The need to hold someone accountable when their negligent actions leave you or a loved one severely burned and facing a lifetime of unexpected hardships could drive you to want to file a personal injury claim.
David E. Gordon is an experienced catastrophic injury attorney who is sympathetic to your situation and could help you navigate the complicated process of dealing with insurance companies, high-powered attorneys, and the legal system. Hiring an Olive Branch burn injury lawyer could make the difference between securing a substantial recovery or settling for an unsatisfactory result.
Living with a Burn Injury
Burn injuries can range from minor, first-degree burns (which damage the first layer of skin like a sunburn) to severe, fourth-degree burns, (which can lead to disfigurement or even death). The more severe the injury, the more significant the impact physically to the body and overall to a person’s life. Burn victims may face a variety of physical impairments, including:
- Scarring
- Disfigurement
- Chronic pain
- Inability to move limbs
- Amputations
- Loss of sight
In addition to bodily injury, people living with the aftermath of a severe burn may face any of the following challenges:
- Depression
- Loss of self-esteem and self-worth
- Long-term, painful treatments
- Inability to work
- Struggle to care for one’s self and family
Along with emotional and physical hurdles, burn injury victims may also encounter economic hardships from mounting medical and therapy bills and loss of income. A local legal advisor familiar with burn injury cases help offset these financial troubles by fighting for a just settlement or jury verdict.
Collecting for the Experienced Harm
An individual suffering a burn can seek reimbursement for both actual financial expenses and, although trickier to quantify, subjective harm. Economic damages redress monetary harm and other costs associated with the injury, including current and prospective lost earnings, medical and other bills, ambulance charges, or retrofitting a home. Claimants may also recover for subjective or intangible harm caused, such as mental anguish, emotional distress, loss of society, impairment, pain and suffering, and inconvenience.
The law does not cap the amount sought, but Mississippi Code Annotated §§ 11-7-15 & 11-7-17 require all personal injury awards to correspond with the recipient’s level of fault. For example, if the burned party contributed to the accident by 20 percent, the amount received will be reduced by that same percentage. The law does not, however, set a maximum fault threshold for recovery. So, even if the burned party is responsible for 90 percent of the accident, they could still recover ten percent of any sum awarded.
In the unfortunate event that the burns take the life of a victim, the deceased’s family or legal representative may assert a claim for wrongful death. The Mississippi wrongful death statute governs who may sue on the decedent’s behalf, what damages may be recouped, and any limitations on the amount of an award.
No matter the legal theory or the type of damages sought, claimants should seek counsel sooner than later. In most instances, they must assert their allegations within three years of the incident. Parties who fail to do so could risk having their cases dismissed and lose their chance at recovering damages.
Your Financial Future May Not Be Bleak with the Help of an Olive Branch Burn Injury Lawyer
The physical and emotional pain wrought by a burn injury is often unimaginable. The financial difficulties that may accompany it do not have to be equally devastating. David E. Gordon understands the struggles you and your family will encounter and wants to help.
Every day, our dedicated Olive Branch burn injury lawyers fight for our clients’ financial well-being so they can have brighter futures. Start looking forward to yours by reaching out to us to review your case today.
