Burn injuries, often the result of fires, explosions or chemical exposure, can have serious and lasting effects in personal injury cases. They cause considerable pain, disfigurement and emotional distress for the victim, affecting their daily life and ability to work. The treatment and recovery process for burn injuries is complex, often requiring expert testimony and thorough evidence to support the victim’s claim for damages. Contact a personal injury lawyer in Chicago for legal guidance and support. We offer free case evaluations.
Compassion and Justice for Burn Injury Survivors: Trust Meyers & Flowers
At Meyers & Flowers, we know how much burn injuries can impact individuals and their loved ones—physically, emotionally, and financially. Each skilled burn injuries attorney in Chicago on our team is committed to standing by burn injury survivors with empathy and determination, serving as unwavering advocates.
We are dedicated to empowering our clients by offering support and legal guidance as they navigate the path to recovery. You can rely on Meyers & Flowers to champion your cause, ensuring that your rights are upheld and your experiences are acknowledged in the pursuit of fairness and compensation.
Why Choose Us?
- We offer free case evaluations for burn injury claims in Chicago, where you can tell an attorney your story and receive personalized legal advice free of charge (and at no obligation to hire us).
- Our legal team has achieved outstanding results for personal injury clients, with billions won in settlements and verdicts. This includes a $5 million resolution for one burn injury victim.
- Our leading Chicago trial attorneys have successfully represented burn injury survivors in suits against product manufacturers, employers, businesses, property owners, and more.
- You won’t be charged anything in attorney’s fees unless we win your burn injury case. Our Chicago burn injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis.
Common Burn Injuries and How They Happen
A burn injury refers to physical damage caused to the skin and (in some cases) underlying tissues due to contact with a hazardous material or substance. Burns can damage or destroy the tissues, cells, and nerves in the affected area, resulting in a wound that can cause a great deal of pain, disability, and disfigurement.
Common causes of burn injuries encompass a wide range of scenarios, including:
- Workplace accidents involving chemicals, electricity, or fires
- Kitchen accidents, such as scalds from hot liquids or grease
- Car accidents resulting in fires
- Faulty electrical appliances or wiring
- Recreational activities like camping or bonfires
Types of burns include the following:
- Scalds: often caused by hot liquids or steam, commonly occurring in the kitchen, during cooking, or when handling hot beverages.
- Contact burns: result from direct contact with hot objects, such as hot surfaces, flames, or hot metals, which can happen in cooking areas, industrial settings, or through accidental contact with heated objects.
- Thermal (flame) burns: caused by direct contact with fire or flames, often resulting from house fires, car accidents, or workplace incidents involving flammable materials.
- Electrical burns: occur when the body comes into contact with an electrical current, often happening in the workplace, during DIY electrical work, or due to faulty electrical appliances.
- Chemical burns: result from contact with strong acids, alkalis, or other corrosive substances, frequently occurring in industrial settings, laboratories, or during household chemical use.
- Friction burns: caused by skin rubbing against a hard surface, often during road accidents, falls, or sports injuries.
- Inhalation burns: occur when the respiratory system is exposed to hot, toxic gases or smoke, typically happening in house fires, industrial accidents, or chemical incidents.
Statistics show that the majority of burn injuries (61 percent) occur at private residences and 45 percent are caused by flame or flash. Scalds, however, are the most common cause of pediatric burn injuries (58 percent).
Harmful Products Causing Burn Injuries
Meyers & Flowers has extensive experience in representing clients who have experienced burn injuries, specifically from harmful products. For example:
- One common source of burn injuries is cooking spray, which can lead to flammable accidents if not used properly.
- Household appliances like pressure cookers and air fryers, while convenient, can also pose risks if they malfunction or are misused, potentially causing burns due to hot steam or oil.
- Chemical peel treatments, if not administered correctly or if the chemicals are too harsh, can cause burns and skin damage.
- Products that use lithium-ion batteries, such as electronic devices or vehicles, have been known to malfunction and cause fires or explosions, leading to burn injuries.
Critical factors in product liability cases related to burn injuries include the following:
- Proper use and warnings: ensuring products come with clear instructions for safe use and adequate warnings about potential hazards.
