Burn Injuries from a Car Crash | Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer

Among the many types of injuries car accidents can cause, burn injuries are often among the most severe. Heated metal, fires, steam, hot liquids, chemicals, and explosions can cause severe burns during and after a car accident. Burns from car crashes frequently require extensive medical treatment and can cause life-altering impairments.

Treating and managing burn injuries from a car crash can put an enormous financial and emotional burden on a victim and their family. If you have sustained burn injuries in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, the attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer want to hear from you. Our attorneys are ready to identify the parties responsible for your injuries and fight for your financial compensation.

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Selecting the Right Law Firm for Burns in a Car Crash

The burn injury attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer understand how a serious injury can change your entire life. Our attorneys have an established track record of successful cases and have recovered over $400 million for our clients over the years.

We have the Kentucky Courage and legal resources to stand up to the insurance companies and walk away victorious. Most importantly, we get to know our clients to provide a personalized experience. When you work with us, you will work with an attorney right from the start who will guide you through the entire process and be available 24/7 to answer your questions.

Here is what one of our satisfied clients had to say about working with our law firm:

“Couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Represented me perfectly, and got quick results. Would recommend to anyone in need of representation!” – Brad T.

Types and Severity of Burn Injuries in Car Crashes

The most common types of burns victims suffer in car accidents are thermal burns, where the skin makes extended contact with flames or a hot surface. However, victims can also sustain chemical burns, electrical burns, and abrasion burns in car accidents. Victims often experience multiple types of burns, depending on the source of the crash and the injuries.

Medical professionals typically divide burn injuries into four categories based on their severity and prognosis, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine:

First degree – First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of the epidermis and are the least severe. First-degree burns typically heal in about a week.
Second degree – Second-degree burns penetrate the first two layers of skin. They typically cause redness, blisters, and swelling. They can take several weeks to heal.
Third degree – Third-degree burns are serious and extend to the deeper layers of the skin, causing nerve damage. Most third-degree burns will require debridement and skin grafting.
Fourth degree – Fourth-degree burns penetrate all the layers of skin and may leave exposed muscle or bone. These types of burns are often fatal, and victims who survive will require extensive reconstructive surgery and treatment.

How Car Accidents Can Cause Severe Burns

Below are some of the most common reasons victims in car accidents receive burn injuries:

Hot surfaces – During an accident, a part of the car might become extremely hot and cause contact burns, such as radiators or heated metal. Crashes can also cause vehicle fires that burn victims trapped inside.
Explosions – Damaged fuel tanks and fuel leaks can cause massive explosions during an accident. Explosions not only cause burn injuries but also cause blunt-force trauma and shrapnel wounds.
Battery malfunctions – Lithium-ion batteries can explode and catch fire when overcharged or overheated. Lead-acid car batteries contain sulfuric acid, which can cause extensive chemical burns if it comes into contact with the skin.
Electric shocks – Car crashes might expose high-voltage live wires in the vehicle, which can cause electric shocks and burns.
Friction – Friction between metal surfaces during a car accident creates sparks that could catch fire and engulf the vehicle.

Medical Treatment and Ongoing Care for Burn Injuries

Burns are known for being extremely painful and usually leave permanent scarring that impairs bodily functions. Severe burns also flood the body with toxins that cause systemic organ failure and sepsis, according to an article in the Journal of Burn Care & Research. Moreover, the pain from burn injuries can cause long-lasting mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and scarring and disfigurement are a significant source of mental anguish for victims.

Depending on the extent of your wounds, burn injuries may require extensive surgery and skin grafts. Open burns require regular treatment and dressing changes to prevent infections and ensure proper healing. Even after healing, scars from burns can cause mobility and functional impairments that necessitate major life alterations.

Potential Compensation for Car Accident Burn Injuries

Burn victims can recover compensation based on the severity and scope of their injuries. Compensation in a burn injury settlement could include money for your:

Emergency medical costs and continuing medical expenses
Lost income
Reduced earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Scarring and disfigurement
Mental anguish
PTSD

Legal Considerations for Car Accident Burn Injury Victims in Kentucky

Burn injuries are complex, and establishing liability for injuries can be complicated, considering all the causal factors that can contribute to conditions that cause burns during car accidents. For example, say that a negligent driver causes a crash, but then a defective fuel tank explodes, causing the victim’s burns. In this type of case, the fuel tank manufacturer might be partly liable for your burns.

Additionally, burn injuries have far-reaching physical and mental consequences, and it can be challenging to assess how the scope and severity of your injuries can affect compensation. You will need to present the right medical documentation and evidence to demonstrate how your burns have affected your short-term and long-term finances, as well as your mental and social well-being.

How Our Kentucky Burn Injury Attorneys Can Help You

Severe burn injuries from a car crash may have altered the trajectory of your life, and you deserve someone to stand up for your rights and interests. The attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer are prepared to provide the legal guidance and advocacy to pursue the parties responsible and help you rebuild your life.

We will take the lead in investigating your burn injury claim, working with eyewitnesses, doctors, and other experts to build a strong case in your favor. We promise to utilize every available legal avenue to recover full compensation for you and make you whole again.

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