San Antonio Burn Injury Attorney

Fighting to Hold Responsible Parties Accountable for Disfiguring Injuries

Serious burn injuries can be painful and devastating, both physically and emotionally. They can leave a person facing rising medical bills at a time when they’re unable to work. The only thing that makes these situations worse is when another party’s reckless acts are to blame. When this happens, it’s important to hold liable parties accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, this can be an uphill battle. This is why it’s so important to have experienced burn injury attorneys in San Antonio on your side.

At Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels, our team excels in assisting individuals who have been injured due to negligence or recklessness. We understand how overwhelming burn injuries can be, as not only do they cause immense physical pain, but they also often require extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation services which can leave many people feeling overwhelmed financially. Our attorneys take the time to listen to your story and understand the unique circumstances of your case so that we can effectively fight for the compensation that you deserve.

We have extensive experience handling burn injury cases, both in and out of court. We know how to negotiate with insurance companies to obtain maximum compensation and have a successful track record of obtaining favorable verdicts in jury trials when necessary. Our attorneys are passionate advocates who will not back down until justice is served. We are dedicated to helping those affected by burn injuries receive the financial settlement they need to heal properly and move on with their lives.

If you or a loved one has been affected by a burn injury, contact Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels today at (210) 801-9314 to learn how we can help.

Do You Have a Valid Burn Injury Claim?

Just because a burn victim has suffered serious burn injuries does not necessarily mean they’re entitled to compensation. Even if it seems clear that another party is to blame, the legal system focuses solely on what can be proven. For a personal injury claim, this requires showing that specific elements of liability exist. If these elements exist, the at-fault party’s insurance company may be willing to offer a settlement. However, this doesn’t mean that their offer will be fair. In some instances, litigation will be necessary — and it’s at this point that the elements of liability will need to be proven in court:

Duty of care: A duty of care is a responsibility to avoid negligent or wrongful acts. For instance, commercial truck drivers are expected to drive safely on the highway to avoid accidents
Violation of duty: Burn injury victims must show that the at-fault party violated a duty of care. For instance, perhaps a commercial truck driver was speeding on the interstate
Damages: A personal injury lawsuit will only be successful if it’s proven that damages occurred. This could include financial and non-financial (e.g., pain and suffering) losses
Causation: It must be proven that the violation of duty committed by the liable party is the direct cause of the damages suffered by the victim

Whether a person suffers pain from a single first-degree burn or is fully incapacitated due to fourth-degree burns all over their body, the legal process remains the same. Unfortunately, proving the elements of liability can be a difficult task. This is why it’s so important to have a San Antonio burn injury lawyer on your side. At Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels, we understand what’s necessary to secure financial compensation from insurance companies — whether during settlement negotiations or after fighting your case in court.

How Do Burn Injuries Happen?

Burn injuries can occur in a variety of ways, ranging from minor incidents — — such as scalding hot liquids to more serious accidents like explosions or fires. Different treatments may be necessary depending on the type and severity of the burn. Regardless of the underlying specifics of a given case, the fact remains that the consequences of burn injuries are serious in nature. When looking at the causes of burn injuries, it’s easy to see how negligence could result in such outcomes.

The most common causes of burns include:

Fires
Explosions
Hot liquids
Chemical burns
Radiation burns
Electrical burns
Thermal burns

In addition to these common causes, there are many other events that could result in serious injuries suffered by innocent victims. Unfortunately, many of these burn injuries result from negligence on the part of another party. When this happens, it is important to contact a San Antonio personal injury lawyer who has experience in burn injury lawsuits to determine if there is legal recourse for recovering damages. An attorney can help you understand your legal rights and the potential remedies available to you.

If necessary, they can also provide invaluable guidance throughout negotiations with insurance companies and courtroom proceedings. With their assistance, you may be able to obtain compensation that covers medical expenses and other related damages. At our firm, we understand the physical and emotional trauma associated with burn injuries. Our team can help you pursue justice and the compensation you deserve. For more information about burn injury personal injury law or to schedule a free consultation about your possible burn injury claim, contact us today.

What Types of Burn Injuries Could I Suffer From?

Depending on the depth and severity of a burn, it is classified into one of several degrees. The three main degrees are first, second, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are the least severe and typically only affect the top layer of skin. Second-degree burns are more serious and involve the deeper layers of skin. Third-degree burns are extremely severe burns and can damage or destroy all layers of skin as well as the underlying tissues.

Depending on the severity of the burn, different treatments may be necessary. First-degree burns can often be treated at home with wound care and over-the-counter pain medications. Second-degree burns may require hospitalization for treatment of the wound and prescription pain medications. Third-degree burns often require surgery, extensive wound care, and long-term rehabilitation. Unfortunately, this isn’t even a worst-case scenario. Some very unlucky individuals have suffered fourth-degree burns after a serious accident or injurious incident.

These burns affect all layers of skin, muscles, tendons, and bones. They often result in permanent motor damage, amputation, functional impairment, and other horrendous outcomes. Fourth-degree burns are also likely to result in death. It is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after any burn injury occurs to get a proper diagnosis and begin treatment. Delaying treatment can result in further injury, infection, or even death. If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury, contact Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels today for a free consultation.

Why Should I Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer?

Burn injuries can be devastating and often require an individual to seek medical attention for treatment. If you have suffered a burn injury as the result of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, you may be entitled to financial compensation. A personal injury lawyer can help you determine if you have a legitimate claim and how best to pursue it. Unfortunately, many people who suffer severe burn injuries opt not to seek legal counsel. There are many motivations behind such a decision, but they’re all misguided and typically based on a misunderstanding of the law.

