Columbus, GA, Severe Burn Injury Lawyers

Helping You Get the Money You Need After a Severe Burn Injury in Columbus, GA

Severe burns cause life-threatening injuries that frequently result in severe pain and physical disability. Burns also cause emotional anguish and disfigurement. Victims of burn injuries may not be able to pursue activities they enjoyed before the accident.

For over 35 years, Butler Prather LLP has been helping accident victims in Columbus, GA, which is home to many wonderful attractions, including the National Civil War Naval Museum, Springer Opera House, and Chattahoochee RiverWalk. We have won settlements and verdicts for clients in over 30 states. We’ve won nine verdicts that exceed $100 million and over 60 verdicts and settlements of over $10 million.

If you or a loved one is suffering from severe burns, contact Butler Prather LLP. Our experienced Columbus personal injury lawyers will file a claim or a lawsuit against anyone whose negligent behavior contributed to your injuries.

Call (706) 322-1990 to schedule a complimentary consultation today.

What Are Severe Burns?

Burns are classified by their severity, from first-degree to sixth-degree. Severe burns penetrate the deepest levels of the skin and beyond:

• Third-degree burns destroy the dermis and epidermis, the top two layers of the skin. These burns result in deep scarring and the loss of hair and fingernails.
• Fourth-degree burns harm all layers of the skin and damage hard and soft tissue, including muscles, tendons, bones, and internal organs.
• Fifth-degree burns char the skin and damage hard and soft tissue and internal organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys. The harm may be so severe that it requires amputation of one or more limbs. These burns are often fatal.
• Sixth-degree burns are almost always fatal, causing catastrophic injuries that extend to the bone and internal organs.

Injuries Caused by Severe Burns

People who suffer from severe burns require extensive medical treatment, and they may be forced to live with pain and disabilities for the rest of their lives. Burns cause scarring and disfigurement that may never completely go away, even after several rounds of reconstructive and plastic surgery.

Physical ailments caused by burns include:

• Infections
• Organ failure
• Fluid loss
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of mobility
• Bone and joint damage
• Scaring
• Itching
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Amputation
• Dismemberment
• Difficulty sleeping

What Causes Severe Burns?

The most common type of burns are thermal burns, which occur when the skin comes into contact with a heat source. Thermal burns may be caused by fire, heated objects such as cooking utensils, and exposure to scalding water. Additional types of burns include chemical burns, electrical burns, and radiation burns.

There are various circumstances that cause severe burns, including:

• Home and apartment fires
• Motor vehicle collisions
• Gas line explosions
• Industrial accidents
• Chemical plant accidents
• Overheated pipes
• Radiation leaks
• Malfunctioning water heaters

When Negligence Causes Fires

There are state and federal building codes and laws to prevent building fires, and anyone who violates these laws or fails to maintain a safe working environment may be held liable. People who own office buildings, apartments, and other buildings must make sure safety laws are being upheld.

The following types of hazards must be eliminated before tragedy strikes:

• Lack of working fire extinguishers
• Poorly marked emergency exits
• Overcrowded buildings
• Broken fire escapes
• Faulty wiring
• Broken or inadequate fire sprinklers
• Poor building maintenance
• Doors that aren’t fire-rated
• Locked or obstructed exits

Who Is Liable for Severe Burn Injuries?

Everyone has a duty of care to take precautions to avoid behavior that may cause reasonably foreseeable harm to others. For example, a speeding or intoxicated driver who causes a collision that results in a fiery explosion may be held liable for another person’s injuries.

When a delivery or trucking company driver has an unsafe driving record, the business that employs them may be liable for negligent hiring. If a fire occurs at the workplace, employers and managers who fail to follow OSHA regulations may be held liable for injuries that result.

The following parties may be liable for burn injuries:

• Landlords
• Unsafe drivers
• Property management companies
• Business owners, managers, and employers
• Trucking and delivery companies
• Building inspectors
• Contractors
• HVAC companies
• People who install and repair water heaters
• Manufacturers of defective products

How Your Georgia Burn Injury Attorney Can Help

Industrial accidents, automobile crashes, building fires, and other events that cause severe burns frequently involve a lot of complex factors. It’s important to find a fire accident attorney who has the resources and experience to conduct a thorough investigation and guide your case to resolution.

Butler Prather LLP has won landmark legal verdicts and judgments against some of the most powerful interests in the nation. We know how to prove liability and explain complex information in a way that juries will understand.

Our expert witnesses include engineers, architects, fire investigators, forensics specialists, law enforcement professionals, and physicians. We will examine every shred of evidence, including:

• Police reports
• Fire Marshall reports
• Surveillance camera video
• Accident scene photos
• Witness interviews
• Internal company documents
• Forensic evidence
• Digital accident simulations

Damages Available for Burn Injury Victims

After suffering burn injuries, you may require hospitalization followed by a long period of convalescence. Severe burn victims may spend the rest of their lives contending with intense physical and emotional suffering. The Georgia burn injury lawyers at Butler Prather LLP will file a claim or lawsuit that includes the following types of damages:

• Current and future medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Ambulance transport
• Lost income
• Emergency room treatment
• Medical devices
• Surgeries
• Doctor’s office visits
• Reduced quality of life
• Occupational therapy
• Rehabilitation
• In-home nursing care
• Reduced earning capacity
• Physical therapy
• Wrongful death

You Deserve Top-Tier Representation

At Butler Prather LLP, we’ve dedicated our legal practice to getting justice for people with catastrophic injuries. We understand how important your case is to you, and we always fight to win.

Butler Prather LLP treats all our clients and their families with respect and compassion, and you can count on us to answer whenever you have questions about your case.

Contact our Columbus burn injury attorneys at (706) 322-1990 to learn more today with a free consultation.