There are plenty of qualified attorneys in St. Tammany Parish who serve the people of Covington. You are doing your research, which means something has happened. Something serious enough to engage legal counsel. No one reads lawyer websites until they need one.
Our clients came to us after burn injuries, usually caused by someone else's negligence. This page explains how burn injury claims work in Louisiana, what causes these injuries, and what Morris & Dewett offers. Read it. Compare us to others. Make the decision that is right for your situation.
What Is a Burn Injury?
Burns are skin injuries caused by contact with heat, chemicals, or another energy source. First-degree burns are mild and damage only the surface of the skin. Second- and third-degree burns are moderate to severe, destroying lower layers of skin and nerves. Fourth-degree burns are the most serious, extending damage to muscles, tendons, and bones.
On a physical level, burns can cause profound, irreversible trauma, including scarring, nerve damage, and loss of function. Psychologically, burn injuries may be no less serious. Many burn survivors develop post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other lasting psychological impacts.
Burn Injury Statistics
The latest data on burn accidents and injuries shows how common and serious they are (source: American Burn Association).
What to Do After a Burn Injury
Call 911 or go to the emergency room as soon as any serious burn injuries occur. Serious burns include those that char the skin, cause deep damage, or cover more than 3 inches of the face, major joints, hands, or feet. While you wait for emergency care, here are other important steps to take:
Stop, drop and roll: Put out any flames as soon as possible.
- Get out of harm's way: Move away from any fire, chemicals, power source, or other agents that caused burns.
- Take off restrictive items: This includes anything on or around your fingers, waist, or neck, like rings, belts, and neckties. Burns can immediately inflame your skin, and leaving restrictive items on can quickly cause more damage.
- Do not peel items off of burn injuries: If clothing or other items have melted onto your skin, do not try to remove those items. It could worsen your injuries.
- Cover and elevate the burns: Use a clean, cool cloth or bandage to cover your burns until a medical professional can attend to them. Keep the injured areas raised, ideally above heart level.
- Watch for shock: Serious burn injuries can trigger shock, which may cause breathing problems or fainting.
After receiving emergency care, document what happened, preserve any evidence of the cause, and contact an attorney before speaking with insurance companies.
What Causes Burn Injuries?
Burns can result from exposure to fires, explosions, electricity, chemicals, toxins, and radiation. Those exposures can occur in various ways, including motor vehicle accidents, dangerous products, and work accidents.
Motor Vehicle Accidents & Burn Injuries
Traffic crashes often cause severe burns complicated by other injuries. The burn injuries from motor vehicle accidents can result from the force of an impact causing car fires and explosions. Auto accident victims can also suffer burn injuries when exposed to scalding debris, deploying airbags, and caustic chemicals or live currents.
Burns from Dangerous Products
Poorly designed and badly manufactured products can malfunction and cause serious burn injuries. This includes consumer goods, household appliances, medical equipment, industrial equipment, and vehicle parts. Often, the accidents and burns caused by dangerous products could have been prevented if manufacturers had prioritized public safety.
Work Accidents & Burn Injuries
Workplace burn injuries are more likely to occur in settings involving flammable substances, volatile chemicals, power tools, and heavy equipment. This can include the construction, manufacturing, food service, welding, trucking, and oil and gas industries. Employers are responsible for providing safe workplaces and sufficient training for jobs that carry burn risks, but not every employer honors this responsibility.
Why Do I Need a Covington Burn Injury Lawyer?
Burn injury claims involve several layers that are difficult to navigate without legal counsel. A burn injury attorney can improve the strength and outcome of your case in the following ways.
Liability Determinations
Fault for burn accidents and injuries is not always straightforward. It can take additional investigations and analysis of the evidence to identify every party that shares fault. Identifying all liable parties is the key to maximizing recovery from a case.
Insurance Companies
At some point in most burn injury cases, insurance companies will get involved. Insurance companies are looking to limit payouts. A burn injury lawyer knows the tactics insurers use and can counter them to protect your rights.
Damage Calculations
Knowing the full value of a burn injury case requires evaluating both economic and non-economic damages. A burn injury attorney can examine every detail of your case to calculate what you are entitled to recover.
Settlement Negotiations
Settlement talks are high-stakes discussions involving multiple parties. An attorney can push back on low offers, counter strategically, and take a case to court if negotiations are not successful. The Covington burn injury lawyers at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers can provide counsel and representation through each stage of the process.
Who Can You Sue for a Burn Injury?
You can sue negligent parties when their actions or oversights contributed to your burn injuries. Depending on the circumstances and causes of a particular injury and case, the parties who may be sued for burn injuries can include:
How Much Is Burn Injury Compensation?
Monetary settlements and awards for burn injury claims depend on case-specific factors. These can include the severity of the burns, the type of negligence involved, and the extent of the losses suffered. Generally, the damages for burn injuries can include compensation for economic and non-economic losses. View our case results.
Talk to a Covington Burn Injury Lawyer
Find out more about your rights and legal options by contacting a Covington burn injury lawyer at Morris & Dewett Injury Lawyers. With decades of experience, we can provide representation when it is time to seek financial recovery and justice. No matter how complex your case may be, contact us to discuss your options.