For instance, some people who have a severe burn injury believe that their case is “open and shut.” Perhaps it seems like the defendant’s liability is so clear that there should be no issue seeking financial compensation. Unfortunately, the at-fault party’s insurance company is unlikely to see it this way. When they deal with personal injury victims, their underlying focus remains on profit. Paying out a fair settlement interferes with this goal, so they’ll try everything they can to avoid fairly compensating you. In this situation, a jury would surely side with you. Right?

Unfortunately, this is also not guaranteed. There is a tremendous amount of nuance in the law, and you better believe that insurance company attorneys will focus on that nuance. There’s a reason that individuals represented by San Antonio burn injury lawyers get paid more on average, and it all comes down to knowledgeable and experienced representation. If you were harmed in an accident involving burn injuries, it’s in your best interest to seek legal counsel. And since Pelaez Law Firm offers a free case review and doesn’t get paid unless you do, you have nothing to risk by reaching out.

What Types of Damages Can I Be Compensated For?

Burn injury lawyers are knowledgeable in many areas of personal injury law and have the experience to help victims obtain maximum compensation for their losses. Compensations may include damages for physical pain, emotional suffering, lost wages, medical expenses, and other costs associated with burn injuries. Here are just a few examples of losses experienced by those who have suffered burn injuries, along with the type of damages they fall under:

Physical Pain: Victims of severe burns can be compensated for the physical pain they endured due to their accidents. This is a form of non-economic damage that usually takes into account both the severity of your burns and how long you’ve been dealing with them
Emotional Suffering: Burn victims often experience psychological trauma from their accidents, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), nightmares, or insomnia. Victims may be able to seek compensation for these emotional injuries, which are considered non-economic damages
Lost Wages: Victims of burn accidents may be eligible for compensation for lost wages if their burns prevent them from working or if they have to take time off work to recover. The amount of lost wages that can be recovered depends on the severity and duration of the victim’s injuries
Medical Expenses: Burn victims often incur steep medical bills due to hospitalizations, surgeries, medications, physical therapy, aftercare treatment, and more. A personal injury lawyer can help you obtain compensation for these costs
Other Costs: You should also be compensated for other out-of-pocket costs associated with your burn injury, such as transportation costs to and from doctor appointments.

These losses are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to potential damages. For instance, those who lose loved ones in burn injury accidents can file a wrongful death claim. In these situations, it’s possible to recover damages for burial costs, funeral expenses, and even loss of companionship. It’s also sometimes possible to recover punitive damages during a personal injury lawsuit. These damages are meant to punish the defendant rather than compensate the victim. However, semantics aside, it still results in more money in personal injury cases.

Burn injury claims that can be a significant burden on someone’s life. Whether it be a first-degree burn or a more serious burn injury — like a third-degree burn — a burn injury attorney at our firm can help you today.

What Potential Legal Complications Could Arise?

Not every personal injury case involves a single victim and a single at-fault party. In fact, it’s very common for there to be several victims — particularly in burn injury cases involving explosions, chemical spills, and other incidents that can affect a wide area. However, the big concern comes into play when multiple parties are liable. This can complicate recovering compensation since these cases involve identifying who is responsible and their culpability level. However, the Texas comparative negligence law means that the victim can recover damages from multiple parties.

Of course, there are sometimes scenarios when the victim themselves contributed to their own injury. In such instances, many individuals believe they won’t be eligible for compensation. This is an inaccurate assumption. Texas law allows personal injury victims to recover compensation even if they’re partially responsible for their damages. The eventual court award will merely be reduced by the percentage of their own fault. For instance, someone awarded $5 million in damages would only get $4 million if they were ruled to be 20% at fault for their injuries.

Another legal complication involves the statute of limitations. This is essentially a deadline in which a person must file their claim. Failure to do so before the statute of limitations expires typically forfeits the right to file. Once you can no longer file a lawsuit in court, it’s extremely unlikely that insurance companies will offer a fair settlement. In Texas, the statute of limitations for burn injuries is typically two years. However, there are instances when other rules may apply. For instance, claims against government agencies require a notification to be sent within six months of the incident.

Clearly, there’s a substantial amount of nuance to the law — and it’s not uncommon for legal complications to arise during these cases. This is why individuals with burn injuries should never make assumptions about what they’re entitled to or how long they have to file. Instead, discuss your case with San Antonio burn injury lawyers to learn more about your claim.

Contact a San Antonio Burn Injury Lawyer Today

If another party’s negligent or wrongful acts caused you or a loved one harm, then you likely have a valid personal injury claim. Whether the damage is cosmetic, painful, or so severe that nerve damage has occurred, it’s important to understand how personal injury law handles these cases. Unfortunately, far too many people opt to take on the system alone, and when this happens, the legal process often ends with personal injury victims getting far less than they deserve. However, you don’t have to go through this alone.

At Pelaez Law Firm, Crash Angels, our team of experienced personal injury lawyers understands the legal complexities of burn injuries and can help you determine which course of action to take. We have a proven track record in obtaining maximum compensation for our clients and can guide you through the process of filing a claim. The physical, emotional, and financial costs associated with burn injuries are often significant, but a qualified personal injury lawyer can help you identify all liable parties so that your recovery is as complete as possible.

Our law firm will work closely with you to ensure that any settlement or judgment reflects the full extent of your damages. Call us today at (210) 801-9314 for a free consultation. Our San Antonio burn injury lawyers are here to assist.