Workplace Burn Injury
Burns are extremely painful, and often result in long-term disabilities and disfigurement.
At the law offices of Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer, our experienced burn injury workers’ compensation lawyers know how devastating a workplace burn injury can be. We have the Kentucky Courage needed to stand up for workers who’ve suffered burns on the job.
If you have suffered a burn injury at work, our law firm can help you to pursue a workers’ compensation burn settlement, as well as investigating other options for financial recovery.
Please call our Kentucky lawyers today for a free consultation and more information about your rights and options.
How a Lawyer Can Help After a Burn Injury at Work in Kentucky
If you are injured at work, then you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation coverage. Most employees in our state are covered by this type of insurance. However, just because you have a valid workers’ compensation claim does not mean that the workers’ compensation insurer will offer you what you deserve.
Unfortunately, injured workers are often offered less than their claim is truly worth. Working with an attorney can help. Our workers’ compensation lawyers can help you by:
- Explaining to you your rights under the workers’ compensation system.
- Representing your best interests.
- Helping you to navigate the claims process, including providing your employer with notification, getting medical care, following up with the workers’ compensation insurer, etc.
- Explaining to you the important deadlines and statute of limitations related to your claim.
- Representing you if your claim is denied, you’re offered less than you deserve, or you’re released back to work before you are ready.
- Negotiating for a settlement.
- Explaining to you your options for filing a third-party liability claim and representing you in this pursuit if relevant.
Kentucky Workers’ Compensation for a Burn Injury
If you are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance, there are several types of benefits that you may be able to recover. These include:
- Medical benefits. You may be eligible to recover compensation for the full value of all of your necessary and related medical benefits, including surgery costs, doctors’ visits, prescription medications, therapy, and more.
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. A burn injury may preclude you from returning to work for a certain amount of time. If you miss work for more than seven days, you may recover TTD benefits.
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. Your burn injury may leave you permanently partially disabled, but able to perform some degree of work. If so, you may recover compensation in the form of PPD benefits.
- Permanent total disability (PTD) benefits. If you are left totally and completely disabled and unable to perform any work as a result of your injury, you may recover benefits for your permanent total disability.
Death and burial benefits may be available for the surviving family members of a worker who suffered fatal burns on the job. This includes a lump sum payment to the decedent’s estate, as well as income benefits to the surviving spouse and certain dependents.
What to Do After a Burn Injury at Work
Being involved in a workplace accident that results in a burn injury can be terrifying. If you suffer a burn injury at work, there are a number of important steps that you need to take in order to preserve your right to a workers’ compensation burn settlement. These include:
- Notify your employer of the injury as soon as possible.
- Seek medical care Be sure to go to an approved provider for any non-emergency services.
- Document the details of your injury as soon as possible.
- Follow up with your employer to make sure that your injury has been reported to the workers’ compensation insurer.
- File your workers’ compensation claim in a timely manner if your employer has not informed the insurer on your behalf, which they are responsible for doing.
- Get help from a workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible.
Types of Burn Injuries
There are several primary types of burn injuries. The treatment that the worker will receive for their injury will depend on the type of burn injury, as well as the degree and severity of the burn injury. The types of burn injuries, according to Stanford Health Care, are:
- Thermal. A thermal burn is a burn injury that happens as a result of heat. Touching a hot stove or suffering burns as a result of a fire are both types of thermal burn injuries.
- Chemical. Chemical burn injuries are the result of exposure to certain substances, including strong acids, detergents, and solvents.
- Electrical. Electrical burns are the result of exposure to electricity. Non-fatal shock injuries can result in electrical burns.
- Radiation. If a person suffers prolonged exposure to radiation, including in the form of UV rays from the sun or other sources of radiation, such as an x-ray, they can develop radiation burns.
- Friction. Friction burns are abrasions that are the result of the friction of the skin against a surface. For example, if a person falls and skids on a roadway, they may suffer a friction burn (also known as road rash in this example).
Severity of Burn Injuries
In addition to being classified by type, burn injuries are also classified by severity or degree. There are several commonly-accepted levels of burn injury: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. Some medical professionals also recognize fourth-degree burn injuries.
- First-degree burns are the least serious, and usually don’t require medical care.
- Second-degree burns result in damage to the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and the dermis (layer under the epidermis).
- Third-degree burns are extremely severe, affecting the layers of the skin and the subcutaneous tissues and fat. These burns, while more severe, are often less painful because the nerve endings are destroyed.
- Fourth-degree burns are the most severe, going through all of the layers of tissue and fat and causing damage to the bones and muscles as well. Fourth-degree burns are likely to be fatal.
Talk to a Workers’ Compensation Injury Lawyer Now
If you have suffered a burn injury at work, you may be entitled to compensation. Our experienced workers’ compensation lawyers are available to advocate for you and help you to recover the largest settlement amount possible.
Reach out to our team today for your free consultation.
