What Types of Claims Can You File After a Burn Injury?
The type of legal claim you may have after a burn injury depends on how the injury happened. More than one type of claim may apply in the same case.
The most common types of burn injury claims include:
- Negligence claims: When another person or business failed to use reasonable care and caused your injury
- Premises liability claims: When a property owner failed to keep the property safe and a fire, gas leak, or chemical hazard caused your burns
- Product liability claims: When a defective appliance, vehicle part, or consumer product caused your injury
- Workers’ compensation or third-party claims: When a burn happened at work because of unsafe conditions, a negligent contractor, or another third party
- Car or truck accident claims: When a crash caused a fire or exposed you to hot surfaces, hot fluids, chemicals, or fuel
Each type of claim has its own process, deadlines, and legal requirements. Our team can review the details of your situation and help identify the strongest path forward.
How Are Burn Injuries Classified?
Not all burns look the same, and even minor-looking burns can cause serious long-term harm. According to the American Burn Association, the CDC reported 398,000 fire or burn-related injuries in the United States in 2021 alone. Burns are often classified by severity. The more severe the burn, the more complex the treatment and healing process may be:
- First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin and often heal within a week or two.
- Second-degree burns go deeper and can cause blisters, severe pain, and a higher risk of infection.
- Third-degree burns destroy all layers of skin and may require skin grafts, hospital stays, and ongoing care.
- Fourth-degree burns are the most severe. They can reach muscle and bone and may be life-threatening.
Serious burn injuries can require months of treatment. Survivors may face permanent scarring, limited mobility, emotional trauma, and trouble returning to work. These losses should be taken seriously in any burn injury claim.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Burn Injury?
A successful burn injury claim can provide financial relief for the many ways your injury has affected your life. Our team works to pursue compensation that reflects the full picture of your losses, not just your medical bills.
Compensation in a burn injury case may include:
- Past and future medical costs, including surgeries, skin grafts, and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and reduced earning ability if you cannot return to your previous job
- Pain and suffering, including the physical and emotional toll of serious burns
- Scarring and disfigurement, which can impact your confidence and daily life long after healing
- Out-of-pocket costs related to your injury and care
Understanding the full value of your claim matters. Many burn injury victims underestimate what they may be owed. Having an experienced legal team in your corner can make a real difference in your case.
What Should You Do After a Burn Injury?
The steps you take after a burn injury can affect your health and your legal claim. Seeking medical care is always the first priority. After that, it helps to document what happened and speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.
Important steps include:
- Get a full medical evaluation, even if your burns seem manageable at first
- Keep records of all medical visits and expenses
- Take photos of your injuries and the accident scene, if you can
- Write down what happened while the details are still fresh
- Avoid giving statements to the insurance company before speaking with a lawyer
Speaking with a lawyer early can help protect your rights and help you avoid mistakes insurers may use against you. Our team at Pemberton Personal Injury is ready to review your injury case at no cost to you.
How Long Do You Have to File a Burn Injury Claim in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin law sets a deadline for filing personal injury claims. In many Wisconsin personal injury cases, you have 3 years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. However, there are exceptions. The details of your case may affect the deadline that applies to you.
The sooner we can review your case, the better we can help protect your options. Our personal injury team handles serious injury cases in Waunakee and across Wisconsin. We can help you understand where your claim stands.
Why Choose Pemberton Personal Injury for Your Burn Injury Case?
Our attorneys bring 80+ years of combined experience to personal injury cases. We represent injury victims across Wisconsin and are known for dedicated, thorough legal advocacy. Our track record includes a landmark jury verdict in a high-stakes personal injury case, and our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers.
We know the Waunakee community. One of our attorneys grew up here and was recognized by the Waunakee Tribune as Best Attorney in the area for multiple consecutive years. That local connection, combined with our firm-wide experience, gives our clients a real advantage. When you work with us, you are backed by the Pemberton Promise, which is our commitment to fight hard for you at every stage of your case.
Contact Our Waunakee Burn Injury Lawyers Today
After a burn injury, you should be focused on healing. You should not have to deal with insurance companies, paperwork, and legal deadlines on your own. Our team is here to handle the legal work so you can focus on healing.
Pemberton Personal Injury is ready to help. When you are ready to talk, contact our office for a free case evaluation. There is no cost and no obligation to get started.
