In the United States, around 450,000 Americans each year seek treatment for burns, and 40,000 require hospitalization. Tragically, 3,400 died from their injuries. These treatments can be life-changing, and they can be expensive as medical costs frequently top $100,000 for severe burns requiring surgery and skin grafts.
In many instances, these burns happen due to preventable accidents that occur as a result of negligence.
If you or someone you love suffers burn injuries because of the carelessness or wrongdoing of others, Monge & Associates is here to help. Our firm has recovered millions for victims who suffered burns as a result of accidents, and we can put our legal knowledge and experience to work for you.
Give us a call or contact us online today to schedule your free consultation with an Arlington burn injury lawyer to learn about how we can help.
Contact Monge & Associates Today
Suffered A Burn Injury in Arlington?
Why Choose Monge & Associates
Monge & Associates is a dedicated personal injury law firm that has decades of experience representing burn injury victims. When you need a legal advocate you can trust to help in your pursuit of justice, you should turn to our firm because:
- We’ve been practicing personal injury law since 1993. Our team includes experienced Arlington personal injury lawyers who have extensive knowledge of the laws in Virginia.
- We’ve recovered over $1 billion for clients. Although your case determines how much compensation you can collect, our team’s track record of large verdicts and settlements shows we know how to build solid cases.
- We have comprehensive resources to build your claim. We work with burn specialists and reconstruction experts and can put together strong evidence about how your burns happened and how badly you were harmed.
- We care about our clients. When we represent you, you’ll have a dedicated team committed to fighting for your future.
Types of Burns We Handle
Monge & Associates handles all types of burn injury cases. Some of the most common types of burn injuries where we’ve represented clients include situations where our clients suffered:
- Thermal burns: These are caused by fire, flames, hot liquids, steam, scalding water, and hot surfaces
- Chemical burns: Acids, cleaning products, industrial chemicals, and caustic substances can cause chemical burns.
- Electrical burns: These burns occur due to electric shock, electrocution, faulty wiring, and problems with electrical equipment
- Radiation burns: These burns can result from UV exposure or from medical or industrial radiation
- Friction burns: Road rash from motorcycle or bicycle accidents can cause friction burns to develop
Many of these burns are caused by negligence, such as careless drivers who cause auto accidents and companies that behave unsafely and allow victims to be exposed to dangerous chemicals. We will work to understand how your burn happened and who can be held liable.
Burn Severity Levels
While all burns are serious, they range in severity and are graded depending on the degree. Here are the different classifications of burn severity you may suffer after an accident:
- First-degree: First-degree burns affect the outer skin layer and cause redness and pain
- Second-degree: Second-degree burns are more serious and cause blistering, swelling, and severe pain
- Third-degree: With third-degree burns, all skin layers are destroyed. The burn may have a white or black appearance, and you may experience nerve damage
- Fourth-degree: When you suffer a fourth-degree burn, the burn extends through skin to affect muscle, tendons, and bone
The more severe your burn, the greater your potential losses and the more compensation you’ll likely be entitled to recover.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Monge & Associates can help after any accident that results in a burn. Some of the most common types of incidents that lead to burns include:
- Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents – Victims could be burned by vehicle fires, explosions, and fuel tank ruptures
- Workplace accidents: Workers in construction and manufacturing are at a greater risk and may suffer burns due to chemical exposure or electrical hazards
- Defective products: Faulty appliances, flammable materials, and unsafe equipment can all cause or increase the risk of serious burn injuries.
- Residential fires: House fires can be caused by faulty wiring, gas leaks, and landlord negligence
- Premises liability: Property owners could be responsible for burns that occur due to unsafe conditions or inadequate fire safety equipment
- Explosions: Gas leaks and industrial accidents can all cause burn injuries to occur.
Serious Long-Term Complications
Many victims who experience burn injuries suffer serious long-term complications and need extensive treatment, including:
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Skin grafts and reconstructive surgeries
- Infections and sepsis from open wounds
- Nerve damage and chronic pain
- Limited mobility and range of motion
- PTSD, anxiety, and depression
- Permanent disability affecting work and daily activities
An Arlington burn injury lawyer at Monge & Associates can help you to understand the extent of the damage and can work with you to pursue a claim to get the full compensation you deserve for serious and lasting losses.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
You should be “made whole” for economic and non-financial losses. Some examples of compensation you should be entitled to include:
- Medical expenses: The defendant responsible for your burns should cover the costs of emergency care, hospital stays, surgeries, and skin grafts.
- Future medical costs: You may need ongoing treatment, including reconstructive surgery and physical therapy. These treatments should be paid for by those responsible.
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity: You should be compensated for lost earnings and future reduced earning capacity due to your injuries.
- Pain and suffering: When you experience discomfort, you should be compensated for the physical pain you endure.
- Emotional distress and PTSD: Defendants are responsible for the mental impact of burns, including anxiety, PTSD, and emotional distress.
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement: If you experience a lasting impact to your appearance from a burn, you should be compensated.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: In many situations, your burn injuries will affect your quality of life, and you should be paid for this non-economic loss.
Who Can Be Held Liable?
Monge & Associates will help you to identify potential defendants who could be liable for burn injuries. This may include:
- Negligent drivers who cause vehicle fires
- Property owners and landlords due to unsafe wiring or inadequate fire safety
- Employers who are responsible for any work-related burn injuries under workers’ compensation.
- Product manufacturers if burns are caused by defective appliances or equipment
- Contractors and electricians, if burns occur because of faulty work
- Business owners, if they maintain an unsafe property that causes burns to occur
Virginia Statute of Limitations
You have a limited time to take action. You must pursue your claim within two years from the time of the injury, or two years from the time of death if you are making a wrongful death claim. If you’re suing the government, the timeline is shorter, with Virginia Code § 8.01-195.6 indicating you have a year to report the incident.
If you miss the timeline, you could lose your right to sue, so get help from an attorney who will make sure you make your claim on schedule.
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How Our Arlington Burn Injury Lawyers Help
An Arlington burn injury lawyer at Monge & Associates will help you every step of your claim. We offer:
- A free case evaluation to assess your claim
- Immediate investigation and evidence preservation
- Collaboration with burn specialists and medical experts
- Advice on total damages, including future medical needs
- Settlement negotiations with the responsible insurer, including fighting insurance tactics to pay low compensation for serious injuries.
- Representation during trial if we must file a lawsuit on your behalf
We do not charge legal fees unless we win, and we’ll be here to fight for you throughout your case. Give us a call today to schedule a free consultation with an Arlington burn injury lawyer ready to fight for you.