Miami Burn Injury Attorneys

Every year, about 486,000 people require emergency medical treatment after a serious burn, and that figure does not include the victims who seek treatment at community health clinics, private medical offices, and other nontraditional facilities. Well over half these people are admitted to regional burn centers. Serious burns usually require extensive hospitalization and painful skin grafts, and in most cases, neither the physical nor emotional scars ever completely heal.

The seasoned attorneys at Gerson and Schwartz, PA, have over 80 years of combined experience with negligence cases in Florida, including burn injuries. Over that time, we have developed proven methods that are designed to deliver maximum compensation in the least possible amount of time. In fact, the vast majority of our cases settle without ever going to trial; sometimes, the settlement occurs before a lawsuit is filed. Such power is yours when there is an experienced team of dedicated professionals on your side.

These injuries vary greatly, depending on the body part’s location, degree of interaction with the substance, and other factors. First-degree household burns, the kind that come from hot stoves and hot food, normally heal quickly and may require little or no medical attention. The more serious types of burns are:

• Second Degree: Although they may not require skin grafts, these burns might immobilize a victim for up to three weeks and cause permanent scarring.
• Third Degree: These wounds destroy all three layers of the skin and so always require skin grafts. Children are particularly at risk for these kinds of burns, because there is no pain.

Some severe possible side-effects include pneumonia, respiratory failure, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Many of these wounds occur in motor vehicle crashes, particularly if a tractor-trailer is involved. Diesel fuel burns at a different temperature than gasoline, and many trucks carry over 300 gallons of this substance.

Other burns occur in restaurants and similar food service establishments. It only takes a few moments of scalding water under a sink to cause serious third-degree burns in some victims. In other cases, fire exits may not be properly marked, or even readily available. Workers in these establishments are also at risk for chemical burns, from sulfuric acid, sodium hypochlorite (bleach), and other substances.

If the tortfeasor (negligent actor) was a truck driver, restaurant worker, or other employee who was working in the course and scope of employment at the time of injury, the employer may be responsible for damages, according to respondeat superior. Third-party liability theories like this one are especially important if the tortfeasor was either uninsured or underinsured. In Florida, the jury usually apportions damages between the responsible parties according to their percentage of fault.

Burn injury victims are normally entitled to compensation for both their economic and noneconomic damages. For prompt assistance in this area, reach out to Gerson and Schwartz, PA, by calling (305) 371-6000 or emailing info@gslawusa.com. We do not charge upfront legal fees in personal injury cases.