Everett, WA Burn Injury Attorney
Burn Injury Lawyers in Washington
Burn injuries are among the most painful, traumatic type of injuries. Burn injuries can occur in the workplace, in the home, or at a public business. Those who suffer a burn injury could find themselves in constant pain, unable to return to work, and could have disfiguring burn scars, which bring emotional pain as well. The Kadish Twersky Law Firm has helped many clients through this very difficult time. Obviously, the money will not bring back the life you once had, however, money can make parts of your life much less difficult.
A monetary settlement can allow you to obtain the medical treatments you need following your burn injuries. A solid financial settlement can ensure you are able to pay your normal monthly expenses, even if you are unable to return to work. At Kadish Twersky, we will aggressively work on your behalf to ensure you receive a fair settlement for your burn injuries. Our firm has recently merged with Palace Law, which gives our clients an even greater advantage. With more high-quality, highly experienced attorneys on our team, we will ensure the best outcome possible for you and for every client who walks in our door.
Incidents which lead to burn injuries may occur because of commercial negligence or poor warning signs. Jeff Twersky and Glenn Kadish are highly professional attorneys who can assist you with your burn injury claim and potential litigation. We offer burn victims solid legal representation in Washington State, including Everett, Snohomish County, King County, and Skagit County. We treat every client with integrity, respect, and professionalism as we help them recover equitable damages for their burn injuries.
Burn Injury Statistics
According to The American Burn Association, as many as 450,000 patients receive hospital and emergency room treatment for burns each and every year. This number does not include burn injuries that are treated in community health centers, private physician’s offices, or hospital clinics. Of all these burn injuries, there are as many as 3,400 burn injury deaths.
Concerning the causes of burn injuries, fire or flame burns are responsible for 44 percent of all burn center admissions. Thirty-three percent of burn center admissions result from scald injuries caused by wet or moist heat. Direct contact with a hot source accounts for nine percent of burn center admissions, electrical burns account for four percent, chemical burns account for three percent, and the remaining seven percent of admissions to burn centers are grouped under “miscellaneous causes.”
Scalds—One of the Most Common Causes of Burns
Children, older adults, and those with disabilities are the most vulnerable to scalding burns, which often occur in the kitchen and bathroom. Both children and the elderly have thinner skins than adults, making such burns more severe. Children, as well as the elderly, can bump the handle of a pot with boiling contents off the stove, or accidentally pull a hot drink off a table, onto their body. Hot water heaters may be set above the recommended maximum of 120 degrees, which can cause scalding in a bath or shower. Scalds cause very serious burn injuries.
Explosions as a Cause of Burn Injury
Gas is highly combustible; because of this, leaks can be extremely dangerous. When a gas/air mixture reaches a critical value, the tiniest spark can ignite the mixture, causing an explosion once the rapidly expanding gas builds up to a certain level of pressure. In a home, this pressure usually causes windows to break out, which can then result in an explosion from the sudden release of pressure. Defective control valves, defective gas connectors, leaky propane tanks, or natural gas leaks through a hose can all be responsible for an explosion which leads to burn injuries.
Primary Causes of Burn Injuries
Among children under four years old, scalding is the most common burn injury, usually occurring when a child pulls a pan with a hot substance off the stove, or when water from the tap is extremely hot. While burns can occur from many different sources, the primary causes of burn injuries include:
- Scald burns caused by extremely hot water
- Construction site accidents
- Plane crashes
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Defective space heaters
- Burns caused by chemicals
- Defective product burns including defective fuel systems in automobiles
- Electrocution burns
- Defective wiring in homes and apartments which leads to fires and subsequent burns
- Lack of compliance with fire codes leading to fires
- Lack of smoke detectors in homes or businesses
Degrees of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can take months or even years to heal, requiring expensive medical treatments, surgeries, and rehabilitation. The severity of burn injuries is measured by the amount of exposure to heat, in terms of temperature and duration as well as the location of the burns on the body. A first-degree burn is considered relatively mild, as compared to other burns, although a first-degree burn can result in pain and reddening of the outer layer of skin.
A second-degree burn affects the outer layer of the skin (epidermis), as well as the lower layer of skin (dermis). Second-degree burns cause pain, redness, blistering, and swelling. A third-degree burn is considered a “full-thickness burn,” which goes through the dermis, affecting deeper tissues. Third-degree burns can result in white or blackened, charred skin, which, in some cases, may have no feeling remaining.
Third-degree burns can be excruciatingly painful and are highly susceptible to infection. Victims of third-degree burns may spend weeks or months in a hospital burn treatment center. This time is dependent on what portion of the body is burned, and whether the lungs are damaged from smoke inhalation. Typically, the body will begin building scar tissue over the burned areas within a few days. Skin grafts will replace surgically removed areas which the physician believes can be saved.
Was Your Burn the Result of Negligence?
Negligence is the failure of a person or entity to use reasonable care, consisting of a specific action or inaction. Negligence occurs when something is done that a reasonably prudent person would not do under the same circumstances. In order to be successful in a claim of negligence following a burn injury, that negligence must be proven. An experienced burn injury attorney will aggressively gather evidence and seek the truth. This can truly make a significant difference in the outcome of a burn injury claim.
Getting the Help You Need Following Your Burn Injury
Severe burns can cause not only serious physical injury but deep psychological injury as well. Often, burn injuries lead to disfigurement (which can be permanent) or other temporary or permanent disabilities. The medical expenses for a burn victim can mount quickly and alarmingly, often costing thousands of dollars per day plus the costs for extensive reconstruction surgery and skin grafts.
When you add in lost wages, you can see why burn victims are often at a huge disadvantage, dealing with traumatic injuries as well as financial distress. The Kadish Twersky attorneys are compassionate to the exceptional challenges burn victims face; we will use every bit of experience and knowledge we possess to ensure you receive an equitable settlement for your burn injuries. We will fight aggressively for your rights and your future, with a final goal of securing financial compensation, which can significantly ease the challenges you will face as a result of your burn injuries.