The skin is the body’s largest organ. So, when people sustain burn injuries, the discomfort and pain can be anywhere from mild to catastrophic. Third-degree burn victims sometimes need to be placed in a medically induced coma because no medication can relieve the pain and agony they feel.
Because burn injuries can be quite bad, treatment costs can be astronomical. Some victims don’t survive the injuries. And many who do, are not quite the same – particularly if they suffered third and fourth-degree burns – and may require lifelong medical and rehabilitative care.
If you’ve been in a fire incident caused by someone’s negligence and have suffered serious burns, you deserve to recover all the compensation you can. A Nebraska burn injury lawyer at Berry Law can help you with that.
Available Compensation to Nebraska Burn Victims
In Nebraska, burn victims can recover the same damages as those outlined in regular injury claims. However, victims are likely entitled to demand compensation for scarring and disfigurement, as burns can cause those issues.
This is one of the reasons why burn injury claims can sometimes attract higher settlement amounts than other personal injury claims. That being said, the following is the list of compensation claims that a burn victim can claim:
- Medical expenses, including ambulance rides, surgical procedures, ICU, special medical interventions, and other hospital costs
- Physical therapy and rehabilitative costs
- Permanent impairment
- Loss of income
- Reduced earning potential
- Reduced quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional and mental anguish
- Loss of consortium if the victim is married and can no longer fulfill their spousal obligations
- Depression and PTSD
- Indignity, inconvenience, and embarrassment
These are just some of the benefits that you may be able to receive. However, the compensation you’ll receive will largely depend on the circumstances of your injury and much more. Your burn injury lawyer in Nebraska will evaluate your case and file claims for the appropriate compensation on your behalf.
Factors Influencing Your Compensation in a Nebraska Burn Injury Claim
How much you’ll receive as a settlement or verdict will ultimately depend on a variety of factors. Every burn injury case in Nebraska is different. However, most settlements are arrived at after considering the following factors:
- What caused the injury
- Where the accident occurred
- The medical treatments required – victims with third or fourth-degree burns may need multiple skin grafts, which means that they may have to undergo multiple costly surgical procedures
- The liable parties
- Parts of the body that are temporarily or permanently affected – for instance, damaged or inflamed nerve endings can be a source of unending and excruciating pain
- Treatment approaches – some victims only have to take opiates and pain relief meds, some have to undergo behavioral treatment, and others have to do both
- The emotional and physical impact of the victim’s burns
- Emotional and psychological issues arising from the injury
- Parts of the body that were burned – compensation will typically be higher for more exposed parts of the body like the face and neck than less exposed parts like the thighs, back, or stomach
These are just some of the key factors that will ultimately determine how much the at-fault party or other liable entities will pay you. If you’d like to know more, talk to our burn injury attorney in Nebraska.
The Role of Negligence in Nebraska Burn Injury Cases
Negligence is one of the most crucial aspects of any injury claim in the cornhusker state. It is important to identify the individuals or entities responsible for your burn injuries. This is usually part of the initial steps that a Nebraska burn injury attorney will take.
To prove negligence, your attorney has to show that the liable party owed you a duty of care. But through their actions, inactions, or recklessness, they breached that duty, leading to the burn injuries you’re currently dealing with.
So, if you were involved in a car crash that was caused by the defendant’s reckless speeding and sustained burn injuries in the process, they breached the obligation of safe driving. In this instance, the driver should be held liable for any damages you suffer.
But this is just one scenario. Negligence can be present in many forms. It requires the keen and experienced eye of a seasoned burn injury lawyer in Nebraska to identify it and pursue compensation from the source of that negligent act.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
Contact a Nebraska Burn Injury Lawyer
The treatment of burn injuries can be very expensive. For instance, victims sometimes require reconstructive surgeries. You shouldn’t have to pay for treatment or worry about taking care of your family because someone was careless.
You deserve to get all the compensation possible and make the errant party pay for your injuries. Let our experienced Nebraska burn injury lawyers fight to recover your losses and seek compensation while you marshal all your strength and get better. Contact Berry Law today for a free consultation regarding your burn injury case.