Burn Injury Attorneys Serving All of Nevada
The Las Vegas burn injury lawyers at Burg Simpson Law Firm are dedicated to helping victims of serious injury get justice. We understand the devastating physical and emotional impact these injuries can have on victims and their families. We are here to listen to your story, assess your claim, and help you determine the best way to seek the compensation you deserve.
Burg Simpson has been fighting for victims of burn injuries in Nevada for more than 40 years. We have a proven and proud history of success in these and similar personal injury cases, securing over $2 billion in settlements and verdicts over the years. If you or a loved one has been seriously burned in an accident, we can assist in creating a strong case that seeks fair and full compensation.
To schedule a FREE and confidential case evaluation with one of our Nevada burn injury attorneys, please call Burg Simpson at 702-668-2070 or contact us online today. We serve individuals and families struggling with the consequences of catastrophic injury throughout the state from our offices in Las Vegas.
What Are the Leading Causes of Burn Injury?
Burn injuries can result from several different types of accidents at home, at work, or while out and about. Some of the top causes of serious burns are:
- Fire and Flames. Direct contact with flames often occurs in house fires, forest fires, or vehicle fires.
- Scalds. Scalding injuries occur when hot liquids or steam come into contact with the skin. These are common in the kitchen, bathroom, and elsewhere hot water is used.
- Electrical Burns. These injuries occur when a person comes into contact with an electrical source, such as exposed wiring or faulty electrical equipment.
- Chemical Burns. Exposure to strong acids, alkalis, or other caustic substances can result in chemical burns. These can occur in a variety of settings, including the workplace, the home, or due to deliberate harm.
- Thermal Burns. Direct contact with hot surfaces, objects, or substances can cause thermal burns. This could happen in a variety of situations, such as touching a hot stove, iron, or heated car part.
- Radiation Burns. Though less common, burns can also occur from radiation exposure. This could include ultraviolet light from the sun (sunburn), tanning beds, or radiation therapy for cancer. Severe cases could result from exposure to nuclear radiation.
- Friction Burns. Also known as “road rash,” friction burns occur when skin is scraped against a hard surface, such as can occur in a bicycle or motorcycle accident.
Workers in construction, oils and gas, or who deal with electricity or chemicals have higher risks of burn injury at work. At home, scalds and fire-related burns due to cooking and heating equipment are more common. No matter where your injury takes place, however, if your burns are serious, you may be entitled to seek compensation for all related damages.
It is important to remember that the severity of a burn injury can be influenced not just by its cause, but by a variety of other factors such as the victim’s age, health, the degree and location of the burn, and access to medical care. If you have sustained a burn injury that you believe will have far-reaching impacts on your life, the Las Vegas burn injury lawyers at Burg Simpson are here to review your claim for free and help you determine your next best steps.
Burn Injury Degrees
Burn injuries are generally classified into four degrees, each reflecting the severity of the damage to the skin and underlying tissues:
- First-Degree Burns are superficial injuries, affecting only the epidermis, the outer layer of skin. Often compared to a mild sunburn, symptoms might include redness, minor swelling, and pain. First-degree burns do not require a doctor to treat and can easily be handled at home.
- Second-Degree Burns damage the epidermis and the dermis, the second layer of skin. Symptoms might include blisters, intense redness, severe pain, and swelling. This degree of burn may necessitate medical treatment and can result in permanent scarring.
- Third-Degree Burns are extremely serious injuries that penetrate all layers of the skin, causing damage to nerves, blood vessels, and even the underlying tissues such as muscles and tendons. The area of the burn may appear leathery, white, or black, but to nerve damage, the victim might not feel pain in the burn area.
- Fourth-Degree Burns, the most serious of all, extend even deeper than third-degree, damaging bones and internal organs. These burns are life-threatening and require extensive medical intervention. When not fatal, they can result in permanent disability or disfigurement.
