely burned often experience:
- Chronic pain
- Dehydration-related illnesses
- Immobility in affected body parts
- Numbness or loss of sensation
Catastrophic burns can also inflict emotional and mental trauma on survivors if they cause permanent scarring where it is openly visible. It can take years to readjust to your appearance after it has been dramatically changed in an accident someone else caused. Self-esteem issues can understandably follow, which can sometimes become just as painful as any lingering physical injury.
How Do Catastrophic Burn Injuries Happen?
Burn injuries occur when there is extensive tissue damage caused by excessive heat. An accident victim can suffer a burn injury due to various reasons. The different types of burns a victim could sustain include:
- Thermal Burns: Thermal burns occur when hot gasses or liquids get transferred onto the skin causing the skin cells to rupture.
- Chemical Burns: Chemicals such as acids and solvents can cause damage when they come into contact with skin.
- Combustion: Injuries caused by burning fuel and flames can be extremely severe.
- Electric Burns: When electricity enters the body and heats the conductor that touches the skin or when electrical sparks flare, it can cause burn injuries to the skin cells.
- Radiation Burns: These types of burns occur from such equipment as sun beds etc, as well as radioactive equipment or materials.
- Cold Burns: These types of burns occur when the skin is exposed to extreme cold, and may even result in the loss of limbs.
Damages in a Burn Injury Claim
The amount of compensation you are owed for your burn injury will be dependent on the severity and extent of your burn. Our burn injury lawyers in New York are well-versed with how to explore all damages, calculate a fair total, and file against any available insurance policy. The goal from the start of your case to its closure is to get you as much compensation as possible.
You might be able to demand compensation related to:
- Emergency medical care
- Hospitalization
- Surgeries like skin grafts
- Years of rehabilitative therapy
- Lost wages
- Reduced income capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Therapy for psychological trauma
Severity of Burn Injuries
Our burn injury lawyers in New York can use the opinions and diagnoses of your medical providers to get a clear understanding of your burn injury’s severity. The degree rating of your burn can also help us predict what sort of lasting consequences it will have on your day-to-day life and overall health.
Burns are typically sorted into four degrees of severity:
- 1st-degree: First-degree burns are a mild burn that damages the outermost layer of skin. Medical attention is not required unless the victim is an elder or infant. Pain should be temporary.
- 2nd-degree: A moderate burn that damages several layers of skin. Medical attention is required. Pain can be intense depending on where the burn was suffered.
- 3rd-degree: A severe burn that damages soft tissues under the skin. Emergency medical attention is required. The burn can cause disabilities or death, especially if untreated.
- 4th Degree: A fourth degree burn is an extremely severe burn that causes damage to the skin and deep tissue and may even go deep enough to damage muscles and bones. These burns cause extreme nerve damage resulting in loss of sensations etc.
How can a Personal Injury Attorney Help You?
A catastrophic injury such as a burn will change your entire lifestyle. Sometimes you may never be able to return to work which means you will not have an income to support yourself and your family. This is why you need an experienced personal injury attorney by your side.
Our experienced attorneys at Alex Yadgarov & Associates will help burn injury victims by:
- Carrying out a free case evaluation.
- Carrying out an unbiased, yet detailed investigation into the incident that caused the catastrophic injuries.
- Identifying the liable parties.
- Working with burn injury experts in order to evaluate the extent of the injuries and their long term consequences for the victim.
- Helping you to gather the evidence and witnesses you require to make your case, as well as getting expert opinions.
- Negotiate with insurance companies to ensure that you get the maximum possible compensation for your pain and suffering.
- Fight out your case in courts if the settlement offered is unsatisfactory.
Catastrophic injuries such as burn injuries can have a long lasting impact on your life and the consequences of such could be devastating both in economic and non-economic terms. The chances of a full recovery following a catastrophic injury are little to none. Some of the long term effects of such an injury include:
- Physical disability: These types of injuries can cause permanent physical disabilities to a person such as paralysis, scarring etc.
- Mental disability: In addition to emotional distress caused by physical disabilities, such injuries may also cause a strain on relationships, which may increase the emotional distress that a person goes through.
- Financial loss: Extensive medical care, loss of income etc will inadvertently cause financial hardships for those who have suffered a catastrophic injury.
- Loss of income and employability: With the physical disabilities that may arise from such injuries, victims of serious accidents may find it difficult to find gainful employment, in addition to immediate loss of income.
This is why hiring an experienced and aggressive burn injury lawyer in New York is so very important. They will fight for your rights and for the justice that you deserve, and help you to get your life back on track.
Catastrophic Burn Injury Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How long do I have to make a burn injury claim in New York?
A: The statute of limitations for personal injury claims such as burns may differ from state to state in the United States. In New York it is three years from the date of the accident. If you fail to file a claim together with an experienced burn injury lawyer in New York prior to this deadline, you may not be able to claim compensation for your injuries and losses. This is why it is imperative that you contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible following such an accident.
Q: How are damages classified when it comes to burn injury cases?
A: Damages claimed in a catastrophic burn injury can be categorized into economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include such things as medical bills, future medical expenses, disability cover, loss of wages or income etc. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of quality of life, loss of consortium etc. An experienced burn injury lawyer in New York can help you claim compensation for all these damages and losses.
Q: What is meant by permanent partial disability following a burn injury?
A: If the burn injury caused permanent loss of physical function or psychiatric distress, your personal injury lawyer may be able to claim what is known as permanent partial disability. The value awarded will depend on the impact of the physical and mental disability on carrying out day-to-day functions.
Q: Under what circumstances would a catastrophic injury case go to trial?
A: Catastrophic injuries such as burns are considered to be extremely severe injuries, and the compensation for such accidents could be very high depending on the damages being claimed. However there may be times when insurance companies may try to settle for far less than the actual value. In such an instance, an experienced burn injury lawyer in New York will file a lawsuit against the liable parties, taking the case to court.
Q: What if a death occurs as a result of a catastrophic burn injury?
A: Burn injuries can sometimes be fatal. If death occurs as a result of a catastrophic burn injury caused by a negligent party, a personal injury attorney may recommend filing a wrongful death case in order to bring justice for your loss, pain and suffering. Wrongful death claims however are bound by a statute of limitations in New York, meaning that the claim should be filed within two years of the death occurring.
Q: Who can be found liable for burn injuries?
A: Any person or entity that has contributed towards an accident which caused a catastrophic burn injury may be held liable in the state of New York. These may include:
- Negligent employers.
- Motorists.
- Property owners.
- Manufacturers (if the burn injury was caused by a defective product).
- General contractors or third-party contractors.
Taking Care of Your Case & Your Wellbeing
At Alex Yadgarov & Associates in Rosedale, we pride ourselves on delivering a comfortable client experience. After you’ve been seriously burned in a bad accident, we want you to know that you can come to our firm and expect to be treated with care and respect. Your recovery is our priority. If you’re in the hospital or don’t feel up to leaving your home, then we would be happy to arrange to come to you for consultations and legal appointments.
Work with a firm that’s invested in your future. Call (718) 276-2800.