According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1.1 million people visit the emergency room annually because of burn injuries. Out of those who visit the hospital, about 20,000 have burn injuries covering a quarter of their body.
Burn injuries are very painful and can often lead to catastrophic and even fatal outcomes. People who suffer varying degrees of burns can suffer extreme pain and discomfort. And because of the nature of this injury, victims often require long recovery periods during which they can’t work or provide for their families.
This is why you should file a burn injury claim through an experienced burn injury lawyer at Berry Law if you’ve been injured in Bellevue. This will help ensure that you get fair compensation that will cover your medical costs and other expenses that you may require in Nebraska.
Eligibility Criteria for Burn Injury Claim in Bellevue, NE
Not all burn injuries qualify for compensation in the state of Nebraska. You have to meet some requirements before recovering your settlement. These include:
- The accident that caused the burn injury must have been caused by someone else
- The at-fault party was negligent
- You suffered the burn injury recently – usually, a maximum of four years since the incident occurred, depending on the cause of your injuries. Shorter limits may apply.
If you pass these requirements, you’ll be able to make a claim for compensation for the burn injuries. Whatever you do, make sure that you consult with an experienced Nebraska burn injury lawyer first. This will help eliminate any possible bottlenecks or kinks in your case.
How do You Prove that the Defendant Is Responsible for Your Burn Injuries?
If you’re accusing or holding someone liable for your burn injury, you need to make sure that you have concrete proof of negligence. To establish negligence, you have to ensure that the following elements are present:
- Duty of care – the person who caused your injury owed you a duty of care. For example, a company that deals with harmful chemicals must ensure that safety protocols are in place to protect everyone working with them.
- Breach of duty – they acted in a manner that showed they were negligent. For example, they were lax with their safety protocols.
- Causation – the liable party’s negligence led to injuries and harm. For instance, the company’s lax safety protocols led to a chemical spill that burned your skin.
- Damages – The at-fault party’s negligence resulted in certain losses and damages for you. E.g., the injuries meant you had to pay for medical treatment and lost some wages.
The chemical spill example used above is a common one. But many other scenarios require the investigative experience of legal professionals familiar with similar cases. And proving them takes time and expertise.
This is why you should talk to a burn injury attorney in Bellevue, NE, about your case. Your lawyer will then provide the legal support required to recover compensation successfully.
Recoverable Compensation in a Bellevue, NE, Burn Injury Claim
Every burn injury is unique because the circumstances that led to the incident, the cause, and the injuries will likely differ for each injured individual. But in general, burn injury victims may be able to claim one or more of the following damages:
- Lost income
- Reduced income earning capacity
- Present and future hospital costs –including the costs of medications, skin grafts, reconstructive surgeries, and other healthcare costs
- Rehabilitative therapy where necessary – this may include physical and psychological therapies
- Permanent impairment
- Pain and suffering
- Mental or emotional anguish
- Scarring and disfigurement
Your burn injury lawyer may also be able to identify multiple liable parties where necessary. This means that you will then be able to recover a lot more money as a settlement instead of just collecting from one defendant.
Berry Law’s Team Provides You With Multiple Attorney Perspectives
How Much Can You Receive as Compensation?
There’s no set amount that you can receive as compensation for a burn injury in Bellevue, Nebraska. This is because all fire or burn-related cases are unique. So, the damages one victim can claim may differ from what the other might claim.
However, some of the factors your compensation amounts are determined by include the following:
- How bad your injuries are – There are three degrees of burn injuries. These will determine the depth of the burns.
- The extent of areas covered – burns covering 10% of a child’s body and 25% of an adult’s body are considered major and are likely to require intensive medical care.
- How much medical treatment you need in the present and the future
- The possibility of temporary or permanent disability
- Potential for scarring
- The location of the burns – burn injuries in obvious body parts like the neck, face, hands, and feet can trigger higher settlements.
- Other losses, such as a damaged vehicle in a car accident
- How many parties are responsible for your injuries
- The source of the burn (forest fire, chemical spills or exposure, electrocution, faulty products, etc.)
- Whether the victim will survive – thankfully, almost 97% of all burn victims survive, according to the American Burns Association.
Talk to a burn Injury attorney about your options. We’ll be able to give proper and practical legal counsel.
Hire a Burn Injury Lawyer Serving Bellevue
Burn injuries can take a lot of time to recover from. Worse, they can lead to financial ruin if the defendant, or the insurance company, refuses to pay for your treatments and compensation you for the damages sustained. This is why you should talk to us at Berry Law right away.
Our burn injury lawyers can guide you, fight for you, represent you, hold the at-fault party accountable, and help you get a satisfactory settlement. Get in touch with us today to discuss your case.
