Easton Burn Injury Lawyer
Practice Areas
Easton burn injury lawyer Edward Shaughnessy helps burn victims secure burn injury compensation through burn injury lawsuits throughout the Lehigh Valley area. Leading his team of burn injury attorneys, his Easton personal injury law firm has become a beacon of hope for victims of burns and permanent scarring.
If you or a loved one has suffered severe burn injuries in the Lehigh Valley region, Easton personal injury lawyer Edward P. Shaughnessy is here to help. Our Easton burn injury lawyers recognize the physical and emotional pain and suffering that burn injuries can cause, which is why our personal injury law firm is dedicated to providing compassionate and effective legal representation to burn accident victims.
Call our law office at 610-258-9955 to schedule a free consultation with Easton burn injury lawyer Edward Shaughnessy regarding your burn injury case. Our burn injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so clients won’t owe any legal fees unless their personal injury claim is successful.
Can You Sue for Severe Burn Injuries in Pennsylvania?
If someone suffers from a severe burn injury as a result of another person’s negligence, they can sue the negligent party through a personal injury lawsuit. Experienced burn injury lawyers like Attorney Edward P. Shaughnessy can help victims prove liability and file a claim for burn injury compensation to seek economic damages and non-economic damages in the aftermath of their burn accident.
Depending on the cause of the burn injury, our Easton burn injury lawyer can help victims file different kinds of personal injury cases against at-fault parties. Below are some of the different kinds of burn injury claims our burn injury lawyers handle.
Premises Liability Claims in Lehigh Valley
Our experienced burn injury lawyers can help burn injury victims who have sustained serious injuries on another person’s property. These burn injury lawsuits are often the result of inadequate safety measures, missing or poorly maintained safety equipment, and property owner negligence.
For a free case evaluation, contact our Easton premises liability lawyer.
Product Liability Claims in Lehigh Valley
An experienced burn injury lawyer can prove that a person’s burn injury occurred as a result of a faulty or defective product. Victims can file a product liability claim against the manufacturer or distributor of the product under strict liability law.
To learn more about how you can secure burn injury compensation, contact our Easton product liability lawyer.
Workers’ Compensation Claims in Lehigh Valley
An employee who suffers from a burn injury at work can file a workers’ compensation claim to receive financial compensation for their medical bills and lost wages. These kinds of burn injury claims ensure employees are financially taken care of in the event of a burn accident.
If you’ve sustained a serious burn or other personal injuries at work, an Easton workers’ compensation lawyer can help you secure maximum compensation for your injuries. Edward Shaughnessy has extensive experience as a burn injury lawyer and a workers’ compensation lawyer and can guide you through the work and personal injury process to secure the best burn injury settlement for your specific case.
Can I Gain Compensation for a Burn at Work?
Yes, if you suffered a burn injury at work, you can file a worker compensation claim. However, if your claim does not cover all of your expenses and losses related to the injury, or it was the direct result of employer negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Our Easton burn injury lawyer may be able to help you recover maximum compensation in the form of a burn injury settlement or trial award.
Car Accident Claims in Lehigh Valley
Auto accident victims can also file for compensation for burn injuries. When car accidents occur as a result of someone else’s negligence, the victims can file suit against them to recover compensation for burn injuries, as well as any other losses they suffered as a result of the crash.
An Easton car accident attorney can help you determine the best course of action for your burn injury lawsuit.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries in Lehigh Valley
Various things, including friction, fire, and exposure to chemicals, can cause burns. Below are some of the most common causes of burn injuries.
Car Accidents
Auto accidents can lead to various types of burns, ranging from minor to severe burn injuries. Ruptured gas tanks and electrical malfunctions can cause cars to catch fire. Electric car batteries can also catch flame and cause someone to suffer from a burn injury.
House Fires and Apartment Building Fires
House fires and apartment building fires can also cause burn injuries. Victims who come into contact with flames, embers, or hot metal surfaces in and around the building often suffer from severe burns as a result.
