Burns are painful injuries that can leave victims with significant scarring, disfigurement, and disability. If you suffered a burn injury caused by someone else’s negligence in South Carolina, you can seek the compensation you need and deserve through a personal injury lawsuit filed against the at-fault party.
Willcox, Buyck & Williams, P.A., has over 125 years of personal injury experience, and our lawyers are prepared to help you seek compensation for your injuries. Contact our law firm today to speak with a skilled burn injury lawyer about your case and to learn more about your options for financial recovery.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Various types of accidents can cause burn injuries, from car crashes to building fires. Some of the most common causes of burns in South Carolina are:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents – Some car accidents can result in fires, leaving victims trapped inside with severe burns. The risk of a fire increases if a truck carrying flammable cargo is involved in the crash.
- Workplace Accidents – Many industries, including construction, manufacturing, and food services, have an increased risk of burn injuries due to fire, chemical, and electrical hazards.
- Chemical Exposure – Exposure to caustic chemicals can cause burns, often on the arms, hands, and face.
- Defective Products – Some product defects can result in electrocutions or fire that can leave victims with serious burns. Through a product liability case, you can seek compensation without needing to prove liability.
- Electrocutions – Exposure to electrical hazards can result in burns that penetrate the skin and damage muscles directly.
- Premises Liability Accidents – Building fires are one of the major causes of burn injuries. Property owners may be liable if poor building maintenance or insufficient fire safety practices contributed to the incident.
Types of Burn Injuries
The treatments required for your injuries and the compensation you could recover for them depend significantly on the severity of the burns you suffered. In general, there are three types of burns, first- through third-degree, with first-degree burns being the least severe and third-degree being the most severe:
- First-Degree Burns – These burns only penetrate the outer layer of skin and rarely lead to lasting damage. Often, first aid is enough to treat these burns, and the affected area may be painful for a few days.
- Second-Degree Burns – These are more severe burns that penetrate deeper into the skin. The skin may be blistered, swollen, and painful, and medical treatment is necessary to prevent lasting damage and speed up recovery.
- Third-Degree Burns – The most severe burns destroy the skin and begin damaging the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones underneath. These injuries often require extensive medical care and may still result in permanent damage.
Treatments Frequently Used for Burn Injuries
The treatments required for burn injuries vary depending on the severity and location of the burn. For severe burns, like second and third-degree burns, the first step involves providing emergency medical care and stabilization. This often includes cleaning and dressing the wounds to prevent dangerous infections.
Severe burns may also require skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. A skin graft is when surgeons take the skin from another part of your body and use it to replace the skin damaged by the burn.
In the long term, burn victims may also require physical therapy to restore mobility and function in their affected body parts. They may also require psychological support for emotional trauma caused by the incident or their injuries.
Compensation Available to Burn Injury Victims
Burn victims can seek compensation for the various losses they suffer related to their injuries. Some of the most common losses victims seek compensation for include:
- Medical Expenses – This compensation covers past and future medical treatments, surgeries, physical therapy, and prescription medications.
- Lost Wages – This compensation covers past and future lost wages caused by your burn injury’s impact on your ability to work.
- Permanent Disability – This compensation covers necessary accommodations for permanent disability suffered by burn injury victims, such as if the burn causes lasting mobility issues.
- Scarring and Disfigurement – Many burn accident victims suffer severe scarring and disfigurement. Depending on the extent and placement of the scarring, it could be worth significant compensation.
- Pain and Suffering – This compensation is for the physical pain and emotional suffering you experience because of the accident that caused your injuries and the lasting impact of your injuries.
Modified Comparative Negligence
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence law that could impact your compensation. Under this law, you must be less than 51 percent at fault for the accident that caused your injuries to recover compensation. Additionally, your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. So, if you are 10 percent at fault for your burn injuries, you may only be able to recover 90 percent of your damages.
By working with a skilled attorney, you can increase your chances of receiving the full compensation you deserve.
Deadline for Filing a Burn Injury Lawsuit in South Carolina
Under South Carolina’s statute of limitations, burn victims have three years to file lawsuits against the parties responsible for their injuries. Failure to file your lawsuit within this period will likely result in the courts barring you from recovering damages. An experienced personal injury lawyer can assist you with collecting the necessary evidence and filing your lawsuit on time.
Contact Our South Carolina Burn Injury Lawyers
Did you suffer burn injuries caused by someone else’s negligence in Florence or Myrtle Beach, South Carolina? You may be eligible to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses through a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party.
Contact Willcox, Buyck & Williams, P.A., to speak with a skilled burn injury lawyer about your case. Our firm has been helping injury victims in South Carolina seek the compensation they deserve for over 125 years. Let us show you what more than a century of legal experience can do for you.