While fourth-degree burns are often fatal, they are also the least common type of burn injury. In fact, nearly 97 percent of burn victims survive their injuries. However, survival is not always easy for victims of burn injuries.
If you or someone you love has sustained a serious burn injury, you may be entitled to seek compensation through legal action. Reach out to our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers to learn how we can help.
How Are Serious Burn Injuries Treated?
The severity of a burn injury determines the course of treatment it will require. And, because each burn injury is unique, there might even be variability within common treatment protocols. However, both immediate and long-term care is often necessary following severe burn injury, which may include:
Second-Degree Burns
Immediate Care: Second-degree burns may require professional medical treatment, including wound cleaning, potential debridement (removal of dead tissue), and topical antibiotic application. Pain management may include over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers.
Long-term Care: Healing usually occurs within two to three weeks of a second-degree burn. Physical therapy may be needed to maintain flexibility in the affected area if large areas were burnt. Victims must monitor for infection and complications. Scarring is possible after second-degree burns. If scarring is significant or limiting, professional scar management strategies, such as silicone sheets, corticosteroid injections, or surgical interventions, might be needed.
Third-Degree Burns
Immediate Care: Third-degree burns require emergency care. This may include IV fluids, antibiotics, and respiratory support. Surgical treatment, when necessary, may involve debridement and skin grafting.
Long-term Care: Healing from a third-degree burn can take several weeks or even months and often leaves significant scarring. Victims may require physical and occupational therapy to regain function, particularly if joints are involved. Psychological support is often necessary due to the traumatic nature of severe burns. Plastic and reconstructive surgery may also be needed for functional or cosmetic purposes. Regular follow-up visits to monitor for complications from infections and assist in the management of chronic pain may be needed for years.
Fourth-Degree Burns
Immediate Care: Fourth-degree burns require immediate hospitalization in a specialized burn unit or emergency center for fluid replacement, pain control, and respiratory support. Immediate surgical intervention is typically needed for debridement of nonviable tissue. Skin grafting is required, but in severe cases, limb amputation may be necessary as well.
Long-term Care: The recovery process from a fourth-degree burn is extensive and may take months to years. Full recovery may not be possible. Multiple surgical procedures, including grafting and reconstructive surgery, are likely. Long-term physical and occupational therapy will also be needed to regain as much function as possible. These burns often lead to permanent disability, and victims may require psychological counseling and social support. Lifelong medical follow-ups are often needed to manage ongoing issues, such as chronic pain, scarring, and physical impairments.
According to the National Institute of Health, even in highly specialized trauma and burn centers, adults with burns over more than 40 percent of their total body surface and children with burns over 60 percent of their total body surface are at extremely high risk for fatal complications. This is true for all levels of burn injury, even those that may seem less severe.
Surviving family members of burn injury victims may be entitled to seek end-of-life and other damages through a wrongful death lawsuit. Burg Simpson is here to listen to your family’s story, provide information about all of your options, and help you decide how best to move forward.
What Types of Damages Can I Seek for a Burn Injury?
Burn injury survivors often face several damages, including things as diverse as a loss of earning capacity and a loss of enjoyment in life. To address these complex issues, our burn injury attorneys typically seek compensation for:
- Special Damages. Special, or economic damages, include anything with an economic value, such as medical expenses, home modifications, and assistive technology, along with a lump sum payment for current and future lost wages.
- General Damages. General, or noneconomic damages, do not have a gaugeable economic impact, but address issues such as pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment in life, and physical disfigurement.
- Exemplary Damages. Exemplary, or punitive damages, seek to punish exceptionally poor or intentionally harmful behavior. Punitive damages are rarely sought or awarded.
There are no caps on the total amount of damages you can seek following a burn injury in Nevada, with the exception of punitive damages. These are capped either at $300,000 or three times the amount of compensation awarded, depending on the total amount of the settlement or verdict. (See NRS: Chapter 42)
What Is My Burn Injury Claim Worth?
