Burn Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles.
Burns are among the most painful and damaging injuries sustainable. According to the World Health Organization, burns are responsible for about 18,000 deaths worldwide. With many burn injuries occurring at home and in the workplace, it seems like no one is safe from the debilitating effects of burns.
Burns result in tissue and nerve damage on the body and, in some extreme cases, may lead to fatalities. If one survives, they are permanently scarred both psychologically and physically. Burn injuries are the leading cause of morbidity in the country. In addition to disfigurement, discomfort, and disability, burns also attract stigma to the victims as their physical appearance is permanently altered.
If you've suffered a burn injury, you need to contact burn injury lawyers. At Chen and Nowzari LLP, our burn injury attorneys in Los Angeles have years of experience working with burn victims and have unrivaled expertise in securing fair compensation with the least amount of hassle for you. We take an empathetic approach, facilitating your emotional trauma and injuries when formulating legal strategies to compensate for your pain and suffering.
What To Do in Case of a Fire Accident
Fire accidents are avoidable, but on rare occasions, they do occur. To be on the safe side, you must understand the key steps to succeed in a burn accident. Depending on the extent of the damage, the first step might vary. Nonetheless, you will need to complete the following steps in sequence:
Document the Accident
Whether or not you aim to pursue a legal settlement in the future, it is essential to document the scenes of the accident for future reference. For compensation claims, documentation will allow you to provide proof that forms the basis for legal action against an individual, business, or corporation.
Proper documentation involves taking pictures and videos of the site of the burn, its extent, your environment, and the causative agent of the burns. The more accurate the documentation, the stronger the case will be in your favor.
You may also write down the events leading to the accident. When the burns were caused by a product of chemical nature or thermal appliances, you need to document how you were handling the product and the objects in your immediate environment. Documentation is dynamic for different fire accidents. Be sure to carry out adequate research on how best to approach your predicament.
Carry Out First Aid Where Possible
Time is of the essence, especially in case of severe burns. As you wait for the first responders or a loved one to take you to the hospital, you could use those precious seconds to carry out first aid on your wounds.
It is crucial to ensure your burn wounds remain sterile as the body's natural protective barrier, the skin, is damaged and, therefore, cannot provide protection from pathogens.
For third-degree burns, ensure you are adequately hydrated since you may lose up to 60% of your body's water resulting in severe dehydration and shock. Avoid covering the wound with a cloth, as this might be incorporated into the skin, elongating the healing process.
Seek Medical Treatment
Regardless of the nature of the burns, it would be best if you considered getting your wounds checked by a qualified physician to ensure you are not at risk of infection. However, minor burns may be attended to at home under close monitoring.
Seek Out the Services of Burn Injury Lawyers
Finally, suppose you intend to seek compensation. In that case, you should approach reputable burn injury lawyers like Chen and Nowzari LLP to help formulate a legal strategy that will present you with the least amount of problems and the maximum compensation.
Developing a Legal Strategy for Burn Injury Compensation
When you come to us at Chen and Nowzari LLP, we will put in place a legal strategy guaranteed to offset your current and future medical treatment bills, along with compensating you for your pain, suffering, and inability to earn a living or lead an everyday life. Our team can help you with the following:
Identify Grounds for Compensation
Not all accidents are eligible for compensation; however, our expert lawyers will evaluate your situation and determine the best legal approach for you to receive compensation. The most common grounds for legal action in case of an accident are;
Negligence
Do you feel like a negligent party's wrongful actions caused your fire accident? Do you feel their lapse in judgment is to blame for sustaining your burn wounds? You fall under thousands of individuals who are victims of avoidable fire accidents from people, companies, and corporations for negligence.
An experienced burn injury lawyer in Los Angeles will help you identify the grounds for negligence which include, but are not limited to:
Breach of duty of care
Causation of accident
Damages on person
Product Defects
Most products that make their way into the consumer market are highly unregulated. However, you can still bear the brunt of poor manufacturing, storage, or transportation.
When a product induces burns on your body, seeking compensation might be the best way to recover financially and psychologically.
A company will be liable for damages if the plaintiff, who in this case is the victim, can provide irrefutable proof that the defendant manufactured and distributed a defective product or that their product played a pivotal role in the victim's burn injuries despite being used in the recommended manner.
In addition, insufficient warnings provided by the manufacturer may also make them liable for damages.
Premise Liability
When a fire breaks out while you are at work or within the legal vicinity of an individual's premises and you sustain burn injuries, you are entitled to compensation from the defendant. In California, homeowners are required to maintain adequate fire safety, a breach that may result in prosecution even in the absence of accidents.
File All Necessary Documents in Time
California has stringent regulations on statutes of limitations. For this reason, you must ensure you file your complaints on time.
In addition to an official complaint, numerous other documents must be filed with the court clerk. Staying on top of the paper mountain might be challenging when you need to gain experience with the justice system.
