Grand Rapids Burn Injury Attorney

Burn injuries can cause permanent damage, including disfigurement, physical impairment and psychological issues. If you or someone you love suffered a burn injury, compensation may be available to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

We recommend contacting a licensed Grand Rapids burn injury attorney from Jay Trucks and Associates. Our attorneys have been helping injury victims throughout Michigan recover the compensation they need for over 30 years, including $400,000 for a case involving a 40-year-old worker who severely burned both hands in a gas line incident.

Contact one of our Grand Rapids burn injury attorneys at Jay Trucks and Associates today for a free review of your claim. We charge no attorney fees unless we win fair compensation for your burn injury claim.

Do I Have a Case?

There are many aspects of your accident and injury that should be reviewed to determine if there is a valid claim. If you were injured because of another’s negligence, we need to determine if we could prove negligence occurred and link it directly to your injuries. This is the legal standard applied in most personal injury cases.

However, in a workers’ compensation claim we do not need to prove negligence, only that you were injured in a work-related accident.

These are issues you can discuss with a licensed Grand Rapids burn injury lawyer in a free consultation.

What Damages Can I Claim for a Burn Injury?

There may be several different forms of compensation available to you, depending on the circumstances of your burn injury claim:

Economic Damages

These are damages that are quantifiable and can be easily proven with the proper documentation, including:

• Medical expenses – If you have a valid claim, you could qualify to have all your past, present and future medical costs covered, if they are related to your burn injury. This includes things like doctor’s visits, surgeries, medications, medical equipment, physical therapy and more.
• Lost income – Sometimes burn injury victims are forced to miss work due to the injury, however, you may be able to recover compensation for lost wages, if your claim is successful.
• Lost earning capacity – When a burn injury is so severe that the victim cannot return to work in the same capacity as before the injury, he or she may qualify for these benefits, which are calculated based on your income from before the injury.
• Property damage – Cars, homes and other valuables may be severely damaged during a burn injury accident. If this is the case, you may be able to recover compensation for the current market value.

Non-Economic Damages

When an injury victim suffers damages that do not have a defined value, these are considered non-economic damages. If you have a viable claim, this is something our lawyers can help identify and accurately calculate for you.

Some examples of these types of damages are:

• Physical pain – If you suffered from severe physical pain because of your burn injury, you may be able to seek compensation for it.
• Psychological damage – Some severe burn injuries can cause victims to suffer from several types of psychological issues including mental anguish, emotional distress, anxiety, insomnia and more.
• Loss of companionship – When a victim loses a loved one due to a burn injury, he or she may be compensated for the loss of the relationship.
• Loss of enjoyment of life – Burn injury victims sometimes suffer from disfigurement, disability or other forms of permanent damage that may not allow them to enjoy life as they did before the injury.

There may be other forms of compensation available to you, depending on the details of your claim.

When Should I File my Claim?

If you were injured at work, you are required to tell your employer within 90 days and you have two years from the date of injury to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Most personal injury victims in Michigan only have three years from the date the injury occurred to file a valid claim. However, there could be instances where this deadline could be sooner or later. For example, if your burn injury was a result of medical malpractice, you may have only two years to submit a valid claim.

Speak with a licensed attorney today from Jay Trucks & Associates to learn when your claim is due. There are no hidden costs or upfront fees and you are not be obligated to allow us to represent you. We only receive payment when we successfully recover compensation for your burn injury claim.

Ways a Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help

There are several advantages to hiring a licensed Grand Rapids burn injury attorney. We know how to accurately value an injury claim and pursue full compensation, including the cost of future damages you have not suffered yet.

An attorney can handle all communication with the insurance companies and opposing lawyers. Most people may not realize that insurers and opposing lawyers are adept at finding ways to get victims to say things that may be held against them to lower the value of a claim. For example, if you tell an insurance adjuster that you feel better, he or she could use that statement as justification to lower the value of your claim.

Our lawyers understand that injury victims may have several questions about their claim, which is why we are available anytime, 24/7.

Steps to Take After Sustaining a Burn Injury

It is important to seek medical attention immediately to have your burn examined by a health care professional. Some severe burn injuries can leave permanent damage if left untreated.

Having proof that you saw a medical professional right away may also help strengthen your claim. If you do not see a doctor immediately after the accident, the insurance adjuster could use this against you by saying that your burn injury is not as severe as you claim it to be, or that your injury was caused by something besides the accident.

Other steps to take include:

• Following the doctor’s orders – If you do not adhere to your doctor’s treatment plan, your claim could be devalued or denied. The insurance company could use this against you by saying that your injury would not be as severe if you followed your doctor’s instructions.
• Contacting an attorney immediately – After receiving medical treatment, we recommend contacting a Grand Rapids burn injury attorney from Jay Trucks & Associates. Having a knowledgeable attorney on your side may help improve your chances of receiving financial compensation for your damages and/or losses.

Common Causes for Burn Injuries

Although there are countless ways a person could sustain a serious burn injury, these are the more common types of situations:

• Thermal burns are caused by direct contact with flames or heated items, such as an iron, grill, stove, oven, furnace, fireplace or other heated objects.
• Electrical burns are caused by some type of electrical energy. Sometimes victims can sustain electrical burns by using faulty equipment and appliances or working in a construction area with live wires.
• Chemical burns are caused by harmful liquids such as acid, chlorine, bleach or ammonia.
• Radiation burns are created by overexposure to sunlight, tanning booths, radiation therapy and microwaves.

Burns are also categorized in degrees from first to fourth. Fourth-degree burns go all the way to the muscle and bone, killing nerves and resulting in intense pain. Skin grafts are often required and there may be a high risk of infection from dead tissue if it is not removed.

First-degree burns are often sunburns that do not require medical attention, while second-degree burns usually do require medical treatment.

Contact us for a free evaluation of your claim and we can help determine if you have a significant chance at winning a settlement to cover your losses and damages.

Schedule a Free Claim Review with a Grand Rapids Burn Injury Lawyer Today

If you or a loved one suffered from a serious burn injury that was caused by the negligent actions of another party, we are ready to help you hold them accountable for your damages.

The Grand Rapids burn injury lawyers at Jay Trucks and Associates have been holding negligent parties liable for their actions for more than three decades throughout the state of Michigan. We are focused on helping the common folks get fair compensation for their medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Take advantage of our free claim review and you will not be charged any legal fees unless we win compensation for your burn injury claim.