Several factors go into determining the worth of a burn injury claim. An accurate estimate requires a review of your specific case, including medical records, employment records, and other relevant documents. These will all be necessary for determining economic damages.
The worth of your claim also depends on how your injury has and will continue to impact your life. Have you lost your ability to do things you enjoy? Are you in constant or frequent pain? Do you need assistance to perform daily tasks? These and other questions are entirely relevant when determining the worth of your burn injury claim.
Bear in mind, what your claim is actually worth and what insurance thinks it might be worth can vary widely. Before you accept an offer from insurance, it is important to discuss your options with a personal injury attorney. The experienced Nevada burn injury lawyers at Burg Simpson are here to carefully review your claim, free of cost and obligation, to help you determine exactly how much compensation you are due.
How Long Do I Have to File a Burn Injury Claim?
You have two years to file a burn injury claim in Nevada. (See NRS: Chapter 11) However, it is very important to act promptly when you sustain a serious injury. Waiting until the last moment can cause unnecessary complications.
The process of preparing and filing a claim takes time and care. It involves gathering evidence, seeking the expertise of various experts, consulting with medical professionals, and much more. This can’t be rushed if you want to build a solid case.
What’s more, the longer you wait, the more difficult it might become to gather important evidence to support your claim. Witnesses’ memories will fade over time, physical evidence can get lost or deteriorate, and documenting the initial severity and impact of your burns may become more challenging. Taking swift action can allow for a more accurate portrayal of the consequences you have and will continue to suffer.
While you have two years to file a burn injury claim in Nevada, it’s in your best interest to start the process as soon as possible. The burn injury lawyers at Burg Simpson are here to guide you through the legal process and help ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
How Long Do Burn Injury Claims Take?
How long a burn injury claim takes to settle will depend on factors including the severity of the burn, the extent of damage, and the complexities of the case. However, nearly all burn injury claims are settled before they go to trial.
Burn injury claims that settle pre-trial, during the negotiation process, may be resolved within months. When a claim requires a trial, however, it can take two years or more to reach a verdict.
Our Las Vegas burn injury lawyers have seen the financial and emotional toll these injuries have on victims and their families. Serious burn survivors face lifelong challenges, such as extended rehabilitation, medical bills, lost wages, and years of constant pain management. Understanding this, we build cases that seek compensation for all related damages and are prepared to take these cases as far as needed to secure proper compensation.
Do I Have to Have an Attorney to File a Burn Injury Claim in Nevada?
You are not required to have an attorney to file a burn injury claim in Nevada. You will likely want one, though.
Burn injury claims can be extremely complex. They require a detailed understanding of state laws, gathering and presenting evidence, interviewing witnesses, determining the appropriate value of damages, negotiating with insurance companies, securing expert testimony, and possibly going to trial if a settlement can’t be reached. Our burn injury lawyers are familiar with medical terminology, treatment options, the long-term implications of these injuries, and how to calculate future costs, which is often significant in cases of severe burns.
Don’t forget, insurance companies have experienced legal teams that work to minimize the amount they pay in settlements. It can be challenging for an individual without legal training to effectively negotiate a fair settlement when a team of lawyers is working in opposition.
While you can file a burn injury claim on your own, having an experienced burn injury attorney on your side can provide a significant advantage. Our lawyers are here to handle the complex legal work, negotiate effectively on your behalf, and advocate for your rights, giving you the opportunity to focus your recovery.
Contact a Las Vegas Burn Injury Lawyer Today for Free
The Nevada burn injury attorneys at Burg Simpson have decades of combined and individual experience helping victims of serious injury get fair and full compensation. If you have sustained a burn injury, we are here to provide expert legal guidance and help you determine the best way to seek the compensation you deserve.
Good Lawyers. Changing Lives.®
To schedule a FREE and confidential case evaluation at our Las Vegas office, contact Burg Simpson online or by calling 702-668-2070 today. Our experienced and knowledgeable lawyers serve victims of burn injuries throughout Nevada.