Workplace Accidents
Certain occupations carry inherent risks of burn injuries. Electricians, mechanics, chefs, construction workers, and others may face thermal or chemical burns due to workplace accidents.
Liability in Easton Burn Injury Cases
Negligent parties may be held liable for burn injuries. If you have suffered from a burn accident, an Easton burn injury attorney can evaluate your burn injury case and determine who was at fault for your personal injuries.
Our Easton burn injury lawyers outline some of the most common liable parties in burn injury cases:
Negligent Landlords and Property Owners
Landlords bear the responsibility of upholding fire safety standards. If their failure to fulfill these obligations results in a burn accident, our Easton burn injury lawyers can hold them liable for damages in burn injury lawsuits.
Just like landlords, property owners must adhere to fire safety standards and have an obligation to protect visitors from general harm. When they don’t, and a visitor suffers from severe burns, our Easton burn injury lawyers can hold the property owner responsible for the traumatic injuries in a personal injury claim.
Hazardous Work Environments
While certain professions expose workers to a higher risk of burn accidents, employers are still responsible for maintaining safe working conditions. If an employee is injured in a burn accident while on the job, our burn injury lawyers can hold the employer liable for burn injuries.
Burn Injury Damages in an Easton Burn Injury Lawsuit
Our Easton burn injury lawyers understand that a serious burn injury can cause more than just physical pain; it can also cause the victim to suffer from emotional and financial losses. Depending on the severity of their injuries, our burn injury lawyers can help burn victims seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages, such as:
- Medical expenses, including past and future medical bills associated with the injury
- Lost wages and lost earning potential
- Physical/occupational therapy expenses
- Mental health counseling expenses
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Physical pain and suffering
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
- Funeral and burial expenses in the event of a wrongful death.
What is the Average Payout for Burns
Compensation from a burn injury case can vary wildly, depending on the severity of the injury and the experience of your burn injury lawyer.
It’s important to note that all burn injury claims are unique, and it can be hard to calculate the estimated settlement amount or trial award for a burn injury without additional information. If you have suffered from a catastrophic injury as a result of a burn accident, an Easton burn injury lawyer can help calculate a more accurate estimate of how much compensation you may be entitled to in a burn injury lawsuit.
Burn Injury Levels
Burn injuries vary in severity, ranging from minor to life-threatening. To indicate how severe a burn injury is, it is classified into one of four “degrees,” with a first-degree burn being the most mild and a fourth-degree burn being the most severe.
Each degree helps indicate the extent of the damage caused by a given burn injury. Below are the four different degrees of burn injuries according to the American Burn Association and the signs and symptoms of each degree.
First-Degree Burns
A first-degree burn is the most minor burn injury people can suffer from, and it only affects the skin’s outermost layer. First-degree burns are most commonly caused by brief contact with a hot surface or minor sunburns. Even though the first-degree burn is the mildest type, it can still cause discomfort, skin irritation, and redness at the burn site.
Typically, first-degree burns heal within a week without causing permanent damage.
Second-Degree Burns
A second-degree burn is more severe and causes damage to the first and second layers of skin. Severe second-degree burns often result from exposure to scalding liquids or contact with a hot object. Those with a second-degree burn often experience intense pain, redness, swelling, and blisters around the burn site.
Second-degree burns can take a few weeks to heal and can potentially leave scars.
Third-Degree Burns
A third-degree burn penetrates all layers of the skin, causing damage to the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue. Third-degree burns are severe, often causing white or charred skin discoloration. They can also give the affected skin a waxy texture and can cause damage to the nerve endings, hair follicles, and sweat glands in that area.
Victims who suffer third-degree burns may experience minimal pain due to nerve damage caused by the burn. Third-degree burns require immediate medical attention and often lead to permanent scarring. Signs of a third-degree burn include:
- Dry, leathery skin
- Black, white, brown, or yellow skin at the burn site
- Swelling
- Lack of pain due to nerve damage
Fourth-Degree Burns
Fourth-degree burns are one of the most severe types of burn injuries, causing damage to all layers of the skin, as well as damage to underlying muscles, tendons, fascia, and even bones. The affected skin often appears black and dead, and victims may require skin grafts to replace portions of charred skin.
