Recovering For Burn Injuries In Alabama
One of the most potentially damaging injuries one can suffer is a serious burn injury, since its long-term effects can be both physical and psychological if the harm is significant enough. Burns are common on-the-job injuries, especially in more physically demanding industries, but can occur anywhere. The most severe burns can leave a person in pain and totally unable to work.
If you are burned due to the negligence of another person, you may be able to recover compensation for what you have been through. A Birmingham personal injury attorney from the firm of Goldasich, Vick & Fulk can help you evaluate your options, and can guide you through the legal process if you decide to seek damages from a negligent defendant.
Always Potentially Serious
One thing that the average person may not be aware of is that there are several types of burns, any of which might occur on a job site, depending on the specifics of one’s job. Data from 2020 reports that while the most common type of burn comes from flames, the next most common type was burns from scalding (from hot liquids). Chemical burns and electricity-related burns were also on the list.
While many burn injuries are sustained by themselves, it is also not uncommon to have burns appear after an event like a car crash, among other significant harm like broken bones and soft tissue injuries. Any burn injury should be examined and treated, but burns sustained in a larger accident are more likely to be serious, possibly resulting in long-term injuries like facial disfigurements, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and liver failure.
Know Your Options
If you have been burned as a result of another person’s negligence, you can file suit to try and recover for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. Including pain and suffering. If your burns occurred while you were on the job, you may be required to file a workers’ compensation claim for your damages instead of a lawsuit, but if you were off the clock, you will generally be clear to seek compensation in court.
One important thing to keep in mind when filing a negligence lawsuit in Alabama is that it is a contributory negligence state. What this means is that unlike in most other U.S. states, a plaintiff cannot recover damages at trial if they are ruled to have been even 1 percent responsible for their own injuries – contributory negligence is an affirmative defense that a defendant can raise in order to try and escape liability. If a jury rules that you played even a tiny role in your own injuries, you will not be able to recover in Alabama.
You Do Not Have To Go Through This Alone
A serious burn injury can throw a wrench into a person’s life plans. However, it can feel intimidating to even try and seek money damages for all you have been through. With the right legal help, you can focus on healing, and the Birmingham burn injury attorneys from Goldasich, Vick & Fulk will focus on getting you the compensation you deserve. Call our office today at (205) 731-2566 to schedule a consultation.
Sources:
casetext.com/case/jackson-v-waller-4
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7224101/
