Aside from being extremely painful, severe burns can take weeks to heal and potentially lead to permanent scarring even if you get prompt medical treatment. If you get burned because another person or company was acting recklessly or carelessly, you need legal representation from a skilled attorney to recover your injury-related losses.
Whether your case ends with private settlement talks or goes all the way to a civil courtroom, you’ll have slim odds of getting a favorable outcome without a seasoned Quakertown burn injury lawyer. Fortunately, the help you need is available from Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers.
Founding Partner Jon Ostroff and Managing Partner Rich Godshall have a long track record of success and have obtained millions in verdicts for these types of cases. Recently, we obtained $1.2 million for a client who suffered severe burn injuries from an electrical shock on the job. Let us fight for you, too.
When is a Burn Worth Suing Over?
There are a few conditions that a burn injury must meet for it to warrant a civil claim. First and foremost, it must be severe enough to require at least some professional medical attention. For this reason, first-degree burns—or burns that only affect the outermost layer of skin—generally can’t serve as grounds for personal injury lawsuits since they usually heal on their own without anything more than basic first aid.
Next, the injury must have happened directly and mainly because of another person’s “negligence.” More specifically, you and your Quakertown burn attorney must be able to prove that:
- The “defendant” you’re suing had a duty under the law to protect you from harm by acting a certain way
- They instead violated that duty, putting you in harm’s way
- You likely wouldn’t have been injured if the defendant hadn’t been irresponsible
Finally, your lawyer will likely need to show that you weren’t partially to blame for causing your own burns or making them worse by acting negligently. This is crucial in protecting your right to pursue full compensation for your losses. Our attorneys in Quakertown can explain these “modified comparative fault” rules and other legal roadblocks that might affect your burn injury case during a private consultation.
Getting Paid for Burn Injuries
If you can prove someone else’s negligence is the main reason why you were burned, you can demand that they pay for every form of harm you’ve already suffered and will suffer in the future because of your injury. Damages that may be recovered through a private settlement or following a civil court ruling include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma and distress
- Loss of life’s pleasures
- All medical expenses
- Lost work wages and/or ability to work
- Personal property damage
According to the statute of limitations under 42 Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes §5524, you have two years from the date of your burn accident to begin a claim. It is essential to consult a nearby lawyer at Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers as soon as possible after a burn injury to preserve your right to compensation.
Speak with a Quakertown Burn Injury Attorney Today
Severe burns can be agonizing, often affecting multiple layers of skin and leaving you permanently scarred. Unfortunately, no matter how severely you get hurt in an accident, you’ll only be able to get civil compensation for those injuries if you can prove someone else was at fault for them. This can be a lot more complicated than many people expect.
Having help from a respected Quakertown burn injury lawyer can make all the difference in the outcome of your case. Call Ostroff Godshall Injury and Accident Lawyers today to discuss your options with one of our winning attorneys.
