Rialto Burn Injury Lawyer

Burns are some of the most painful and complex injuries to experience.  Minor burns are painful and could cause scarring. Severe burns, on the other hand, can require extended hospital stays, surgery, months of painful rehabilitation, disfigurement, and could result in permanent functional impairment. The psychological impact of burns could be as severe as the physical effects.

If someone’s negligence contributed to an accident that led to severe burns, the injured person could seek justice with a Rialto burn injury lawyer. Getting help from a professional attorney early on could ensure that all the injured person’s rights are preserved and give them the opportunity of achieving a fair and reasonable settlement.

Burns Impact the Whole Body

The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it plays a critical role in protecting the body from intrusion by hazardous substances and microbes. When the skin suffers damage through burns, bacteria, fungi, mold, and other infectious agents can easily enter and cause infection.

The body’s natural inflammatory response could lead to excessive swelling and fluid in the tissues, leading to over-burdened heart, kidneys, and lungs. Treating a severe burn requires a delicate balance of therapies to repair the skin and protect the organ systems from over-reacting to the skin’s trauma.

A person can burn their respiratory and digestive systems if they inhale or ingest hot gas or caustic chemicals. Burns on the eyes can lead to permanent blindness.

Make Decision to Seek Damages Quickly

Statutes of limitation set time limits for an injured person to claim damages. California law sets that limit at two years, and the clock begins ticking at the time of the accident. A person who suffered severe burns could still be recovering from their injuries when the statute of limitations runs out.

For this reason, it behooves a person with burn injuries to begin working with an attorney soon after their injury. While the injured person is focused on recovering, their legal representative could be building their case against all the potentially responsible parties.

Decisive early action is even more important if the state or a local government could be a defendant. This situation might arise if the plaintiff suffered their injury on government-owned premises or in an accident involving a government employee acting within their scope of employment. California Government Code §911.2 requires plaintiffs seeking damages for personal injuries to notify the government defendant of their intent within six months of the accident underlying the claim.

Negligence Triggers Liability for Damages

A plaintiff who seeks damages must demonstrate that the defendant’s negligence contributed to their accident. A person is negligent if they act, or fail to act, in a way that a reasonably cautious person would have acted in similar circumstances. An experienced injury attorney could investigate an accident to identify parties whose negligence might have contributed to it.

Proving negligence is a three-step process. The plaintiff first must demonstrate that the defendant had a duty to the plaintiff that they breached. Then the plaintiff must show that an accident happened because of the breach of duty. Finally, the plaintiff must provide evidence that they suffered an actual injury in the accident.

Many accidents result from the combination of several parties’ negligence. If a plaintiff’s negligence contributed to an accident, some states bar them from recovering damages. California allows a negligent plaintiff to recover damages from other negligent parties. A negligent plaintiff will collect only that portion of their damages that are attributable to the actions of other parties, however.

Speak with a Rialto Burn Injury Attorney for Help

A person who is immersed in the arduous process of recovering from burns is not in a position to be fighting for the compensation they deserve. Working with a strong advocate can free the injured person to concentrate on getting better while their representative handles the legal and financial issues.

A seasoned Rialto burn injury lawyer could provide compassionate support to the injured person while vigorously pursuing an equitable award of damages. Schedule a consultation today.