New Orleans Burn Injury Lawyer
Burn injuries can unfortunately be life-changing. Not only is there a serious risk of infection following a serious burn (and careful medical attention must be taken to avoid complications) but victims are often left with long term pain, scarring, and disfigurement. If you were injured on the job, you have the right to seek compensation from your employer. Our New Orleans burn injury lawyer here at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC have decades of experience assisting burn victims and their families in seeking workers’ compensation and personal injury settlements.
Damages in a Burn Injury Claim
Virtually all workers are covered under Louisiana’s workers’ compensation act, which requires access to no-fault workers ‘comp insurance for injured employees. You can file a claim for partial wage replacement and full medical coverage. Vocational training may also be relevant if you cannot return to your job. Additionally, if the burn accident was caused by employer recklessness or a negligent third party, you may also be able to seek compensation through a personal injury claim, which would cover additional damages, such as full lost wages, pain and suffering, lost future wages, and more.
The Four Degrees of Burns
Thermal burns and electrical burns cause the following degrees of burn injuries:
- First Degree Burn—Only the first layer of the skin is burned. Mild pain and redness is common.
- Second Degree Burn—The outer layer as well as the dermis layer of the skin is burned. Swelling and blistering are common. Scarring is also common with second degree burns.
- Third Degree Burn—All layers of the skin are burned, resulting in a blackened (or brown, white, or yellow), charred appearance. A third degree burn causes scarring, and possibly requires skin grafts or amputation.
- Fourth Degree Burn—The burn is so severe that underlying muscle, tendon, ligament, and even bone is burned.
Whether you suffered a second or third degree burn, the overall trauma you experienced may actually be correlated to the total body surface area percentage that was burned. A third degree burn that is localized to the hand is indeed an incredibly serious injury, though usually not life-threatening. However, a second degree burn to more than 70 percent of the body can be fatal. Additionally, where you were burned matters. Burns to the face, groin, and hands are the most serious.
Chemical Burns
Employees who work with chemicals may experience what is called a chemical burn, though it has nothing to do with actual heat. Chemical burns are caused by exposure to various corrosive products and acids; they can cause damage to the face, eyes, mouth, lungs, and internal organs, in addition to the skin. Depending on the type of chemical the victim is exposed to, chemical burns can cause blindness, extensive scarring and pain, and even death.
Contact a New Orleans Burn Injury Lawyer
A serious burn can keep someone off the job for weeks, months, or permanently. Because you still have bills and expenses to pay, and the burn occurred on the job, you are fully entitled to compensation through your employer. To get started at once, we urge you to call a New Orleans burn injury lawyer at Lunsford Baskin & Priebe, PLLC today at 601-488-3975 to schedule a free consultation.
