A Comprehensive Guide to Compensation for Auto Accident Burn Survivors

Car Accidents , Catastrophic Injury , Fire Damage and Injuries

Auto accidents can be catastrophic and lead to a litany of injuries, most of which can be devastating and sometimes, permanent. When a collision between two vehicles occurs, it is not uncommon for the force of the collision to cause an explosion, leading to the vehicles catching fire. Occupants trapped in these cars may be unconscious or find it next to impossible to get out of the mangled wreck, which makes it more likely for them to come into contact with flames and the scorching heat associated with petrol fires.

Burns range in their severity, but the human body is prone to combustion due to the amount of fat that’s just underneath the top layer of the skin. If one is removed from the source of the fire in a timely manner and doused with a compound which retards flames, the severity of the burns arising out of a fire caused by an auto accident can be mitigated. However, if the fire either burned at very high temperatures, or help didn’t arrive in time, one may suffer disfiguring burns which can leave long-term scars that may both be physical and psychological.

Traumatic and catastrophic injuries of this nature are almost always due to human negligence such as in the case of a distracted or drunk or under the influence driver, who put you and your family in harm’s way and as such, may be held liable for your burn injuries via the filing of an auto accident injury lawsuit, something we have extensive knowledge of and can help with.

Get Help From Car Crash Burns

Are you looking for a best auto accident burn injury attorney? For close to three decades, the experienced auto accident lawyers at McCready Law have helped thousands of injured victims just like you get the justice and compensation they deserve after becoming victims of the negligent or even intentional acts of others. We have recovered millions in verdicts for past clients, and we’re not afraid to litigate if we believe we can recover a much higher dollar amount compared to what the insurance company is offering to settle the case.

McCready Law best burn injury lawyers has countrywide reach, so feel free to call us at 312-444-0214 regardless of where you are located in the country. We also run a bilingual office (hablamos Espanol) and all cases are taken on on contingency fee basis, and what this means is there are NO UPFRONT FEES should we decide to take on your case as we only levy our fees at the end of the process, and only if we’ve recovered compensation on your behalf.

If you or a loved one suffered severe burn injuries after and because of an auto accident, please give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 to learn more about your legal options for justice and compensation; your first legal consultation is 100% FREE and on us.

Types of Burns in Auto Accidents

Unbeknownst to the average American, burn injuries vary depending on the type of burn as well as the source of the fire, as we’re about to discover:

Thermal Burns

These are caused by one’s skin coming into direct contact with a hot flame, surface or liquid. These types of burns can vary in severity, and depend on the depth of the burn, the duration of contact and the temperature of the object. First-degree burns are the mildest type when it comes to thermal burns, and they affect only the outermost part of the skin, or the epidermis.

One may experience swelling, redness, and some pain. These burns usually heal within 3 to 5 days of them occurring, and they leave no scars. Second-degree burns on the other hand, also known as partial-thickness burns affect the dermis and the epidermis, and present with redness, intense pain, swelling and blistering. Second degree burns may heal anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks, but in some cases, deep second-degree burns may necessitate skin grafting. Third degree burns on the other hand, also known as full-thickness burns, are severe due to the involvement of all layers of skin as well as muscle, fat and bone.

These types of burns are typically painless due to nerve ending destruction, but they carry the highest risk of infection due to exposure of deep skin layers. Third degree burns must be treated as a matter of urgency and one may spend weeks and even months in hospitals, undergoing skin grafts and isolation at a burn unit.

Electrical Burns

What a lot of people fail to realize is that electrical components found in a car may come into contact with the body, thereby passing on current to the human body, causing extremely severe burns. Electric burns may be categorized into two: the first one is low-voltage burns which are caused by exposure to low voltage electrical sources for instance the car battery.

Low voltage burns may not lead to deep tissue damage, but one may still suffer skin burns as well as muscle and nerve damage.

High-voltage burns on the other hand are due to exposure to high-voltage electrical sources such as internal vehicle electrical wiring, or power lines brought down as a result of the collision. These types of electrical burns often lead to cardiac arrest, organ damage and dysfunction, and bone and muscle damage. In many cases, treatment may involve amputation of the affected limb.

Chemical Burns

These types of burns occur when one’s skin comes into contact with a corrosive or caustic substance such as automotive fluids or battery acid. These types of burns may lead to fast destruction of tissue and may continue to exert damage long after initial exposure. Blistering, redness, pain, tissue necrosis can all signal a chemical burn. Treatment begins by decontaminating the area with lots of water, and then depending on the type of chemical involved, first aid will be applied at the site or at the hospital.

Complications From Burn Injuries

Some of the complications associated with burn injuries include:

  1. Infection caused by the open nature of burn wounds, which makes them more likely to be infected by viral, bacterial or fungal infections which can become life-threatening
  2. Respiratory distress due to smoke inhalation which damages the lungs and airways which can hijack breathing, necessitating mechanical ventilation
  3. Organ failure due to an exaggerated inflammatory response which often lead to multi-organ failure due to shutdown
  4. Nerve damage can lead to chronic and unrelenting pain, also known as long-term neuropathic pain
  5. Permanent scarring due to the heat from the fire can restrict functionality and movement, and lower an individual’s self-esteem over time
  6. Depression, anxiety and PTSD may develop due to the trauma one may have to live with as they come to terms with the accident and the resultant burn injuries, leading to poor quality of life, an inability to genuinely connect with others and so on.

Burn Injuries After an Auto Accident – Do I Have a Case?

All injury lawsuits have their genesis in negligence and proving said negligence. That is to say, you must prove that the other party’s negligence was the proximate cause of your having suffered your burn injuries. That’s not all however: you must first prove that the defendant owed you a duty of care, such as they owed you a legal duty to operate their vehicle in a reasonably safe manner while taking precautions other individuals would have taken while on the road.

In addition, you must show that they breached this duty of care via a specific negligent act for example speeding, distracted driving, poor or negligent vehicle maintenance and so on. Next, you must show causation: that is to say, their breach of duty of care was the direct cause of your injuries sustained from the burn incident. Finally, you must show that you suffered specific damages due to the other party’s negligence, such as lost wages, pain and suffering, medical expenses, cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle and so on.

Experienced Auto Accident Burn Injury Attorneys – Call Us Today!

Filing a lawsuit alleging burn injuries may require that you furnish the court or the other party’s attorneys or insurance company with detailed medical evidence showing the extent of your burns, the long-term impact as well as the treatment prescribed. These cases can be very long and arduous, and it may be tempting to settle with the insurance company because you may just want everything to go away as well as stay on top of your medical and other bills.

The insurance company deals with thousands of such cases every year, and they may dangle a lucrative carrot in the form of a settlement so you can drop your potential lawsuit and just settle. This is just about the worst thing you can do because having legal representation may see you recover up to 10 times what the insurance company may be offering you. To this end, you must NEVER speak with the insurance company, nor review or sign any documents they send your way as this may lock you out of compensation.

Instead, please give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 so we can secure the integrity of your case going forward. Remember, the consultation is 100% FREE, and there’s no legal obligation. Thanks for choosing McCready Law, the Number 1 burn injury auto accident attorneys, and we look forward to helping you.