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Burn injuries inflict excruciating pain and leave lasting scars, both physical and emotional. Beyond the immediate trauma, victims often face a long and difficult road to recovery, grappling with financial hardship and a forever-altered life.
If you suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, the process of recovering compensation for your injuries and losses can seem overwhelming. Contact Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling to discuss your legal rights and options in a free consultation with an Omaha burn injury lawyer.
Understanding the Severity of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can range from relatively minor first-degree burns to catastrophic third-degree burns. These injuries may result from various incidents, such as:
- Workplace accidents
- Home or building fires
- Electrical accidents
- Chemical spills or exposure
- Defective products
- Car, truck, or motorcycle accidents
- Scalding liquids or steam
Factors like the depth of the burn, the degree of skin damage, and the location of the injury on the body can determine the severity of a burn injury and the types of treatment they require. Common complications linked to burn injuries include:
- Severe pain and scarring
- Infection and sepsis
- Difficulty regulating body temperature
- Contractures and limited mobility
- Disfigurement and permanent skin damage
- Psychological trauma, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Inability to return to work or participate in previous activities or hobbies
These complications can lead to substantial medical expenses, lost income, and a reduced quality of life. An Omaha burn injury lawyer understands the profound effects of these injuries and can help you seek the compensation you need to address your unique challenges and move forward.
The Role of Negligence in Burn Injury Cases
Negligence is a central concept in burn injury cases. This refers to a party’s failure to exercise reasonable care that resulted in harm to another person. To secure compensation, you must demonstrate that another party’s negligence or wrongdoing caused or contributed to your burn injury. To prove negligence, your burn injury attorney must establish four key elements:
- Duty – The responsible party owed you a duty of care to ensure your safety.
- Breach – The responsible party breached this duty by acting or failing to act in a way that a reasonable person would under similar circumstances.
- Causation – The breach of duty caused or contributed to your burn injury.
- Losses – You suffered actual losses, such as medical expenses or lost income, as a result of the injury.
Your lawyer will use evidence and expert testimony to demonstrate how the responsible party’s negligence led to your burn injury and the extent of the losses you’ve suffered.
Identifying Liable Parties in Burn Injury Cases
An attorney will thoroughly investigate your injury’s circumstances to identify all liable parties and assemble a strong case on your behalf. Depending on the nature of your injury, liable parties may include:
- Employers who fail to provide a safe work environment or proper safety equipment
- Property owners who neglect to maintain safe premises or fail to install smoke detectors or fire suppression systems
- Manufacturers or distributors of defective products that cause burns or fires
- Negligent drivers who cause accidents resulting in burn injuries
- Utility companies responsible for electrical accidents or gas leaks
Your lawyer will collect evidence, secure witness testimony, and work with experts to establish liability and demonstrate the extent of your injuries and losses.
The Importance of Prompt Medical Treatment and Documentation
If you’ve suffered a burn injury, seeking immediate medical attention is necessary for your health and well-being and the strength of your legal case. Immediate medical treatment can help prevent complications, minimize scarring, and improve your chances of achieving a full physical recovery. It also creates a record of your injury and the care you received, which can be valuable evidence in your burn injury claim.
Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice, attend all follow-up appointments, and gather all records of your medical treatment, expenses, and any adaptations you must make to your daily life due to your injury. Your Omaha burn injury lawyer will use this documentation to build a strong case and demonstrate the extent of your losses.
Pursuing Compensation for Your Burn Injury
If someone else’s carelessness caused your burn injury, you might qualify for compensation covering various expenses and losses, such as:
- Medical expenses, including emergency treatment, surgeries, medications, and ongoing rehabilitation
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Adaptive equipment and home modifications
Your Omaha burn injury lawyer will carefully assess the full scope of your economic and non-economic losses to ensure you pursue fair compensation. They will negotiate aggressively with insurance companies and other third parties to secure a fair settlement that addresses your current and future needs.
Dealing with Insurance Companies in Burn Injury Cases
After sustaining a burn injury, you may be contacted by insurance companies seeking to settle your claim quickly and for as little as possible. It is essential to remember that these insurance companies prioritize their own financial interests and may attempt to undervalue your claim or make an initial settlement offer that’s less than you deserve.
The Statute of Limitations for Burn Injury Claims in Nebraska
Acting promptly after sustaining a burn injury protects your legal rights and strengthens your case. Nebraska law outlines the statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims, including those related to burn injuries. In most cases, you have four years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. Still, it is advisable to consult with an Omaha burn injury lawyer as soon as possible because the statute of limitations may differ in your situation.
Consulting with a lawyer early on allows them to investigate your case, gather evidence, and build a robust claim on your behalf. Establishing liability and securing fair compensation may be more challenging as time passes and usable evidence becomes more difficult to obtain.
Contact Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling to Discuss Your Burn Injury Claim
At Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling, our compassionate and skilled attorneys boast extensive experience in representing individuals recovering from burn injuries due to others’ negligence or wrongdoing. We’re committed to advocating for your rights at every stage of the legal process. We provide complimentary initial consultations to discuss your case and assess legal options, and we work on a contingency fee basis – you owe nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
Contact Mueller Schmidt Mulholland & Cooling at (555) 555-5555 to schedule your consultation and learn how we can help you through the aftermath of your burn injury. Together, we can work towards holding responsible parties accountable and securing the resources you need to rebuild your life and move forward with confidence.