These burns can be life-threatening and require extensive medical care. In situations where victims survive, they are likely to experience permanent scarring and disfigurement and may even require amputation. Symptoms of fourth-degree burns include:
- Complete lack of pain due to extensive nerve damage
- Charred and discolored skin
- Exposed muscle or bone
- Swelling
Most personal injury cases involve severe third-degree burn or fourth-degree burn injuries.
Types of Burn Injuries our Easton Burn Injury Lawyers Handle
Thermal Burn Injury Claims
Thermal burns occur due to exposure to heat sources like flames, hot liquids, or steam, which affects the skin’s outer layers. Thermal burns often exhibit visible signs like redness and blistering soon after the skin comes in contact with excessive heat.
Chemical Burn Injury Claims
A chemical burn occurs due to chemical exposure, such as contact with corrosive substances such as acids or strong bases. These chemicals destroy living cells, causing severe bodily damage and, in extreme cases, death. A chemical burn may not manifest immediately and only develop after some time. Additionally, chemical burns may continue to worsen even after initial contact.
Electrical Burn Injury Claims
Electrical burns occur when an electric current passes through the body, causing damage to the skin and internal tissues. These burns can result from direct contact with sources of electricity, such as live wires or electrical appliances. The severity of electrical burns depends on the current’s strength, the path it takes through the body, and the duration of exposure. Electrical burns can cause serious injuries that are not always visible, as the current can damage deep tissues and organs, potentially leading to complications such as arrhythmias, muscle damage, and neurological issues.
Friction Burn Injury Claims
Friction burns are a type of injury caused by the skin rubbing against a rough surface, leading to the removal of the top skin layers. These burns are commonly associated with accidents where the skin is dragged across a surface, such as motorcycle or bicycle falls, and carpet burns from falls or skidding. Friction burns can range from mild, involving only superficial damage to the skin, to severe, involving deeper layers of skin and requiring medical treatment. Friction burns can be painful and risk infection if not properly cared for.
Radiation Burn Injury Claims
Radiation burns are injuries to the skin or other biological tissue caused by exposure to radiation, including ultraviolet rays from the sun, radiation therapy for cancer treatment, or exposure to radioactive materials. Unlike thermal burns from heat, radiation burns can damage cells and DNA at a deeper level, potentially causing more severe internal injuries, including increased risk for cancer, depending on the radiation dose and exposure duration. Radiation burns require specialized medical treatment to manage the immediate skin damage and the potential long-term effects on the body’s tissues and organs.
Burn Injury Treatments
There are a few treatment options for burn injuries, but the severity of the burn will determine the course of medical treatment required for recovery. For minor first-degree burns and second-degree burns, individuals can typically administer first aid at home by running cool water over the affected area and applying burn ointment to the wound.
Those who suffer third-degree burns or fourth-degree burns, however, should seek immediate medical attention. The victim may require extensive medical care and will likely experience severe pain and suffering. Depending on the extent of the burn, they may also need a skin graft.
Easton Burn Injury Attorney Serving Lehigh Valley
Victims of burn accidents often suffer from traumatic injuries that stick with them for the rest of their lives. If you or a loved one has suffered from a burn injury, you are not alone. Easton burn injury lawyer Edward P. Shaughnessy is an experienced attorney who can stand by your side and fight for compensation.
At the Law Offices of Edward P. Shaughnessy, our burn injury lawyers bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to every personal injury case we take on, providing our clients with the legal guidance they need.
As an experienced personal injury attorney, Shaughnessy understands how physically and emotionally challenging these personal injury cases can be and is here to offer our clients compassionate legal support throughout the entire process.
Call our law firm at 610-258-9955 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with our burn injury lawyers.
Contact Us Today For a Free Consultation!