- Product design and manufacturing: ensuring products are designed and manufactured to meet safety standards and do not have defects that could lead to burn injuries.
- Compliance with regulations: ensuring products comply with industry regulations and standards for safety, especially concerning flammable materials or high-temperature components.
- Accountability and compensation: holding responsible parties accountable for negligence or product defects and seeking compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and other damages incurred by burn injury victims.
Meyers & Flowers has achieved groundbreaking case results in product-related claims in Illinois and nationwide – including one of the largest global medical device settlements ($3 billion), $2.4 billion for individuals harmed by a defective diabetes drug, and $15 million for a defective medical device.
Are Burn Injuries Considered Personal Injury Law?
Personal injury law covers a wide range of cases, including those involving burn injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. Negligence is a crucial legal concept in these cases, referring to the failure to meet the level of care that a reasonable person would in similar circumstances.
To make a successful personal injury claim based on negligence in Illinois, the injured party needs to establish four key elements:
- Duty: This is the legal obligation of the defendant to exercise a certain level of care toward the plaintiff. In burn injury cases, it means showing that the defendant had a duty to take reasonable precautions to prevent the injury.
- Breach of duty: This element requires demonstrating that the defendant didn’t meet the expected standard of care, such as by not taking proper safety measures to prevent burn injuries.
- Causation: It’s essential to show that the defendant’s actions directly caused the burn injury. For example, in a burn injury case, it could be proven that the defendant’s failure to maintain a safe working environment led to the plaintiff’s burn injuries.
- Damages: The injured party needs to demonstrate the actual harm or losses suffered due to the burn injury, such as medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
The burden of proof that must be met for a successful burn injury case is a “preponderance of the evidence,” meaning enough to show that the defendant more likely than not caused the burn injury in question.
Who Can Be Held Legally Liable for Burn Injuries?
Understanding who can be held accountable is crucial for individuals seeking compensation for their burn injuries. The following parties can potentially be held legally liable for burn injuries in Illinois:
- Property owners: If the burn injury occurred on someone else’s property due to hazardous conditions or negligence, the property owner may be held liable for the injuries sustained.
- Employers: In cases where burn injuries happen in the workplace due to unsafe working conditions, lack of proper training, or failure to adhere to safety regulations, the employer may be held legally responsible for the injuries.
- Product manufacturers: If a burn injury is caused by a defective or dangerous product, such as a malfunctioning appliance or flammable material, the manufacturer or distributor of the product could be held liable for the resulting injuries.
- Contractors or subcontractors: In situations involving construction-related burn injuries, contractors or subcontractors responsible for maintaining a safe work environment may be held legally accountable for any resulting harm.
Building Your Case: Essential Steps in Proving Burn Injury Claims
Meeting your burden of proof in a burn injury case in Chicago can be the most difficult task assigned to you as an accident victim. Luckily, you have the right to hire an attorney to assist you. Your lawyer can help you prove that one or more parties breached a duty of care owed to you and that this resulted in you being burned.
Establishing Liability
It’s crucial to figure out who is responsible for the burn injuries. This might mean showing that someone was careless, like a property owner not keeping their property safe, an employer ignoring safety rules, or a manufacturer making a faulty product.
Gathering Evidence
Collecting evidence to support the burn injury claim is crucial. This may include medical records detailing the extent of the burn injuries, photographs or videos of the accident scene, witness statements, and any documentation related to the incident, such as accident reports or medical bills.
Seeking Legal Representation
Seeking guidance from a skilled personal injury attorney in Illinois, such as Meyers & Flowers, can be crucial in navigating the intricacies of proving a burn injury case. An adept attorney can assist in collecting and presenting evidence, evaluating the damages suffered, and advocating for the most favorable outcome on behalf of the injured individual.
What Compensation Can I Get for Burn Injuries in Illinois?
If you’ve suffered burn injuries in Illinois, you may be eligible for different types of compensation to help with the physical, emotional, and financial impact of your injuries. Here are some potential forms of compensation you can seek:
Medical Expenses
This can cover the costs of medical treatment, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, medication, and other health care expenses related to your burn injuries.