Ideally, you stand a better chance of a positive outcome when you take on the services of burn injury lawyers with practical expertise, such as Chen and Nowzari LLP.
Formulating a Winning Legal Strategy
The right legal approach takes years of practice to perfect. Unless you have been a victim of several freak accidents, your burn injuries experience is probably minimal.
On the contrary, the experienced legal team at Chen and Nowzari LLP has years of experience assisting burn injury victims to achieve fair settlements for all types of burn injury lawsuits.
We not only collect evidence to prove liability, but we also offer legal counsel and provide round-the-clock customer support to ensure all your queries and needs are addressed promptly and professionally.
We provide assistance to burn patients who experience difficulty in obtaining the compensation they are entitled to from insurance companies that have delayed severe burn injury claims for policyholders.
You deserve a committed lawyer who understands your current situation and is willing to allocate their time and resources to ease up the legal process. Chen and Nowzari LLP is the perfect legal partner.
Possible Causes of Fire Accidents
Despite the emphasis on fire safety in California, fire accidents occur occasionally. However, several other factors come into play when evaluating the possible causes of burns. Burn accidents are caused by:
Radiation
Exposure to radiation causes tissue damage that closely resembles physical and physiological burns. Harmful radiation includes x-rays, gamma radiation, and even infrared radiation. Prolonged exposure to damaging radiation may occur in your workplace or locations where nuclear energy is harnessed.
Chemicals of Extreme pH
Chemicals that are highly acidic or extremely basic may cause burns when they come into contact with the skin.
Acids are especially notorious as they are more readily available in everyday household and workplace environments. Battery acid, for example, might cause substantial damage and severe pain when it touches your skin. You should immediately rinse the affected site and seek medical attention to manage chemical burns as they can leave permanent scars.
Thermal Burns
Thermal burns or fire-related injuries are by far the most common fire accidents. They occur when a person comes into contact with a material of extremely high temperature. An open flame burns at thousands of degrees, making it dangerous to human tissue. In addition to open flames, hot liquids, and superheated metal objects pose a serious threat when it comes to burns.
First-degree Burns
First-degree burns are a type of burn injury that affects the outermost layer of skin. The skin may be red and slightly swollen, but there is no blistering or peeling. First-degree burns tend to be physically painful but heal relatively quickly without any lasting effects. Sunburns are the most common type of first-degree burns, but they can also be caused by contact with hot objects, such as a pan or an iron.
Second-degree Burns
A second-degree burn is a type of burn injury that goes deeper than a first-degree burn. A second-degree burn affects the top two layers of skin, namely the epidermis, and dermis. These burns may cause redness and skin blister formation. In certain cases, the skin may also appear wet or waxy.
Third-degree Burns
Third-degree burns are the severest form of burn injury, impacting the skin and going further to damage the tissues, muscles, and bones underneath. Symptoms of this burn include whitened or charred skin, a lack of sensation in the affected area, and an inability to feel pain due to nerve damage. Third-degree burns require immediate medical care as they can cause extensive tissue damage and may require a surgical skin graft and other future treatments.
Burn injuries can be incredibly traumatic and cause extensive physical, emotional, and financial distress. If you or a loved one has suffered from a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation and to speak with one of our experienced attorneys about the next steps.
Fourth-degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns, also known as full-thickness burns, are the most severe type of burn injury. They reach beyond the outer layer of skin and through to the underlying fat, muscle, and even bone tissue. Fourth-degree burns often require extensive medical care and can cause permanent damage or disfigurement to a person’s body. Depending on the severity of the injury, fourth-degree burns may even require amputation.
Fire Safety Requirements for Commercial & Residential Buildings
The California Code of Regulations (CCR) has a lot to say regarding fire safety for different buildings. Understanding these regulations sheds light on probable negligence cases by building owners and colleagues. Ultimately, these regulations protect people from sustaining burn injuries in fire accidents.
For more details on the safety regulations in your building, refer to title 8, subchapter 7 of the California Code of regulations.
Get in Touch with a Burn Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles
In conclusion, observing fire safety regulations is imperative to avoiding burn injuries. However, accidents do occur.
Instead of succumbing to the physical pain, and financial strain that workplace burn injuries incur on you and your loved ones, make the right decision and contact our law firm to speak with a burn injury attorney in Los Angeles.
Kickstart the legal process with professional burn injury lawyers by your side by contacting Chen & Nowzari LLP today.
Burn Injury FAQs
Here are some “People Also Ask” questions regarding burn injury lawyers and their services:
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A burn injury lawyer is a type of personal injury attorney who specializes in representing victims of burn injuries.
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Burn injury lawyers provide a variety of services, including offering legal advice to victims of burn injuries, filing claims against negligent parties, and representing clients in court. They also help victims receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
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If you or someone you know has suffered from a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, it may be beneficial to contact a burn injury lawyer to discuss your legal options. Burn injury lawyers are knowledgeable and experienced in dealing with these types of cases, so they can provide the best advice and representation.