ST. LOUIS FIRE AND BURN INJURY LAWYER
Burn injuries can be painful and cause intense emotional trauma. Worse, they often result from defective products, safety violations, or someone else’s negligence. They’re also more common than you might think. According to the American Burn Association, nearly 400,000 fire or burn-related injuries were reported in 2021 along with 252,000 contact burn injuries related to hot objects or substances.
Burn-related injuries are painful, disfiguring, and even disabling. People who have suffered burn injuries often face expensive and difficult recoveries, and they may be unable to work for weeks, months, or even the rest of their lives. At Cofman Townsley, we work hard to protect victims’ rights to maximum compensation
If you or someone you love suffered a burn injury, we’re here to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Types of Fire and Burn Injury Claims
Every burn injury is different, and the medical complications they can cause vary depending on the source and severity of the burn. At Cofman Townsley, our team of Missouri and Southern Illinois burn injury attorneys are able to handle a variety of fire and burn claims, including:
- Chemical Burns from Hazardous Substances: These burns occur when the skin or eyes come into contact with strong acids, alkalis, or other corrosive materials, leading to tissue damage.
- Electrical Burns: These burns happen when an electrical current passes through the body, causing severe internal and external injuries as the current generates heat and damages tissues.
- Industrial Explosions: These accidents can result in burn injuries due to intense heat, flames, or chemical reactions during accidents in factories, construction sites, or other industrial settings.
- Inhalation Burns from Smoke or Toxic Fumes: These burns may occur when a person breathes in hot air, smoke, or chemicals, which can burn the airways and lungs, leading to respiratory damage.
- Thermal Burns from Flames or Hot Liquids: These burns happen when the skin comes into direct contact with fire, boiling liquids, steam, or heated surfaces, causing painful tissue damage from the high temperatures.
If you’ve suffered a burn injury that wasn’t your fault, our burn injury lawyers can help investigate your claim and hold the parties responsible for your injuries accountable for their actions.
The Impact of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can have a profound and lasting impact on victims, as they can affect nearly every aspect of their lives.
Physical and Emotional Challenges
Severe burns often result in excruciating pain, nerve damage, and permanent scarring or disfigurement. Victims may require multiple surgeries, skin grafts, and extensive rehabilitation to regain mobility and function.
Beyond the physical toll, burn injuries can lead to emotional struggles, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), particularly when the injury causes visible scars that affect a victim’s self-esteem and confidence.
Financial Burdens
The costs associated with burn injuries can be staggering, and difficult for many victims to afford even with health insurance. Immediate medical expenses, including emergency care and hospitalization, are just the beginning.
Many burn victims face ongoing costs for surgeries, physical therapy, prescription medications, and specialized treatments. Lost wages during recovery—which can sometimes last for months or years—can add significant financial strain, especially if victims are unable to return to their previous occupations.
Long-Term Consequences
The effects of burn injuries often extend far beyond the initial recovery period. Victims may suffer from chronic pain, limited mobility, and reduced quality of life.
Scarring and disfigurement can impact social relationships, career opportunities, and day-to-day activities. Severe burns also increase the risk of secondary health issues, such as infections and respiratory complications, creating long-term health challenges for victims that require extensive ongoing care.
Compensation for Burn Injuries in St. Louis
If you suffered a burn injury, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for many different types of damages, including:
Medical Expenses
Burn injuries often require extensive and costly medical treatment, including emergency care, skin grafts, reconstructive surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing rehabilitation. Compensation can cover both current medical bills and the significant future costs associated with long-term care.
Lost Wages and Loss of Earning Capacity
Severe burn injuries can prevent victims from working during recovery or even permanently impact their ability to perform the job they used to work. You may be eligible to recover lost wages for the time you’ve missed at work, as well as compensation for diminished earning capacity if your injuries limit your ability to earn the same level of, or any, income in the future.
Pain and Suffering
Burn injuries are often incredibly painful, both physically and emotionally. Compensation for pain and suffering accounts for the severe discomfort, trauma, and emotional distress caused by the injury, as well as the challenges of coping with long-term consequences such as disfigurement and chronic pain.
Scarring and Disfigurement
Burn injuries frequently leave lasting scars or disfigurement, which can deeply impact a victim’s self-esteem, confidence, and overall quality of life. Compensation can help address the emotional toll of visible scarring and may include the costs of reconstructive surgeries or other treatments aimed at minimizing these effects.
Emotional Distress and Mental Anguish
The emotional impact of burn injuries can be just as debilitating as the physical injuries themselves. Compensation for emotional distress can help provide access to mental health support, counseling, and therapy.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
When burn injuries prevent you from participating in activities you once loved or limit your independence, you may be eligible for compensation to reflect the loss of enjoyment in your daily life.
We Work for You
Insurance adjusters work to help insurance companies protect their profits. But it’s our goal to help victims like you get every penny they deserve after suffering from serious burns due to someone else’s negligence.
At Cofman Townsley, we’re here to get you the best results for your claim—even if it means going to court. We know you’re going through something terrible few others have to experience, we know you deserve justice and to regain your life, and we’re here to make you feel as comfortable as possible throughout every step of the claims process.
Our law firm has been protecting the rights of injured victims in Missouri and Southern Illinois since 1973, and we want to help you, too. Fill out a free initial consultation form or call (314) 499-1190 to speak with us about your claim today.