Lost Income
If your burn injuries prevent you from working during your recovery, you may seek compensation for your lost wages. This can include both current and future lost income if the injuries lead to long-term or permanent disability.
Pain and Suffering
You can pursue compensation for the physical and emotional pain, trauma, and suffering caused by your burn injuries. This can include immediate and long-term effects on your quality of life.
Disfigurement
If you’ve suffered disfiguring burn injuries, you may be eligible for compensation to address the physical and emotional impact of permanent scarring or disfigurement.
Loss of Consortium
In some cases, the spouse or family members of the individual who suffered burn injuries may be entitled to compensation for the loss of companionship, support, and services due to the injuries.
Act Fast – Your Burn Injury Case Has a Time Limit
Illinois has a law that limits the amount of time accident victims have to file personal injury lawsuits. According to 735 Illinois Compiled Statutes § 5/13-202, “Actions for damages for an injury to the person… shall be commenced within 2 years next after the cause of action accrued.”
Under this law, you typically have no more than two years from the date of your burn injury to file a related claim. This deadline is shortened to one year in cases involving wrongful death or government liability. It’s critical to act quickly, as a claim that is brought after the expiration of the statute of limitations will be time-barred.
Note that this is the filing timeline for a personal injury case, not an insurance claim. You should contact an insurance company to file a burn injury claim much sooner – ideally, immediately after the incident. Waiting could put you at risk of missing an important insurance provider deadline and diminishing the reliability of your evidence.
Meyers & Flowers’ Experience in Burn Injury Cases Sets Us Apart
At Meyers & Flowers, our unparalleled amount of knowledge and experience in handling burn injury cases truly sets us apart. With a proven track record of securing substantial compensation for our clients, we have the skills, abilities, and resources to navigate the complexities of burn injury litigation.
Our dedicated team of Chicago burn injury lawyers understands the physical, emotional, and financial toll that burn injuries can take on victims and their families. That’s why we are committed to providing compassionate and personalized legal representation to ensure our clients receive the justice and compensation they deserve.
Burn Injury Recall List
BJ Wholesale Club Tiki Torches
90,000 tiki torches sold at BJ’s Wholesale Club have been identified as a burn hazard. The CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) issued a recall notice after receiving multiple reports of the candles unexpectedly breaking or catching fire during use.
Pacific Cycle E-bike
Due to a fire hazard while charging, Pacific Cycle has recalled 1,700 e-bikes. The e-bikes affected include the Ascend Cabrillo (model numbers R7583BPS and R7585BPS) and the Ascend Minaret (model number R7586BPS).
Daiken Evaporator Coil Drain Pan
Daikin Comfort Technologies Manufacturing cited that the molded plastic drain pan located at the bottom of the evaporator coil can overheat, melt and deform. DCT has received a total of 31 reports of fire involving the drain pans.
Empower Brands PowerXL Dual-Basket Air Fryer
Sold at popular retail stores such as Walmart, Target, and Kohl’s, about 319,000 units were recalled due to breaking during use and, in some instances, causing burns. Models include the DUAF-10 Vortex and DUAF-005.
Insignia™ Pressure Cookers
Best Buy initiated a recall of nearly 1 million Insignia™ Pressure Cookers after malfunctions causing burn injuries to some users were reported. Dozens of reports came in of the devices suddenly spraying their hot, pressurized contents onto consumers, posing a risk for severe burns.
Megadyne’s MEGA 2000 and MEGA Electrodes Products
Manufactured by Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon, the electrode products were recalled after receiving reports of pediatric and adult patients who received burn injuries from the devices.
Did You Suffer a Burn Injury in Chicago? We Can Help
When it comes to burn injury cases, having a legal team with extensive proficiency can make all the difference in the outcome of your claim. Trust a burn injury lawyer in Chicago from Meyers & Flowers to provide you with the exceptional legal representation and support needed to navigate the complexities of burn injury litigation. Take the first step toward securing the compensation and justice you deserve by scheduling a consultation with experienced burn injury attorneys in Chicago at our firm today. Reach out by describing your case in a brief message or by calling our local law office at (630) 232-6333.